PICTURES: The Specials @ Glastonbury 2009

Here are the pictures of The Specials from Glastonbury 2009, taken while I was in the crowds enjoying their memorable performance on the Pyramid Stage. The Specials were the one band I really wanted to see at Glastonbury Festival and so getting as far front as I could meant I could enjoy it even more. I took a few videos and pictures yet still wanted to make sure I sung along and danced without spoiling it for anyone.

The Specials played:

'Do The Dog'
'Gangsters'
'It's Up To You'
'Rat Race'
'Monkey Man'
'Blank Expression'
'Too Hot'
'Doesn't Make It Alright'
'Concrete Jungle'
'Friday Night Saturday Morning'
'Man At C&A'
'A Message To You Rudy'
'Do Nothing'
'Hey Little Rich Girl'
'Nite Klub'
'Little Bitch'
'Too Much Too Young'
'You're Wondering Now'
'Ghost Town'

Watch some videos of The Specials: HERE

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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 Interview

The Specials: Lynval Golding, Terry Hall and John Bradbury

*Picture: Martin Godwin *Source: Guardian

The Specials are in a buoyant mood ahead of their 30th Anniversary Tour as

Alexis Petridis from The Guardian found out when he met up with Terry Hall, guitarist Lynval Golding and drummer John Bradbury and interviewed them about life in The Specials back then and since reforming last year.

John Bradbury summed up his feelings by saying, "I've never had so much fun as I've been having since the Specials reformed." A feeling backed up by Terry Hall, "We haven't changed that much, we still take the piss out of each other." Lynval Golding said "Being in the Specials is wonderful." Adding further proof the lads are enjoying time together ahead of their sell-out tour, which starts on April 22nd in Newcastle.

The Guardian interview discusses the demise of The Specials back in 1981 at the Top of the Pops dressing room and their relationship with Jerry Dammers but John Bradbury remained upbeat saying;

"I've got to admit, this time around I feel a lot more at ease with the other people in the band, but I thought the first time around was absolutely brilliant, needless to say, a lot of people look for the downside more than the fun side, in terms of journalism. A lot of the good side never got discussed."

To read the full interview: The Guardian

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/

http://www.theenemy.eu/ - for the latest news on The Enemy

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

http://www.theenemy.eu/ - for the latest news on The Enemy

The Specials Announce Tour Dates For 2009

The Specials @ Mojo Awards

Coventry band, The Specials have announced a tour for 2009, as we predicted here, with dates announced for April and May. The popular SKA band performed at this year's Bestival Festival in the Isle of Wight in early September and fans have been checking this website daily for the news as to when The Specials would be going on tour.

The tickets go on sale on Thursday 11th December, but details about a home coming Coventry date have yet to be announced. The original line up of Terry Hall, Lynval Golding, Neville Staple, Roddy Byers, Horace Panter and John Bradbury will be performing on the UK tour, it was revealed today.

Terry Hall said in a previous interview that he was in favour of theatre-sized venues. Speaking about the tour, Terry Hall said: "That's the kind of venue where we started. I don't like arena dates, at all. They're just soulless." We will update you with more news about any more dates.

The tour will visit:

Newcastle Academy - 22 April

Sheffield Academy - 23 April

Birmingham Academy - 25 & 26 April

Glasgow Academy - 28 April

Manchester Apollo - 3 May

London Brixton Academy - 6 & 7 May

Ticket Telephone Numbers:

22 April NEWCASTLE, Academy 0844 477 2000 *
23 April SHEFFIELD, Academy 0844 477 2000 *
25 April BIRMINGHAM, Academy 0844 477 2000 **
26 April BIRMINGHAM, Academy 0844 477 2000
28 April GLASGOW, Academy 08444 999 990
3 May MANCHESTER, Apollo 08444 777 677
6 May LONDON, Brixton Academy 0844 477 2000
7 May LONDON, Brixton Academy 0844 477 2000


Tickets go on sale 9am Thursday 11th December priced £32.50 in advance except London £35.
24 hr CC Hotline: 0871 2200 260 / online: www.gigsandtours.com
Doors 7pm except * tbc and ** 6pm.

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The Specials Bestival Videos

Coventry band The Specials at Bestival Festival on Saturday

*pic - PA Photos

The Specials are back and as these videos show, they have not lost any of their magic after a 27 year gap from performing together. As reported here The Specials performed a surprise set at the Isle of Wight's Bestival Festival at the weekend.

Fans were on hand to record the Coventry SKA band in action and the videos below were recorded by mike 1970c - available to view on YouTube:


The Specials @ Bestival - Too Much Too Young


The Specials @ Bestival - Rat Race


The Specials @ Bestival - Nite Club


The Specials @ Bestival - Do The Dog


The Specials @ Bestival - Dawning Of A New Era

visit: www.theenemy.eu for the latest news on The Enemy

The Specials Perform at Bestival Festival

Terry Hall and Lynval Golding on stage with The Specials

*pic by: simonse15's

The Specials were surprise performers at this years Bestival Festival in the Isle of Wight during the weekend. The Coventry SKA band put on a lively set. According to The Times, "the organisers excelled themselves with Jones and a reconstituted lineup of ska-pop veterans the Specials. Newly reunited with singer Terry Hall, the band played a bouncy and rapturously received greatest hits set. "

Lynval's daughter wrote, "They went down a storm, in the rain to a sea of multicoloured umbrellas bouncing up and down to songs including 'Message to you' 'Gangsters' and 'Nightclub'Lynval introduced A Message to you with a strong message about when he was stabbed 25 yrs ago, '...I will never pick up a knife' said Lynval.

As reported here on robmacca's entertainment news in June, The Specials are back together and hoping to go on tour. But it looks like we are going to have to wait until 2009 for a full tour, according to Lynval Golding. The Specials recently won a Mojo Award and appeared on stage for the first time together after more than 20 years.

Neville Staple

*pic by: simonse15's

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The Specials: Tour - Latest Updates

*The dates for the upcoming tour have been announced, see the topic: Click>>>>>

The Specials are back, as reported here back in March, and things have been progressing towards a nationwide tour at the end of the year.

Although Terry Hall has been struggling to remember the lyrics from over 25 years ago, he is looking forward to getting back on the road with his former band mates. The Specials have turned down big sums of money to play in big arenas in favour of theatre-sized venues. Speaking about the tour, Terry Hall said: "That's the kind of venue where we started. I don't like arena dates, at all. They're just soulless."

Although it looked impossible that The Specials would ever reform, Terry confessed: "I really wasn't up for it at first," he says. "But when we got in the rehearsal room and started playing together again it felt really good. Odd, but really good. Now we can't wait to get back on the road again. We just want to play all our favourite Specials songs again."

"It has taken us three years to get it together enough for all seven of us to be in the same rehearsal room," he laughs. Now the Coventry SKA band are almost ready to bring their two tone tunes back to the British public at a time when the nation seems to be heading for a recession and a new generation discovers life in a Ghost Town.

visit: www.theenemy.eu - for the latest news on The Enemy