The North Walton Ratepayers Association House Band

The NWRA House Band

The NWRA House Band

The NWRA House Band and Theatre Society

The North Walton Ratepayers Association House Band were active from 2000 to 2003, notably with their ‘variety night’ events that included The NWRA Choir, David Bowie tribute acts, live artists Max Factory and many other performers (The NWRA Club itself was unfortunately closed and demolished in early 2002). The Liverpool band’s line-up included Colin Cromer (formerly of Rooney), Paul Rafferty (later of Hot Club de Paris), and Paul Rooney, amongst other constantly shifting personnel. They were particularly fascinated by the intersections between three products of North West England: early Fall recordings, everyday malevolent grotesquery, and ‘working men’s’ club variety acts. Their only record release to date came out 17 years after they split: in 2020 Owd Scrat presented a recording of The NWRA House Band’s most ambitious achievement, the experimental alt-rock-opera Tony’s a Winner, which they toured with The NWRA Theatre Society in 2003. 

The NWRA House Band releases on Owd Scrat:

Tony’s a Winner: an opera in one act

Also…

The NWRA House Band variety show:

The NWRA Variety Matinée (Live 2002)