Madness are something of a British institution in their own right.

The crowd at the Nutty Boys’ Madstock comeback show in Finsbury Park in 1992 caused such a commotion it could be measured on the Richter scale.

No strangers to Kent, they played the Spitfire Ground in Canterbury in 2015.

And Suggs also has his own connections to the county, as his family own a beach hut in Whitstable.

Their date this weekend at the Kent Showground is part of a tour which takes them around the country, including to V Festival, and on to a European tour this autumn, culminating in a House of Fun Weekender in Minehead in Somerset.

Of preparing for a tour Suggs said: “It’s like preparing for war – a war of fun, y’know? I have a suspicion that if I didn’t have a few tequila shots before I went on stage I wouldn’t be quite as lubricated in the joints.”

He added: “I’m fond of a nice bit of architecture and one of the nice things about travelling around is being introduced to some nice buildings. The Good Pub Guide is also a very good organ to have at hand when driving through the back streets of Britain. There are lots of lovely pubs, I must say.”

The band will be performing their greatest hits at the showground, including favourites Wings of a Dove, Baggy Trousers and House of Fun, plus new material from their 11th studio album, Can’t Touch Us Now, which was released last year.

SUPPORT

Eight bands are set to join the Madness line-up.

They are all from the South East and have been chosen for their music which is in keeping with the band’s well known sound.

The line-up includes the Cuban Brothers, Dub Pistols, the Dualers, the Skatonics, the Aim, The Rash, Rumblefish, and the Gallerys.

The site will also have entertainment, fun activities, DJs and Madness’s own craft beer will be on sale at the bars.

DETAILS

Madness will be at the Kent Showground at Detling, near Maidstone, on Saturday, August 12.

Doors open at 2pm, and the event finishes at 11pm. For tickets go to madness.co.uk, madnessinkent.com or southeastlive.co.uk