PICTURES: 2-Tone Central Fund Raiser Event

Here are a selection of pictures from the 2-Tone Central Fund Raiser Event held at Venue 54 in Cox Street, Coventry. Bringing together musicians and SKA fans from Coventry and beyond. The event was organised by Pete Chambers and featured Roddy Radiation and Skabilly Rebels, Horace Panter joined The Tones, Pint Shot Riot and Just Morale formed part of the line-up.

Coventry DJ Brody Swain hosted the evening event, with a charity auction and raffle helping to raise hundreds towards the new 2-Tone Central cafe/venue. The musical history of Coventry looks set to live on, thanks to the dedication of all those who saw SKA music have such a positive effect in Coventry and around the world.

VIDEOS:  HERE

Roddy Radiation and Skabilly Rebels

Nice shoes!

Roddy Radiation in action

Roddy Radiation and Skabilly Rebels

The Allskas

The Allskas

The Allskas

Pint Shot Riot

 DJ Brody Swain compares for the night

Pete Chambers has a few words to say.....

The Tones

Just Morale

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VIDEOS: The Specials @ Glastonbury 2009

Here are the collection of videos with The Specials at Glastonbury, recorded while I was in the thick of the crowds at the Pyramid stage. While the sound quality might not be perfect, they capture the feelings pretty well and made my Glastonbury Festival complete.


The Specials - A Message To You Rudy - Glastonbury 2009


The Specials - Blank Expression @ Glastonbury 2009


The Specials - Monkey Man @ Glastonbury 2009


The Specials - Doesn't Make It Alright @ Glastonbury 2009


The Specials - Hey Little Rich Girl - Glastonbury 2009


The Specials - It's Up to You - Glastonbury 2009



* view more pictures of The Specials from the Glastonbury 2009 Flickr set
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The Specials Announce New Tour Dates

The Specials have announced a new and final batch of gigs to wind up their 30th Anniversary Tour. The SKA band sold out all their dates earlier this year as Terry Hall and co took to the stage again in the most warmly received re-union of the year. The Coventry Two-Tone group have enjoyed rave reviews and were clearly enjoying their time together on stage.

Tickets for the November dates go on sale 9am Friday June 12 and will feature places like Margate, Southend and London Hammersmith Apollo.

The Specials Tour Dates:

1 November CARDIFF Arena 02920 224488
2 November BRIDLINGTON Spa 01262 678258
4 November BLACKPOOL Empress Ballroom 0871 2200 260
5 November PLYMOUTH Pavilion 0845 1461460
7 November MARGATE Winter Gardens 01843 292 795
9 November WOLVERHAMPTON Civic 0870 320 7000
12 November EDINBURGH Corn Exchange 08444 999 990
18 November SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion 01702 351135
19 November BRIGHTON Centre 0844 847 1515
21 November NOTTINGHAM Rock City 08713 100000
22 November NOTTINGHAM Rock City 08713 100000
24 November LONDON Hammersmith Apollo 08448 444748
25 November LONDON Hammersmith Apollo 08448 444748






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The Specials Bring Carnival To Coventry

The Specials returned to Coventry and turned the Ricoh Arena into one big carnival as 8,000 partied the night away to the sounds of SKA. An army of pork pie hats and two tone clothing bounced up and down to every tune belted out by The Specials in what has been described as 'one of the best gigs ever' by those who attended this historic homecoming by Coventry's most famous band.

Thirty years ago many in the audience would have been among those who would have been part of stage invasions or sporting a skin head haircut, but time had changed their appearance - the hair was now gone but not by choice! This time around the crowds were respectful and no invasions were needed, chants of 'rude boy' ecohed around the Jaguar Hall after each song as a carnival atmosphere filled the venue. Outside the rain poured down in Coventry and many inside may have been victims of the economic downturn but tonight everyone was able to forget their problems and indulge in teenage memories with The Specials taking centre stage.

