Nazareth: Pete Agnew on rare home gig for band that has toured the world for 50 years

Fife’s most enduring, and successful, group return this month for a rare homecoming gig at the Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline, before packing their bags and logging many more miles across the globe.

“It isn’t a job, it’s a way of life, just like breathing,” said bass guitarist Pete Agnew.

He is the last surviving founder member of the band which enjoyed huge chart success in the 1970s and then kept rolling into new markets as eastern Europe opened up.

Last year, Nazareth were able to hit the road again for a European tour, but it was a tough time with the passing of original members Dan McCafferty, and guitarist Manny Charlton.

Eight years had passed since McCafferty took his bow from the band with an emotional encore at East End Park in 2015 - new albums have been released and countless gigs performed since then, but this will be the current line-up’s first at the Alhambra, and it has been together since 2015.

Nazareth were the band chosen to open the relaunched Alhambra in 2007, and returned in 2012 for a special gig to raise funds for the Mary Leishman Foundation.

“Any time I am on stage Dan is in my mind,” said Pete. “He’s always in my mind - we were great friends, we travelled the world together. My best pal.”

Carl Sentance has logged some eight years of touring since stepping into Dan’s shoes, but this will be his debut at the Alhambra which comes on the back of successful gigs in the Czech Republic, Latvia and Lithuania.

Russian and Ukraine would have been on that list too but for the current war.

“Since COVID, some promoters, agencies and venues are not up and running which is quite sad - it’s been slow but it is starting to pick up again.

“We did a big European tour in 2022 and that went well and was fun, and we are looking to get back on the road after three months off.”

Being able to tour far from home has been key to Nazareth’s longevity.

“We always have had a following across many countries,” said Pete. “The UK was never huge for us. It was great in the 70s when we had some hits, but a lot of bands had that and then disappeared. Our support was from across many countries.

“We never had to tour just the UK - we were always able to travel the world and play. We have festivals coming up in Germany, Brazil, USA, and Canada, and a lot of work coming in Norway and Sweden. In fact the Alhambra is one of only two UK shows we have planned this year.”

Russia remains out of bounds, but it too is a market Nazareth have more than tapped into for many years.

“We’ve toured there more than any other band. We were the first to do it end to end.

“Bands play Moscow. That’s a bit like big groups coming to the UK and only playing London, and not the wee towns like Cowdenbeath. We played Russia’s Cowdenbeaths!

“There are so many huge cities over there. It was great fun and a big part of our touring schedule.”Pete puts that market down to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

“When it came down, Eastern Europe opened up, but audiences didn’t want pop bands - they wanted to see the rock bands they’d been denied for decades - ourselves, Deep Purple and lots of others went over. It opened up that half of the world and it has been great for us.”

A gig at the Alhambra offers arguably the shortest journey possible for a band used to being on the road.

“It should be great fun,” said Pete. “It’s not often we get the chance to play at home. I can be the off stage, home and in the shower in 20 minutes!

“I’m not one for hanging around after gigs, although chances are I’ll know plenty folk so it may get busy. I’ll spend half my time nodding to folk I know.”

> Nazareth are at the Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline, on April 29. Tickets: https://alhambradunfermline.com/event/nazareth/