We had Rewind North for many years, and then they stopped it. But now, thanks to brothers Anthony and Ed Prophet, we have The Brit Fest in Cheshire. Anyone who used to go to Rewind, you need to make sure you get tickets for Brit Fest as you will love it.
So well organised
It is so organised, clean, accessible and friendly. Many campers arrive on Thursday morning as they also have entertainment in the evening. There is camping, glamping, live in vehicles and pre pitched tents. There are luxury loos and hot showers. You can hire an electric vehicle and a person to help you get all your stuff from the car to your makeshift home for the next four nights. They could not have made it any easier for you. Throw everything in the car and get help when you arrive. This year as I look across the fields there are many luxury motorhomes parked around. This is an event that everyone wants to attend and you can choose what your budget allows.
Hosts are the friendly and entertaining Jenny Powell and Mike Toolan – they feel like friends to the crowd. Many of the people attending come back year after year. The first year there were 15,000 people and now in the third year over 30,000 – that is why you need to get your tickets now for next year. You may not know the line up yet but there will be groups that you want to see.
Hippy Peace and Love Day, then 80’s Neon Party
I arrive on the Friday, which they call ‘Hippy Peace and Love’ day. Yes many people are dressed up as hippies, but it is not compulsory – you dress any way that you want – everything and everyone is acceptable. Out of the line up there are only a couple of the bands I really want to see. We have James Walsh, The Farm, Sleeper, Stereo Mc’s, Peter Hook, Cast, Happy Mondays. It is a very chilled crowd in the arena, even though the weather is hot! I am looking forward to seeing Bez shaking his maracas!
Saturday is ’80’s Neon Party’. The crowd are wearing a lot of fluorescent clothing. It is very much more of a pop concert vibe today – which I like.
Nathon Moore catches a bra
Nathan Moore (Brother Beyond and Worlds Apart) opens the start of the day. He still looks so good for his age, a handsome man. He jumps into the crowd – oh ladies, eyes only please! ! A woman throws her bra at him on stage – looks like a Marks and Spencers one to me. He says he will return it to her after! He certainly earns his money and entertains us all. Smiles fill the arena. He is staying all day as he is doing performances in the VIP tent at three separate times later.
Clive Jackson and Dr And The Medics are on next. The crowd love them. ’Spirit In The Sky’ made them famous. Clive is on site all weekend and gets very involved with The Brit Fest. He asks everyone to give some money, whatever they can afford to the charity that The Brit Fest supports: Seashell, which helps children and young people with complex learning difficulties, disabilities and additional communication. Clive gets very emotional when he talks about it.
Clare Grogan of Altered Images is next. ‘Happy Birthday’, ‘I Could Be Happy’ , ‘Don’t Talk to Me About Love’. Everyone is singing and dancing.
Blow Monkeys – ‘Digging Your Scene’, ‘It Doesn’t Have To be This Way’, ‘Celebrate’, ‘Out with Her’ and Aswad – ‘Don’t Turn around’, ‘I Need Your Love’, ‘Shine’, ‘Dub Fire’ are next. I have a little rest during these two as I am feeling hot.
Oh I had forgotten – here comes Jason Donovan on stage. The ladies in the crowd are going crazy for him! Very nice trousers and waistcoat Jason. ‘Especially For You’, ‘Too Many Broken Hearts’, ‘Nothing Can Divide Us’, ‘When You Come Back To Me’, ‘Any Dream Will Do’. You forget how many hit songs there have been. The smile is on and the ladies try to catch his eye. He always seems to give me a wary look – don’t worry Jason I respect your personal space!
The heavens open as Wet Wet Wet enter the stage – who would have believed it? There was nothing on the weather forecast predicting rain. I am not prepared. I um and ahh – shall I stay and get soaked and ruin my camera? There is another day to get through yet. Holly Johnson is the headline act. No sorry, I can’t risk ruining my camera equipment so I decide to leave.
