Stevie McCabe & Outsiders - Festival of Saints 7"

Ōtautahi's Outsiders are celebrating the birthday of counterculture icon Little Stevie McCabe, frontman of The Axemen (FN049 Three Virgins / FN120 Derry Legend / FN204 Peter Wang Pud) with memorial 7" Festival of Saints, featuring both Stevie's original version and Outsiders new recording of the song. To celebrate the release, Outsiders will play Ōtautahi's Darkroom on Saturday June 28th along with a rare performance from enigmatic rock'n'roller Ritchie Venus (FN008 Bleeding Heart) — Tickets from Under The Radar.

"We would see Steve from time to time when he came to visit his family or round Christmas time. We’d known Steve from Axemen days and it was always great to catch up with him! He’d been to a few Outsiders gigs and was really into what we were doing. One day he sent a link to one of his songs which he said he’d like us to play. We were rapt when we heard it. The vocal delivery and the lyrics were amazing. Pure McCabe! Steve was deep into a Bryan Ferry phase and started bombarding us with Roxy Music clips. You can hear the influence in the chords and phrasing.

Sadly, Steve never heard our version. Jo sent him a text the night we played it live but he passed away that weekend. It was a privilege and a blessing to receive such a wonderful gift as “Festival of Saints” from our dear friend Little Stevie McCabe.

Kua hinga te tōtara i Te Waonui-a-Tāne. This is our tribute to you. Let's enjoy this song in his memory. Thanks for the music, Steve."
— Outsiders, Ōtautahi 2025

Tracklist:
A: Stevie McCabe — Festival of Saints
B: Outsiders — Festival of Saints

Now that might has fallen
On the festival of saints
Haunted thoughts pass me by
Through the summer rain

You win some you lose some
Some you come out top of class
When you reach your peak you’ll know
What has come to pass…

Silver blue they shimmer by
The festival of saints
Please have mercy on
This festival of saints

Festival of saints
I like to come back here
Festival of saints
Your silver blue hair