ELECTRO pop stars Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark will be the first band to play at the new Eric’s club on Mathew Street.

After 31 years, the iconic music venue will re-open its doors to the public in September with a selection of pre-launch gigs.

Wirral band OMD, whose hits include Joan of Arc, Electricity, Messages, Souvenir, Sailing on the Seven Seas and Enola Gay, played their debut gig at the venue in 1978.

They have decided to interrupt their world tour to return home for the special launch event on September 10.

OMD singer Andy McCluskey said: “If Eric’s hadn’t existed then neither would OMD. Even though you cannot recreate what Eric’s meant to our generation over 30 years ago, it will be fun to play on the same stage again remembering the past whilst hopefully celebrating a new and different future.”

Liverpool unsigned band Kids on Bridges will support OMD on the night. The band credit OMD as one of their major influences.

“Kids on Bridges wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for bands such as OMD,” said Kids on Bridges frontman Christian Bragg.

“To play with a band that has crossed generations and pioneered electro and is still as relevant in today’s electronic generation is a great honour.

“To play with them at Eric’s where it all began is a dream.

“It’s why you get into playing music.”

The Mathew Street club, which closed its doors in 1980, hosted early gigs from Elvis Costello, Buzzcocks, The Clash, The Stranglers, Joy Division, The Sex Pistols and U2.

It has been painstakingly restored from a beer cellar into a recreation of the original venue, complete with the famous stage and former entrance.