SCOTTISH rock icons Nazareth are set to appear in South Cumbria in the new year.

One of the stars of the British scene in the 1970s, they have continued to pack out venues at home and abroad, and they head to The Forum, in Barrow, on Friday January 19.

At their peak, Nazareth were huge, selling vast quantities of albums and hit singles, pulling in enormous crowds to their shows all over the world.

Like all the best bands, Nazareth came from humble roots. They formed in Dunfermline, and played the Scottish clubs throughout the 1960s in their original incarnation as the Shadettes.

The name change to Nazareth came in 1970 and in 1971 the band moved to London to start what was to become a long and illustrious recording career.

Even with the passage of time and line-up changes, Nazareth are routinely hailed as pioneers who became legends in their own lifetimes.

<iframe width="637" height="358" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X_GO9w7fHws?list=PLT8bjajDkvX_xmDwakA4_0vEkBNybbNvX" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Original singer Dan McCafferty retired due to ill health in 2013, but Nazareth eventually returned to the road featuring new singer Carl Sentance, who has made his own mark with the bands legions of fans across the globe as part of bands such as the Geezer Butler Band and Krokus, and has also worked with Joe Bonamassa, Don Airey from Deep Purple, and Darrin Mooney of Primal Scream.

He shares the stage with Nazareth founder member Pete Agnew, on bass, and long-time guitarist Jimmy Murrison and drummer Lee Agnew.

Nazareth play The Forum on January 19, and tickets are available from the venue's box office. Support has yet to be announced.