COAST TOWN Skabilly Skanking

No one can deny Colin Appleby’s tenacity and professionalism to put on a cracking event… for me his ‘Coast Town’ creation is his flagship. Each year he brings together the best in tribute and original ska to perform at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

This was Colin’s fifth annual Coast Town, each event raising funds for a nominated charity. His 2018 event was for the National Stroke Association, a choice I’m sure we all applaud, as I’m almost as equally sure that 90% of us will have had a family member or someone we know who’ll have suffered one.

The event had already got under way by the time I’d managed to finish my radio show (Lucky Bag 12-2pm every Saturday on Fab Radio International.com) and belt up the motorway. By the time I got there the party had well and truly started. That’s the thing about ska events, they always do feel like a big party.

True to form, Colin spiced up Coast Town with an ‘international’ flavour, with bands like Bang the Skillet from Holland, The Freeska Ensemble (Spain) – and (this is not an easy one for me to type… let alone say!) the brilliant and very, very, very emotional La Maruja y otras Hierbas, who also hail from Spain. Trust me… if you haven’t had chance to see or hear these chaps, do so. Forget whether you understand Spanish or not, you’ll understand the spirit – and they are loaded with it! They an extremely on point, tight, tight unit with a front man with more than a passing resemblance to Che Guevara – and the way he delivers his lyrics, he sounds like he’s demanding that the revolution starts here!

Waving the flag for our little Isle were The Beat goes bang (which includes former members of Dexy’s Midnight Runners and The Beat), King Hammond – Fronted by Nick Welsh, who’s worked with and produced for some of the biggest ska acts ever (Prince Buster and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry to name drop but two). Also blasting on the brass were Ska Face (home grown in Blackpool), The Skapones from the Tees Valley and Jeramiah Ferrari Manc-skanked in on the act too.

For me though, the jewel in the crown of the night was Roddy ‘Radiation’ Byers and his The Skabilly Rebels (those of a certain age of this parish will remember him as one a driving force of The Specials). His mixed set of Specials

classics and skabilly (which will soon be regarded as classics) were a joy to behold. Roddy is the complete article, showman and performer. With an eye for sartorial detail and moves which nod to the likes of Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran and (dare I say it?) The Clash. His delivery has the passion of the preacher while still holding onto a ‘punk’ sensibility. Great act on a great night.

The crowd were well up on the floor and giving it their all – who needs a gym subscription when you’ve got a whole bag of bouncing ska bands to burn up the excess calories to? Keeping people on the floor between the acts were a bunch of DJs who know their job and are well known to the audience too. As always there were a lot of familiar faces from scooter clubs past and present at the event (you know who you are), though all too quickly the night had too end, but all the best parties feel that way don’t they?

Colin’s doing it again for 2019 and he’s already putting together an extra special line up to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the iconic 2 Tone label… I’ve heard on the grapevine it’s going to be bigger and LONGER than ever! The venue is whispered to be the Norbreck Castle, Blackpool, taking over the exhibition centre there. We’ll keep you posted, but if I were you I’d grab a ticket now, because it’s going to be one heck of a party. See you there.