Young Rebel Set - Live 2025
YOUNG REBEL SET
For the first time since 2015 on a Germany tour in September
YOUNG REBEL SET was a, and there is no better word for it, phenomenon. One can romanticize and nostalgically glorify the history of the band in hindsight, but it was like that.
Seven friends in their early 20s formed a band in the KuBar in Stockton-on-Tees, in the northeast of England, and wrote their first song called “If I Was.” And through rock ‘n’ roll magic, which can no longer be traced today, it found its way to Swiss concert promoter Martin Schrader. He knows exactly who needs to hear it next and sends it to Danny Simons, who books concerts for Grand Hotel van Cleef in Germany. The fire is lit. Shortly after, Thees Uhlmann flies to Newcastle to see one of the band's first concerts. He meets the band, and still that night, the deal is made.
In early 2010, YOUNG REBEL SET plays their first concerts in Germany, with a first EP released by Grand Hotel van Cleef featuring the band's early tracks. The shows are wild, unpredictable, hedonistic, and sometimes chaotic. In April 2011, the debut “Curse Our Love” is released, and in the UK, the band signs with Ignition Records (including Oasis, Primal Scream, Hard-Fi, ...). Of course, the Internet already existed, but “hype” worked differently back then. Through the music, through the concerts.
Thanks to word-of-mouth advertising, the concerts grow larger, and by the end of 2011, about 1,000 fans are standing in front of the stage in Berlin and Hamburg when singer Matty Chipchase and the brother pairs Parmley and Evans take the stage. In 2013, the second album “Crocodile” follows, and in 2015, the story comes to a temporary halt with an indefinite break. The last five years were intense, perhaps a bit too much.
It takes four years for Matty Chipchase to gather his gang again: New songs are already in the drawer, and reunion concerts are being planned.
In December 2019, Matty passes away at only 35 years old, and the concerts do not happen.
In September 2024, on the day Matty would have celebrated his 40th birthday, his bandmates, with the support of the local music scene, perform at the KuBar in Stockton. They celebrate Matty’s lyrics, their shared songs, their friendship. Once again, a fire burns.
And so, the founding members Andy and Chris Parmley and Luke Evans decide to gather the gang once more: With additional former band members and companions, YOUNG REBEL SET will tour Europe again in September 2025, playing not only their indestructible songs “If I Was,” “Lion’s Mouth,” “Walk On,” “Measure of a Man,” and whatever else they're called, but also new tracks written for the third album. Sadly, Matty is no longer there, but the magic is.
The band announced their tour with a video message and recorded acoustic performance for the attendees of the Beach Motel van Cleef Festival, which took place on January 10 and 11 in St. Peter-Ording. There, the surprised fans already had the chance to buy the first tickets for the September concerts.
The band’s lineup for the upcoming tour includes, besides brothers Andy and Chris Parmley (guitar and drums) and bassist Luke Evans, Andy Bensley, who not only recorded demos for the band in the past and handled the live sound but also toured as a guitarist. On the piano is Danny Allison, who has been recording and playing with the band since before the “Crocodile” album.
The lead vocals position will be taken by Liverpool singer Tom Blackwell. The band states: “No one can replace Matty. He was unique in every sense of the word, and we still feel his loss immeasurably. When the idea came to rewrite the ending of Young Rebel Set, to add a chapter, it was clear that the position at the microphone would be the hardest to fill. We knew we had to find someone who wouldn’t just copy Matty; that’s impossible, but someone we respect as a musician and who can bring their own style and voice to our songs.
With Tom Blackwell, we have found exactly that person: He originally comes from Liverpool, and we met about ten years ago in London when we were recording our second album. We spent a lot of time together, and recently he married a good friend of ours and moved near us to Teeside. We love Tom’s voice and his own songs as a solo artist; he will also perform as support during the concerts in September, and we couldn’t be happier that he will be at the microphone for us on this tour.”
Mark Evans, Luke's brother and the band's original second guitarist, will not join the tour, but there is no bad blood: “Of course, Mark initially toyed with the idea of touring with us, but as plans became more concrete, he decided to focus on his own album instead. We’ve recorded many of his solo songs together, which will be released soon. The album sounds great; keep your eyes peeled!”
Doors open: 7:00 PM
Hallo, ich bin Maya.
