The Hurriers are a newly formed Barnsley based band with a very specific aim – Anti-establishment Politics and Poetry with a Socialist Stance. Named after the young children, known as Hurriers, that used to work down the mines and inspired by the 1838 Silkstone Colliery Disaster called “The Husker Hurriers” in which 26 Barnsley youngsters were killed whilst working down the mine, Barnsley has a strong record of resistance to unfair imposed disadvantage and The Hurriers would like to see that fire burn again. They have a cracking Northern Soul inspired logo to boot!
Using a carefully selected set-list of political pop from The Clash, The Jam, Tom Robinson Band, Stiff Little Fingers, The Specials and many more, the band will be playing a number of festivals, marches and gatherings where they will do what they can to get people to organise and resist what’s going on through the medium of music.
The band is made up of Jez Walman on bass, Sam Horton and Ellis Smith on guitars, Zak Wright on drums and Tony Wright vocals. Each of them is or has been a member of other Barnsley bands going back to the 1980s and to those currently active now, such as The Barn, Stronger Than Dirt, Mount Buffalo, This Condition and Swamp Fever.
Tony Wright explains that the band are currently working on original song, such as ‘Coalition Blues’, a biting lyric aimed at what the band sees as the hypocrisy of the current Conservative/Lib-Dem government and songs defending the NHS, singing down the greedy bankers and of course a poignant reflection on the 1838 Silkstone Colliery Disaster.
The live dates are already coming thick and fast, starting off with a gig at the Rotherham Trades Club on Saturday 23rd February in support of Rotherham Save Our NHS and Rotherham Against the Cuts.
That will be followed by gigs at The Hop in Wakefield on Thursday 28th March with fellow Barnsley bands Cambodia and The Glavins. All proceeds made by the bands will be donated to the Mid-Yorks UNISON strike fund and tickets can be purchased from Jim’s Records on Summer Lane or online at www.crashrecords.co.uk
Plans are also afoot for gigs in May in support of Barnsley Save Our NHS, an appearance at the Live in Barnsley festival in June and finally a main stage set at an open-air gig in Millennium Square, Leeds in July to celebrate the 65th birthday of the NHS.
LIVE DATES:
Sat 23rd Feb: Rotherham Trades Club in support of Rotherham Save Our NHS and Rotherham Against the Cuts
Thu 28th Mar: The Hop, Wakefield w/Cambodia and The Glavins
Sat 22nd Jun: Live in Barnsley Festival
July: Millennium Square, Leeds more details TBC
Alternative Barnsley 
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