Belgrade Theatre Announces Coventry's Number One Song

The Belgrade Theatre has announced the winner of its campaign to name Coventry's favourite song.

The campaign was launched in connection with the Belgrade's brand new musical, Godiva Rocks, which will celebrate the city's musical history on the Main Stage this October.

Ghost Town by The Specials was chosen by a public vote as Coventry's number one song from a list of the 34 top ten hits by Coventry & Warwickshire artists.

Jerry Dammers, a founding member of The Specials and writer of Ghost Town said, "Thank you very much to everyone who voted for Ghost Town as the best record to come from Coventry. I really do appreciate that, it means a lot to me. It's a shame it had to come from the bad situation of unemployment all over the UK and let's hope we don't return to that situation again."

The top 10 songs as voted for by YOU are listed below.

COVENTRY'S TOP 10 SONGS:

1. Ghost Town - The Specials - WINNING SONG

2. A Message to you Rudy - The Specials

3. Will You - Hazel O'Connor

4. Too Much, Too Young - The Special AKA

5. Love and Pride - King

6. Crash - The Primitives

7. Away From Here - The Enemy

8. Mouldy Old Dough - Lieutenant Pigeon

9. JCB Song - Nizlopi

10. Gangsters - The Special AKA

Godiva Rocks will highlight Coventry's rich and vibrant musical history with a soundtrack of over 20 classic songs performed by a live band, and tells the story of boy meets girl on a fateful night at the Orchid Ballroom in 1964.

Girl meets boy in Coventry - but nothing, and nobody, is what they seem, all because of one extraordinary night at the Orchid Ballroom, back in December '64. Shady financier Leo Freeman's decision to knock down the Orchid ballroom has far-reaching consequences - as daughter Nell meets the extraordinary Patrick Vernon - and the hunt for a missing tape reveals a history of musical passions and romantic jealousies stretching back to the dawn of musical time.

The production, which is written by Alan Pollock and directed by Hamish Glen, reunites the same creative team behind the Belgrade's smash-hit Coventry Blitz play, One Night in November.

Writer Alan Pollock said, "At one level it's a simple girl-meets-boy story with a massive twist. (Massive!) But really it's a play about a search - of a boy for his father, and for a missing tape that encapsulates the perfect Coventry sound - the distillation of everything that makes this melting-pot city unique. And of course an excuse to highlight some of the greatest pop sounds ever to come out of Cov - twenty classic songs from the city."

Godiva Rocks continues the Belgrade's commitment to staging productions that reflect the stories of the city and region, such as Nick Walker's FA Cup play, We Love You City and, more recently, Bob Eaton's 2 Tone Musical Three Minute Heroes.

With the shortlist soon to be announced for UK City of Culture in 2021, the Theatre is also hoping that the new musical will help residents reclaim ownership and a sense of pride for Coventry's musical history, and promote the city on a national level.

The city is best-known as the birthplace of 2 Tone, with artists such as The Specials and The Selecter both originating from Coventry, but it has also been home to Hazel O'Connor, The Enemy, Frank Ifield and many other famous artists who helped put Coventry on the musical map

Godiva Rocks will run on the Main Stage at the Belgrade Theatre from Sat 7 to Sat 21 Oct. Tickets are available now priced from £19.75 by calling the Belgrade Box Office team on 024 7655 3055 or visit www.belgrade.co.uk.

Watch the campaign trailer below!

---

The Belgrade Theatre supports Coventry's bid to be the UK City of Culture 2021. The bid is being led by Coventry City of Culture Trust and, if successful, would bring social, cultural and economic benefits to the city.

The Belgrade Theatre is supported by Arts Council England who champion, develop and invest in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people's lives. Between 2015 and 2018, they plan to invest £1.1 billion of public money from government and an estimated £700 million from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country.

To post a comment, you must register and login.