The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Star Kelly set for happy return to his ‘party city’
Stereophonics singer Kelly Jones’ love of “party city” Aberdeen began when drinking shots in the Vodka Bar in the 1990s.
More than two decades on, Kelly still views the Granite City as a ‘‘go to’’ location for a memorable night out.
Such is Kelly and his band-mates’ affection for Aberdeen they always make sure it is on a British tour – so they can party.
For Stereophonics “it always feels like a Friday night” in the Granite City and Kelly can’t wait to experience it again.
Kelly is relishing a return to Aberdeen when headlining the P&J Arena on Sunday March 20 to promote new album Oochya!
Kelly said: “Aberdeen was a great party city for us when we were younger and we had some great nights there.
“Even now it doesn’t matter what day of the week it is, it always feels like a Friday night in Aberdeen.
“We used to drink in the Vodka Bar, all the different flavoured vodkas.
“I remember the garlic vodka, that was awful. Garlic was one step too far.
“Aberdeen was one of the first cities we went to in 1996 and we still love going up there.
“It’s still one of our go to cities and one we put at the top of ever tour so we can go out, have a curry and a few pints.”
For Kelly the Granite City also has more to offer than just a great night out.
He said: “The gigs in Aberdeen have always been great and the people are amazing.
“When we first started going up to Aberdeen we would go round second hand shops to buy flannel shirts and stuff like that.
“Neil Adams (Scottish press officer) used to take us around Aberdeen in his little Peugeot 306 to check out those different shops.”
Stereophonics’ concert at P&J Live will be a welcome return to large arena venues for the band after the touring circuit went into cold storage during the coronavirus lockdown.
The band played a series of intimate shows in December to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their multi-platinum album Just Enough Education To Perform.
Kelly is promising Aberdeen fans a memorable performance.
He said: “Aberdeen will be amazing as we have a great show with 12 albums worth of songs and classics to pick from. We are going to put on a great show and people are going to have a fantastic time.
“Preparations for the upcoming tour are going very well.
“We have been working out the set list and stage design. Now we can’t wait to get out there and finally play again almost two years after the last time.
“For the recent shows in the small theatres it was great to be back with the boys.
“It was a bit strange to be playing in front of an audience again as we hadn’t experienced that for quite a while. We loved it.”
Upcoming release Oochya! follows Stereophonics’ previous album Kind which topped the UK album charts in 2019.
It outsold nearest competitor Kanye West by more than 10,000 copies in that first week.
After almost two years away from touring, Kelly is relishing reconnecting with the band’s fans.
For the singer/songwriter playing live is his release from stress. That was denied for an extended period with the pandemic.
He said: “As a musician you realise there’s a lot of energy and outlet when you are singing and performing. A lot of stress and things that you are used to getting rid of comes out in that way.
“It was a bit strange for the first year (of the pandemic) to get used to the fact we weren’t moving.
“We had always been travelling around, playing.
“I kept busy with family and then in the second year we got into the creative stuff again with making music.”