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Artist News Gigs & Festivals
Funeral For A Friend reunite for dying fan
By Andy Malt | Published on Tuesday 6 August 2019
Funeral For A Friend have announced that they will reform for two shows later this year, aiming to raise money for the family of a terminally ill fan.
The band split in 2016, playing a farewell show at The Forum in London in May that year. Upon learning of long-time fan Stuart Brothers’ diagnosis, the band say they wanted to do something to support him and his family. Initially planning to auction off memorabilia, they then decided to go the whole hog and reunite.
The band say in a statement: “Recently, a man who can quite legitimately lay claim to being the world’s biggest FFAF fan (both literally and figuratively!), our friend Stuart ‘Big Stu’ Brothers, has been stricken with a terrible illness which has ultimately led to a terminal prognosis. Last month, Stu was given a few short weeks to live by his doctors”.
“As Stu’s friends, we wanted to do something to help; particularly for his family and three young sons, who are going through unspeakable trauma right now”, they go on. “We discussed the possibility of auctioning off some FFAF memorabilia (which we’ll still do), but it became apparent that the way in which we could best help Stu was to perform some fundraising shows, with the proceeds going directly to his family”.
And so, the band will play The Globe in Cardiff on 28 Oct and London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire on 29 Oct. The line-up for the show will feature vocalist Matthew Davies-Kreye, guitarists Kris Coombs-Roberts and Gavin Burrough, and bassist Richard Boucher – all of whom were part of the final line-up in 2016, plus guitarist Darran Smith, who left the band in 2010, and drummer Ryan Richards, who left in 2012.
Tickets for the shows will go on sale via the Funeral For A Friend website on Friday. The band have also set up a JustGiving page to raise further funds for Brothers.
