Former Burnley pupil C Douglas returns for special Towneley Hall show
A Burnley musician has returned home for a special performance in the historic setting of Towneley Hall.
James C. Douglas, known as C Douglas for his solo work, grew up in Todmorden and studied at Blessed Trinity RC College and Burnley College before going on to form The Goa Express, a band which played major festivals including Glastonbury, Primavera and SXSW, and gained airplay on BBC 6 Music.
Now based in Paris, C Douglas has swapped the indie band sound for upbeat, melodic synth-pop. His debut EP 75019, recorded with Steve Cobby of Fila Brazillia, will be released on 10” vinyl this September through Golden Lion Sounds – a label that has also worked with Jarvis Cocker, David Holmes and Jane Weaver.
The Towneley Hall performance formed part of Burnley Culture 2027’s new series of events bringing music into historic venues not usually associated with live gigs. Coun. Jack Launer, who interviewed the artist as part of the event, said: “This is the first in a series of events for Burnley Culture 2027 showcasing up-and-coming and established artists. We’re bringing music into spaces like
Towneley Hall to create something special – and building an archive of songs that will show future generations what Burnley’s music scene was like in the 2020s.”
C Douglas’s first single from the EP, At First, has already had airplay on BBC Introducing and The New Music Fix, which specialises in championing fresh talent.
Speaking about his new sound, C Douglas said: “We [The Goa Express] all met here in Burnley, went to school in Burnley, went to college in Burnley, and then migrated to Manchester. The new project, C Douglas, it's more poppy, more synthesiser, more electronic. My musical tastes have changed over the years. And I think this is more reflective of the sort of music I listen to and want to make at the moment. Not having a band is obviously a con because you’re making everything yourself, but these days you can write an album in your bedroom without relying on other people – and that’s nice.”
He added that playing at Towneley was particularly special: “All my ties are around here – family, friends – so it’s nice to come home. I used to come to Towneley all the time as a kid. It’s beautiful. It's bit different – playing here – but we were just outside the main hall and the accoustics were amazing, nice and echoy."
The Burnley Culture team will continue to host music in historic and unusual spaces across the borough in the run-up to Burnley’s Year of Culture 2027.