The Service at Coughlans Bar

Last Saturday night, I had the opportunity to see ‘The Service’ perform live at Coughlan’s Bar on Douglas Street, and I must say it was a truly unforgettable experience. The atmosphere created by the band’s performance of Ska music from the early 80s was electrifying, and the audience loved it.

For those unfamiliar with Ska music, it originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and became popular in the UK and Ireland during the 2 Tone movement in the late 1970s and early 80s. Ska is characterized by a syncopated beat, horn section, and upbeat tempo. It has been influential in the development of many modern music genres, such as reggae, punk rock, and hip-hop.

The Service’s performance was a tribute to this influential era of music, and they did an excellent job of capturing the energy and excitement of the genre. It’s impossible to listen to this music and not start bouncing up and down with the beat!


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A Tour of Coventry Music Museum

Last June I visited The Coventry Music Museum. It’s a wonderful experience for anyone who knows anything about Ska music.

After hearing the sad news that Terry Hall passed away I had to dig up these photos for you. There were so many nice messages on Mastodon this morning on the #TerryHall hashtag I think a lot of people will be interested to see the actual car that was used in the Ghost Town video.

The car was found in a very bad state of disrepair and was lovingly restored by fans who volunteer at the museum.

The bedroom has a huge number of posters and just stuff that you’ll recognise if you grew up in the UK or Ireland in the 80s.

The guitar is a Fender Telecaster that was signed by all The Specials prior to their return in 2008.

The organ was used by Jerry Dammers in Ghost Town.

This is only a selection of what’s there in the museum. If you’re around Coventry it’s well worth a visit!


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