Christian Madden and The Enemy Chorus - An Instrumental Journey

Barnoldswick Music & Arts Centre is proud to present a major night of Hammond-driven psychedelic funk, deep groove and world-class musicianship when Christian Madden & The Enemy Chorus arrives on Thursday 25th June

At the centre of the band is Christian Madden, a Lancashire-born keyboardist whose career bridges the worlds of psychedelic rock, soul, Britpop and modern groove music. Madden first came to prominence as a founding member of the Anglo-American psychedelic collective The Earlies a band formed between musicians from Lancashire and Texas that quickly gained cult status in the early 2000s for their genre-blurring sound combining folk-psychedelia, electronica and Brian Wilson-inspired pop harmonies.

Their debut album These Were The Earlies became one of the most celebrated psychedelic releases of its era, earning a Metacritic score of 84 ("universal acclaim") and a perfect 10/10 from NME, with critics praising its ambitious blend of orchestral pop, electronics and cosmic rock textures. The record's warm, drifting harmonies and adventurous arrangements drew comparisons to the likes of The Beach Boys, Love and Mercury Rev, establishing the band as one of the most intriguing experimental rock groups of the decade.

Madden's musical roots run even deeper. Raised in Burnley in a family steeped in soul and R&B — his father Joe Madden played in a 1960s soul band supporting artists such as Stevie Wonder, Dusty Springfield and Ben E. King — Christian grew up immersed in the Hammond-organ tradition that still shapes his sound today. Over the years he has worked with an impressive roll-call of artists across the UK and international scene, collaborating with Steve Cropper, recording with Paul Heaton, producing and performing on projects with King Creosote, and touring worldwide as the keyboard powerhouse in the band of Liam Gallagher. In 2025 his profile stepped onto an even bigger stage when he was recruited as keyboard player for the reunion tour of Oasis.

For this special Barnoldswick show Madden brings The Enemy Chorus, a formidable instrumental quartet built around groove, improvisation and serious musical firepower. On drums is Richard Young, a longtime collaborator who performed on recordings by The Earlies and has also worked with King Creosote, bringing a deep rhythmic understanding of both psychedelic rock and modern folk. On bass is Nathan Sudders, a powerful low-end anchor known for his work with Manchester dance-rock outfit The Whip, as well as performances alongside Miles Kane and members of Doves. Completing the lineup is guitarist Ben Redfearn, quite literally a bricklayer from Padiham by day but a devastating guitarist by night, bringing a raw Northern edge and melodic flair to the band's swirling Hammond-led sound.

Together the group conjure a powerful instrumental style rooted in Hammond-organ soul, psychedelic funk and cinematic jazz-rock, drawing inspiration from legends like Booker T. Jones and Brian Auger while pushing into expansive, groove-driven territory of their own. Expect fat Hammond tones, hypnotic rhythms and a band that locks into a groove like a runaway freight train, all delivered in the intimate Pennine listening-room atmosphere that has made Barnoldswick Music & Arts Centre one of the North's most unique live music venues.