On 30th April, The English Beat come to Coventry's 2-Tone Central and front-man and 2-Tone legend and proud Brummie Dave Wakeling has set up a novel idea to raise some funds for the 2-Tone Museum, a sponsored 2-Tone Trail!
The 2-Tone Trail devised by Pete Chambers, has been visited by Specials, Selecter and Beat and Madness fans from all over the world, and has proved to be a popular tourist attraction for the city. Dave along with organiser Carole Quinney and guide Pete Chambers, will take a group of fans on this step backward into the history of this glorious multicultural music. To a time where ska and punk beats were being fused to create a brand of music that not only had infectious rhythms but uniquely a social conscience too, effectively becoming a defining and reassuring soundtrack to many fans who were living through a troubled decade.
Dave Wakeling has Facebooked his fans by saying, "I'm inviting enthusiastic volunteers to stroll a couple of hours of the 2-Tone Trail with me the day of the English Beat show, and collect as many sponsors as possible between now and then! Start and finish at the 2-Tone museum, which will receive all the proceeds from this sponsored walk, to continue its great work treasuring the 2-Tone heritage. If you can't be there, please be a sponsor!"
Already many American fans who can't make the trail have sponsored the star to the tune of £500, and the sponsorship money continues to come in. Trail Organiser Carole Quinney said, "We are thrilled to have Dave here in Coventry and love the enthusiasm he has shown for both the 2-Tone Trail and 2-Tone Central. Many of us in Coventry are lucky to have these on our door step but for many people visiting them is still a dream".
Sites to be visited along the way are Coventry University, where The Beat met Jerry Dammers and signed to 2-Tone Records and Central Library, once the site of Tiffany's where The Beat once played and 51 Albany Road, The Birthplace of 2-Tone. With a chance of seeing the English Beat sound check at 2-Tone Central. A stop-over is also arranged in the recently re-opened Albany Pub, in Albany Road.
The sponsored 2-Tone Trail-Twist and Crawl, begins at 2-Tone Central at 1.00pm, but you must have sponsorship to take part in the trail. Some lucky Trailers have been promised a chance of attending the bands sound-check at the venue.
For more information go to www.2tonecentral.co.uk