Skylights to play York Barbican for biggest gig yet

Skylights take to the stage in front of a crowd of around 2,000 people on Saturday, November 2.

“Just seeing our posters outside the biggest venue in the city is a dream come true,” says guitarist Turnbull Smith, 41.

“I drive past it daily,” adds singer Rob Scarisbrick, 41. “I played there with Battle of the Bands [in 1997]… never did I think we’d be playing there.”

Skylights are (left to right) Jonny Scarisbrick, Myles Soley, Turnbull Smith, Rob Scarisbrick (Image: Neil MacGrain) Fewer than 50 standing tickets are left for the gig, which features support from Serotones and Pennine Suite.

“When it was announced I was really concerned,” says Turnbull, an electrician from Acomb. “I’m thinking how on earth are we going to sell this?

“It started selling well and then I had a falling out with our promoter. And so, we thought we could promote it ourselves.”

Skylights on stage in Aberdeen, Scotland (Image: Stephen Dobson) And they did, resulting in left over cash to spend on pyrotechnics and an effects screen.

After the Barbican gig, Turnbull says, the band will take a hiatus with plans of returning to write more music.

“It could be our last ever show. And what better way to go out than the biggest venue in your home city?”

Skylights – with Jonny Scarisbrick on bass and Myles Soley on drums – started in 2008.

Skylights on stage as they prepare for York Barbican next month (Image: Mark Tighe) Rob, who works in a children’s home and is from Acomb, says Turnbull asked him if he wanted to start a band – about 10 years after he realised he could sing while performing at the Battle of the Bands event.

Skylights played their first gig at Fibbers, then at Stonebow House, but it wasn’t a roaring success.

“We were crap,” says Rob, adding that they got practicing afterwards to find their sound.

Over the following years, Skylights released music and played live in York and beyond.

Skylights on stage in Aberdeen, Scotland, where they have attracted a large following (Image: DM Captures) Their live gigs even included performances with big names. In 2011 the band performed with Steve Craddock, guitarist with Ocean Colour Scene and Paul Weller, at Fibbers.

“We told everyone Paul Weller was coming and it sold out,” laughs Rob.

But they took a break a year later after a bad gig.

“I didn’t have a guitar in the house for four or five years,” says Turnbull.

Band returns with sold out 'comeback' gig

What changed? “My wife Amy said, ‘I found one of your CDs in the car and forgot you’re actually pretty good and you should get your mates together.’”

He agreed, setting a date for a ‘comeback’ gig at Fibbers in 2018.

“I didn’t realise that it moved to Toft Green and it was now a 600 capacity venue,” admits Turnbull. “I found this out in sheer panic – I didn’t want just my wife and mum to watch us.”

He took to Twitter to encourage people to come along.

At the same time, the band, Leeds United fans, released YRA, referencing the football side’s chant about the ‘Yorkshire Republican Army’.

“I started sending it to every man and his dog,” says Turnbull, adding that he burned about 1,000 CDs of the track.

To his surprise, people liked it.

The song was even used by Leeds United for the season.

“We couldn’t believe it,” says Turnbull.

A bit of surprise news even meant the gig went better than expected.

Skylights on stage (Image: Stephen Dobson) “Thankfully the roof was leaking at Fibbers, so it got moved to the Crescent which is a 250-capacity venue. And we sold it out,” says Turnbull.

After that gig, the band enjoyed success in Leeds, York and beyond.

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Rob puts part of Skylights’ success down to their image.

“We wear football casual clothes, and no one was doing that at the time,” he says. “We were relatable, the underdog – and have kept to that to this day.”

It was also helped by Turnbull’s social media work, attracting fans from across the UK.

This later led to them being booked to play the Wardrobe in Leeds.

Afterwards, they were asked to appear on Soccer AM alongside boxer Josh Warrington, a fan of the band.

“I felt like a superstar,” says Turnbull of appearing on the TV show. “Everyone seemed so happy to see us.”

He adds that “everything changed” after Soccer AM, with more gigs booked.

They continued to tour, including in Aberdeen, Scotland, where the band has attracted a large following. Turnbull says they even get stopped in the street when there.

This year, they released Time To Let Things Go which went to number two in the vinyl charts. Murder on the Dancefloor took the top spot, helped by the success of Saltburn which features Barry Keoghan dancing naked to Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 2001 track.