80S KIDS GROWING OLD DISGRACEFULLY

HENLEY’S Rewind Festival is fast becoming a Mecca for the UK’s die-hard 80s fans who refuse to grow old gracefully.

While Reading and the V-Festival draws a younger, more happening crowd, Rewind is the domain of middle-aged music lovers, armed with rugs and camping chairs and determined to act like overgrown school kids.

The annual weekend festival is now the biggest of its kind in the country, with dozens of headline acts and thousands of 80s kids reliving their youth in all variety of costumes. And even – surprise surprise – young people who openly admit to loving 80s music. 

Onlookers could be forgiven for mistaking the concert for a huge fancy dress party, as Darth Vader mingles with the Smurfs, Oompa Loompas, Bucks Fizz and Freddie Mercury in a bizarre mish-mash of everything 80s.

But amidst the colourful chaos is a well-orchestrated eclectic mix of 80s acts interspersed with the best loved karaoke tunes and videos of the decade to keep the crowd wanting more.

Saturday’s weather turned cloudy and wet but the line-up promised a brighter day with 80s stalwarts Nik Kershaw, Billy Ocean, Heaven 17 and Kim Wilde, among others, who did not disappoint.

Proving he can still float everybody’s boat was Billy Ocean whose medley of hits rocked the audience. Caribbean Queen, When the Going Gets Tough and Get out of my Dreams got the crowd to its feet, while Love Train sparked a huge colourful conga around the festival site.

Nik Kershaw proved he still has his 80s magic by performing his much-loved hits and prompting a mass sing-a-long to chart toppers I Won’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me and The Riddle. With a voice as strong as ever, Nik never fails to satisfy the crowd, this being his third year at the Henley festival.

Headlining Saturday’s line-up was American band the B-52’s – one of several acts from the USA this year to grace the stage. Their first lengthy but relatively unknown tune failed to crank up the crowd; it was only when they played their famous Love Shack that the audience went wild.

Sunday’s sunnier outlook provided a magical moment as The Orchestra featuring ELO former members belted out Mr Blue Sky, reflecting the glorious weather.

Other highlights of the day included the seemingly obscure songwriter Paul Carrack whose repertoire of top ten hits were immediately recognisable by a previously quizzical audience.

These included In the Living Years, the poignant Mike and the Mechanics song, as well as Tempted –the well-known hit by Squeeze.   

When Matt Bianco’s female singer greeted the audience with “Hello old timers!” it was touch and go whether there would be mass offence or amusement. Luckily a riot did not ensue and the audience delighted in the saxophone-fuelled jazzy offerings including Get out of your Lazy Bed.

Rewind veterans ABC and Go West were as popular as ever, while the Pointer Sisters closed the night with a glamorous, tassel-swinging rendition of hits such as Jump, Automatic and I’m So Excited. Thank Crunchie it was Sunday!

As revellers spilled out to head home to their lazy beds, costumes drooping and wigs adrift, the more energetic strutted their stuff in the silent disco determined not to let the sun go down on their little piece of the 80s.