Yeah, Yeah, They're The Young Offenders

• 27th Jun 2005

As unforgettably thrilling as their name, The Young Offenders Institute look set to achieve levels of success and notoriety unseen since the early days of fellow Mancs Oasis over a decade ago. Following their seminal debut gig at In The City in September 2004, where a stunned crowd including Tony Wilson, Oasis/Verve producer Owen Morris and hordes of A&R scouts were blown away, every live appearance by the band since has provoked controversy and adulation in equal measure. May saw the release of “We’re the Young Offenders” on Tony Wilson’s F4 label, the band backing up their live promise with anthemic relish.

Formed in the inner-city estate of Collyhurst, The Young Offenders Institute are a genuine voice of the so-called “lower” classes, the people who are deemed failures without being given a chance, or a dream, of success. Forget the empty posturing and sixth form poetry of the guerilla gigging set, TYOI are the real deal. It's there in the lyrics; “Let Me Out”'s jailhouse rock cry of “I've done my time”, “Acid Man” and “Let's Have A Party”'s stories of hedonistic thrills and “Jiggy Giro”'s tales of life on the dole, TYOI live these songs and speak for the people like no band has for years.

Combine riffs as big and catchy as The Clash and The Rolling Stones with the funky rhythms of the Happy Mondays, the singalong choruses of Oasis and the rapping wordplay of The Streets and you have a special mix indeed. It's no surprise Owen Morris cancelled everything to produce the band and why Terry Christian, Puressence and Tony Wilson are all huge fans.

VManEvents Presents…

THE YOUNG OFFENDERS INSTITUTE

The Jakpot
The Alpha Western
Shiloh
The Permissive Society

Saturday July 16th 2005 @ Dry Bar, Manchester. Tickets £5, Doors 8pm.

“The Young Offenders Institute have come along to shake up what's become rather a smug indie mainstream” Steve Lamacq- Radio 1 Evening Session

“… calling in the revolutionary spirit of Manchester and the rough and tumble of grime, and pasting it all together with the soul of the Faces, The Young Offenders Institute are a thrilling proposition, if only because they could turn out to be the shambolicly wonderful offspring of the Mondays. Jump in, get pogoing and burn to the heart of the revolution.”
Chris Long- Bbc.co.uk