By skamonic
Yesterday we got to play for the first time in 18 months at a delightful food and drink festival in Newhaven in Sussex. Here’s a couple of soundcheck photos.
Two years ago we played just up the road at a festival in Seaford. It was good to be back – and really good to be gigging again.
The weather forecast was dodgy, but we played in bright sunshine. We had to drive through a storm on the way but the site was rain free at least until we left. Given the amount of gin on sale and consumed it would perhaps be inaccurate to say that it was a dry day.

This is what we played. We had to cut the second set a bit short as there was a curfew on the gig.
- Chinatown
- Guns Of Navarone
- Latin Goes Ska
- Tide Is High
- Mood For Love
- My Baby Just Cares for Me
- Work Song
- Enola Gay
- Mad World
- London Calling
- Rudy A Message To You
- Red Red Wine
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- Monkey Man
- Tequila
- 99 Red Balloons
- Tainted Love
- Rudy A Message To You
- Baggy Trousers
- My Boy Lollipop
- Gangsters
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By skamonic
A year ago we were asked to play at the opening of a country pub near Andover.

We were delighted to asked back to play at their first birthday party.
This nearly turned into the gig from hell as the car carrying Veronica, Frank, Nigel and the PA system got stuck in in terrible traffic despite having left what should have been more than enough time to get there well in advance.
Even on the last ten miles they got stuck behind a tractor for most of the way. This does not happen on the way to gigs in Camden.
We were due to start playing at 8pm. The rest of the band were therefore more than relieved when the PA turned up at 7:20.
With a little bit of luck, a lot of organisation and a 3 minute sound check we were still able to play our first song by a few minutes past 8. It was good that we were playing in a marquee as they help prevent feedback.
And once we were playing everyone relaxed into a great party atmosphere and we played two hour long sets to much appreciation. Everyone seemed more chilled about our late arrival than we were – as we pride ourselves on a professional approach. But you can’t plan for that many accidents on the M25 and M4.
This is what we played.
- Chinatown
- Guns Of Navarone
- Latin Goes Ska
- Tide Is High
- Mood For Love
- Harder They Come
- Alley Cat Ska
- Man In The Street
- Mambo Number 5
- Dr Who
- Egyptian Reggae
- Enola Gay
- Price Tag
- Red Red Wine
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- Tequila
- Misirlou
- One Step Beyond
- Simmer Down
- Pata Pata
- 10 Out Of 10
- 99 Red Balloons
- Tainted Love
- Rudy A Message To You
- My Boy Lollipop
- Monkey Man
- Baggy Trousers
- Night Boat To Cairo
- Gangsters
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By skamonic
Tuesday nights in early January are probably not the best nights for attracting a crowd. Add in heavy rain, and we were half expecting to be playing to an empty pub.
It was good therefore to see not just a pretty fair attendance but a full dance floor last night.
We like the Hootananny as it has a good stage and excellent sound, particularly in the hands of our last night’s engineer Geoff, who has mixed us before.
We also got the chance to play two full sets. And this is what we played:
Chinatown |
Dr Who |
Guns Of Navarone |
Work Song |
Latin Goes Ska |
Johnny Too Bad |
Mood For Love |
Paranoid |
You’re Wondering Now |
Pata Pata |
Harder They Come |
10 Out Of 10 |
Alley Cat Ska |
99 Red Balloons |
Man In The Street |
Tainted Love |
Mambo Number 5 |
Rudy A Message To You |
Tide Is High |
My Boy Lollipop |
Enola Gay |
Gangsters |
Price Tag |
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It went down well, and we hope to be asked back. Promoter Cecil Reuben knows his ska, and liked what we played.
We didn’t take any pictures but is anyone in the audience did we’d love to see them.
By skamonic
>Update: We’ve had a nice message from our clients:
” Thanks so much for playing on Saturday, we had such a fantastic time. We’d like to send you all a card “
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We had huge fun playing for D and N’s wedding blessing last night. This was at the Hilton hotel on the banks of the Thames in Rotherhithe, just across the river from Canary Wharf.
As Steve’s photo shows, it was a beautifully clear evening though not the time of year for outdoor gigs.