COVENTRY Music Museum Curator Pete Chambers writes for the Observer.
Dance Craze – The Empire
IF it’s live 2-Tone you want, then it’s live 2-Tone you’ve got.
On Saturday (January 21) from 12pm to late the HMV Empire Coventry presents Dance Craze – The Tribute.
A double headliner with The Beat ft Ranking Jr and Rhoda Dakar live. Not only does it have those two superb originals, but also a plethora of top tributes, The Specials – as performed by The Specialz, Madness – as performed by Gladness, The Selecter – as performed by Ruder Than You, Bad Manners – performed by The Ska45’s ft. The Fat Skin plus support from top tributes to: The Jam – as performed by Pretty Green and The Clash – performed by Bank Generation.
Tickets are selling fast for this festival of Ska, so get your tickets ASAP.
Rave for Maddi
Next Saturday, January 28, from 2pm till 4am, we ask one and all to come together for a charity event to show just how much our city cares and Rave For Maddi.
Maddie Neale-Shankster is a young 21-year-old Coventry girl who, whilst on her dream holiday in Thailand, sadly fell from a 60ft balcony causing herself a major injury which may result in her never being able to walk again.
To bring Maddie home safely to the UK to receive the specialist medical and rehabilitation treatment she needs, it will cost upwards of £100,000.
A GoFundMe page has been set up and whilst it is doing outstandingly well due to the generosity of so many people from Coventry and beyond, we want to help more.
Therefore, Coventry promoters and DJs have offered their time and skills for free to put on Rave For Maddi, to help raise the much-needed funds.
Tickets cost £10 plus booking fee and 100 per cent of ticket proceeds from this event are going to her family.
Genres – old school, house music, minimal tech, funky house, drum and bass.
Idle Noise at Square One
Now here’s a line-up Idle Noise are playing at Square One on February 11 with support from Danny Ansell, Caitlin and Black Water Fiend.
It’s pretty much an unmissable gig, showcasing some of the strongest artists in the area right now.
Tickets are just £5 and are on sale now.
A star for the Godfather of Ska
The 2-Tone Village on Ball Hill in Coventry continued its commitment in promoting the Stars of Ska and Reggae when last week a posthumous star was unveiled for ska, reggae, mento star Laurel Aitken.
Often described as ‘The Godfather of Ska’ Laurel’s star was unveiled by ska icons Christine and Neville Staple in the presence his family.
The ceremony was followed by a concert from Laurel’s backing band The Pressure Tenants.
Laurel moved to Leicester in the early 1970s and he died in 2005. He was a huge influence on bands like The Specials, Madness and Bad Manners.
During a career that spanned four decades he released over 130 singles and over 30 albums.
