Gustaffson, the five-piece Manchester band who are currently on a UK tour, return next month to the venue of their first-ever Warrington gig – St Oswald’s Church, Winwick – for an evening performance.
Lead singer, Andrew Gower, singer, songwriter and actor, has strong connections with Warrington as he was educated at Great Sankey High School, where he enjoyed the teaching and facilities in the school’s drama and music department. He went on to study at the Oxford School of Drama and has starred in leading roles in several TV hit shows.
Andrew’s song lyrics and music are all about the telling of stories. Hit singles such as Northern Baby, Champagne Socialist and a debut EP the “Jacaranda “, are based on Liverpool’s famous music venue. It stars well-known actress Sue Johnstone, in a cameo role. Andrew described Sue as a fitting Liverpool legend for a song about a Liverpool iconic venue where she remembered dancing in the sixties.
The Winwick Church setting is one of the venue choices of the group’s UK tour journey. The tour’s aim is to define what it takes to make real music as a band in 2026. Gustaffson, who have played at venues in Manchester, Liverpool and London, are quickly being renowned for their curation of specific venue, standalone shows that become calendar-shaping events for their audiences. The band celebrated the success of their debut Elbow album “Black and White Movie”, which gained critical and commercial success, with a spectacular sold-out show at London’s Bush Hall.
The band finished 2025 with an Elbow-produced single” Dance to the Algorithm” – a retro funk which featured on Granada TV and included Gustaffson in the Manc and Audios North’s “best artists of 2025” alongside Richard Ashcroft and the Charlatans. The group are due to return to the studio later this year to record their second album with Elbow’s Craig Potter.
Gustaffson’s connection to St. Oswald’s and their enthusiasm to return stems from the filming of a video for their then-new single “Flowers” at the church in November 2023. They were so impressed with the quality of the church’s sound reproduction and its atmospheric setting that they booked an evening performance in June 2024 and donated some of the ticket takings to the church.
As Andrew says, “You walk into St Oswald’s Church and it instantly tells a story. As soon as we were looking for a venue for the music video, I knew the church would be perfect. The building has a unique history and as a band it is all about playing venues which give our audience the best experience. We felt very fortunate to become part of its history on that performance night and are delighted to make a return.”
The band will be returning to the studio this year to record their second album with Elbow’s Craig Potter.
Friday 25 September, 7 p.m. Gustaffson live at St. Oswald’s Church. Tickets £15 per head. Licensed bar and refreshments. For information and tickets visit www.achurch near you.com/church15319
