BACK TO THE 80S

VETERAN OF SEVERAL REWIND 80S MUSIC FESTIVALS ASK SOME OF THE ARTISTS PERFORMING THIS YEAR WHAT MAKES REWIND SUCH A GREAT DAY OUT

For a generation of gay men, the school disco presented a series of obstacles to be navigated with extreme caution, or avoided altogether. Now Rewind, the 1980s festival, offers redemption; the chance to “relive” your school days safe in the knowledge that everything will turn out mostly OK.

Rewind, in all its arch-camp glory, has evolved from a nostalgia-fest-in-a-field to the coolest, friendliest – and certainly gayest – festival of the summer. Featuring performances from just about anyone who ever topped the charts back in the days when topping the charts mattered, Rewind is worth the ticket price alone, just to show that the lads who made the class poofter’s life a misery at school really can change, and that when it comes to camping, no one does it better than we do! KATRINA LESKANICH FROM KATRINA AND THE WAVES How are you are and what you are you up to at the moment? I’m enjoying the summer. After a cold winter’s tour of North America earlier this year, I’m planning a road trip of the American Southwest where it’s definitely going to be hot. I’ve also been doing shows in the UK and Europe and promoting my new album Blisland and the upcoming single Texas Cloud which can be heard on katrinasweb.com. And my book Peggy Lee Loves London which I’ll tell you about in a bit! Tell us about Rewind. What is it you enjoy about playing Rewind and what can people expect from your show and from the festival? There’s always a party backstage! The atmosphere is very special. There are all these artists who never spoke to each other back in the day, now all chatty and chilled. The music is better than ever, well, we have had 30 years to get it right! I will be performing some new material as well as Walking On Sunshine. Keeps it fresh for me to do something brand new from Blisland or an obscure song from Katrina and the Waves. Is there anyone you’re particularly looking forward to meeting backstage, and anyone you’d rather avoid? Oh, you know, we’re all happy to be alive and still performing music people want to hear. Egos have been checked at the door a long time ago and now we just want to have fun. Most of us are shy creatures and of course even though we have been at this a while, there are still nerves floating around. Catch an artist