Reflecting on 2010

Happy New Year! 2010 was a great year in camp Ridings, the best yet! It all kicked off in January with the completion of the recording of our album, Morv is Innocent, followed by a celebratory tour of the country. We spent a week on the road, playing a bunch of major cities. Newcastle and Leeds were highlights, with the Leeds Cockpit gig the biggest we'd played, to a sold out Room 3 crowd.

Next on the agenda, as well as a few more gigs here and there, was our first live radio appearance with Alan Raw at BBC Radio Humberside. We played 3 tracks from Morv is Innocent: Desperados, Dutty Feef, and No-ones Looking, followed by a short interview with Kris and Morv.

Following this, plans for an album launch party were set in motion. Taking place in the summer, with a fresh new backdrop and intro music, with a couple of new tunes thrown in for good measure, we were greeted by a fantastic atmosphere from the sold out Cockpit Room 2 crowd. The night was like one massive party for us, it's a night none of us will ever forget.

The album launch attracted some interest from a local music venue, Black Flag in Wakefield. Ultimately, this helped us to round out 2010 with a gig there in support of one of our all time favourite bands, The Sunshine Underground. After some heavy practice following a few months off (our first break in 3 and a half years!), we played a well polished set to our biggest audience to date. The set closed with our newest tune, Because of the Fear. We spent the rest of the night enjoying perhaps the most underrated band of the last decade and getting very merry. A great way to cap off a great year!

Thanks to everyone who's been to see us this year, and all those who've bought the album, especially those who've told friends about it. Again, 2010 has been a proud year for The Ridings, and we can only hope and plan for more in 2011!

Kris, Danny, Morv and Curtis x

Special thanks for 2010:

Jonathan Armstead and Bluestone Design.

Steve Eaton, our patient and tolerant sound engineer.

Stuart, our even more patient and tolerant tour bus driver.

Alan Raw and everyone and BBC Radio Humberside.

Everyone at The Cockpit and Futuresound, Leeds.

Terry and everyone at The Black Bull, Castleford and Black Flag, Wakefield.

The Sunshine Underground and their road crew.
Will Groves and everyone at Ark Magazine.

Stu and everyone at Ozzyrock Studios.

Rob and everyone at Lazy Dog studios.