Falkirk’s Petty Thieves planning to break into the big time with King Tuts gig

There are a few venues around the round world that can make or break a band and Falkirk’s Petty Thieves are about to hit the stage at one of them.
Falkirk band Petty Thieves in actionFalkirk band Petty Thieves in action
Falkirk band Petty Thieves in action

The chance to headline Glasgow’s King Tuts on a Friday night does not come along too often and the five piece have made it to this milestone moment – which takes place on March 1 – after playing just five gigs together.

The band, who count Oasis and guitar bands of the 90s and noughties – as their main inspiration, have been handed the keys to an open house of musical possibility and they are not about to drop them down a drain.

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Drummer Conroy Hunter said: “It’s a great opportunity for sure, but you still have to go there and take it. There’s maybe other things out there for us but, to be honest, we’re putting all our focus on King Tuts.

“The set’s ready, we’re just practising it again and again right up to the day of the gig.”

On the brink of the biggest night of their young musical lives, just how did Petty Thieves pull this off?

Starting off as an acoustic covers duo with guitarist Greg Davis and singer Myles Howieson playing pubs in and around the area throughout 2017, Petty Thieves are no overnight sensation.

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Conroy said: “We’ve got great support, great fans who have been building up ever since Greg and Myles started doing the acoustic gigs – which they still do on the side. And people like our songs.”

Greg had been writing his own material and he and Myles were looking for a bit of backing to deliver the power tunes like Storms, Runaway, Go, Home and Lies required.

That’s where Conroy, guitarist Robbie Neil and bass player Ian Elrick came into the story.

“That first gig together at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy was really special,” said Conroy. “It’s hard to explain, but that one went really well for us.”

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It must have, from that gig and subsequent shows the group managed to land a support slot with Scotland’s reigning next big thing The Snuts at St Lukes in Glasgow at the tail end of last year.

This in turn led to a golden ticket to headline a Friday night at Tuts.

In the early 1990s the famous venue was the bouncy castle which helped propel Oasis – Petty Thieves’ main inspiration – into an orbit which only a nuclear powered brotherly burnout could bring them down from.

Conroy said: “We’re a mix of 90s indie bands and alternative rock. When you hear our new song Lies you can hear the Oasis influence. Some bands have members with a variety of influences, but we’re all singing off the same hymn sheet.”

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You can hear them on March 1 when Petty Thieves will be supported by Slouch and Swift on the big night.

A bus may be laid on for fans and ticket holders are all invited to a Gallagher brother of an aftershow party at Firewater in Sauchiehall Street.

www.facebook.com/pettythieves for more.