UPCOMING indie band The Kabeedies are returning to the ‘empty streets’ of Blackburn, just three months after their last gig in the town.

Launching their second album, and promoting the single Eyes, 2012 is already proving busy for the Norwich four-piece, who stop off in East Lancashire next Friday.

Singer and bass player Rory Hill said the band enjoyed finding ‘home from home’ towns while touring the country, with many of those in the north.

“Some of our best gigs have been in places like Leeds, and Liverpool,” he said.

“I think it comes from a mix of strong live music scenes and that we are the right sound for the cities. Both of those places have great original music vibes.”

With a return to the Live Lounge, by contrast, the band will be in a town with a much quieter scene.

“From speaking to the promoter when we last came to the Live Lounge, it’s very much a town where people really have to find music as a lot of places are closing,” Rory said.

“But the response we had, and the bands we played with last time, were great.

“It was strange, it was empty — people didn’t seem to be on the streets, but then you get to the venues and people are there.”

Rory says their new album, Soap, has ‘more continuity’. having been written as a specific set of tracks, rather than the ‘four years of song writing and singing’ which went into their debut Rumpus.

“We had more time in the studio, with extra musicians and the time to do exactly what we wanted,” he added.

“During that tour, we did two or three songs from the new album and it has been getting a nice response.”

After dates in the UK, The Kabeedies will be heading to Europe before returning to the summer festival scene.

“This is very much a year of playing it out, no writing for us, as much as we can, everywhere we can,” Rory said.

*The Kabeedies, The Live Lounge, Blackburn, Friday, January 27, 9.30pm. Free entry.