HAD an absolutely wonderful time at Rebellion Festival in Blackpool Winter Gardens (with a new seafront stage) last weekend. Well done to Jennie, Darren and everyone involved in putting on what is without doubt now my favourite festival of the year.
 
Punk, and the anti-corporate DIY culture which it spawned and which for many of us, young and old, is the bedrock of our lives as performers and creators, is as vibrant today as it was 45 years ago. It is a truly global phenomenon in a way it wasn’t in the 1970s, and benefits hugely from being outside the manipulators and cliche-mongers of the mainstream media.
 
And it’s now three generations strong –  yes, there’s shouty nonsense and nostalgia, but this is outweighed by the creative and inventive old, and the vibrant and boundary pushing young. (God, I wish I’d been able to stay awake for Bob Vylan, who started at 1.15 am!)
 
I arrived late afternoon Thursday in good time for UK reggae legends Misty In Roots immediately followed by Millie Manders  — what a voice, perfectly suited to the Almost Acoustic Stage — and Ferocious Dog. Along with Jess Silk and Emily Capell, Millie is for me at the front of a new wave of young, angry, sussed female songwriters, and she will be playing my Glastonwick festival next year.  

Totally gutted that Bad Religion had cancelled but these things happen, especially at our age (!) so had a few beers — this year Farm Yard Brew Co provided the one thing missing previously, wonderful beer — and crashed out.
 
Friday I checked out the incredibly powerful all women rockers IDestroy, before a blistering set from Newtown Neurotics. Then I dashed upstairs for my first gig, showcasing my Collected Works on the Literary Stage in the brand new part of the Winter Gardens complex. The heaviest suitcase in the world became a lot easier to drag around after that.
 
I saw the last moments of Los Fastidios (sad we clashed) and then the wonderful Carol Hodge — another definitely booked for Glastonwick next year. Then it was time for Blyth Power. I congratulated the sound person on the best I had ever heard in nearly 40 years of watching and performing with them.

Straight into TV Smith and the Bored Teenagers doing an Adverts set in front of a massive crowd. One of the greatest songwriters ever, and he absolutely deserves the reception he got. 
 
Then Au Pairs legend Lesley Woods. Her backing track was too loud, which was a real shame, because you couldn’t hear the words, and words were what the Au Pairs were about.

Then outside for the Stranglers on the big stage on the seafront. The sound was wonderful: I have always been rather uneasy at some of their lyrics, but they have classic tunes and unique keyboard settings.

Saturday I did a well received show with my band Barnstormer 1649 and saw a very moving tribute to Mensi of the Angelic Upstarts, who passed away last year, fantastic acoustic sets from Jess Silk and the Bar Stool Preachers and  a blistering electric one from the Godfathers. Then, in honour of his former right hand man Chris Payne, an old friend of mine, I checked out Gary Newman.

He appears to have morphed into a kind of decaffeinated version of Rammstein, which is not a good thing. I finished the night back on stage playing fiddle with TV Smith, punk pioneer with The Adverts in 1977, one of the finest songwriters in this country 45 years later.
 
Sunday started with a cheery chance meeting with Billy Bragg in the lovely Compass Cafe Bar (breakfasts recommended!) followed by a brilliant win for Brighton at Man United, a great acoustic set from punk poetry duo Cherry & Peesh, a dub poetry set for yours truly  and then singalongs with Tom Robinson and Billy Bragg, who both adapted stirring old anthems for new times. And on all four days there was loads more, far too much to mention! Rebellion is just brilliant.
 
And it’s non stop at the moment – my week at the PBH Free Fringe in Edinburgh starts tomorrow, Bannermans Bar, 4pm, Scots and visitors, come all ye!

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