THE Cheese and Grain have a fabulous double headliner coming up on Friday 23rd February when The Selecter/The Beat Feat Ranking Roger take on to the stage.
THE SELECTER
The Selecter, the riotous skank machine who exploded out of Coventry in the game-changing, multi-cultural 2 Tone explosion of 1979, released their brand new album ‘Daylight’ on October 6th. Now reunited around the nucleus of original members Pauline Black and Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson, The Selecter are firing on all righteous cylinders in 2017 and ‘Daylight’ is their most urgent, politically engaged and purely uplifting music since the days of ‘Too Much Pressure’ and ‘Celebrate The Bullet’.
Many faces have moved through The Selecter’s line-up since their early days in Coventry. Now a mix of musicians – “four white and four black, very 2-Tone” – work with Pauline, Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson and producer-writer-arranger Neil Pyzer in a tight-knit family team.
They launched ‘Daylight’ at the sold out London Roundhouse in October with a special double-header with fellow 2 Tone veterans The Beat featuring Ranking Roger. Fans can expect classics from “On My Radio” and ‘Missing Words” plus the new tracks too.
The Selecter are teaming up with The Beat in 2017 to give fans a rare treat, hitting the road together for a number of shows around the world. Originally a six-date tour, due to phenomenal demand they are playing nearly 40 dates together in 2017 and the tour is now continuing into 2018 with tours of Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Scandinavia, and now Frome.
THE BEAT FEAT RANKING ROGER
The Beat fronted by Ranking Roger released their spectacular fourth album Bounce (the first in over 30 years) in September 2016. The album shows off every gleaming aspect of one of the most musically diverse bands to come out of the multiracial, multicultural explosion that remade British pop from 1979 onwards.
Joining Roger in the revitalised band is his son Ranking Junior AKA Matthew Murphy a powerhouse MC who brings to the band an update on the toasting that made Ranking Roger such a pivotal part of the original Beat. The same energy that drove the hit singles of the 80s; Mirror In The Bathroom, Stand Down Margaret and Too Nice To Talk To – is here again on the new album.
Life-long friends, they are two of the main bands to come out of 2 Tone – a crucial musical and cultural movement which is still as relevant today as it was over 30 years ago. Renowned for their energetic live shows, longevity has not diminished either band’s ability to put in a performance and get everyone in a room, or field, dancing.
Tickets are £30. To book call 01373 455 420 or book online www.cheeseandgrain.com