YOU could call it a Huge achievement.

The York party band is 20 years old this year, an anniversary that will be marked by the boys’ traditional brace of New Year gigs at the Grand Opera House, York.

Led as ever by Big Ian Donaghy, they will play the Cumberland Street theatre on January 22 and 29, as memories are revived of the day that Big Ian and Phil Hardy formed The Untouchables, the band that would become Huge.

“As a student I used to love going to watch bands but never thought I would end up doing it,” says Ian. “I loved Garry (CORRECT) Barrett’s voice and really enjoyed what Bogus Brothers frontman Andy Atkinson would do with an audience. I just wanted to be a frontman – anyone can sing – but I thought being a frontman was THE gig.”

Ian recalls how York circa 1990 was littered with bands “taking themselves very seriously with moody photos taken against graffiti-covered walls”. “We felt York needed something a bit more light-hearted – cue Huge,” he says. “We just wanted to play tunes to get people dancing, singing and have a laugh, leaving all credibility at the door.”

The decision was spot-on. “The party scene is where it’s at! We’ve seen things and been to places where blokes like us don’t often get to go,” says Ian. “We’ve played for aristocracy, top sportsmen and Hollywood A-listers, addressing them all as if they were a bloke down the pub. Prince or pauper, they get the same us.”

Reflecting on the funniest moments in 20 years of Huge, Ian reckons that “every gig has some”, but put him on the spot and here are his highlights. “Ten men, on our first night at the Grand Opera House, standing out on the stage, thinking ‘What am I doing here?’. Or playing to 15,000 people at Headingley stadium when Leeds Rhinos had won the Rugby League Challenge Cup – we were told we needed to play for 45 minutes but the team bus was held up so we did two hours,” he recalls.

“Let’s just say the away dressing-room loos had a tough afternoon – it was terrifying. We really had to win over a crowd who hadn’t turned up to see us, but it must have worked as we played the Rhinos’ Player of the Year awards many times afterwards.”

The memories keep on coming. “Pile Bar, Manningham Lane, was pretty scary – a bit like Phoenix Nights with more violence,” says Ian. “One night a big guy came at me with a broken bottle at the Frontier Club in Batley; he didn’t like the idea of his girlfriend dancing with us on stage. Then there was a notorious night at Bishop Burton where the audience got very naked.”

In their 20 years together, Huge have formed the backdrop to many nights out in York, from playing Harry’s Bar and the Bonding Warehouse to being the first ever band to play the Barbican Centre and selling out the Grand Opera House a record 20 times.

“We famously outsold both Robbie Williams and Craig David at the Barbican, and who can forget BBC Music Live with 10,000 people in Parliament Street?” says Big Ian.

“Over the years, we’ve seen many things come and go. We’ve done duets with Justin Timberlake for two James Brown tunes in the South of France. We’ve shared the stage with virtually every X Factor contestant, every Big Brother winner and every soap star in the UK. From Chesney Hawkes to Katy Perry and Rolf Harris to Jools Holland, we’ve appeared with them all.

“Last year we played with Biffy Clyro , Florence + The Machine , Chipmunk and Professor Green – that’s how down with the kids we are! The fact that we don’t know any of their songs is irrelevant!”

Big Ian defines the characteristics of a typical Huge gig as “an over-the-top show with a super-tight rhythm section, a powerful four-piece horn section and endless ribbing of the legendary piano player George Hall”. “We’re a bit like a musical Harlem Globetrotters: a set of entertaining clowns but you know when the chips are down they can really play!”

The 20th anniversary celebrations will take the form of two three-hour shows on home turf. “Two nights at the Opera House to a mixed crowd from kids to grannies, that’ll do for me, playing some tunes we adore. The good thing now is we don’t have to play cheese all night and can stick in some nuggets,” says Big Ian. “Our set list has known no bounds.”

On any given night, a Huge show might feature covers of Queen, The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Motown and Northern Soul, through to Kaiser Chiefs, Gnarls Barclay, Michael Bublé and Kings Of Leon. “Whether soul, ska, reggae, ballad or rock’n’roll, no tune is off limits,” reckons Ian.

In keeping with previous Grand Opera House appearances, Huge will include celebrity video messages in their January shows. After past contributions from Look North’s Harry Gration, Match Of The Day, I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here and Strictly Come Dancing, what is up Ian’s sleeve this year? “You’ll have to wait and see. Even the band don’t know until the day of the show,” he says.

Can York and beyond look forward to another 20 years of musical mayhem, audience participation and caustic wit from Huge? “Sorry but yes!” promises Big Ian. “We don’t rely on being young and good looking, we just love doing it. We all have really good careers; Huge is a hobby that got out of hand. Phil and me have created a monster!”


Did you know?

Huge’s famous fans include Tim Rice, Bill Nighy, Cameron Diaz , Drew Barrymore, Mark Addy and John Motson.

• Huge play Grand Opera House, York, on January 22 and 29 at 7.30pm. Tickets: £17 on 0844 847 2322 or online at grandoperahouseyork.org.uk For more Huge details, visit hugepartyband.co.uk