Monday 20 April 2015

It's Margate a-go-go as the Mods return for sixties festival reports the Isle of Thanet Gazzette


MODS are returning to Margate next month as the town celebrates all things Sixties. Live music, DJs, stalls and scooter ride outs will take place over four days from May 22 to 25. 

The event is being organised by Great British Music and Culture – a collaboration between Soul Weekender's Eli Thompson and music promoter and events organisation the New Untouchables (NUTS). 

NUTS founder Rob Bailey returned to the isle after a five year hiatus and was impressed by a rejuvenated Margate remarking on the Old Town's vintage shops. 

The return of mod culture in Margate marks the start of a stellar year for the town with Dreamland set to open its doors on June 19. 

Critically acclaimed band the Small Fakers will kick start the festival with a performance at the Westcoast bar in King Street. 

The band are the UK's only Small Faces tribute and have played with original drummer Kenney Jones and performed live on Brighton Beach. 

They previously played the Britannia pub on Fort Hill but have not been back to the isle since 2009. 

In a strange twist former Small Faces fan club secretary Pauline Corcoran is a Margate resident and was in the crowd. 

Garage legends Graham Day and Forefathers will play on Saturday night. The Rochester based trio formed in 2013 after 30 years playing together intermittently in various outfits including The Prisoners and Solar Flares. 

Acid Jazz aficionados The James Taylor Quartet will headline the Sunday with the best DJs behind the decks including isle regulars Emmet Keane, Jo Wallace and Dean Thatcher. 

Eli Thompson told the Isle of Thanet Gazette: "Margate has always had working class culture from the 1960s through to today and it's great to host this festival. We want this to carry on and get bigger, to involve the whole town." 

Owner of the Black Cat Club which will host part of the event, Keith Roberts, added: "We want to create a legacy here. New acts will have a chance to perform as we have a battle of the bands taking place on the Saturday. It's going to be fantastic." 

A scooter ride out has been organised by South Coast Scooter Pirate which will allow visitors to take in the isle's beautiful coast line before dancing the night away to Mod classics. 

Tickets information is available here: www.gbmusicculture.co.uk/

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