Life

‘I’ve a lot of high fives to dish out’: Singer Ben Marwood speaks to MM about long-awaited return to Manchester

Ben Marwood is looking forward to making a triumphant return to Manchester.

The singer – famed for albums such as Outside There’s a Curse and Back Down – will be playing a set at Gullivers in the Northern Quarter on Sunday, April 16.

It’s one of several stops on a tour that many are hailing as a successful ‘comeback’.

Ben told MM: “Each show so far has felt good. I’m touched by the turnout and the interest.

“I’ve not played Manchester for about three years so to come back to it will be fun.”

He added: “I have a lot of friends to catch up with and high fives to dish out.”

The musician is no stranger to touring, having previously wowed his fans with countless solo shows.

He’s also supported Frank Ocean, including a slot at the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony in London.

Sadly his rise was halted when he became ill while touring his new music in 2013.

The illness led to a year ’embracing horizontal living’ where he began to doubt if he would ever be able to play music again.

When talking about how his health got in the way of his musical aspirations, he said: “Mind over matter only works if you mind wants to play ball.”

Ben was ultimately forced to cancel the end of his 2014 tour, except for a slot at 2000trees Music Festival in Withington, Gloucestershire.

The folk artist is now once again ready to take the music scene by storm though.

Ben explained: “Eventually I got bored of all that, found workarounds for the bad days and enjoyed the good ones, upgraded my home studio and started recording and it went from there,”  

His recovery hit a new high when his long-awaited third album – titled Get Found – sold out on Amazon upon its release last week.

The record was mostly written before Ben became ill, though tracks like the confessional I’m Wide Awake It’s Boring do touch on what that uncertain period was like. 

*You can buy tickets to Ben Marwood’s show at Gullivers HERE.

Related Articles