Silent Running
Limelight 2, Belfast
Friday, March 03rd 2023
ON SALE NOW VIA TICKETMASTER.IE
Silent Running, who recently released the critically acclaimed album ‘Follow the Light’, have announced a gig at Belfast’s premier music venue ‘The Limelight’ on March 3rd, 2023.
The Northern Irish band are marking their 40th anniversary this year, having been largely inactive since 1989. At the height of their career, the band toured with the likes of Talk Talk, Simple Minds, John Foxx and Robert Palmer and appeared on iconic music TV show The Tube. Now original members of the band Richard Collett (bass), Peter Gamble (vocals) and Tony Scott (guitars) have reunited, with Gary Kirby on drums and Paul Rocks on keyboards.
The band were originally signed to EMI and released their debut album ‘Shades of Liberty’ in 1984. For the follow up to that record, Silent Running then signed with Atlantic Records (the first Irish band to do so) and released ‘Walk on Fire’ in 1987 and ‘Deep’ in 1989. After that third album, the band folded for a full 30 years. In 2019, having got together again to play a few songs at a band member’s wife’s birthday, Silent Running booked a gig at Belfast’s Voodoo. Expectations of anything other than having some fun playing a full live set again, in truth, were low. However, a Facebook group of fans couldn’t believe that the band were back in business again and ensured that the show was a total sell out, with many traveling in for what was a magical night. A live concert CD of the show was released in 2020.
Late in 2019, Silent Running released the single ‘Lost Boy’, which in turn led to the writing and recording the band’s first studio album in nearly 30 years.
‘Follow the Light’ was recorded at Novatech in Belfast; the same studio in which they recorded the demos for the 80s albums. Lead singer and songwriter Peter Gamble says, “I feel that ‘Follow the Light’ is Silent Running’s best album to date with the best and most consistent songs, and the band’s arrangements of the songs are really strong. My favourites of the songs I wrote in the 80s were the more collaborative efforts we wrote together as a band; songs like ‘Emotional Warfare’, so it has felt really good to produce together what we believe is a special album”.
In August 2022 Silent Running were asked to support Simple Minds when the band played to a massive crowd in Custom House Square, Belfast. The response was overwhelmingly positive and the band is now in the process of writing a follow-up to ‘Follow the Light’.
The forthcoming show in The Limelight will see the band playing songs from all 4 studio albums as well as some brand-new material.
Acclaim for ‘Follow the Light’
Powerplay Rock and Metal Magazine – 9/10 – ‘A Damned Good Album’
The Beat Magazine – ‘All eleven tracks shine with the band’s renewed life’
Maximum Volume Music – 8.5/10 – ‘Follow the Light is a cracker and it felt like Silent Running have never been away’
Redguitarmusic.com – ‘Follow the Light is an excellent record’
The Midlands Rocks – ‘A career-defining album in the shape of Follow the Light’
Get Ready To Rock website – ‘It’s not often you can say that a rock album has heart and soul. This one does’