Noel Gallagher is set to return to Norwich for the first time in 25 years to play a headline set at Sunday Sessions 2019.
The one-day festival was launched in 2018 and this year multi-platinum Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds will be joined by Razorlight, The Coral, Neon Waltz, October Drift and Ducking Punch in Earlham Park on Sunday May 26.
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds were first formed in 2010 by the former Oasis star and includes pianist Mike Rowe, drummer Jeremy Stacey of The Lemon Trees, The Zutons bassist Russell Pritchard and guitarist Tim Smith.
The band have had three number one albums including their latest 2017 release Who Built the Moon which achieved gold certification less than a fortnight after its release.
A quarter of a century since Oasis released their landmark debut album Definitely Maybe, Noel Gallagher remains a vital creative force in British music.
What can fans expect to see and hear at your Sunday Sessions shows in Norwich in summer 2019? Is it a brand-new live set this year?
Erm… Having never actually 'seen' Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds I wouldn't really have an answer for that... some French birds?
They can expect to hear some new old tunes and some old new tunes as well as maybe some current tunes and a bit of banter with the yokels… sorry, I mean the locals!
You are playing in Norwich at Sunday Sessions 2019 – you haven't actually performed in Norwich for 25 years, since Oasis played a gig at the Norwich Arts Centre back in 1994. What do you remember, if anything about that particular gig?
I genuinely remember nothing about the gig… but I do remember there being a tiny little orgy in the dressing room after.
1994 was the same year that Alan Partridge (possibly Norwich's most famous son) made his TV debut on BBC TV's The Day Today. Are you a fan of Steve Coogan's creation?
I am a huge Partridge fan, as are all my band except the two French birds who haven't got a clue what we find so funny! I love him. I've known Steve for quite a few years - in fact he was at my house in the nineties one night and he did Alan Partridge on my answer-machine message. We love Steve - Steve is a genius.
Your latest album Who Built The Moon? is your third consecutive solo No.1 album – can you tell us a little about recording the first single from the album Holy Mountain with producer David Holmes in Belfast.
Holy Mountain was one of the first things David and I did on the first week of working together. I knew instantly that it was going to be the first single. There's so much joy in it. Until the day I die, it will be one of my favourite pieces of music that I've ever written. It sounds great live. My kids love it, my friends' kids all love it and I am sure 'the kids' will love it.
Another track from the album, Black & White Sunshine, is a great slab of 60s psychedelic pop and a song about love – how did that one come about?
David played me the sample so I worked out the chords and we demoed just a few, short minutes of it, taking it away on tour and playing with it. When it became a song back in Belfast it was so joyous, I just had to do it justice. What's more joyous than being in love, baby? So, I wrote a song about love and it's one of the best things that I've ever done.
'The Man Who Built The Moon' is a standout track from the latest album, flooded with lush orchestration and a sense of looming drama – can you tell us a little about how you recorded that track? Apparently David Holmes would shout commands at you from the studio control room such as 'Stop 'playing' guitar!' and 'Play me a guitar solo you can dance to!' Is that true?
We took a keyboard riff we liked from an unused track and added chords. A year later we came to deal with it as a song and when we got to the chorus, David kept asking me to write a new one…. Again and again and again. I was ready to strangle him. The one that you hear is the eighth attempt and, you know what? The annoying thing is he was right.
Sunday Sessions is aimed at the whole family, with entertainment for everyone across three stages.
Children can enjoy free activities including circus workshops with the Bigtopmania Circus, face painting, crafts, a funfair as well as children's entertainers.
VIP tickets allow access to the VIP enclosure, with access to a chill out zone, outdoor seating area, luxury loos and a full bar serving quality brands and cocktails.
Tickets start at £53.90 for adults (aged 13+) and children aged 2-12 are free.
You can purchase tickets to Sunday Sessions on May 26 at norwich.sundaysessions.net
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