Jimmy Pursey’s Sham 69, one of the UK’s most original, and most successful, punk bands – with a string of hits such as ‘If the Kids are United’ and ‘Hurry up Harry’ – will return to MECA Swindon on May 20th 2017 to headline the first ever One Faith Punk Festival.
The One Faith Punk Festival heralds the next generation of punk, with an exciting line-up of some of the best new punk talent in the country. Bristol’s Criminal Mind and Wiltshire’s Mick O’Toole lead the line-up, which so far includes bands from as far afield as Coventry, Luton and Dundee, with more acts to be announced. The festival will be an all day event; doors from noon to midnight.
Sham 69 last played Swindon in November 2016. Supported by Swindon’s Charred Hearts and up and coming Bristol band Criminal Mind, they played an incendiary set to a one of the largest audiences the MECA has seen in recent years. Since then, the band have continued to cement their reputation as one of the best live acts in the world, and are due to headline one of the biggest punk gatherings in the world – the Rebellion Festival – later in 2017.
Jimmy Pursey, Sham 69 frontman:
“The Swindon show last year was one of my favourite gigs of the last couple of years – and some of our recent shows have been massive; we broke attendance records at Blackpool Winter Gardens when we played Rebellion in 2015 – no mean feat when you consider that acts such as Frank Sinatra and Jimi Hendrix played there in their day.
The thing that was special about the Swindon gig in November last year was the people – within the first seconds of taking to the stage in front of a thousand people you get a feeling of how the gig is going to go – and at Swindon there was just this great wave of positivity that washed over me. It felt like we were all part of one family, one faith.”
The One Faith Festival is about shining the spotlight on and showcasing the best in new punk talent and introducing them to a new audience. If all goes well, there could be another One Faith Festival later in the year, and, as the festival becomes established it is expected that it will become a regular event in Swindon’s calendar. Initially, established bands such as Sham 69 will headline, but the hope is that in future years one of the currently less established bands, such as Criminal Mind or Mick O’Toole, will be able to step-up. In any event, the focus will remain resolutely on new punk acts; it is their youth, energy and passion that will define the festival experience.
Line-Up & Event timings
The full line-up for the festival, together with approximate stage times (subject to change) is as follows:
Time Band
22:00 Sham 69
Sham 69 were quite simply one of THE top punk bands of the late seventies. Led by the charismatic and irrepressible Jimmy Pursey they produced a stream of catchy, populist, short and sweet punk tunes including ‘If The Kids Are United’, ‘Hurry Up Harry’ and ‘Angels With Dirty Faces’ that made the British charts.
But above all Sham 69 are a fantastic, full on punk band with great tunes, a top singer and a dynamic live act: “Easily the best original punk band out there doing it in 2017; and I’m talking worldwide”
21:00 Mick O’Toole
Mick O’Toole formed in 2012 in Calne. Their style is chaotic English Punk fused with ancestral Celtic and English Folk; inspired by local legends ‘The Boys From County Hell’ and by the likes of The Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, Gogol Bordello and The Pogues.
Mick O’Toole’s goal is to keep making music that brings people together for a good ole knees up and a grand old sing along. No egos, no divas just working class men having a good time.
20:00 Criminal Mind
Criminal Mind formed as a four piece punk band in September 2008 on the outskirts of Bristol. Inspired by bands such as The Clash, Dropkick Murphy’s & The Ruts, Criminal Mind deliver an original street punk sound. With Radio airplay from BBC Radio 1, they have also been given great reviews; labelled as “the best unsigned punk band around”.
19:00 Face Up
Face Up are a hardcore punk band from the West Midlands, UK. Fronted by singer Roxanne, and backed by Tom, Dave, Gav and Bez.
18:00 Rotten Foxes
Rotten Foxes sound like Turbonegro covering the Misfits on a night out fuelled by Buckfast shandies!
Their brand of visceral infused incendiary rock is a total breath of fresh air. The majority of their songs are about going out, drinking, a slightly unhealthy obsession with Danny Dyer and basically having a laugh. In all fairness what isn’t to like about this quartet?
17:00 Dirt Royal
Dirt Royal are a three piece Rock and Roll band from Brighton. They have been performing together since 2013, and released their debut album ‘This is Now’ in 2014 with Time For Action Records. The band have embarkied on several tours around the U.K and Germany, receiving great results.
16:00 Disruptive Influence
Disruptive influence originated in a Bristol music college. Influenced by the Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Black Sabbath and Angelic Upstarts, Disruptive Influence shows promise to be loud, lively and in your face.
Their first headline show was at the notorious Croft in Bristol, the boys have since started recording their first EP and played venues all over their home city and the South West.
15:00 Hazard
Hazard are a young band from Luton, formed in 2010. With rough vocals, knuckle dragging guitar riffs, driving bass and drums as loud as howitzers; HAZARD deliver a gut punching set.
Audiences liken Hazard to bands such as The Clash, U.K. Subs, Stiff Little Fingers, Nirvana and Fugazi.
14:00 Delinquents
Delinquents are a three piece punk outfit with influences ranging from Green Day to The Smiths, from The Replacements to GBH.
With an ear for a good old-fashioned melody and an ability to throw a punk influenced shoe-gazing number together, it all ends up as a glorious melodic fast-paced mess. The band have putting on their own shows in intimate venues in Dundee to raise donations for their local foodbanks as well as playing all over Scotland. Sharing stages and making friend with their heroes, Delinquents make as many friends off – stage as they do on it.
13:00 Young Francis
Young Francis is a one man Ramones, with a touch of John Cooper Clarke wit. Playing infectious bite size punky pop with great crowd interaction and banter, he captivates with snappy tunes and buckets full of enthusiasm.
Information
The Wessex One Faith Punk Festival – MECA Swindon – Saturday 20 May 2017.
Doors: 12 noon – 12 midnight
Tickets: general admission – £20, Students / U18s – £15.
Tickets & info: www.onefaith.co.uk Facebook @OneFaithPunk
Tickets also available from Swindon Central Library.
For further information please contact:
Duncan Robinson
