lancasterband

Lancaster Band will be one of several performers on stage during the Kommetjie Festival on Saturday 19 November. 12 well known bands have been scheduled to start playing at Fishermans Restaurant and The Helmsman Pub from 5:00pm. Live music will be followed by a number of Hot DJ’s.Entrance to both venues will be R50 per person payable on entry at either venue on the evening (one ticket allows entry into both venues)

The Lancs will be on the Fishermans Restaurant pub stage from around 9:30pm and will perform an full hour long set. It is likely that in honour of the 30 year anniversary the band will perform the complete Comic Strip Heroes album, plus a few current tunes.  We are all looking forward to connecting with our freinds and enjoyign a chilled day in ‘the little cup’

For more information please see  schedule here, contact Steve on 083 225 5077 or email bar.freight@absamail.co.za

Photo: Maria Wagenaar

We are entering the 30 year anniversary of the recording of ‘Comic Strip heroes’. In celebration of this milestone we are currently busy recording the entire album with the current band line up. The band has developed some of the arrangements, it has the addition of keyboards and sax in its sound palette, and is playing the material with a great deal of experience now. Added to this a bonus CD is also being wrapped up, including live takes of the various band line up’s recorded at venues around Cape Town. A 30 year anniversary box package to be available through on-line sales and at gigs will include a CD copy of the original vinyl album in it’s original order, the new current production, and a disc of some live takes and video clips accumulated over the years. A celebratory retrospective. Keep an eye on our sites

Here is the review of The Beat, Lancaster Band and Rudimentals gig at Mercury Live from  Your LMG Mag December issue - We think it hits the spot! Thanks to “Girl Banned”

The Beat (UK)
+ The Rudimentals
+ Lancaster Band
Mercury Live Sat 13 Nov.

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Tonight was always going to be one of those “once in a lifetime ” kind of gigs. The Beat, 2Tone Ska legends, are jamming on the stage I get drunk in front of almost every weekend. there is a queue around the block and not surprisingly the show is sold out. The majority of the (older) crowd is dressed impeccably in suits with braces , loafers, porkpie hats and even a few pairs of Jerry Dammer’ style shades. The Lancaster Band are beaming like teenagers at their first gig, in complete awe of being invited to play on the same stage as the very legends they grew up listening to. They rinse the stage with their contagious and faultless ska beats. the skanking is in full swing and the walls are glistening from the rising temperature. the atmosphere is copasetic and the first hint of Chronic wafts past me, the fogeys have pulled out all the stops. T-Boz and the Rudies deliver their signature Afro-beat reggae with abandon as the heaving crowd soaks up their energy. we are reaching fever pitch, the drunk and stoned mass seem entranced as they patiently await The Beat’s arrival on stage. Ranking Roger and his offspring Ranking Junior bust out, holy smokes this is happening! Every person in the audience is sporting an ear-to-ear smile as the band delivers hit after hit whilst mashing the set up with new songs. Ranking’s rapport and engaging charm has the crowd bobbing on the ends of his puppet strings. When they finally play ” Mirror in the Bathroom”, a small part of me fears that the floor may give way. But it’s the epic crescendo as we all belt out the chorus, a capella, that leaves Ranking’s jaw dropped wide open.

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Cape Town and The Beat have etched a priceless impression on each other tonight!

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“Girl Banned”
LMG Issue No 44

Check this out … a neat read by Carlos Amato from the Times Live online: SA gets to feal The Beat

BRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAA!!!” The Beat hits Joburg and Cape Town this weekend.

Expect some deeply skankalicious insanity, if you can make the show: unlike their old support acts U2 and REM, the ska giants from Birmingham have not mutated into complacent, soporific billionaires.

Three decades ago, frontman Ranking Roger and company torched the UK airwaves with Mirror in the Bathroom. Alongside The Specials, The Beat fronted the second wave of ska, reviving the frenetic early-sixties ancestor of reggae.

It was a resistance moment, as well as a natty, monochrome style and a jittery beat: both bands spoke up for working-class Britons, black and white alike, in a time when racist neo-Nazi thugs, the newly elected Margaret Thatcher and rampant unemployment were all on their case.

Roger sang on Free Nelson Mandela, Specials frontman Jerry Dammers’ 1984 anthem, so his first visit to South Africa is about 26 years overdue. “For me, this is a moment in a lifetime I’ll never forget,” he said this week. “This will be our first time ever so I am filled with excitement.”

