Vigo Thieves seal position at front line

Fresh from penning Scotland’s Euro 2016 anthem, Believe, Wishaw band Vigo Thieves will have another date with the national team later this month.

The five-piece group, led by frontman Stevie Jukes, will be performing at Hampden Park on July 25 - the date of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying draw in Russia.

It’s the latest connection with the Scotland team and the Tartan Army which has included a private gig for manager Gordon Strachan and the players as well as performing in front of 60,000 fans at Celtic Park before the Auld Enemy clash with England last year.

Stevie said: “It’s one we are looking forward to and it’s been great to link up with the guys.

“When we were asked to team up with Scotland, we had the official launch at Mar Hall and we played a gig in front of the manager and the players which was a great experience.

“Playing in front of 60,000 was absolutely mental.

“When we play our own gigs we are playing in front of our own fans and you can get into a comfort zone so playing at Celtic Park was a bit bizarre.

“We had played the ABC, Barrowlands and T in the Park before, but this was something else.

“We were talking to guys like Jamie Carragher and Jamie Redknapp from Sky Sports as well, so it was different class.”

The lads, Stevie, drummer brother Alan, bassist Gordon Phipps, guitarist Barry Cowan and keyboard player Chris Gorman, to a year off from T this year to concentrate on writing and recording their new album which is due to be finished in August.

From humble beginnings, the band has organically built up a loyal fanbase with more and more people becoming ‘ Vigo Daft’ with every passing month.

Stevie is hoping that the new album and tour, set to be announced over the next couple of months, will attract even more fans to the band.

He added: “Apart from a show at King Tuts at the start of the year, the last few months has been taken up by writing and recording the new album.

“We’ve knuckled down and embraced the recording process.

“Radio 1 played one of our new tunes a couple of months ago so that gave fans a wee taster of what to expect.

“I think the fans will notice a change from our previous records.

“It’s a bit different to what they have heard before.”