Ease Squeeze on spending at Rewind

SQUEEZE will headline the Rewind South festival this summer.

The Seventies rock band will be making their debut at the retro music event to be held on Temple Island Meadows in Remenham in August for the 14th year.

The other headliner at the weekend festival will be Andy Bell, who was lead singer with Eighties synth pop band Erasure.

It will also be his first time at the event and he will perform on the Saturday.

Bell, now 58, and Erasure had five consecutive No 1 albums, which spawned hit singles A Little Respect, Sometimes and Always.

Squeeze, who will perform on the Sunday, comprise songwriters Glenn Tilbrook, now 65, and Chris Difford, 68, as well as Simon Hanson, Stephen Large, Steve Smith, Owen Biddle and Melvin Duffy. The group, which formed in 1974, came to prominence with chart hits including Cool for Cats, Up the Junction and Labelled with Love.

Also appearing on the opening night is former Haircut 100 singer Nick Heyward, 61, who lives in Stoke Row, and who performed at the opening night of the Henley Living Advent Calendar in December. He last appeared at Rewind in 2020.

Other acts include Nik Kershaw, UB40, The Undertones, The South, ABC, Heatwave, Martin Kemp with a DJ set and a joint performance by The Art of Noise, Revision and VJ Set.

The other Sunday performers are Tony Hadley, lead singer of Spandau Ballet, who last appeared at Rewind in 2016, Go West, Toyah, Brother Beyond, Heaven 17, The Farm, Marc Almond, Big Country, China Crisis and Red Box.

The main stage show on Saturday will be presented by Pat Sharp, of Greatest Hits Radio, while Sunday will be hosted by Clive Jackson, alias The Doctor, of glam rock band Doctor and the Medics.

The Pink Flamingo Club will again be in the “Big Top”, an Eighties-themed nightclub. On the Friday night, actor Shaun Williamson, who plays Barry Evans in EastEnders, will stage “Barrioke”, accompanying participants on stage. In addition to the main stage, there will be Disco Inferno, a silent disco, funfair rides and a kid-zone for children as well as shops and stalls.

There will also be an inflatable church for those wanting to “tie the knot” in Eighties style.

The festival will conclude with a fireworks display.

Executive producer Steve Porter said: “We are always looking to do something new and fresh and we are always chasing artists to perform.

“We have been after Andy Bell and Squeeze for a while. They straddle a couple of eras.

“Andy and Erasure bring a more pop angle while Squeeze were well known in the Seventies and Eighties and both have had big hits.

“I think icon status can be thrown around a bit but Squeeze certainly have a bit of that.

“While it is important to have new things, we have also brought back Tony Hadley and ABC who haven’t played at Rewind for a while. Tony in particular has been doing a lot of tours around the world so we’re thrilled to have him back.

“I think the fans who come like the familiar and Rewind has become such a destination festival for a lot of people, particularly in Henley, as people see their friends.”

Mr Porter said that during the cost of living crisis, Rewind was the ideal event to provide cheer and good value.

“With everything going on, people want escapism,” he said.

“When you look at going to the theatre, you might go out for dinner and then there’s the cost of transport.

“The reality of Rewind is that for the same sort of money you are getting three days of entertainment with 22 acts.”

Rewind South will take place from Friday to Sunday, August 18 to 20. Tickets go on sale from 9am today (Friday) at https://south.rewindfestival.com