• The Specials @ Open House, Bangor

    August 29, 2019 - By 

    In the tour-heavy years since reforming back in 2008, The Specials have continuously re-affirmed their status not simply as bona fide 2-tone legends, they have underlined their ironclad rep as one of the all-time greats. Vital and visionary in equal measure, few acts, anywhere in the world, have equally defined and transcended genre like they have, all the while keeping two eyes firmly fixed on the horizon. Off the back of the release of Encore – their first album with vocalist Terry Hall since 1981 – the band’s generation-spanning set at Bangor Seafront tonight as part of Open House 2019 only…

  • The Specials @ The Olympia, Dublin

    April 16, 2019 - By 

    With The Specials’ last tour here being November 2014, it should have come as no surprise that they sold out all three nights in an instant. Adding to the anticipation is the fact this highly influential band finally decided to release new music, in the form of this year’s Encore. As a result night two was a feverish hive of positive energy and activity, as a multitude of skinheads, mods, punks, rude girls and bootboys of varying ages and hair lines, beamed and skanked their way throughout a sweaty 90 minute set of two-tone classics, sliced with a few new…

  • The Specials Set For Open House Festival

    March 14, 2019 - By 

    English 2 Tone legends The Specials will play Bangor’s Open House festival in the summer. The Terry Hall-fronted band – who released their long-awaited eighth studio album, Encore, last month – will play the seafront as part of this year’s festival on Sunday, August 25. Tickets cost £45 and go on sale tomorrow (Friday, March 15) at 9am. Featuring 140 events, spanning music, theatre, comedy, books, spoken word, film, food & drink and visual art, the full programme for Open House 2019 will be announced in May. Previously announced, the Specials will also play three dates at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre across April…

  • The Specials Announce Dublin Return

    October 30, 2018 - By 

    2-Tone heroes The Specials have announced their return to Dublin next year. Having last played the city back in 2014, the Coventry band will play Olympia Theatre on April 11th. The show is part of the band’s 40th anniversary tour, and coincides with the release of a new album, Encore – the band’s first new music in 37 years. Tickets go on sale on Friday, November 2 at 9am.

  • Monday Mixtape: Horace Panter (The Specials)

    October 5, 2015 - By 

    Artist and co-founding bassist of 2-Tone legends The Specials, Horace Panter reveals his ten all-time favourite tracks, including Laurel Aitken, Nirvana and The Rolling Stones. Spencer Davis Group – Trampoline The Bside to their 1966 Fontana release ‘When I Come Home’. Sounds like Booker T & the MG’s but was recorded by four young men from Kingstanding in Birmingham! When I was 13, I imagined myself as a pirate radio DJ. This was my theme tune – it still is! Robert Ward – Pour Me One More Drink  An out-take from his 1992 album on the New Orleans ‘Black Top’ label. Sarah Brown on…

  • The Specials Announce Dublin and Belfast Shows

    February 18, 2014 - By 

    Marking the anniversary of their current reunion, English ska legends The Specials have announced that will return for a couple of Irish shows in 2014, at the Olympia in Dublin and the Ulster Hall, Belfast on November 3 and 4 respectively. The tour – kicking off in Dublin – will culminate in a show at Nottingham’s Rock City on November 22. Tickets for the Dublin show are priced at €49.65 – the Belfast listing is yet to be announced. Both go on sale this Friday, 21 at 9 am from Ticketmaster. Check out our review of the Specials’ Ulster Hall last year here.

  • The Specials – Ulster Hall, Belfast

    May 9, 2013 - By 

    Two years on from their phenomenal performance at Belsonic 2011 – not to mention an astonishing thirty-four years since first performing Queens University way back in 1979 – ska/2-tone pioneers The Specials return to Belfast tonight very much assured of their legendary status. Despite lacking founding member Jerry Dammers since reforming in 2008 and now missing vocalist Neville Staples this year due to health reasons, there is a definite air of celebration and mild hysteria in the air, undoubtedly spurred on by the looming, gratefully-received safety net of a next day Bank Holiday. Diving straight into the hectic ska of…