The Specials News

ROADWATERa S Mineral Line is hosting a performance from one of the UKa s leading dub/soul/ska acts, Pama International.

London, The Specials David Smyth's rating Description: The late 1970s and early 1980s Coventry 2-Tone innovators play their ska-pop hits.

SPIN recently visited the Brooklyn apartment of Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig for the magazine's "In My Room" section, where we show off the decor and beloved possessions of your favorite rock'n'rollers. CLICK TO ENLARGE: HOW TO VIEW EZRA'S ROOM: Click the image at right to pop-up a full image of Ezra's room, then scroll down on this page to ...

Just what is "2-Tone"? Otherwise known as the Second Wave of ska - the first being the reggae-tinged '60s Jamaican scene that produced the Wailers, the third the rock-tinged form that ruled the mid-'90s - this late-'70s strain originated from an English label whose roster included the Specials, Madness and Bad Manners.

THE last time The Specials visited these shores I was two. But just because I didn't experience the Coventry 2-tone kings the first time round didn't mean I was going to be left out of this party in St George's Market on Monday night.

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BURNHAM ska favourites The Communicators make their triumphant return to the Railway Hotel on November 14.

AMY Winehouse made a bold entrance yesterday at a music awards ceremony sporting a racy low-cut top - but failed to turn up on time to hand over a major prize.

GOOD old Amy Winehouse... She went from classy to slutty yesterday in the space of just a few hours.

IT'S 30 years since The Specials served up the first course of their ska revival menu to an unsuspecting British public with the hypnotic and all-round poptastic single Gangsters.

THOSE lucky enough to have tickets to see The Specials at Plymouth Pavilions can appropriately enough expect an incendiary show on Bonfire Night, November 5. Having formed at the height of the recession in the Seventies, they return at the height of another, 30 years down the line.

AMY WINEHOUSE caused chaos at the Q Awards in London on Monday when she got stuck in a lift as she was due to present a prize.

Making the most of her new curves, Amy arrives at the annual music awards with her goddaughter Dionne Photo: © Rex Lily, who won the best track prize, went for a classic look and was gorgeous in a long-sleeved beaded dress Photo: © Rex The Q Music Awards always provide a number of talking points, from the red carpet fashion to the winners ...

Is there anything more patronising in today's papers than Gordon Smart patting Lynval Golding on the head for having a cheap meal? THE IVY, Nobu or Cipriani - posh London restaurants where you expect to see celebs tucking into some post-awards bash grub.

Allen trooped up to accept her gong with a pint of lager in her hand, then marched back to her table where she promptly sparked up - an obvious no-no in these days of the smoking ban.

Lily Allen, Muse and Lady Gaga were among the winners at this year's Q magazine music awards, but there was no fond farewell for Oasis.

If you go to Tufts, I feel that I can safely assume you've had a pretty crappy week.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday said British National Party leader Nick Griffin's appearance on BBC political programme Question Time would expose the party as "racist and unacceptable". Anti-racism groups and government ministers have criticised the publicly-funded BBC for giving Griffin a slot as a panellist on the Question Time television ...

With a number of UK tours under their belts and a summer full of festival performances Pama International now prepare for a full national tour including a fistful of dates supporting The Specials.