Chaos at cancelled weekender
BEERFEST FIASCO
It promised to be the ultimate Bank Holiday weekend of rock'n'roll entertainment, with more than 50 bands, classic and custom cars, a laser show and the chance to sample 150 real ales - all in a spectacular coastal setting.

Beerfest But the journey to Cornwall was to end in bitter disappointment for 1700 revellers bound for the Celtic Rally Beerfest.   They arrived only to find the whole event had been mysteriously cancelled.

Bands fared no better.   Those arriving at the Torpoint venue near Plymouth on May 1st discovered they were unlikely to be paid.   Of those booked for the Friday night, Mike & The Rhythm Stars and The Outsiders plus DJ Mooncrest agreed to play for free, but Big Boy Bloater decided to pull out.   (See panel below.)

Police took charge on the Saturday, urging people not to travel to the festival.   Those camping on site were not ejected immediately, but many left of their own accord.

Mayhem

Telling his story on a local message board, Steve from Plymouth wrote: "I was hired on site as security for the weekend and from the minute I turned up to the minute I left it was just mayhem.   There was no organsation or anything.   The gentleman who was running it had no idea at all who was coming, who was not coming or anything.   We had families turning up throughout the day with children who had travelled hundreds of miles, including one family from Middlesbrough, looking for a fun weekend.   They had hired tents but there was no tents available.   People were still arriving at nine o'clock expecting a tent.   By the time I left just after nine there must of been well into three figures of people with no tents and nowhere to sleep.   I was due to attend this morning again for work but was rang about 3am and told I was not required, all the security was pulled out and police were taking over."

Disappointed visitor Roxanne Knight from Saltash said: "I bought tickets for myself and my mother as a gift for her.   We were only told about [the cancellation] when we turned up on the day."

Bands booked for the weekend included The Firebirds, The Jets, The Go Getters, Crazy Cavan & The Rhythm Rockers, Furious, the Reservoir Cats, Lights Out, the John Lewis Trio and Mike & The Rhythm Stars.   Other headline acts were The Levellers, Bad Manners, The Beat and Aswad.   One German band, Behind The Eight Ball, ended up playing a hurriedly organised gig at a local pub.

Threats

Even as the campsite emptied and the story led local radio and TV news bulletins, the festival's own website made no mention of the cancellation and continued to promote £80 all-weekend tickets.   Calls to the official booking line were cut off.  

Organiser Stuart Wright denies any impropriety.   He says bands and contractors would have been paid at the end of the event, but cash went missing from the site on Friday night and some people turned up with counterfeit tickets.

Mr Wright, 42, told the Plymouth Herald: "I apologise to people, but I need to get through this week.   I'm not going to run away but I won't respond to threats."   When security pulled out and bands refused to play he says he walked off into woods and drank a cocktail of chemicals.   He was later taken to hospital with damage to his stomach lining.

"It's going to have knock on effects for the rest of my days.   I didn't know how to face people."   He says he has received threats to himself and his family, and has passed on details to the police.   Police say they have spoken to him, but he has not been arrested.


Bloater's Beerfest misery

Big Boy Bloater tells Planet Jive how he found himself at the centre of the Beerfest fiasco...

Bloater "All the bands booked through Paul Barrett (which I assume would be all the rock'n'roll bands) were warned by Paul a few days before that he had suspicions the guy would not pay up at the event, but we decided to go ahead and risk it, especially as we were on the first night, and frankly in the 16 years we've been going it has never happened before.   Also, we had three gigs in a row and we were supposed to be staying at the camp, then travelling to our next gig, in Worcester, from the event.

"When we got there it was obvious there was very little organisation.   The organiser was there but he was out of his depth, he had no tents for people arriving, even those with families and it was obvious to us we would not be getting paid nor was there any accommodation for us.   We were there for around two and a half hours chatting to people and weighing up the situation.   Our decision not to appear was a difficult one to make and in the end was based on the fact that we would have to drive home for four hours after the show, and we had a lot of travelling over the weekend (Worcester on Saturday and Glasgow on Sunday), so ultimately we cut our losses and left the camp at 9pm so we would get home at a half reasonable time.

