Coventry Venue Inspires Festival Of 2Tone Music

Last updated : 23 August 2009 By Pete Chambers

On Bank Holiday Sunday 30Th August at 4.30pm the sixth 2-Tone at 30 plaque will be unveiled at the site of one of Coventry's most famous nightclubs Mr George.

The venue famously became Coventry's punk palace in the late 70's, playing host to the Sex Pistols and plethora of other posturing punk bands of various levels of musical expertise. The Automatics were one band that played at the venue in 1978, their reggae-punk fusion, gave just a glimmer of what would come and clinched them a three month residency at the Lower Precinct club.

A year later their reggae had become ska and their name had become The Special AKA, they released Gangsters and in doing so gave 2Tone Records to the world, a legacy that continues today as The Specials. It's strange to think that the likes of Specials fan Amy Winehouse who recently joined the band on stage at the V festival, wasn't even born in 1978.

2-tone @ 30 organiser Pete Chambers said. "Mr George has a tremendous amount of history for The Specials. During that three months residency from January to April 1978, Roddy Byers joined them from the Wild Boys, they got through two managers, one of which wanted to replace Terry Hall with Johnny Rotten as vocalist and they played the Marquee in London for just £10.00. So it really was the seminal days of what would be become an iconic band".

As a tribute to this famous club, a plaque (sponsored by the Lower Precinct Mark Dixon) is to be unveiled at the Mr George site (now TJ Hughes). Doing the honours will be Trevor 'ET' Evans The Specials original roadie and Terry Hall's son Felix.


Trevor Evans (left)

Together the pair have been playing up-a-storm with their legendary DJ sets at Specials gig in the UK, Australia, Japan and New Zealand. The afternoon begins with one of Coventry's best new bands The Tones, followed by the plaque ceremony and finally we introduce the superb Allskas, with guests Gaps and Aitch from The Selecter.

Beginning at 6.00pm everyone is invited to the after-show at the Warehouse, Silver Street (just opposite the Parsons Nose, another famous 2Tone site). Where for just £2.00 for charity, Trevor and Felix, will be rocking the mics, with some ska, punk, dub and of course 2Tone sounds to get you all skanking. To add to the 2Tone experience, there will be live 2Tone urban art, 2Tone visuals and a chance to see an amazing rare 11 minute BBC film, only ever shown once in it's entirety of the Specials recording at Horizon Studios. For more information go to www.2-toneat30.info

picture copyright of Covsupport News Service