Uptown Festival

Adorned in fez hats, Madness fans gathered under a perfect Sunday summer sun in the middle of Blackheath Common. Nostalgia swept through the predominantly baby-boomer crowd as Radio DJ David Rodigan prepared ska junkies for an afternoon of olden goldies, as he reminisced over the glory decades of the 70s and 80s that changed the course of music forever. His legendary playlist included iconic ska and reggae tunes from the likes of The Specials and Bob Marley, which could be enjoyed by VIPs from the comfort of the sofa lounge.

The evening was still young when The Lightning Seeds graced the stage with their single Marvellous from their 1994 album Jollification. Boasting seven studio albums under their belt, the setlist appeared to be a chronological timeline of their musical career that has spanned 40 years. Lead vocalist and songwriter, Ian Broudie, closed their one-hour set with a song he wrote for his son, The Life of Riley, which the crowd reacted fondly due to its association with the BBC football programme Match of the Day during the 90s.

Zuton Fever was not just the opening song for the Zutons, it was the theme of Uptown Festival. With only a six-track setlist, the tsunami of people grew further in anticipation of the band’s song Valerie, which achieved worldwide critical acclaim as a result of producer Mark Ronson’s cover album, Version, featuring the vocals of Amy Winehouse. The reinvention of the song that transitioned from an indie rock anthem into a Motown and retro Stax song became iconic, ruling the charts of 2007.

The night was fast approaching and the festival was at its maximum capacity before the esteemed seven-piece ska rocksteady band Madness opened their set with their first song and studio album One Step Beyond, released in 1979. A touching moment arose as lead guitarist and vocalist Chris Foreman introduced their former landlady, who they owed all their success to, having tolerated their noise over their formative years when the band started in their bedroom in Camden Town. The eclectic pop band kept their biggest hits for the end, including iconic love song It Must Be Love, Baggy Trousers and House of Fun. The band proved themselves to be true musicians and artists, having brought love and joy to millions of fans across the world.

The entire day of entertainment had to come to an end – however, the night was still young, with a lot of flyers for afterparties.