The Bluetones

On 8 October 2026, The Bluetones return to Belfast for a show at Empire Music Hall. Formed in Hounslow in 1993, the band brings together Mark Morriss (vocals), Adam Devlin (guitar), Scott Morriss (bass) and Eds Chesters (drums). Emerging alongside britpop but carving a more supple, melodic path, they blend indie rock, jangle pop and indie pop, with bright guitars, unfussy hooks and a writing style that balances immediacy with a faintly melancholic edge.

Their early run set the tone: Expecting to Fly (1996), Return to the Last Chance Saloon (1998) and Science & Nature (2000) laid the foundations, followed by Luxembourg (2003), a self‑titled album in 2006 and A New Athens (2010). After a pause in 2011, they regrouped in 2015 and kept touring across the UK and Europe. In 2026, the story continues with Atlas, extending a catalogue that has always favored melody and craft over noise.

Live, The Bluetones trace that journey in sharp, concise songs, shifting from chiming riffs to gently shaded choruses with ease. Between staple cuts from the first albums and new material from Atlas, the set leans on interplay and clarity rather than volume, carried by Morriss’s distinctive phrasing and Devlin’s clean, ringing lines. A concise, tuneful snapshot of a band that has grown without losing its signature feel.