Happy Monday's legend 'Bez' is heading to Newcastle for England's crunch World Cuo last-16 game with Senegal on Sunday.
Bez will be on stage as ranting lead preacher and mover that hosts the party at the NX World Cup Fan Zone, powered by Box to Box, while his son Arlo hits the decks spinning massive football, Hacienda, and 'Madchester' classics. Taking to the mic, the ‘Madchester’ legend will be bringing his energetic live DJ and MC show, which pays homage to the greatest hits from the 90s – with his iconic dance moves and plenty of interaction with the Geordie faithful audience.
Promising a full set before and after the game, which will be beamed on a giant screen at NX on Westgate Road (formerly the o2 Academy), Bez said: “I've always loved coming to Newcastle and I can't wait to see you everybody! Let's get our freaky dancing on and smash Senegal. It's coming home!”
Read more: 'We're going to win the World Cup' - Roof raised on Newcastle Fanzone as England thrash Wales 3-0
Formed in Salford, England, Happy Mondays were one of the most influential groups of the 80s and 90s. Led by frontman Shaun Ryder, the group fused the UK’s indie and emerging acid house scenes to help mint the genre-defying sound that would be termed ‘Madchester’ come the end of the decade.
Whereas contemporaries such as The Stone Roses or Inspiral Carpets played indie music with a dance shuffle, The Mondays concocted a brew that was far more adventurous and potent. Everything from 70s funk, Detroit techno, psychedelia, hip-hop and even country music could be pulled into the group’s intoxicating grooves.
Leading the melee was Ryder and his genius wordplay – a surrealist blend of drug slang, Lancastrian idioms and his own bizarre sense of humour. Following unwieldy-titled 87 debut, Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out), the band found their swagger with 88’s Bummed.
A gleefully debauched fever dream of a record, if The Stone Roses’ debut album from the same year produced a second summer of love-ready burst of chiming indie rock, on tracks such lurching opener Country Song or Wrote For Luck’s hypnotic clatter, Bummed still sounds today like the work of a bunch of funkadelic scallies from another planet.
90’s Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches emerged from its predecessor’s heady fug, tightened up the band’s sound and produced some of their best-loved tracks including perennial indie disco staples Kinky Afro, Loose Fit and Step On.
Newcastle’s newest major live music and entertainment venue NX Newcastle will on Sunday welcome a 1,500-strong crowd to the England World Cup Fan Zone. The venue offers football fans the ultimate World Cup party, giving supporters the chance to come together under one roof to experience all of England’s matches on the biggest indoor screen in the city.
And, having rectified teething technical issues for the first game, it can't wait to welcome Bez and Newcastle's football mad crowd this coming Sunday.
For tickets and more information, head to nxnewcastlle.com
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