OMD donate windfall from homecoming gig to Merseyside food banks

Merseyside band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) have donated an unexpected pot of money they received for a homecoming gig at the M&S Bank Arena to food banks in Liverpool and Wirral.

A technical issue at their concert on March 3 prompted the venue to offer compensation and the band, which was formed in Wirral in 1978, has handed over the undisclosed sum ‘to help those in genuine need’.

A statement from OMD said: "A couple of weeks ago we played the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool. We all had a fantastic night but there was a problem with the heating in the venue leading to the auditorium being unusually cold throughout the concert despite the heat being generated by everyone dancing!

"The venue has offered us a level of compensation for this oversight. OMD and AEG (our promoter) have both decided to donate all of this money to food banks in Liverpool and Wirral to help those in genuine need, on behalf of all of our Liverpool and Merseyside fans."

Fans of the band, which has recorded global sales of 40 million records, were delighted by the gesture. “And there I was, thinking I couldn't love you guys any more than I do 👏” one said on Instagram. Another added: “What a lovely idea. Thank you! The night was great by the way - we just kept our coats on 😊”

OMD were founded by Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys in Meols, Wirral, in the late 70s and the Electronic/New Wave band have gone on to have 16 top 40 entries in the UK Albums Chart. Martin Cooper and Stuart Kershaw complete the band’s current line-up.