Saint Etienne are one of UK’s most beloved and influential pop bands. Formed in Croydon in 1990 by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs, they combined indie pop, dance and electronica and struck gold with their debut single, a cover of Neil Young’s “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”, which quickly became one of the defining club anthems of its era.
Sarah Cracknell joined as lead singer in 1991, shaping the band’s signature sound. Their debut album, Foxbase Alpha, received rave reviews and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. Their second album, So Tough, released in 1993, entered the UK Top 10, and songs such as “Nothing Can Stop Us”, “You’re in a Bad Way”, “Who Do You Think You Are” and “He’s on the Phone” established Saint Etienne as one of the most important British pop bands of their generation. Extensive touring across Europe, the United States, Japan and Australia followed, highlighted by their appearance at Glastonbury in 1994, when they became the first band ever to be broadcast live from the festival on television.
After decades of consistent creativity and thirteen studio albums, the band’s latest release, International (2025), was warmly received and brought them back into the UK Top 10. This album and their current tour mark the end of a remarkable journey. So, on Saturday 27 June, we’ll have the chance to bid farewell to one of the most beloved British pop bands of recent decades by singing and dancing along with them to the songs that defined their career.
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