It's Tuesday and I'm still recovering! I spent the Easter weekend enjoying the London International Ska Festival. I'm 63 and having four full on days is a tad tiring! The festival is the brainchild of Sean Flowerdew, a stalwort of the London Ska scene for decades. My company, Mill Hill Music Complex has been the sponsor for a decade. Sean's wingman Gavin Carroll was Boz Boorer's guitar tech when Boz worked on the Morrissey gigs. Boz introduced me to Gavin when we were doing the North Finchley Festivals and Gavin suggested we got involved in the Ska Fest. Since then, we've lent the festival backline (drums and amps) and made rehearsal facilities available for artists flying in from Jamaica. It is a matter for pride for me to be involved, as Ska and Punk re my two favourite genre's of music.
This year, my band The False Dots made our festival debut. We played at the 100 club, which was a real buzz.
On with the False Dots were 80's all girl Ska group The Deltones and the amazing Edinburgh Ska outfit Porkpie. Porkpie are on at Dingwalls on 30th May, don't miss them. As well as the Friday, we attended the Thursday and the Saturday shows.
Thursday was the hot 100 at The Dome. 10 DJ’s playing their ten fave Ska tunes. My mates Boz Boorer and Lee Thompstook turns. Lee was under the weather but still gave a tour de force.
Saturday saw an afternoon show, with Keith & Tex of ‘Stop that train’ fame headline. It was excellent. Keith sings and dances like a man half his age and has the sweetest voice. In the evening it was U.K. Reggae Legends The Cimarons and Misty in Roots. Both were awesome. Misty opened with Wise and Foolish. Surely one of the best Somgs ever written on these islands.
I’ll add my highlights later!
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