The English Beat - ska/new wave LIVE September 12, 2009

One tempestuous weekend in March 1979 was not only the date of the Three Mile Island nuclear incident, but also, in Birmingham, England, the very first show by a nascent band known as The Beat. Introduced as "the hottest thing since the Pennsylvania meltdown", the band had a sense that the next few years could well be explosive! The Beat hailed from working class, industrial Birmingham, England. When The Beat rushed on to the music scene in 1979, it was a time of social, political and musical upheaval. Into this storm came The Beat, trying to calm the waters with their simple message of love and unity set to a great dance beat.

The Beat were all about inclusion, rather than exclusion, and this showed in their personnel and their music influences. The six member band consisted of Dave Wakeling on vocals and guitar, Andy Cox on guitar, David Steele on bass, Everett Morton on drums, Ranking Roger on vocals and toasting, and foundational first wave ska legend Saxa on saxophone. The band crossed over fluidly between soul, reggae, pop and punk, and from these disparate pieces they created an infectious dance rhythm. Along with their contemporaries The Specials, The Selecter, and Madness, The Beat became an overnight sensation and one of the most popular and influential bands of the British ska movement.

February 2003 saw a dream come true for many Beat fans as the band reunited for a mini-tour in the UK, which culminated in their acclaimed, sold out command performance at the Royal Festival Hall! It was a magical homecoming for the band and for the fans, with band members and fans gathering from around the globe for a night or irie, ska-ful rock-steady Beat!

Being the hard driving ska legend that he is, however, Dave was not content to rest on his laurels after the RFH reunion. Dave continues to tour the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the UK with an amazing all-star ska backing band playing the hits of The Beat, General Public, and his new songs.

You just can't stop The Beat!

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