PREVIEW: Hotly tipped The SSS set to sell out Sheffield City Hall

Sheffield's reputation as a music city is based on a great legacy of acts from Joe Cocker to the Arctic Monkeys and it's knack of turning out great new talent just when the industry is crying out for inspiration.
The SSSThe SSS
The SSS

Along came Def Leppard, The Human League, Heaven 17, ABC. Pulp, Babybird and Richard Hawley.

In more recent times we're had Reverend and the Makers, Milburn, Toddla T, Bring Me The Horizon and The Sherlocks.

If The SSS have any say in it, they are next.

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Singer Josh Coddington and guitarist Tom Forster, both 23, from Stannington, guitarist Morgan Somers, 22, and bassist Cal Atherton, 21, from Grenoside, and drummer Max Smith, also 23, from Wharncliffe Side, certainly don't lack confidence.

The infectious indie rock quintet are hotly tipped for household name status after building a huge following in the past three years.

Since forming in early 2013 the band have received numerous accolades including Track of the Year for their debut Snake In The Grass, to Best Unsigned Band 2015 at local music awards.

They became one of only two unsigned bands - the other being Radio 1 stars The Sherlocks - to sell out The Leadmill since the Arctic Monkeys did it 10-years ago, followed by another full capacity show there, supporting Milburn, at Tramlines Festival in July.

The SSSThe SSS
The SSS
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Having just headlined Sheffield’s AMP Presents last month, leading a bill that showcased some of the North’s best up and coming talent, 2016 has seen the band’s success spiral.

And now comes a much anticipated single, The One You Need - out on Friday, November 11 and available now to pre order on iTunes - an infectious cut of indie guitar rock, which is catchy and gritty in equal parts.

Recorded at 2Fly studios in Sheffield, where Arctic Monkeys made Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not and Reverend & The Makers also worked on Mirrors, the single was recorded and produced by Dave Sanderson and is the band's first release since their critically acclaimed Love, Lust, Loss EP.

They are supporting the release with a tour, including dates in Amsterdam, London and Leeds, plus what is heading for a sell out homecoming show at Sheffield City Hall ballroom on Saturday, November 26, from 9pm.

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An impressive support line-up at the City Hall features Barnsley's high flying indie blues quartet Sundance, who will open the show, and Sheffield and Derby based Vellas.

Tickets, now very limited are £7 - booking fees may appl,y - buy in person from the venue box office, online at www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk or call 0114 2789 789.

So is The SSS, inspired by the likes of Band Of Skulls, Joy Divison, Happy Mondays, Stone Roses and home grown stars Milburn and Harrisons, going to help lead the charge of next big name bands to be forged in the Steel City.

"Hopefully. 'He says, confidently'," laughs Max.

The SSS set to sell out Sheffield City Hall ballroom on Saturday, November 26, 2016.The SSS set to sell out Sheffield City Hall ballroom on Saturday, November 26, 2016.
The SSS set to sell out Sheffield City Hall ballroom on Saturday, November 26, 2016.

"Yes, that's the plan. Otherwise what's the point doing it? A lot of iconic bands have come out of Sheffield. So it is a hard list to follow.

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"We're going back into the studio next year to get some tracks laid down and see what happens - a single or maybe an EP, we haven't really decided yet.

"There will be more gigs, more tours. Hopefully we will go out more into Europe - that's the plan."

Tom believes it is Sheffield's time to shine again on the world stage.

He said:"I don't see why not. There is every kind of band you can think of in the city. We are big pals with Sea Monsters, a girl band - I've not seen many other girl bands around.

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"Sheffield City Hall is our biggest gig yet. We can't wait. It's going to be a great gig. We've got some good bands on. Sundance are opening up. The Vellas are on and then yours truly, closing it.

The SSS Morgan Somers, Max Smith, Josh Coddington, Cal Atherton and Tom ForsterThe SSS Morgan Somers, Max Smith, Josh Coddington, Cal Atherton and Tom Forster
The SSS Morgan Somers, Max Smith, Josh Coddington, Cal Atherton and Tom Forster

"We started off this year a bit nervous with all we had on. We took a big leap and said we would do The Leadmill main stage, in front of 900 people - and we did it.We sold it out in March. Then we returned in July during Tramlines and we supported Milburn. It was just brilliant.

Morgan said: "For us playing the City Hall is the next step. There's a lot of buzz about it, given that it is the City Hall and the heritage it's got."

Josh, who grew up listening to his dad playing Happy Mondays and Stone Roses, wrote the new single. He quiped: "It's about growing up and staying away from older women.

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And the band are still not giving anything away about how The SSS got its name.

Josh said: "There was a funny story, but it's gone beyond a joke now. I'd love to tell you, but as the old saying goes, I'd have to kill you.

Tom added: "If we told you it would be a big let down. We like to keep it a secret.

Live dates on the mini tour are Verve Bar, Kazoopa Festival Launch Party, Leeds, Friday, November 25; Sheffield City Hall, Saturday, November 26; The Workshop, Shoreditch, London, Saturday, December 3, and The Waterhole, Amsterdam, Monday, December 5.

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For more about The SSS visit their web site at thesss.co.uk, like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSSS14, on Twitter @_theSSS and Instagram at www.instagram.com/_thesss.

* Win one of two pairs of tickets for the Sheffield City Hall show and a band T-shirt in our free entry draw. Email your full name, address and phone details, with #JPcompSSS in the subject field, to [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @GW1962 and retweet any of his #JPcompSSS tweets.

Deadline is Friday, November 18, 2016, 10am. Usual Johnston Press rules, terms and conditions apply. Full details at www.johnstonpress.co.uk/competition