THE frontman of a renowned alternative rock band is to appear in the North East for a performance with a difference.

Supergrass frontman Gaz Coombes will be at The Fire Station, Sunderland, later this month as part of a tour for his latest album Turn the Car frontman of Around.

However, the show will be a little bit different to other tour dates. The Fire Station gig, on Saturday, May 20, will be a more intimate, pared-back performance.

Tamsin Austin, venue director at The Fire Station, said: “Gaz is currently touring the UK and Europe with his brilliant new album, Turn the Car Around.

"The shows feature his full band, but he also wanted to do a few more stripped-back, solo shows and that’s what he will be performing at The Fire Station on May 20.

“Since it was released Turn the Car Around has had amazing reviews – The Guardian, gave it five stars and said it’s his best album in 20 years.

"It’s dynamic, melodic and full of energy and I can’t wait to hear Gaz perform on The Fire Station stage.”

Talking about the album, singer songwriter Gaz said: “This is a record that I’ve been building up to for the last seven years.

The Northern Echo: Gaz Coombes of SupergrassGaz Coombes of Supergrass (Image: SUNDERLAND CULTURE)

"There’s a lot of subject matter that I’ve played with and maybe not managed to see through in the past. I’ve evolved and I feel like I’ve got better at what I do.”

Supergrass split up in 2010 but reunited for a series of critically-acclaimed and sell-out reunions in 2019.

The following year Supergrass released a new album Live on Other Planets, to celebrate the band’s 25th anniversary and to raise money for grassroots venues affected by the Covid pandemic.

When the planned run of Supergrass dates were derailed by the pandemic in 2020, it gave Gaz the impetus to get to work on a new solo record – and the result was Turn The Car Around.

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Gaz launched Supergrass in 1993 with schoolfriends Danny Goffey and Mick Quinn. Rob Coombes, Gaz’s brother, joined the line-up in 2002.

The band went on to win an Ivor Novello award (for the hit single Alright); a Mercury prize (for the album I Should Coco) and several BRIT awards during the 1990s.

For further information or to book tickets, which start at £22, visit www.thefirestation.org.uk.