Saint Etienne Bringing Foxbase Alpha to the NCH in Dublin

English indie pop band Saint Etienne comes to Dublin this September with a one-off show at the National Concert Hall.

Formed in 1990 by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs, (vocalist Sarah Cracknell was added to the line-up the following year), Saint Etienne was one of the main proponents of the indie dance genre that exploded in the UK in the early 90s. The band takes its name from the French football team, Saint-Étienne.

Their debut album, Foxbase Alpha, was released in 1991 on a newly founded label, Heavenly Recordings. The original intention was to use a number of different lead singers for the album. At the time of recording, Sarah Cracknell was not fully part of group and Moira Lambert actually ended up being the vocalist on the Neil Young song “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” on the final release.

Foxbase Alpha was soon after nominated for a Mercury Music Prize, and has since come to be one of the defining records of the era. It was house music for indie kids really, mixing standard TR-909 drum patterns and Italo piano riffs with the gritty sounds of the London underground scene.

Saint Etienne has gone on to release seven more albums since then, including So Tough (1993), Tiger Bay (1994), Good Humor (1998), Sound of Water (2000), Finisterre (2002), Tales from Turnpike House (2005), and 2012’s Words and Music by Saint Etienne.

In celebration of Heavenly Recordings’ 25th Birthday, Saint Etienne has opted to play through that most treasured of debut albums in full.

And to celebrate 25 years of Saint Etienne, why not treat yourself to a new photo book of the band’s career with over 150 images of the group, a complete discography and a full commentary from Bob, Pete and Sarah.

Saint Etienne plays the National Concert Hall in Dublin on the 8th September at 8pm as part of the ESB Live 2015 series.

Tickets cost €30 and may be reserved online or by calling the Box Office on 01 417 000. You may also book your Meal Deal for this concert by adding the promo code MEALDEAL in the promo code box provided for online bookings.

CONTACT DETAILS
National Concert Hall
Earlsfort Terrace
Dublin 2