STATIC SATELLITES released their debut EP in May this year and still have been able to give the release the unveiling it deserved.

A launch show would have been in their plans, had it not been for a certain pandemic, but will have to make do with a bit of a homecoming show later this month.

The four-piece, partly based in West Lothian, will perform at Midnight Breakfast Club on Friday, December 17, in what will be their only headline show of 2021.

Their four-track effort – As The Dark Unfolds – made the shortlist for The Weekender's EP of the Year Award this year. In addition, is that the single Fortify, the first release from that EP, was nominated for Song of the Year in 2020.

While the band returned to the stage earlier this year, the prospect of a Bathgate gig in front of family and friends is likely to be the best way to end a torrid year.

Ross Whelan, the band's singer, told The Weekender that he and his bandmates where sitting on their EP for a long time before releasing.

And since then they quartet have had to play the waiting game once again to top the bill.

"It was a strange situation releasing an EP during lockdown," Whelan said. "But I suppose, at the end of the day, it hopefully gave more people some time to listen to it.

"We had been sitting on the recordings a long time before they were released so it felt like we were waiting forever by the time everything came into swing. Hopefully, the more we gig the more people will be drawn to it and hear it."

The last few months has seen the band return to live performing, but has also afforded them the time to work on new material for the future.

Whelan said: "[Getting back on stage] has been brilliant so far; we've had a few cracking gigs already and met loads of really cool people.

"I think we're taking the live shows less for granted as well because of the break we've had; it's probably made us feel more privileged to be able to play with so many class bands in so many class venues."

He continued: "We've been working on a few bits and pieces here and there. We found it difficult to write during lockdown because there wasn't a lot going on to write about in all honesty. But we're slowly getting back into the creative side of it.

"We'll definitely have some new tunes to play at the MBC gig; we've been playing a couple at our recent gigs as well.

"It's a nice feeling to return to the unknown of playing new tracks for the first time. We're hoping to get back into the studio early next year and get some more recordings done as well and get the next stage moving."

The band will support Haunt the Woods at The Poetry Club, SWG3, tomorrow night along with White Novels and have a show booked with Fake Lips and Grant Kilpatrick in Edinburgh for January.

But they won't be thinking too far ahead while there is the small matter of a massive gig at Midnight Breakfast Club on the horizon.

Ahead of the Bathgate show, Whelan added: "It'll be class to have our friends and family back in the room again whilst we serenade our way back onto their Christmas card lists.

"It's been a hard time for everyone but we have to take it with a pinch of salt and it's probably a wake up call as to how much we miss live music when it can't be played or listened to.

"We've got some great support acts lined up for the night at MBC in Jake Davies and The Volts so if people are looking to come they should definitely come along early and check these guys out. They're going to smash it, as per usual."

Tickets for the Static Satellites at Midnight Breakfast Club are available online now through the band's Big Cartel site.