LOTTERY Winners are preparing to take centre stage at their biggest-ever UK headline show in this weekend – a hometown stadium gig they say will “prove what is possible”.
The Leigh-based band will headline Leigh Sports Village on Saturday, May 30, in what is being described as a career-defining homecoming.
Frontman Thom Rylance said the performance represents the culmination of years of hard work.
Speaking to the BBC this week, he said: “It’s made us who we are as people. And we’ve made who it is as an arts hub – we’re trying our best, going into schools for free, talking to young creatives.
"We’ve just written a song with youngsters from Leigh. We really want to give back to the place that made us who we are.”
Speaking in a preview of the concert, he described the enormity of the local date.
He said: “Leigh Sports Village isn’t just another show for us. It’s a marker of everything we’ve worked for.
“From loading gear into pubs to travelling the world, every step has led here.
“To headline a stadium at home is rare, and we don’t take that lightly.
“This night will stand as proof of what’s possible when you keep on keeping on.”
Rylance added that performing in front of a hometown crowd would make the event even more special.
“Headlining Leigh Sports Village is special in itself but doing it here in our hometown – surrounded by the people who’ve supported us from the very start – makes it truly unforgettable.
“The fact that we get to welcome legends and friends like Frank Turner, Reverend and the Makers and Scouting for Girls to our town feels incredible.
“It’s Leigh opening its doors to the world, and we’re proud to be the ones hosting.”
The band will be joined by special guests Frank Turner and Reverend and the Makers, with supporting acts including Scouting for Girls, The Lilacs and a DJ set from Katie Owen.
Lottery Winners will become only the fourth act to headline the stadium, following major names such as Elton John and Lionel Richie. Billy Ocean is also due to perform at the venue the Friday night before.
Alongside the show, the band has been working with schools on a “Song for Leigh” project with young local artists, as well as supporting a documentary about the event involving emerging filmmakers from the area.
Made up of Thom Rylance, Rob Lally, Katie Lloyd and Joe Singleton, Lottery Winners are the only act from Leigh to achieve a UK number one album.
Their 2023 record Anxiety Replacement Therapy was followed by KOKO last year, further cementing their rise from cult favourites to one of the UK’s most popular bands.
Their success has included major festival appearances, national radio airplay and a high-profile tour supporting Robbie Williams.
Williams said: “I’ve completely fallen in love with the Lottery Winners, and even when the tour was just two weeks in, I had a pang of sadness that their tenure with me can’t last forever.”
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