Fightstar became one of the biggest cult sensations in the UK’s early 2000s alt-rock scene with a Top 10 breakthrough hit (‘Paint Your Target’), two Top 20 albums (‘Be Human’ and ‘Behind The Devil’s Back’) and two Kerrang! Award nominations (for Best British Band and Best British Newcomer). Although they haven’t played since 2015, there has always been a devoted fanbase clamouring for their return. Now those calls have been answered with the news that Fightstar will play their biggest ever headline show – and their first gig in over eight years – at the OVO Arena Wembley on March 22nd.
Fightstar still consists of its original line-up – Charlie Simpson (vocals/guitar), Alex Westaway (guitar), Dan Haigh (bass) and Omar Abidi (drums) – who formed the band to explore their shared passion for influences such as Deftones, Taking Back Sunday, Silverchair and Mono.
Charlie Simpson says, “Next year marks 20 years since Fightstar played our first show in a tiny night club in Northampton, mainly in front of friends and family. To be sat here today about to play our biggest ever headline show at London’s legendary Wembley Arena is something that is hard for us to comprehend. We are so thankful to all our fans who have been so loyal to us and we can’t wait to celebrate this milestone with them. This will be a very special night for all of us.”
Tickets for the show will go on sale HERE from 9AM GMT this Friday, November 10th and will be joined by special guests Twin Atlantic and Loathe.
Fightstar debuted in 2005 with the EP ‘They Liked You Better When You Were Dead’, which they followed with four albums:‘Grand Unification’ (2006), ‘One Day Son, This Will All Be Yours’ (2007), ‘Be Human’ (2009) and ‘Behind The Devil’s Back’ (2015). Tracks such as ‘Palahniuk’s Laughter’, ‘Paint Your Target’, ‘Overdrive’ and ‘The English Way’ attracted a die-hard following, leading to headline shows including the O2 Academy Brixton, The Troxy and the O2 Forum Kentish Town, as well as festivals such as Download, Reading and Leeds.
Since they were last together in 2015, Charlie Simpson has returned to fill arenas with Busted, continued a successful solo career and won ‘The Masked Singer’. Alex Westaway and Dan Haigh have released two further albums with their band Gunship, who have collaborated with everyone from John Carpenter to Dave Lombardo, while Omar Abidi has established a successful career as a sound engineer for a variety of major events, featured in Guy Ritchie’s version of ‘Aladdin’ and drummed in a viral Argos advert campaign.