OMD to play first Wirral gig in more than 40 years at Future Yard

Wirral's electronic pioneers - currently celebrating their 40th anniversary with a sold-out international tour - take to the stage at Future Yard in Argyle Street, Birkenhead on Saturday May 9.

The show will feature a selection of tracks from the band’s debut album, songs that founders Andy McCluskey and co-founder Paul Humphreys showcased during their last show in Wirral, at West Kirby Youth Club in August 1979. 

It will be a two-man performance, mirroring the original show.

Andy McCluskey said: "This Pop-Up Venue from Future Yard offers an opportunity for the creative kids on Wirral to test their dreams out in reality, like OMD did 41 years ago.

"We would like to celebrate as much as we can about the fact that the last time we played on Wirral, we were still a two-piece and we hadn't even made our first album.

"We'd just been made an offer, we were about to go on tour with Gary Numan. 

"Our world was about to change, but this was the closing of chapter one.

"So it will be nice now to reflect upon that moment again … 'who would have known, 41 years later?'"

This performance by OMD, focusing on the moment which shaped their future career, shines a focus on the integral role of local music venues, as a space for artists to shape and hone their craft.

Future Yard - a not-for-profit commnity interest company - was set up to use music to help bring about meaningful social change in Birkenhead.

Alongside live events programme, the Near Future community music venue will also offer an opportunity for local people to develop live audio and production skills, through Sound Check, a new industry training programme developed with leading national companies.

Following the initial pop-up, the ambition is to cement the venue as a permanent fixture in Birkenhead.

Future Yard's Craig Pennington said: "Wirral - and Birkenhead - is a place with music in its DNA, but it's been so long since we've had a dedicated live music venue in our town.

"We believe that music venues are the maternity wards of creative culture.

"They are always the trailblazers, the first cultural flagpole when it comes to thinking about a place differently.

"With the venue, we want to create a place where amazing shows happen, where international touring acts share the stage with emerging local talent.

"But we also want to create a place where local people can learn the skills to develop new careers in live music; sound engineering, lighting design, event promotion.

"In the long run, we want to create a place where we develop and support new emerging artists.

"We believe - and there are examples around the world that support this - that through utilising the power of music, we can change our town for the better, inspiring local people, creating life-changing opportunities and shaping a new music future.

"Initially we're starting with a pop-up venue and a fantastic run of shows this spring.

"If it all goes well, we’ll be doing everything in our power to make it permanent.

"This is the Near Future.

"This is just the start." 

The full programme of events will be announced over the next fortnight.

For details visit www.futureyard.org 

Future Yard's Craig Pennington continued: "with Future Yard Festival we proved that there is an audience for new music in Birkenhead.

"The response from the public, from artists, from the media was just fantastic.

"We want to create a place where we can present the best new artists all year round, not for just one weekend a year."