Lightyear (cancelled)

Derbys finest punk outfit Lightyear, will be tearing up venues across the UK once more to perform a select few final explosive shows.The tour will celebrate 15 years of the bands legendary antics.

Announcing Lightyears reformation online, vocalist Chas Palmer-Williams says, "We know this might raise a few chuckles. It's been 15 years since Lightyear began.

"We started it simply to have fun. We stopped it because it became not fun. We wanted to stay friends, but we ended up not even seeing each other really.

"We want to hang out with each other again, so we are doing 6 dates in June! It would be wicked to see old and new friends."

Formed in Derby, England during 1997, Lightyear mixed punk, hardcore and pop influences into their songs and rapidly became one of the most dynamic and unpredictable UK bands.

Their live experience is described as "a bouncing, energy driven orgy of jumping brass, diving vocalists, underpinned by infectious tunes that leave every foot tapping."

Although committed to the independent ethos of punk rock, they also gained fans and a reputation in the underground scene for their riotous antics, touring with the likes of Capdown, Mad Caddies, Goldfinger, Slow Gherkin, 311, Mustard Plug, Big D and the Kids Table, Save Ferris, Nerf Herder and Suicide Machines.

The band also performed at the infamous 'Holidays in the Sun' for two years running and the Carling Weekend Festivals; a career highlight for the band which, in their opinion, they technically 'headlined' after an impromptu set dressed as ninjas unofficially closing the festival.

In contrast, Lightyear have also played with OPM, and in February 2003 were invited to support Steve-O from MTV's Jackass show on a sell out UK tour. They were later kicked off this tour by a promoter whom Chas described as an absolute bonehead' in an interview with Punktastic.