We’re happy as a duo — it just kind of works

Busy schedule: duo Lyceum, Ryan Brogan (left) and Brad Healey

TWO’S company and three would be a crowd for Lyceum, or so it would seem.

The talented Oldham acoustic duo — 17-year-olds Ryan Brogan (ukulele and bass) and Brad Healey (guitar) — have been together for three years now, and it’s so far, so good.

The student pair are certainly busy gigging regularly and offering their wide range of “folky or acoustic versions of loud and crazy songs” to ever-increasing and ever-appreciative audiences.

Despite their tender ages, Lyceum have played upwards of 50 gigs (including five in one weekend alone recently!) and they’ve provided quality support to 1980s chart favourites the Christians and Danny Dearden, of “X Factor” fame.

They originally met at songwriting classes at the Lyceum music centre in Oldham — hence the name—and the two lads have certainly hit on a winning formula.

Asked why merely a duo instead of a oft-favoured band set-up, Ryan said: “It just kind of works, really.

“There’s no problems up on stage, and if one of us just wants to change the music slightly midway though a song, we can easily do that because we just understand each other so well.

“The more we keep playing, the more we work better together, so that’s how we like it.

“In a band there’s so much more you have to think about I guess. We’re just happy to try and do the songs ourselves and it is working out okay so far.”

There’s plenty of call for Lyceum going forward.

Numerous local gigs beckon where they will continue to showcase their catchy set of largely cover versions, for now.

Lyceum are also set to rock the Dome Stage at the Blackthorn Festival near Stockport, which takes place on July 24-26.

Also featuring at Whitebottom Farm are the Enemy, the Clone Roses, among many, many others, as well as Oldham favourites the Gramotones and Indigo Empire.

Inspiral Carpets’ keys man Clint Boon will also be DJing.

“That’s going to be a great weekend,” said Brad. “The guy who’s running it has made sure there will be ways that all the bands appearing across the whole weekend can interact with each other.

“That’s going to be good because there are some influential people appearing.

“We’d like to build up our fan base, but also we want to make the majority of our sets up of original material. That will get us a more regular fan base in the long run.”

The duo have got plans, and they will get more and more time for songwriting now that the dreaded exam season is finally over.

Brad added: “It is hard work gigging and studying at the same time, but it is worth it.

“We’d like to record some of our stuff as well, while it would also be nice to play a few more gigs in Manchester.

“That’s something you can look towards as you get a bit older.

“As a younger band I don’t think you can do that so much, but we’ve definitely got louder as we’ve got older and that means we can play more rockier stuff.”

Keep up to date with Lyceum by logging on to their Twitter and Facebook pages. I would recommend a listen if you get the chance.