The past decade has been quite a ride for the Vamps and lead singer Bradley Simpson can’t wait to celebrate the milestone with the band’s fans in his home city
Back in August 2017, we interviewed the Vamps lead singer Bradley Simpson for Birmingham Living’s front cover and were taken by how original and authentic he, and the other members of the boyband, were. Then aged 21, Bradley was five years into the making of the band which unlike many others had formed naturally as a bunch of mates just getting together and making music they liked.
A further five years down the line, the Vamps are about to celebrate a hugely successful decade together with a 10-year greatest hits anniversary tour, the centrepiece being a date in Brad’s home city, Brum. Brad is now 26 but still looks about 16 – no bad thing for a ‘boy’ band!
Reflecting on the Vamps’ story, he said: “It’s crazy to think what started in our bedrooms and Tristan’s parent’s garage led to us headlining arenas all around the world. The past 10 years have been an incredible journey but what makes it even more special is that it has felt like a shared one between us and our fans.
BEST FRIENDS
“The Vamps have taken us across all five continents and given us the privilege of playing in front of millions of people. Our five albums are chapters in our lives and moments we are hugely proud of. This last year has been one of reflection for us and as four best friends who’ve had the chance to live out our dreams and we now can’t wait to celebrate these memories with our fans on this tour.”
The facts and figures behind The Vamps are impressive:
They have generated more than six billion streams and over two billion views on YouTube alone. Their five albums include two No 1’s – 2017’s Night & Day (Night Edition) and their latest album Cherry Blossom – and two No 2’s.
The guys have played global tours and festivals which has seen them perform to more than 2 million people and they became the first band to headline The O2 five years in a row. In the US, they’ve played on the biggest US chat shows, like Ellen and Seth Myers.
Musical collaborations include Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato, Sigala, Krept & Konan, Matoma and Bruno Mars, while they have shared stages with Coldplay, Jay Z, Taylor Swift, Kings of Leon, Weezer, Ed Sheeran, Pharrell Williams and Sam Smith. And if that’s not enough, they’ve even created their own festival – The Vamps Weekender in Barcelona.
FANS FIRST
The band’s new tour kicks off in Manchester on 23 November before culminating at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on 11 December. Ahead of the dates, the band is excited about a special fanzine, Ten Years of The Vamps produced as a collaboration with their fans which will be released on 14 October and includes limited edition merchandise and previously unreleased recordings that documents the band’s journey over the last decade.
Brad, who grew up skate-boarding around Eastside from the age of 11 to 18 before band life took over, says he can’t wait to play in Brum again in front of the Vamps adoring fans. “Our fans have always meant everything to us,” he said.