Two-tone ska band The Beat are performing a greatest hits concert at Priestfield Stadium in Gillingham
Published: 05:00, 07 June 2022
Updated: 10:14, 07 June 2022
Two-tone legends The Beat are bringing their show-stopping national tour to Priestfield Stadium in Gillingham.
The groundbreaking ska and reggae group will be visiting Gillingham FC’s home ground for a special live concert celebrating the band’s greatest hits.
The band will be commemorating more than five decades in the music industry with some of their biggest tunes from the ‘70s and ‘80s, such as Tears of a Clown, Mirror in the Bathroom, Can't Get Used to Losing You, Hands Off...She's Mine, Too Nice To Talk To, Save it for Later and I Confess.
The Beat will be led by original vocalist Dave Wakeling, who joined the band with Ranking Roger, Andy Cox, Everett Morton, David Steele and Saxa at its beginnings in the late 1970s.
The group, who are known for fusing Latin, soul, pop and rock influences with their much-loved ska and reggae roots, soon found themselves at the forefront of British two-tone and ska music alongside The Specials and Madness.
After their 1983 split, Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger formed new group General Public, along with former members of Dexys Midnight Runners, The Specials and The Clash, who went on to release singles such as Tenderness and I’ll Take You There in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Since then, members of The Beat have returned to perform across the UK and America, where they are known as the English Beat, including this special anniversary tour.
With some of the most iconic ska songs in British music under their belts, The Beat are now reliving the beloved two-tone movement with fans up and down the country.
The Beat are at Priestfield Stadium, Gillingham, on Saturday, June 11. Tickets start from £25. Book online here.
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Sam Lawrie