"Had there been accommodation the band were all happy to play, fee or no fee, but as I said ultimately we had to think of the rest of the weekend.   It is also worth pointing out that the camp was so muddy that we couldn't get our van anywhere near the stage, so we would have had to tramp all our equipment through mud on an unlit field, another factor in our decision!

"My personal opinion on this is not one of anger.   These things happen unfortunately, and the music business is run on goodwill.   Even with contracts in place, and if a promoter is really disorganised or dishonest you have little recourse.   My sympathies go out to the people that paid for accommodation and an event that didn't happen.   I hope it doesn't put them off going to properly organised events in the future."



The Wildest Cats In Town Weekender is at Pontins Pakefield in Suffolk from July 3rd-6th with Gene Summers, The Comets, Charlie Rich Jr, Lucas & The Dynamos, The Rapiers, Crazy Cavan, Darrel Higham & The Enforcers, The Lennerockers, Furious, Mike & The Rhythm Stars, Sandy Ford's Flying Saucers, Porky's Hot Rockin', The Kingcats, The Rhythm Aces, Danny & The Seniors and Rat Pack.   More info on 01530 455657

Hep Cats Holiday is at Sand Bay Holiday Village, Kewstoke, Weston-super-Mare BS22 9UR from July 6th-9th and from September 25th-28th.   More info at www.hepcatsholiday.com


Boogalaoo Promotions has a rock'nroll weekend at Lakeside Resort, Fishery Lane, Hayling Island, Hampshire PO11 9NR from July 24th-27th   More info at www.boogaloopromotions.com


Yeovil's first rock'n'roll extravaganza takes over the Westland Leisure Complex in Westbourne Close on July 25th and 26th.   Bands are the Boogie Bop Boys, Reservoir Cats, Wanderers, Thundertones, Graham Fenton's Matchbox, Greggi G & His Crazy Gang, Cat & The Hot Tin Trio, Kingcats, Rockin' The Joint, Rat Pack, Sneaky Pete & The Vipers, Sandy Ford's Flying Saucers, Crazy Jay & The Partytimers, Rhythm Aces, Ponchartrain, Memphis Rockers.   Admission £40.   Facilities include a free secure campsite with showers and toilets.   More info from rollindavemiller@hotmail.com

The Shakedown Weekender returns to Dursley, Gloucestershire for a second year from July 31st - August 3rd with The Madmen, The Polecats, Jack Rabbit Slim, Space Cadets, Big Boy Bloater, The Frantics, The Fabulous Ottomans, The Excellos, Bill Fadden, Slim Slip & The Sliders, Johnny Memphis & The Texas Stars, Slick 49 and Johnny Gunner & The Raiders.   The pre-booked £40 weekend ticket includes camping.   Day passes £18.   More info on 01453 819238

Twinwood Festival
John Miller Orchestra at Twinwood
The Twinwood Festival incorporating the Glenn Miller Festival of Swing Jazz & Jive takes place near Bedford from August 29th-31st.

On Saturday it's Oo-Bop-Sh'Bam, The Kingcats, Big Boy Bloater, the Swing Commanders, the Midland All Stars Big Band and Chris Reynolds Swing Shift.   Sunday's bill features the John Miller Orchestra, Jive Aces, Sticky Wicket Orchestra, Mike Sanchez, the Sentinels Of Rhythm and Juke Joint Jump.   On Bank Holiday Monday it's Chris Smith & His String Of Pearls Orchestra, Kings Cross Hot Club, The Kremlinaires, Ricky Cool & The Hoola Boola Boys, the Ding Dong Daddios and The Metrotones.   All this plus air displays, hangar dances, Strolling Steve's Music Machine and masses of stalls.   Tickets and info on 01923 282725 or at the Twinwood website.


Holiday Rock presents...

• Rockin' In Spain departing on September 8th with a week of entertainment from Jive Street, The Kingcats and Mark Keeley's Good Rockin' Tonight.

• The Halloween Hop from October 16th-19th at the Royal Hotel, Woolacombe, Devon with Mark Keeley's GRT, The Heartbeats, the Wanderers Duo and Joey & The Jivers.

• The Christmas Party Hop from December 27th-30th at the Carrington House Hotel in Bournemouth with The Revolutionaires, Mark Keeley's GRT and Rockin' The Joint.