Roger is unconvincingly modest about The Beat’s success before their break-up in 1984. Aside from getting doors opened for then-promising youngsters like U2 and REM, The Beat also toured with The Clash, David Bowie, Talking Heads and The Police.

He reckons they were - and are - a political band, first and foremost.

“I think half the reason we got to play with these great bands was because of the things we sang about, and how brave we were at delivering it in a peace-loving manner. We also gave a lot of money to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and Greenpeace.”

In the fame stakes, The Beat were always a rung below The Specials, who delivered the most irresistible anthem of the two-tone generation in A Message to You Rudy. But musically speaking, The Beat were just as hot, and probably more inventive in their melding of ska and punk flavours.

Their debut album I Just Can’t Stop It, is the record of the genre, packing a succession of classic floor-fillers: Hands Off, She’s Mine, Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret, Ranking Full Stop and Rough Rider.

Since reforming in 2003, they’ve added a new vocalist in frontman Ranking Roger’s son, Rankin Junior, whose freestyling skills have won rave reviews. Former guitarist Dave Wakeling is no longer involved, he’s currently touring the States as The English Beat (they used that moniker Stateside to distinguish them from an obscure American rock band).

Legendary original saxophonist Saxa is now 80, so he can be excused his happy retirement in Birmingham. Alongside Ranking Roger, the surviving original members are drummer Everett Morton and keyboardist Blockhead.

Expect all those hits, plus a fiery cover of The Clash’s Rock the Casbah.

WHEN AND WHERE:

Tonight: Tanz Cafe @ The Buzz Shopping Centre, Witkoppen Road, Fourways. Tomorrow night: Mercury Live, 43 De Villiers Street, Cape TownTickets: R125 on webtickets.co.za, or R150 at the door.

Lancaster Band and Rudimentals in support at Mercury in Cape Town on Satruday night!!

We are working hard in preparation for the Mercury Live Gig supporting The Beat (UK). Remenber this is a pre book gig so if you do not want to miss out it would be wise to get those tickets now  - Cover Charge: R150 or R125 presold online www.webtickets.co.za

To catch up on The Beat story here are some words from the Mercury Live site:

Formed in the working class suburbs of industrial Birmingham in England in 1978 The Beat arose at a time of high unemployment and social upheaval. From the outset the band offered messages of hope and peace with an insight into sociopolitical topics would later alongside The Specials see them heralded as forerunners of the whole 2-Tone Ska movement.

Ranking Roger and Dave Wakeling led with vocal duties while Andy Cox and David Steele took guitar and bass duties with Everett Morton supplying the most distinctive of drumming styles. Added to this mix was the renowned saxophonist Saxa, adding the deliciously warm Jamaican ska instrumental flavour that is forever associated with the bands sound. Having played saxophone with Prince Buster, Laurel Aitken and Desmond Dekker in the first wave of ska The Beat on formation seemed to immediately come of age.

The Beat’s first single was the infectious cover of Smokey Robinsons Tears of A Clown, which on release went straight into the National Top 10 at No.6. The record, an effortless like fusion between a number of different musical styles such as Ska, Punk, Pop, Soul and Reggae, immediately saw the band finding themselves an overnight success.

Further hit singles from the first album included Mirror In The Bathroom, Cant Get Used to Losing You, Hands Off… She’s Mine and Best Friend, and with a catalogue such as this it was easy to see why the The Beat would become one of the most popular recording and live acts in the UK.

Huge radio airplay followed in the US which saw The Beat head stateside and then further with world tours alongside some of the biggest performing artists such as The Clash, The Police, REM, Talking Heads, The Pretenders and of course The Specials.

While The Beat could deliver with what almost seemed effortless ease songs of Love, Peace and Unity. Songs such as Stand Down Margaret saw them spearhead a movement wanting real social change and multicutural inclusion. The thousands that sang along in unison with the band at nuclear disarmament marches bear testament to the uplifting feeling the band could evoke with their musical swagger and genuine care for humanity.

After 3 Gold and Platinum top selling albums worldwide with I Just Cant Stop It, Wh appen, and Special Beat Service - The Beats musical fluidity and openess, delivered in their explosive all encompassing live shows allowed them to reach hundreds of thousands of fans across the world, communicating positivity and freedom through not only their music, but their actions and genuine commitment to causes.