The Specials delivered a memorable gig, proving Terry Hall and co had lost none of their magic even after decades apart. Lynval Golding told the adoring crowds, "It's good to be back home in Coventry", to which he received rapturous cheers. Coventry was glad their hero's had returned home - after all this was the city of two-tone, rich in cultural and musical history. Classic songs such as 'Blank Expression', 'Friday Night, Saturday Morning' and 'Doesn't Make It Alright' had everyone joining in - both dancing and singing in a carnival atmosphere. The Ripps provided apt support with a blend of SKA infused, socially aware music.

Check the videos from The Specials Coventry Ricoh gig below:

The Specials - Doesn't Make It Alright (Coventry Ricoh)

The Specials - Too Much Too Young / Skinhead Moonstomp (Coventry Ricoh)

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The Specials: Final Gig At RICOH Coventry

The Specials will play their final gig from their 30th Anniversary Tour in Coventry on Friday 15th May 2009 at the city's Ricoh Arena. The home coming gig marks the culmination of the SKA bands 14 date reunion tour.

The Coventry band first hit the headlines back in the late 70's as they helped create a new blend of music for recession hit youngsters across the UK. Hits like 'Ghost Town', 'Friday Night, Saturday Morning' and 'A Message To You Rudy' struck a cord with the generation of the day. The tour offers one last chance for fans to re-live those classic tunes and the lyrics have the opportunity to reach a whole new recession hit generation.

Last week tickets went on sale and sold out within minutes at most venues, prompting more dates to be added at Glasgow, Manchester and London. Tickets go on sale Wednesday 17th December at 9am for Coventry: Tickets are £32.50 from See Tickets (0871 2200 260) , Ticketweb (0844 477 1000), Ticketmaster (0844 844 0444) and The Ticket Factory (0844 338 8000) or book online at http://www.gigsandtours.com/, http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/, http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/ or http://www.theticketfactory.com/

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The Specials Tour Interview

The Specials


The Specials are back and here is an interview with Lynval Golding, Horace Panter and Roddy Byers from the Coventry Telegraph by2-Tone fan Pete Chambers. Tickets for The Specials UK Tour are on sale now and here is the interview talking about the upcoming reunion tour.

How does it feel to be a Special again?

LYNVAL: "It's been a really slow process, but we were intent on celebrating something we created 30 years ago. So we are finally here, and to get up there on stage again to play to the fans is going to be a real celebration. I have to stop and pinch myself, it's simply a lovely dream that I don't want to wake up from".

RODDY: "I hope it's less painful this time!"

Horace: "I think physically it will be more painful – I'm not 25 any more! Seriously, I think it's going to be a lot easier".

The Specials @ Bestival Festival in September

At Bestival (a festival the six of them played in the Isle of Wight in September) we basically got the first album, I presume the set-list this time will include the second album and Ghost Town?

HORACE: "For our dance hall shows in April/May we will be playing for 90 minutes, twice as long as we did on the Isle of Wight, so there's room for second album stuff and beyond".

When next year's tour was announced it all went mad, even I was surprised of the emotion people still had for The Specials, how was it for you?

HORACE: "It hasn't really sunk in yet".

Do you think we will see the stage invasions of 1979/80. Indeed has The Specials ethos changed in 30 years?

HORACE : "Thirty years ago I was always concerned that someone would get badly hurt during the stage invasions but the health and safety aspect of rock'n'roll shows has changed dramatically over the past 25 years. Whether our attitude has, remains to be seen".

Will you, as The Telegraph reported last week, be playing in Coventry?

STEVE BLACKWELL (Specials manager) : The answer to that is a great big YES. There is no big secret about it, the reason there is no news on the date as yet, is that it must be planned properly.

"The band are still working on plans for Coventry and no decision as to where or when have yet been made". I can assure everyone that the band want this to be a very Special gig for the people of Coventry!

Tour News and Views:

* The last time The Specials played in Coventry was at the Butts Stadium on Saturday June 20 1981, for the Rock Against Racism concert.

* A large percentage of latter-day Specials fans, are far too young to have ever seen them play. This is something the band are happy to rectify.

* The 'Where's the Coventry date' scenario, is nothing new. The Specials' first tour back in 1979 didn't include a Coventry date when originally announced either. That was also rectified before the tour was out.

* The tickets for the tour on sale priced at £32.50 in advance, except London £35. 24-hour Hotline: 0871 2200 260 / Online: www.gigsandtours.com

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