OUR STORY

Bob Riley – Vocals

Will Oulton – Guitar

Tony McCormack – Bass

John Hendry – Drums

In 2017 Will's mate Rob Morgan was brought in as band mananger, to assist with the day to day running of things.

We’ve played many and various venues to date, including the following,

Berlin, Hope & Anchor, The Water Rats, The Garage, Petts Wood Legion, Tranmere Rovers FC, Lord Holmesdale Pub Bromley, a pumphouse, a Kentish Town pub, The 100 Club, 02 Academy Islington, a Brazilian Bar alongside a Burlesque Artist in Holloway, Hoxton Bar & Grill, The Underbelly Hoxton, The Miller in Bermondsey and a venue in Littlehampton Sussex. Following the end of Covid restrictions we took our show on the road with a gig up in Edinburgh and another in Stamford, Lincs.

51st State formed twelve years ago, in 2012. The band was the product of an idea discussed after a John Foxx and the Math gig at XOYO London in October 2011. Tony and Will had met through work and Bob was recruited after an impromptu audition in the pub that night. The band first played as The Lost Chord – which Bob came up with, but we ditched it for two reasons, we found there was a skiffle-type, barber shop band with the same name, and also people kept thinking we were called “The Lost Cause”.

Our first drummer was actually a drum machine, soon to be replaced by Bob and Tony’s nephew, Steve. He was only in the hot seat though, for a short time before musical differences began to appear. Enter Johnny stage left! Tony wisely didn't dare share his audition recording with the others because it was "a bit too prog". Glaswegians are good at understatement. The band unveiled their new drummer and new set list at the Hope and Anchor in late 2013.

Recent gig list;

1st September 2017 - Thousand Islands (Upstairs at the Garage), London

9th December 2017 - The Lord Holmesdale, Bromley

8th March 2018 - Hope & Anchor, London

2nd June 2018 - Rooz Studios, Old Street, London

6th June 2018 - The Water Rats, London

11th October 2018 - The Water Rats, London

24th November 2018 - Tranmere Rovers FC, Aldo's Bar, Birkenhead

26th March 2019 - The Water Rats, London

5th December 2019 - Hope & Anchor, London

24th September 2022 - The Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh College of Art

8th December 2022 - Hope & Anchor, London

8th September 2023 - The London Inn, Stamford

7th December 2023 - Hope & Anchor, London