Felt Members Reunite as Feel for First Live Show in 37 Years
A Rare Reunion at Glas-Goes Pop
Original members of the British jangle pop band Felt reunited to perform live for the first time in nearly four decades, taking the stage under the newly adopted moniker Feel at the Glas-Goes Pop festival on August 15. According to published reports from the event, original drummer Gary Ainge, bassist Marco Thomas, and guitarist Philip King joined forces to play instrumental interpretations of the band’s catalog, marking their first collective appearance since December 1989.
The Legacy of a Seminal Underground Catalog
Formed in the late 1970s, Felt released 10 albums across the 1980s, beginning with their 1982 debut record Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty and concluding with 1989’s Me and a Monkey on the Moon. Following their final live performance in Birmingham in December 1989, the core musicians stepped away from active group participation for over thirty years.
Transforming Feel Into an Instrumental Showcase
Plans for the return materialized publicly the previous month through an announcement on social media. The musicians clarified that the project, named Feel as the present tense of Felt, would focus exclusively on instrumental versions of their recorded material. Keyboardist Martin Davies and lead guitarist Andy Wellings joined original members Ainge, Thomas, and King for the live set.
According to the band’s public statements on Instagram, the project was designed to honor the melodic arrangements crafted by original contributors Maurice Deebank and Martin Duffy, alongside instrumental interpretations of songs written by Lawrence. The ensemble emphasized that the live presentation sought to showcase the intricate textures originally coloured in by the band across their extensive discography.
Guest Collaborations and Historic Stages
The setlist at the Scottish indie festival also featured guest appearances. Belle and Sebastian member Stuart Murdoch and rising artist Rhadika joined the ensemble on stage for a rendition of the band’s 1984 track ‘Primitive Painters’. Reflecting on the performance, Rhadika shared thoughts via social media regarding the significance of participating in the historic set. According to the artist’s published remarks, performing the song alongside original members fulfilled a lifelong connection to music passed down from family listening sessions.
