The English Beat head to Australia for the very first time
After thirty years of creating some of the finest ska and reggae-pop the world has even heard, Dave Wakeling and the English Beat finally are making it to Australia in August 2012.
Fuelled by the anger of punk and the English winter of discontent Wakeling’s the English Beat alongside contemporaries such as The Specials and Madness were at the forefront of the British Ska movement. Known in the UK as simply The Beat, for the rest of the world a name clash with a US band also called The Beat meant they settled on The English Beat. Too excited by the music to wait, the Australian record company jumped the gun and dubbed the band The British Beat.
Their sound was a cosmic blend of ska, punk and reggae. Dave Wakeling explained “I liked the exhilaration of punk and the hypnotic quality of reggae, and I was sure you could combine them into something … hypnotic, but rhythmic and danceable too”
Following their debut on 2-Tone, a skankin’ version of Smokey Robinson’s classic Tears Of A Clown, the band were given their own Go-Feet lable and the complete freedom and control over their recoded output. What followed was a string of classic hits - Mirror in the Bathroom, Save It for Later, Can't Get Used to Losing You, Hands Off She's Mine and Too Nice to Talk To.
After the initial disintegration of The English Beat, Wakeling formed General Public with Ranking Roger and had further hits including General Public, Tenderness and I’ll Take You There. The English Beat have now incorporated these fan-favourites into their set alongside more great tracks from their English Beat albums I Just Can’t Stop It, Wha’ppen and Special Beat Service.
When Dave Wakeling reformed The English Beat in 2009 it was without Ranking Roger, who has tour Australia as The Beat and The Special Beat. It seems The English Beat have lost none of their live spark prompting reviews like, “Dave Wakeling has assembled an incredible band and is playing his hits with the same raucous enthusiasm that made The English Beat one of the biggest acts of the New Wave Era" – SLO New Times.
The English Beat's sound is a driving blend of ska, punk, rock and reggae that's made for dancing, so whatever else you do as you head into spring, make sure you don’t miss out on the fun when Dave Wakeling and The English Beat let loose with a solid show of good times!
TOUR DATES:
Thu 23rd August - Auckland NZ, Powerstation
Sat 25th August - Sydney, Factory Theatre - SOLD OUT
Sun 26th August - Sydney, Factory Theatre - tickets from Metropolis Touring and the Factory Theatre
Wed 29th August - Adelaide, Fowlers Live - tickets from Metropolis Touring and Moshtix
Thu 30th August - Melbourne, Corner Hotel - tickets from Metropolis Touring, Oztix and Moshtix
Sat 1st September - Perth, the Astor Theatre - tickets from BOCS Tickeeting
Sat 7th Sept - Brisbane, The Zoo - tickets from Metropolis Touring and Oztix
Fuelled by the anger of punk and the English winter of discontent Wakeling’s the English Beat alongside contemporaries such as The Specials and Madness were at the forefront of the British Ska movement. Known in the UK as simply The Beat, for the rest of the world a name clash with a US band also called The Beat meant they settled on The English Beat. Too excited by the music to wait, the Australian record company jumped the gun and dubbed the band The British Beat.
Their sound was a cosmic blend of ska, punk and reggae. Dave Wakeling explained “I liked the exhilaration of punk and the hypnotic quality of reggae, and I was sure you could combine them into something … hypnotic, but rhythmic and danceable too”
Following their debut on 2-Tone, a skankin’ version of Smokey Robinson’s classic Tears Of A Clown, the band were given their own Go-Feet lable and the complete freedom and control over their recoded output. What followed was a string of classic hits - Mirror in the Bathroom, Save It for Later, Can't Get Used to Losing You, Hands Off She's Mine and Too Nice to Talk To.
After the initial disintegration of The English Beat, Wakeling formed General Public with Ranking Roger and had further hits including General Public, Tenderness and I’ll Take You There. The English Beat have now incorporated these fan-favourites into their set alongside more great tracks from their English Beat albums I Just Can’t Stop It, Wha’ppen and Special Beat Service.
When Dave Wakeling reformed The English Beat in 2009 it was without Ranking Roger, who has tour Australia as The Beat and The Special Beat. It seems The English Beat have lost none of their live spark prompting reviews like, “Dave Wakeling has assembled an incredible band and is playing his hits with the same raucous enthusiasm that made The English Beat one of the biggest acts of the New Wave Era" – SLO New Times.
The English Beat's sound is a driving blend of ska, punk, rock and reggae that's made for dancing, so whatever else you do as you head into spring, make sure you don’t miss out on the fun when Dave Wakeling and The English Beat let loose with a solid show of good times!
TOUR DATES:
Thu 23rd August - Auckland NZ, Powerstation
Sat 25th August - Sydney, Factory Theatre - SOLD OUT
Sun 26th August - Sydney, Factory Theatre - tickets from Metropolis Touring and the Factory Theatre
Wed 29th August - Adelaide, Fowlers Live - tickets from Metropolis Touring and Moshtix
Thu 30th August - Melbourne, Corner Hotel - tickets from Metropolis Touring, Oztix and Moshtix
Sat 1st September - Perth, the Astor Theatre - tickets from BOCS Tickeeting
Sat 7th Sept - Brisbane, The Zoo - tickets from Metropolis Touring and Oztix