I recently popped down to one of the practice rooms at Eckersley Mill for a chat with Wigan band Casino Club after a brief conversation over TikTok, about a huge gig they’ve got coming up… their BIGGEST headline gig to date.
Thought I’d be there for an hour tops to be honest, interview, and filming a couple of tracks, but that hour turned into about three, listening to four incredibly talented and passionate musicians, talking and playing, and LOTS of laughing… (I had to tell them off at one point, felt like a teacher.. ironic really, as Marcus and Alex from the band are BOTH teachers). But, honestly, had a great few hours – a really good laugh AND treated to my own private acoustic session, which was fab.
Check the video below, you’ll have to wait until the end to see the acoustic, but it’s worth it, trust me. Great lads, and really funny! (AND you’ll get to find out what the ‘whoas’ are).
They’re a four piece indie-rock band, formed post lockdown and inspired by Catfish and The Bottlemen, The Ks and Kings of Leon.
Described as “rip-roaring indie rock”, Casino Club are known for their “dynamic blend of introspective lyrics, catching melodies, and infectious rhythms”.
The band members are Marcus Grimshaw (vocalist/rhythm guitar), Alex Porter (lead guitar), Mike Grimshaw (bass) and Stee Grimshaw (drums).
That’s a lot of Grimshaws right? Well, Mike and Stee are brothers, Marcus is no relation.
This past year saw the release of a debut EP “Now You Want It” which gathered rave reviews and national radio play, including Record of The Week on XS Manchester; as well as sold out Liverpool headline shows.
The 15th August this year sees their biggest headline gig to date, at the Deaf Institute in Manchester, and at the time of writing this, there were only five tickets left. The whole band is really looking forward to this one, as Marcus says: “It means people are traveling to see us, so we’re really excited”.
Early next year comes a gig over in Liverpool where they’re supporting another Wigan band, The Lilacs, who are selling out and playing festivals everywhere at the moment. Marcus said: “That will be brilliant, the Apostles are playing too, so it’s basically a Wigan night in Liverpool.”
They have bigger dreams though. Marcus told us he would love Casino Club to play Haigh Hall, the setting for The Verve’s iconic gig in 1998, and getting Richard Ashcroft to come back for a purely Wigan line up would be special. For drummer Stee, it’s all about the festivals, for Mike, it’s touring and ‘no work’, while for Alex, touring is his aim, but he did hint that supporting Oasis would be ‘mega’.
Wigan is a hotbed of musical talent at the minute. We know The Lathums are stratospheric, but also on the scene we’ve got The Lilacs, and The Stanleys, who last year supported Richard Ashcroft on his homecoming gigs at Robin Park Arena.
This is nothing new though, Wigan’s rich musical legacy is rooted in working-class creativity, community spirit, and a fierce sense of identity. The town first made its mark with the Northern Soul movement in the 1970s, when the legendary Wigan Casino became a spiritual home for vinyl collectors and all-night dancers from across the UK.
This love of music carried into the rave era, with the Wigan Pier dance scene defining weekends for a generation.
In the ’90s, Wigan gave us The Verve, with frontman Richard Ashcroft’s anthemic vocals becoming globally iconic, while bands like The Railway Children added depth to the town’s indie output. That same DIY ethos and sense of pride still drives the scene today. Wigan isn’t just part of music history—it’s actively shaping its future.
From vinyl to viral, Wigan continues to punch well above its weight.
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