INDIE-POP stars Fickle Friends are touring nationwide this month with headline shows in both Southampton and Bournemouth.

And while she’s not quite calling it a homecoming, Brighton-based lead singer Natti Shiner says that playing The Engine Rooms on West Quay Road will be a highlight after growing up in Hampshire.

“I’m originally from Lymington, went to school and college in Brockenhurst and I played my first solo gig at the Joiners, so Southampton holds a special place in my heart.

“We also headlined The Joiners last year with support from Clean Cut Kid which was crazy. We didn’t expect a southern crowd to be so rowdy, but it was brilliant and now we can’t wait to come back.”

Songwriter Natti, keyboardist Jack Wilson, lead guitarist Chris Hall, bassist Harry Herrington and drummer Sam Morris aren’t releasing their first album until next year, but with ten singles and another out soon, they’re confidently promising a big show for fans.

“We want this tour to be super memorable. We can’t give too much away, but we’ll be playing some new tunes and getting everyone involved” says Natti.

The band can call on their experience playing festivals up and down the country as an unsigned band and after signing with record company Polydor. In August they performed on the NME/BBC Radio One stage at Reading & Leeds for a second time.

Infectious singles Brooklyn, Hello, Hello and Say No More have all won Radio One airplay and latest release Glue was a Tune of the week on Greg James’ drive time show.

Now the band are set for sixteen dates at iconic venues like Plug in Sheffield, Thekla in Bristol and Rescue Rooms in Nottingham.

Our own Wild Front are supporting them in Bournemouth, Newcastle and Birmingham while rising Scottish star Callum Beattie is on the bill in Southampton.

The album has taken the Fickle Friends five piece beyond the UK as Natti explained: “We did a lot of work in Los Angeles, mainly on our more recent singles.

“We went there thinking all the writing was pretty much done, but after fantastic sessions with people like Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy and working with super creative producer Mike Crossey, we suddenly had new material and things moved on.

“Just hanging out there was inspirational. The nightlife was crazy, the people were crazy. It was everything we’d imagined L.A. to be like.

“Now we’re finishing the album in the UK to get it ready for pre-sale before Christmas and release next year. We always seem to be up against a deadline!”

Fickle Friends play The Engine Rooms, Southampton on Sunday 8 October and The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth on Sunday 22 October. More at ficklefriends.co.uk.

By Richard Derbyshire