Super Sporting Sunday
Sunday. Super Sporting Sunday. I feel tired. It should be a more slow paced day. Mark Radcliffe and Friends open the arena stage. Let me tell you something about Mark. Many, many years ago I worked as his secretary (and on reception) at Piccadilly Radio in Manchester! Want to know how I got the job? At school we were told we had to find a month’s work experience replacement. Most people applied to local shops – not me. I wrote to Colin Walters at Piccadilly Radio and he told me I could work on their reception. You should have seen the teachers’ mouths drop when I told them where I would be working! I had ambition at fifteen. He then offered me a full time job! That was the start of me working in the media.
Let Loose are on stage next. They are best known for their 1994 UK top ten hit ‘Crazy for You’, ‘Best In Me’, ‘One Night Stand’, ‘Seventeen’. They were pretty boys – all the girls fancied them. Richard John ‘Richie’ Wermerling, Robert George Edward ‘Rob’ Jeffrey and Lee J. Murray. The lead singer is now – wait for it – remember the group Bad Boys Inc.? Yes Matthew James Pateman has joined them! He also sings with Bucks Fizz. We love boy bands! Now they are handsome men. I see women who are here to interview them, drooling at the side of the stage!
Today is a bit of a mix with music.
Space are next. Yes I remember their hits. ‘Female of The Species’, ‘The ballad Of Tom Jones’, ‘Neighbourhood’, ‘Money’. Tommy Scott the lead singer is very quirky and I am amused watching him. Yeah I like them.
Rick Parfitt Junior comes on. Yes he is the son of Status Quo Rick Parfitt. I have never seen him perform and did not know if he has ever released a record – or whatever you call it now? Maybe he has a tribute band? Well I am about to see and hear him. What energy – good looking and has the crowd in his hand. He never stops running around. Rick goes down into the crowd and tells them to get closer to him – some women don’t need asking twice! For someone I have never seen perform before I can’t believe what I am seeing. They LOVE him. He tells us he is here to get the party started – well you have certainly done that! He is good – delivers what we want. At the end of his set he tells the crowd who his dad is and that it is ten years since Rick Parfitt died. His dad was not good he tells us – oh how sad to hear that. Everyone in the arena is clapping for him. I think Brit Fest will be having him as a regular now!
Singing, dancing or just listening and enjoying
People are tired having spent the last 45 minutes dancing and jumping around.
Baby Bird, Stephen Jones is on next. ‘You’re Gorgeous’ was number 3 on the UK singles chart in 1996. ‘Goodnight’ ‘If You’ll Be Mine’ and ‘Candy Girl’ , ‘The F-Word’ was used as the theme for Gordon Ramsay’s UK TV show! He stands behind his microphone most of the time. I listen to the words he sings. Very moving. He sings about divorce and I wonder if it is from experience – he later tells me it is not.
Now a complete change.
Fisherman’s Friends – there are quite a few of them. A. folk group from Port Isaac, Cornwall, who sing sea shanties.
Eternal are next. One of the UK’s most successful R&B and pop groups. Louise Nurding and Kelly Bryan left a long time ago. Now they have Christel Lakhdar with the sisters Easter and Vernie Bennett. What voices. ‘I Wanna Be The Only One’, ‘Stay’, ‘Just A Step from Heaven’, ‘Angel of Mine’. Back in the day when I was taking photos of the boy bands they would all be chasing the Eternal girls! Shane Lynch of Boyzone was married to Esther for just over two years. Eternal hold the record for being the first girl group in the UK chart history to sell a million copies of their debut album. The crowd are relaxing and singing along – so many hit songs.
Martin Fry – ABC are the headline. Martin looks so smart in his bright suit. I really like him. Can you remember the 1980’s? He launches into ‘When Smokey Sings (1987)’, The Look Of Love’ – reached number 4 in the UK charts and number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100. ‘Poison Arrow’, ‘All Of My Heart’. What talent. What a career. If I had time I would sit and enjoy listening to you – but I have pictures to edit and readers waiting to hear all about the Brit Fest!
Anthony and Ed Prophet were granted the freedom of Altrincham
There was a special part of the day when the brothers Anthony and Ed Prophet were granted the freedom of Altrincham by the ancient Altrincham Court Leet in recognition of their outstanding charitable work, community involvement, and contributions to the local area. They deserve this and many more for what they have done bringing the Brit Fest to Cheshire. Congratulations Ed and Anthony.
All photos by Deborah Law
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