There are Britpop bands… and then there are cult architects of the era.
Tommy & Phil from Space — arrive at Barnoldswick Music & Arts Centre bringing with them one of the most distinctive, subversive and gloriously off-kilter catalogues of the entire 90s movement.
Tommy Scott isn't just the voice of Space. He is the ringmaster of one of Britpop's most eccentric success stories — a songwriter who took kitchen-sink Liverpool wit, Morricone-esque drama, hip-hop grooves, lounge sleaze and twisted pop hooks and somehow made it multi-platinum.
While the laddish guitars and Union Jack mania dominated the headlines, Space were busy crafting something darker, stranger and far more cinematic. Their breakthrough album Spiders (1996, UK No.5) went double-platinum and unleashed a run of hits that still soundtrack the decade:
Female of the Species — sultry, sinister and instantly iconic.
Neighbourhood — a warped suburban soap opera in three minutes.
Dark Clouds — brooding and dramatic.
Avenging Angels — a Top 10 slice of theatrical menace.
Then came Tin Planet (1998, UK No.3), another double-platinum triumph, featuring the unforgettable No.4 smash The Ballad of Tom Jones alongside Cerys Matthews — a duet that remains one of Britpop's most surreal and brilliant moments.
Over 5 million records sold worldwide. Eight UK Top 40 singles. Two double-platinum albums.
But more than stats, Space earned something rarer — cult status.
Born in Liverpool in 1964, Tommy honed his craft in bands like Hello Sunset and The Australians before forming Space in 1993. By the mid-90s he was penning songs that felt like Tarantino soundtracks colliding with Merseybeat storytelling. Sharp. Wry. Cinematic. Slightly dangerous.
After the band's 2005 split, Tommy formed The Drellas (later Tommy Scott & The Red Scare), continuing to explore his noir-pop sensibilities before Space reformed in 2011. Since then, the band have remained a vital live force — but in recent years Tommy has increasingly embraced these intimate duo performances with longtime bandmate Phil Hartley — Space's bass player and musical lynchpin.
And this is where it gets special. Stripped back to its bones, the songs reveal their true DNA. The humour is darker. The melodies sharper. The storytelling front and centre.
Expect the hits. Expect the fan favourites. Expect selections from Tommy's solo album Marionette. But above all, expect atmosphere — that unmistakable Space blend of menace, melody and mischief. And where better than Barnoldswick?
An intimate Pennine listening room. No barriers. No stadium glare. Just two musicians, a cult Britpop catalogue, and a room that leans in. This isn't nostalgia. This is alternative heritage. This is Britpop's darker twin — alive and breathing, up close.And trust me… this will sell.
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