The Sonics: Have Love, Will Travel!
Matching the raw wail of Little Richard with the stomp-and-fuzz of The Troggs, US garage punk legends The Sonics created some of the wildest ‘60s recording of all-time. Now, forty years after they initially split, the North West outfit have reformed and are set to play the annual Le Beat Bespoke Weekender.
Now in its fourth year, the ‘60s-styled, MOJO-sponsored festival will take place in London on Easter Weekend (March 21-23) and is promoted by the New Untouchables –champions of 21st Century Modernist And Sixties Underground Culture, an organisation with a lengthy track record of putting on unique ‘happenings’.
The Sonics themselves reunited last year to play New York’s annual garage shindig, Cavestomp, in November where they re-ignited their fearsome reputation in front of audience that included long-time fans ranging from Steve Van Zandt to The Hives.
“Just like The Action gigs we did a decade ago this was the band everyone wanted to see,” comments New Untouchables head honcho Rob Bailey. “After an awesome display in NYC last November the clamour to bring them over intensified so we pulled out all the stops to bring The Sonics to the music and culture capitol of Europe for the band’s first ever show outside their native USA. The response has been amazing. The bands influence and fanbase is colossal and growing all the time.”
While LBB4 will use 229 Great Portland Street as its principal venue for the festival, The Sonics show will take place at The Forum in Kentish Town on Friday March 21.
As well as The Sonics, LBB4 will feature an international line-up of bands as well as customary clubs nights, record fairs and a full retro market. Weekend tickets cost £47 (including admission to The Sonics show) although individual gig tickets are available for the Forum show.
