Hope of the States is one of the most exciting bands to emerge on the British music scene in the last few years. With a brilliant collection of songs, a blistering live reputation and a critically acclaimed album, The Lost Riots, the Hope of the States concert in Dublin cannot come more highly recommended.

Hope of the States was formed in the Southern English town of Chichester in 2000 comprising the musical talents of Sam Herlihy, Anthony Theaker and Jimmi Lawrence. Paul Wilson played bass in one of Herlihy's early bands and drummer Simon Jones joined the band from the Chichester drinking scene. The line-up was completed by violinist Mike Siddell who was recruited through a small add and soon slotted perfectly into the band's sound.

Taking their name from an Albert Deutsch psychiatric paper, the Hope of the States began creating music that merged sonic noise with bittersweet melodies and lyrics that combined disillusionment and hope. The band released their debut “Black Dollar Bills” in a hand-sewn sleeve on the Seeker label receiving rave reviews from the music press and the record immediately sold out.

Hope of the States signed to Sony in 2003, while building up their fan base with appearances at the Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds festivals.  Their first major label single “Enemies/Friends in October” demonstrated how many new fans they had recruited when it rose to number 25 in the UK charts with minimal radio play. For their debut, The Lost Riots the band chose Sigur Ros producer Ken Thomas and decamped to Grouse Lodge in Ireland to start work on the album.

While finishing off the album in Peter Gabriel's Real World studios, tragedy struck the band when guitarist, Jimmi Lawrence took his own life. Hope of the States decided to stay together and released their eagerly awaited debut album. Critics heralded The Lost Riots as a wonderful rock album for intense, angry and beautiful songs like “Don't Go To Pieces”, “The Red, The White, The Black, The Blue” and “Me Ves Y Sufres”. Serious contender for concert of the year, Hope of the States play Dublin on the 18^th of October.

Time: 8pm

Tickets: €15

Tickets are available from Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.ie

Temple Bar Music Centre

Curved Street,

Temple Bar,

Dublin 2.

Olympia Theatre