Dave Sweetmore column: Big return for Little Man Tate

In his latest Reporter column, Tameside Radio presenter Dave Sweetmore writes about Little Man Tate - an indie rock band from Sheffield.

I regularly get asked who my favourite bands are, and as someone who has lived and breathed music for all of my life, it’s an impossible question to answer.

One band, who I do always respond with, are a band who in my opinion should have been one of the biggest bands in the world.

To us hardcore fans, they were. Little Man Tate were formed in Sheffield in 2005 by childhood friends Jon Windle and Ed ‘Maz’ Marriott, joined shortly after by Ben Surtees and Dan Fields.

Being part of what was a huge Yorkshire music explosion at the time, with other bands such as Arctic Monkeys, Reverend and The Makers, and Milburn, to name just a few, they led the way in an indie revolution. 

In 2006 singles ‘The Agent’, and ‘What What You Got?’ were released, followed a year later by the unbelievable debut album ‘About What You Know’. 

That album wasn’t just songs, it was relatable, in your face, anthems. Tracks like ‘House Party At Boothys’, ‘Man I Hate Your Band’ ‘Sexy In Latin’, and ‘It Must Be Love’ are timeless classics, and the bands live shows were exciting, energetic events, to a level which I’ve not seen many bands recreate.

I was lucky to DJ at a couple of the band’s Manchester dates, and they were highlights of my career, the nights were so good. 

Their follow-up album, ‘Nothing Worth Having Comes Easy’, released a year later in 2008, continued with the catchy floor-filling indie numbers, such as ‘Hey Little Sweetie’, ‘What Your Boyfriend Said’ and ‘Money Wheel’. 

In 2009, after just four years, Little Man Tate called it a day. As fans of the band, we were gutted, but we’d had four years of the hardest working, most loveable band, we could ever ask for. 

Since then, the lads have continued with their own projects, lives, and careers, until the news broke last year of two very special reunion gigs, in the band’s hometown of Sheffield, at the O2 Academy. 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the dates have been moved a couple of times, but have now been confirmed as going ahead this year on Friday 8th (sold out) and Saturday 9th (limited tickets remain) October. 

Little Man Tate still mean so much to so many people, their music and lyrics are a way of life, and their live shows can genuinely not be beaten. 

As a fan of the band, the reunion announcement was up there with the most exciting news I’ve ever heard. 

Jon and Maz from Little Man Tate join me on Tameside Radio this Monday from 7pm. 

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