IT’S time to look out that old pair of tartan trousers Rollermania is back!
Tickets for the Bay City Rollers’ comeback gigs sold out so quickly they’re now planning a night at one of the biggest venues in Britain.
The ’70s pop group announced a reunion and comeback tour last week. Three nights at the iconic Glasgow Barrowlands were confirmed and they sold out in a few hours.
Now we can reveal the band have added extra nights in Glasgow, London and Edinburgh to their schedule and are also hoping to fix up a concert at the 12,000-seater Glasgow Hydro.
The gig would cap an amazing turnaround for the tartan-clad former teen idols who sold
120 million records in their heyday but have spent the last four decades feuding over millions of pounds of missing royalties.
Last night, concert promoter and Sunday Post columnist Donald MacLeod said: “The first two Barrowland shows sold out in minutes and the third was gone by tea-time on Friday, so we’ve decided to add a fourth night.
“We’ll also be announcing a gig at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall and one at the Hammersmith Apollo in London.”
He also revealed the band could be playing an even bigger venue in 2016.
“We’re looking at the Hydro in Glasgow around Christmas time next year.
“Rollermania is most definitely back! We’ve heard that people are flying in from Brisbane, Arizona and all over the world for these shows.
“It’s just massive. I have to admit I was a little cagey at first but after I saw the reaction to the press conference last week I knew it was going to be good.”
Could Rollermania hit Glasgow’s Hydro? (Danny Lawson / PA Wire)
The Sunday Post exclusively revealed two weeks ago the band was reforming.
Les McKeown and fellow Rollers Alan Longmuir and Stuart ‘Woody’ Wood then confirmed the details at a packed press conference at Glasgow’s Grand Central Hotel last week.
Although Alan’s brother Derek will not be joining the line-up, it’s likely that three will soon become four with talks with Eric Faulkner ongoing.
Incredibly Les, 59, has revealed their second shot at the big time hinges on a battered old suitcase he’s kept from their glory days.
He filled it with keepsakes and it’s now inspiring new material.
“I’ve had this case ever since I started in the Rollers,” revealed Les. “I kept writing pads and tapes in there and took it wherever we went in the world.
“It’s packed with original ideas I had from the earliest days. I was always humming away and talking and singing on to the tapes.
“Whenever something came to me for a song I’d get it down.”
The band’s revival is supported by acclaimed songwriter John McLaughlin. He was thrilled to learn of the suitcase full of tapes which has helped inspire the band’s new single Boomerang.
“It was amazing to hear the tapes,” said John. “I wanted any new stuff to really sound like the Rollers and what better way than hearing them from the time.”
“This really is like back in the day,” confided Les.Donald MacLeod: Rolling back the years to when I ran with the Bay City gang – click here to read more
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