Almost in reaction to the height of their fame The Beat to the disbelief of many disbanded with Ranking Roger and Dave Wakeling forming General Public with Mickey Billingham of Dexys Midnight Runners and Andy Cox and David Steele putting together the Fine Young Cannibals. Though both enjoyed phenomenal success, no other artist has sounded like The Beat or indeed is ever likely too. Ranking Roger also briefly joined Mick Jones post-Clash band Big Audio Dynamite injecting his toasting and vocal style that to this day remains his trademark.

After numerous offers to return to the stage The Beat returned in 2003 for a sell out show at The Royal Festival Hall with the inclusion of Ranking Jnr taking vocal duties to an accolade of critical acclaim. With Dave Wakeling heading to the US Ranking Roger alongside Everett Morton, Ranking Jnr and Mickey Billingham returned to their roots with deeper rhythms, a wall of sound that transcends time and an unwavering dedication to real unity and love that leaves the future still to be written, there can be no question…

…The Beat are back!

… and the Lancs are amped to be back on the Mecury stage … without doubt the best stage sound in the city. This is one gig not to be missed!

Wednesday 20th October: Gary Munroe celerbrates his birthday today. This man has so much energy - he is a front man and a one man brass section bundled into the one and only unstopable Saxy G!!!

Sunday 17th October. It is Garth’s Birthday today and we all wish him absolutely everything of the best. The Axeman is in sublime form and still on top of his game. He, Maxie and Kyle hosted a special day on the lawns at Vita Nova yesterday. What a jol!!!!!! It will be one to remember. Music delivered by Just B, Southern Anomaly, Brothers Streep and then the Lancs was a treat. The ‘Grand Wazooo’ was a finale that had guests from the lawns, including superb guitar and riffs and rhythm section from the host band with friend and Lanc bass campaigner Terry Corbett, ex Boulevard Blueser Dale Colins and Southern Anomaly’s Matt Rowley. Several happy revelers hit the stage to jam a sublime blues shuffle that had to be terminated, so as not to annoy the neighbors, after more than 30 minutes of non stop grooving. Wow what a finish to a great day! Happy Birthday Garth. Viva Vita Nova!

In the words of our tireless music trojan Kevin Winder ‘It’s Official its Happening The Beat will be at Mercury on the 13th of November with The Rudimentals and The Lancaster Band in Support - Viva’

Viva indeed … Back when the 70’s became the 80’s, when tracks such as ‘Mirror In The Bathroom’, ‘Ranking Full Stop’, ‘Stand Down Margaret’ and ‘Hands Off She’s Mine’, drifted down South to Cape Town, the Lancaster Band were emerging from it’s ‘not too sure … er Rocker… er Punk’ - era and were embracing the British sound. These songs were the soundtrack to our lives then and we were swept away by the power of Ska. So here we are three decades later sharing a stage in Cape Town with our mates The Rudimentals and 2Tone originals - The Beat. How awesome could it get!!!

WARM UP FOR THIS ON OCTOBER 2ND …

Don’t forget to join us at The Cape Farmhouse on Saturday 2nd October for a preview!!! We are so stoked to be able to share the gig with The Brothers Streep Band fresh from a break through run at Edinburgh Festival … they will be in top form.

The proximity of this gig to a huge part of our history -’Off the Road’ - has initiated some fantastic interest and support from some regular ‘Off The Roaders’ …. we are so looking forward to meeting them all again and bringing to the stage not only the complete ‘Comic Strip Heroes’ album, but also the spirit of, Rudimentals (the originals), Private File, The Other Band, Fred Smith and The News!!!

It will be a warm up to The Beat gig to remember!!! Check this original flyer, below - found by Tommy Ball and sent to us by Wayne Joubert - thanks guys! See more here.

After a postponement due to World Cup activity our gig at Cape Farmhouse Restaurant is back on the agenda. The Lanc’s will be performing with The Brothers Streep Band, fresh from Edinburgh Festival, on Saturday October 2. We are looking forward to this opportunity to reconnect with our southern based friends and others who wish to witness this not so oft appearing band do their stuff … rumour has it that the band will perform the entire Comic Strip Heroes album in order and in it’s entirety … as well as some new favourites. Contact the band or Cape Farmhouse Restaurant | 021 780 1246 | info@capefarmhouse.co.za for more information.