Coventry Godiva Festival has added two founder members of The Specials to play sets at this years event, with Horace Panter's Uptown Ska Collective playing on the Sunday 6th and Neville Staple bringing his own distinctive brand of Ska on Saturday 5th.

Neville Staple

“I was so pleased to be asked to return to Coventry Godiva Festival again this year. This must be one of the best free festivals in the country, right here in the city I call home. We had such a massive party with the fans last year and received brilliant fan feedback afterwards.

I will give them something extra special this year to show how grateful I am for their support, including performing some tracks from my brand new album ‘Ska Crazy’. Bring on de Coventry party vibes of the year, wid de Original Rudeboy – you hear me! He he!”

In addition to these two legends of the Ska scene, Ska star King Hammond will also be playing on the Saturday afternoon in the Rhythm Tent and with up and coming Ska starlets Barb’d Wire featuring original Coventry Rude Boy Trevor Evans also announced for Saturday. I

Opening the ska-influenced afternoon are The Activators, a 10-piece band whose line-up includes the world-renowned percussionist and producer Pablo Cook, formerly of Joe Strummer and the Mescalero’s, Pulp, Moby and Lily Allen fame. 

Coventry Godiva festival is now in its 15^th year and organisers are planning to announce the complete music line up along, including the Sunday headliners, with other festival news over the next week or two.