Mod music festival to return for second year reports the Lancashire Telegraph

COLNE is preparing itself for a Mod invasion this summer with the news that the North by North West Festival is to return to the town.  

The two-day event proved such a hit last year that organisers Steve Reid and Lionel Snowden are bringing the event back to East Lancashire.  

Headlining the opening night of the festival on Friday, June 5, will be soul legend Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band and the following night, leaders of the British Mod movement Secret Affair will be returning by popular demand after a triumphal show at last year’s inaugural event.  

The Friday night line-up at the Muni also includes East Lancashire’s favourite soul outfit The Soul Train plus a live performance by The Sixties Gems.  

On Saturday the Muni will be hosting live music from 3pm until late with sets from The Visitors, The New Amen Corner, The Faces Experience and Jeremiah Ferrari.  

Leading Northern Soul DJ Roman will be behind the decks on both days of the event.  

A festival spokesman said: “Colne really took the first festival to its heart last year and we’re delighted to be able to bring it back for 2015.  

“Geno Washington will be a great opening night headliner and is sure to create a brilliant party atmosphere at the Muni. He has a long connection with music lovers in East Lancashire and I’m sure we’ll be getting fans who saw him perform live here in the Sixties plus the younger Mod generation who’ll want to see the legend live for the first time.

“Saturday should be a cracking day. We had no hesitation in re-booking Secret Affair who went down a storm last year.  

The Faces Experience will be performing some of the greatest Mod anthems.  

“We are delighted to get two bands who are really making a name for themselves in The Visitors and Jeremiah Ferrari who went down so well when they supported UB40 in Burnley before Christmas.”  

As well as the two-day music event, the Cheeky Northern Monkeys Scooter Club will be holding a rally over the weekend and camping will be available at Colne Rugby Club.  

This year festival organisers have decided that the event’s chosen charity will be the fundraising appeal for Pendleside Hospice launched in memory of Gail Simpson, wife of the Lancashire Telegraph deputy editor Alan Simpson who died just before Christmas aged 61.  

Tickets for the festival are now on sale from the Muni box office. Weekend tickets, priced £38, are available as well as individual day tickets. Call 01282 661234 for details.