News

The Undertones Set To Play Le Beat Bespoke Weekender

• 8th Mar 2010

Le Beat Bespoke weekender at 229 on 1st – 4th April has built an international reputation for being one of the best 60’s Underground Indoor festivals to be found anywhere in Europe and beyond.

Now in its 6th successful year at 229 in Central London Le Beat Bespoke is proud to present acts such as The Undertones, The Sonics, James Hunter and The Polecats amongst a huge Easter Bank Holiday festival line-up. Combining the very best live bands old and new – previous acts have included Arthur Lee and Love, The Chocolate Watchband, The Horrors, The Remains, The Buzzcocks, The Fuzztones, Pretty Things and Flirtations to name just a few – with DJs from across the globe playing records until dawn, it is the only tailor-made 3 day festival for all lovers of the '60s underground and beyond.

THE UNDERTONES formed in Derry, Northern Ireland 1975 with influences from 60’s Pop, Punk Rock and American Garage rock. The band sent a letter with a demo to legendary Radio 1 DJ John Peel who wrote back offering to pay for them to record in Belfast. On 16 June 1978, the band recorded their debut four-song EP “Teenage Kicks” on a budget of only £200. The title song became a hit with support from John Peel, who considered Teenage Kicks his all-time favourite song, an opinion he held of the song until his death in 2004. Two more hugely successful albums followed along with a number of hit singles and UK, European and American tours. The Undertones reformed in 1999 and after five years of asking we are thrilled to finally have THE UNDERTONES play Le Beat Bespoke.

Legendary and pioneering band The Sonics cross all boundaries and genres of music. A triumphant return in late 2007 at Cavesomp in New York City, was quickly followed in early 2008 with two sell out shows at Le Beat Bespoke 4 in London. It was first the ever performance outside their native America, since then the Sonics have gone on to perform sell out shows across Europe and the USA with the band now in their best form since they got back together. This time fans will get to hear the mighty SONICS play classics such as ‘The Witch’, ‘Psycho’, ‘Have love will travel’, ‘Strychnine’, Shot down and many more.

THE POLECATS were part of the early-'80s British rockabilly revival scene, Tim Polecat and Boz Boorer started playing together in 1976, they hooked up with Phil Bloomberg at the end of 1977. The Polecats scored three British Top 40 singles with “John, I'm Only Dancing” (the David Bowie song), “Rockabilly Guy” and a cover of the T-Rex (Marc Bolan) song “Jeepster”. Their 1981 debut LP “Polecats Are Go!” (Produced by Dave Edmunds) is a must!

We are thrilled to have the very extraordinary and very British JAMES HUNTER, who possesses a “tight, slithery soul groove” and a “sweet growl” (NY Times) live at LBB. His new collection THE HARD WAY is the second collaboration with Liam Watson (also producer of The White Stripes ELEPHANT) at famed analogue haven Toe Rag Studios in London. After 2006 album PEOPLE GONNA TALK was nominated for a Grammy award after reaching Number 1 on the Billboard Blues Chart; Hunter has enjoyed both National and International TV appearances. PEOPLE GONNA TALK not only earned Mr. Hunter critical acclaim, but also garnered a huge, adoring, and ever-growing fan-base. James has toured and opened for Van Morrison, Etta James, Boz Scaggs, Los Lonely Boys, Robert Cray, Bryan Adams, Los Lobos, Willie Nelson, Buddy Guy, and even the Queen of Soul herself, Miss Aretha Franklin. Rolling Stone exudes James Hunter is “A treat not to miss” and recently quoted: THE HARD WAY as “Unbelievably awesome!” It’s no surprise the new album debuted in America on June 10th, 2008 and promptly zoomed to Number 1 once more on the Billboard Blues Chart where it remained there six solid weeks in a row!

As usual, LBB is as much about new bands as it is about the established ones and the team have trawled the world to bring some of the best new talent to London this Easter. New Spanish Garage combo WAU Y LOS ARRRGHS!!! Will make their eagerly awaited UK debut and have earned the reputation as a must see live show with their raucous sound and mad stage antics. Another young group from Denmark making great noises are David Peter & The Wilde Sect. Two Dirty Water Records acts and un-miss able party bands Thee Exciters and the much talked about Thee Vicars both follow in the footsteps of their heroes the Sonics, Seeds and Stooges with a twenty first century twist!

DJs over the festival weekend everything from Garage to Rockabilly, Folk to Funk, Psych to Soul, Freakbeat to Britpop, Ska to Club Jazz and all points in between. Plus there are the most beautiful go-go girls, the trippiest eye-candy visuals, the freakiest cult cinema, guest club nights, an all night bar and a huge retro market selling choice vintage furniture, clothes, vinyl and pop artefacts. Phew!