A band I have seen only once but thoroughly enjoyed, The English Beat, is coming to the Lowell Summer Music Series. They will appear at Boarding House Park on Saturday, August 10th! Tickets go on sale today!

“The English Beat is a band with an energetic mix of musical styles and a sound like no other, which has allowed it to endure for nearly three decades and appeal to fans, young and old, all over the world.

“When The English Beat (known simply as The Beat in their native England) rushed on to the music scene in 1979, it was a time of massive social and political unrest and economic and musical upheaval. This set the stage for a period of unbridled musical creativity, and thanks in large part to the Punk movement and it’s DIY approach to making music, artists like The Beat were able to speak out and speak their mind on the news of the day, as in “Stand Down Margaret”, things that mattered to them and the youth culture, as in “Get A Job”, and universal matters of the heart and soul, as in their classic hits “I Confess,” “Save It For Later” and “Mirror In The Bathroom.”

“The original band consisted of singer-songwriter Dave Wakeling on vocals and guitar, Andy Cox on guitar, David Steele on bass, and Everett Morton on drums – later additions Ranking Roger (toasting) and foundational First Wave Ska legend Saxa (saxophone) completed the outfit. The band crossed over fluidly between soul, reggae, pop and punk, and from these disparate pieces they created an infectious dance rhythm.

Dave Wakeling of The English Beat (Official Photo)

“The Beat first came to prominence as founding members of the British Two Tone Ska movement, with their classic first album “Just Can’t Stop It” fitting squarely in that genre.  Along with their contemporaries The Specials, The Selecter, and Madness, the band became an overnight sensation and one of the most popular and influential bands of that movement. 

“However, band leader Dave Wakeling never felt constrained by the movement.  Dave has always viewed ska as a springboard, not a straight jacket.  Indeed, the band’s sound continued to evolve over their first three studio albums, through the General Public era (a band formed by Dave with Ranking Roger, the toaster from The Beat) — its best known song in the US was “Tenderness” — and has continued its evolution with their 2016 English Beat album Here We Go Love, the band’s first new album since 1982’s Special Beat Service.

Dave Wakeling of the English Beat (Official Photo)

“Consummate showman that he is, Dave Wakeling has continued to keep The Beat alive and strong. Dave continues to tour the world as The English Beat with an amazing all-star ska backing band playing all the hits of The English Beat and General Public.

“You just can’t stop The English Beat!”

Tickets for The English Beat show are priced at $42 in advance (fee-free!). There are also premium seats – beach chairs are provided by the Series – set in two rows directly in front of the stage for $142. Tickets for this show go on sale on Friday, March 1st at 10 a.m. through Lowell Summer Music Series.

For those of you who are unaware of the Series, or if you are aware of it but have never attended a show there, it is an outdoor (weather permitting) concert series held on National Park Service grounds in Lowell, Massachusetts. The Series is not-for-profit, which helps keep the ticket prices reasonable.

Surrounding Boarding House Park are old mill buildings, part of the Lowell National Historical Park, which you can tour if you arrive early enough. They provide an unusual setting for an evening of great music and ambiance.

The Series generally runs from mid-June to early September.

This Series is dear to my heart. I have been a season pass holder since 2007 and it is one of the highlights of the year (and of summer in particular) for me. Many lasting friendships have been made there. I expect this will be another excellent year!

I will post additional announcements for the Series as they are made.

So far, the  lineup is:

July 13th (Saturday) – The Record Company

July 14th (Sunday) – Angélique Kidjo

July 19th (Friday) – I’m With Her

August 10th (Saturday) – The English Beat

August 15th (Thursday) – The Beach Boys