Lets face it, Torpoint is hardly a focal point for live music. Sure it has a number of excellent pub bands doing the rounds but it is unlikely capture the attention of any major artists, local or national. Therefore, when original Ska stalwarts Bad Manners announced a warm up gig for the Celtic Beer Festival at the Wheelers pub, it was quickly conceded that this maybe Torpoints Biggest Ever Gig.

OK, Bad Manners are no Madness, and if they were a football team their sole triumph would have been a place in the 1982 Milk Cup semi-finals, but nevertheless, it is a rare day when a band who have graced the UK charts boards the Tamar ferry and stops as soon as it gets across. Crossing with them would’ve been hoards of original two-toners from Plymouth, bald heads and beer guts rivalling those of the Manners lead singer, Buster Bloodvessel.  How this man is still alive I have no idea, but he still has a huge amount of energy which the crowd duly paid back in full, bouncing and bumping along to hits such as ‘Special Brew’, (UK no 3, 1980!), Lip up Fatty (‘YOU FAT BASTARD’ roared Buster and the crowd in unison) and classic covers such as the ‘Can Can’ and ‘My Girl Lollipop’.

By the end of night, soaked in sweat and feeling like I’d travelled back in time to the year of my birth, I had a sneaking suspicion that the 5th Wave of Ska was just around the corner….

Anthony Clifford