Sleaford Mods say Nottingham Arena success feels weird

Jason Williamson said playing at the arena felt "quite mad"

Punk duo Sleaford Mods have been describing their journey towards their first arena gig in the city where they met.

Jason Williamson and Andrew Fearn played their first Nottingham gig in 2006 in an arts café in the city.

Mr Williamson said this weekend's gig at the 10,000-capacity Motorpoint Arena "meant a lot".

He said: "I can't believe it, to be honest. It's quite mad, really."

Mr Williamson said the duo had played at Rock City several times which, in itself, was "massive".

"Once we got to Rock City, all dreams were realised," he said.

"That's the venue in Nottingham for any musician that comes from Nottingham to play and sell out.

"I can't quite believe we're playing the arena. It doesn't feel real."

Sleaford Mods' most recent album Spare Ribs has proved hugely successful, with the single Mork n Mindy reaching the top of the UK vinyl singles chart.

"It's totally transformed us and taken us to another level," said Mr Williamson, speaking to BBC Radio Nottingham.

"All the gigs have been virtually sold out. It's been an eye-opener in the sense of where we go next. We want to move forward and experiment further."

The band say they want to experiment further

Dean Jackson, presenter of The Beat on BBC Radio Nottingham

From low-key beginnings playing support at an arts café in Nottingham, Sleaford Mods are now in a position to command crowds of thousands in venues as cavernous as the city's arena - or ice stadium, as it is known to them. It has been a steady progression, which has seen Jason and Andrew play no fewer than five gigs at Rock City on their way up.

It is good to see them on an upward trajectory, even though they are now in their 14th year together. Their 2017 English Tapas album reached number 12 in the charts, two years later Eton Alive was ninth and their most recent, Spare Ribs, broke into the top five. It is rare for any band to continue to build after so many years.

It is this success, as well as their reputation for explosive performances, that is allowing them to perform at venues of this scale and has fans excited to find out what they will do next.

He said he felt the band's success was "a big fingers up" to the idea that the music industry was only interested in youthful acts.

"On paper, Sleaford Mods sounds absolutely atrocious," he said

"To look at us - I personally think I look like my Uncle Len.

"We are far from [being in] the glamorous positions of our contemporaries. Most people backstage at festivals are 25, 30 years younger than us. So it's weird."