Return of the Scarborough Punk Festival to the Spa

The sold-out event features a wide range of both vintage and contemporary bands, three original versions of which appeared in the town during the heyday of their emergence on the UK live music scene.

Scorched-earth merchants The Exploited and their fellow protagonists of the second generation of bands Anti-Nowhere League, both appeared at the former Taboo club in Huntriss Row, whilst new wave outfit The Vapors performed at the renowned Penthouse in St. Nicholas Street.

The annual event has rapidly established itself as a leading festival of its kind in Britain in the relatively short period of its existence in the immediate post-Covid years.

Given the mid-70's origins of the pioneering Sex Pistols and the nascent punk movement, arguably the ultimate in music-based youth culture, many of the original protagonists and their aficionados, now ironically face imminent pensioner status.

Promoter Gary Stephenson is also the organiser of another extreme niche music event in the similarly sold-out black metal Fortress Festival, also staged again at Scarborough’s Spa complex at the end of May.

Dennis Greaves and Mark Feltham, two founding members of R&B outfit Nine Below Zero, who also emerged during the late 1970s Punk/New Wave period, are to appear at the Big Ideas by The Sea Festival on Thursday May 22.

The Scarborough Punk Festival takes place at The Spa from 12 noon March 29-30.