Hartlepool punk band Lurcher releases song about Mecca Bingo

Lurcher’s Mecca (Bingo) tells the story of people’s lives Hartlepool using “something as trivial as low-stakes bingo call-outs” to add a sprinkling of comedy.

The band said: “It's a satirical spin on the lack of available recreational opportunities in the town.

"Be it bingo on a Wednesday, casual relations or substance abuse, all told through the format of bingo call outs.”

This is the band’s second single following on from debut song Stone Island which came out in March.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the song, which was released on May 2, the band said: “This song stems from inspiration drawn from a certain skit from The League of Gentlemen, where a bingo master recounts a tale of love and loss through the medium of bingo call outs.”

Lurcher are a four-piece punk band made up of singer Spen White, guitarist Alex Featherstone, drummer Jonathan Mudd and bassist Christoph Crinson.

The band met at The Owl pub, in Scarborough Street, Hartlepool, and started making music at the beginning of 2023.

It was not until 2024, however, that they got a “real feel” for their sound when Jonathan joined the group.

The band said: “We all met at the Owl on Scarborough Street, in the heart of Hartlepool’s cultural district, working alongside one another.

"We all had a mutual appreciation of music and it just felt right to put our ideas out there.”

Despite being relatively new to the music scene, Lurcher are already making waves in the local music industry.

The band said: “Our first single Stone Island came out in March earlier this year and the reception has been nothing short of motivating, and gave us the driving passion to release our upcoming EP With Love.”

The band’s debut EP is due to be released on Friday, May 30.

They said: “It's something we've bled a lot of love into and is a love letter to the town.”

Mecca (Bingo) is now available to stream on all streaming platforms including Spotify and YouTube.