Countdown for album blast off

But the band Cold Bath Street are hoping their second album will be out of this world.

The improvisation musicians from the University of Central Lancashire are planning to have a galaxy of stars in the background as they launch the vinyl disc on Sunday.

“Sound Research Rebellion” is being unveiled to a select audience at UCLan’s Alston Observatory, with Cold Bath Street staging a one-off show working with visuals from artist Anne Fox and the staff and telescopes of the planetarium.

“This is a thank you to everyone that has supported the group,” said band member Simon Partridge, a senior music lecturer at UCLan.

“But also it is an amazing opportunity to work in a completely different environment . . . a stage in space.”

Admission is strictly by ticket only, due to the limited space at the observatory near the old Alston Hall. But for a tenner the guests get a copy of the album, a ticket for the gig and transport to the venue from the university campus in Preston.

Formed in 2013 from a shared interest in improvised music, the band have developed into a musical force. Their work refuses to be pigeonholed and no two shows are the same.

All the music is developed from small cues which are used as take off points for exploratory musical journeys. Audience and vibe make a massive contribution to gigs.

“We take every crowd somewhere different, depending where they take us,” explained Simon.

Cold Bath Street, named after the street outside UCLan’s Media Factory, will appear at the Preston Jazz and Improvisation Festival on June 8 at the Continental in Preston.