• Rockin' In The Caribbean in the Dominican Republic from January 11th 2010 with Mark Keeley's solo show and other entertainment.

• The Valentine Weekend from February 12th-15th 2010 at the Conrgess Hotel in Eastbourne with Mark Keeley's GRT, The Kingcats and Bernie Woods & The Forest Fires.

• Springtime Rockin' from April 23rd-26th 2010 at the Victoria Hotel, Torquay with Mark Keeley's GRT, Blast Off and Rockin' The Joint.

• Summertime Rockin' from June 11th-14th 2010 at the Victoria Hotel, Torquay with Mark Keeley's GRT, Jive Street and Joey & The Jivers.

More info on all these events at www.holidayrock.co.uk or call 01905 330586


Strollin' Steve Strollin' Steve presents...

• Bournemouth Bounce Jive Weekend No7 happens from October 2nd-5th 2009 at the Carrington House Hotel, Knyveton Road, Bournemouth BH1 3QQ with Big Boy Bloater, Juke Joint Jump and the Swing Commanders.

• The Bournemouth Rock'n'Roll Party No. 6 is at the Heathlands Hotel, Grove Road, East Cliff, Bournemouth BH1 3AY from November 27th to 30th with Linda Gail Lewis, The Tonemasters, Rockin' The Joint and Some Like It Hot.   Price is £185 per person half-board.

• The Seacroft R'n'R Party No. 1 takes place from March 5th-8th 2010 at Seacroft Holiday Park, Hemsby, Beach Road, Norfolk NR29 4HR with The Firebirds, Jive Romeros, Kingcats, Porky's Hot Rockin' and the Rock Island Rebels.   Prices from £139.

More info on all Strollin' Steve events on 01638 712187 / 07808 340776 or visit www.strollinsteve.co.uk

Hemsby 43 runs from October 9th-12th with Johnny Powers, Marvin Rainwater, Nick Willett, The Bluecats, Roomates, Bill Fadden & The Rhythmbusters, Lawen Start & The Slideboppers, Voola & The Jayhawks, The Infernos, Go Getters, Humdingers, Rusti Steel & The Startones, Lord Rochester & His Band, Sandiagos, Muskrats and Lil Red & The Dog House Trio.   Venue is the Seacroft Holiday Site, Hemsby, Norfolk NR29 4HR   Info on 01522 752453.

Boogalaoo Promotions has a jive weekend at Bodelwyddan Castle, Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire LL18 5YA from October 23rd-26th   More info at www.boogaloopromotions.com


The 16th Blackpool Rock'n'Roll & Illuminations Weekend happens at the town's Savoy Hotel from October 29th to November 1st with Lucas & The Dynamos, The Kingcats, Jive Romeros, Crazy Jay & The Partytimers, Danny & The Seniors, The Aces and The Sandiagos.

Also make a date for Jingle Bell Rock at the Savoy Hotel from December 3rd-6th with Linda Gail Lewis, Mark Keeley's Good Rockin' Tonight, The Firebirds, The Spitfires, Phil Haley & His Comments and The Revolutionaires.   More info on both events from Brian Amos on 01332 872320

There's a Swing/Jive Turkey & Tinsel Weekend from November 6th-9th at the Barceló Imperial Hotel in Blackpool featuring the Jive Aces, Swing Commanders, Crown Top Kings, Kevin Fitzsimmons and The Cheatles.   Cost including half board accommodation is £249.   Info from Lesley on 01292 269859 or see the LP Travel website.

The Rhythm Riot returns to Pontins Camber Sands from November 20th-23rd.   Clarence Frogman Henry headlines with the Collins Kids and Big Jay McNeeley.   Also on the bill are Benny & The Flybyniters, Barrence Whitfield, the Ray Collins Hot Club, The Travellers, Baboons, Ragtime Wranglers, Domestic Bumblebees, Boppin' Steve, Harmonica Sam, Blue Rhythm Boys, Roomates, Revolutionaires, Jessie & The Orbits, Paul Paterson, Jim Carlisle and the Union Canal String Band.






If it jumps, jives, bops or strolls we want to know about it.   or call 07833 703189.