Mel’s Coming Home to Colne

Colne’s own The Mel Outsider Reformation is ready to get the hometown crowd dancing this September when they take the stage at The Muni on Saturday, 27th September.

If you remember Mel from Planet Records—yes, that little musical mecca on New Market Street—you already know this isn’t just another gig. This is Mel Outsider coming home. And he’s not sneaking in quietly.
Colne’s genre-bending renegades, The Mel Outsider Reformation, return to home turf for a very rare local show, ready to blow the roof off The Muni on Saturday, 27th September. Expect rhythm, groove, and at least one dance move you’ll regret by morning.
Warming up the crowd will be local R&B powerhouse Walter Mitty’s Head, bringing the kind of high-octane energy that makes your nan clutch her pearls.

“We were crammed in a van, sitting on gear. One bucket, one frying pan. That was the kitchen!”

“I’m expecting a big night in Colne,” says Mel with a grin. “I enjoy playing everywhere, but here? This is special. A proper dance-off. The vibe is very danceable.”
Mel Outsider is Colne through and through—raised on the grit and humour of East Lancashire. But his journey was never going to be ordinary. While some kids ran away to join bands, Mel actually ran away to join the circus. (Seriously.)

From there came The Outsiders UK, a Brit rock outfit famed for their relentless touring—286 gigs in 365 days. That’s not a tour, that’s an endurance test.
“No luxury,” Mel laughs. “We were crammed in a van, sitting on gear. One bucket, one frying pan. That was the kitchen. But we had a laugh and went everywhere.”
That freewheeling chaos shapes his lyrics today. His new album kicks off with a wink:
“Living in the back of a van – with a bucket and a frying pan.”

After four critically acclaimed albums, Mel hit pause in 2016. But you can’t keep a good Outsider out of the studio. In 2022, he returned with a new name and fresh sound: The Mel Outsider Reformation.
“It was like a rebirth,” he says. “Lesws rock bravado, more groove, more soul, and real stories.”
Reuniting with longtime mates Matt Pawson (bass) and Liam McCartan (guitar), he built a rotating line-up of 15 top musicians—an orchestra of northern soul.

The stories are very Northern. I don’t see the point in writing about places I don’t know anything about.

The first Reformation album, Miss Victory V, dropped in 2022 to glowing reviews. Its title nods to Nelson’s sweet factory and its unusual pageants—yes, there really was a Miss Victory V. One track even recounts a wild Blackpool weekend with a pageant queen.
Critics were smitten. Pete Feenstra (Get Ready To Rock) praised its “unfettered creativity.” International Times called it “everything you most loved about music rammed through the blender’s immaculate mix.”

The new album, Mel Goes Funky, drops on 26th September—just one day before the show. Ten tracks of funk-infused rock ‘n’ blues soul, steeped in northern wit.
“It’s a funky, soulful groove,” Mel says. “The stories are very Northern. I don’t see the point in writing about places I don’t know anything about.”
Fittingly, it was recorded in Oswaldtwistle, and the artwork comes from Nelson artist Colin J. Morgan.
Mel’s not just a frontman—he’s produced 28 albums for artists including British folk legend Michael Chapman and New York poet-turned-songwriter Angela Costa. He also travelled with Delta blues icon David ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards, the last living link to Robert Johnson.
Mel plans to release a trove of unreleased Honeyboy recordings in late 2025—a musical heirloom in the making.
This isn’t just a hometown gig. It’s a reunion. A celebration. A sweaty, soulful, foot-stomping night with one of Colne’s finest.

Get your tickets: themuni.co.uk
Listen/Buy music: meloutsider.co.uk
Or shout “Alexa, play The Mel Outsider Reformation” and start dancing in your kitchen.

 

ColneLife Autumn 25