One of the biggest bands of the 2-Tone movement, The Beat present a wall of sound that transcends time and ska fusion rhythms to ignite a crowd and they’ll be lighting up Esquires in Bedford in the best possible sense this week.
Known the world over for a string of hit singles, including Mirror in the Bathroom, Too Nice To Talk To, Can't Get Used To Losing You, Hands off She's Mine and All Out To Get You, their songs of peace, love and unity famously fuse ska, pop, reggae and punk rock.
The Beat formed in Birmingham in 1978, part of the West Midlands ska revival scene that also produced The Specials and The Selecter.
The 2016 line-up features Ranking Roger and Ranking Junior on vocals with Oscar Harrison on drums, Andy Pearson and Steve Harper on guitars.
Their first single was an arresting version of Smokey Robinson’s Tears Of A Clown, given a completely new feel, which was backed with their own composition Ranking Full Stop.
Released in a one-off deal on Jerry Dammers’ Chrysalis-backed 2-Tone label, the single stormed into the Top 10 in December 1979, and saw the band appear twice on Top Of The Pops.
Backed by Arista, the band formed their own label Go-Feet Records.. The first release in February 1980 was another Top 10 hit, Hands Off... She’s Mine, and was the first of twelve chart singles for the band on the label.
Can they still cut it? Of course, as perhaps best written in the Sunday Mirror: "The Beat. Who needs the brave new world when the old school is still this good?” it both asked and stated.
Grab a ticket for the gig on December 10 and their vitality will be perfectly demonstrated…
To book tickets click here
