Bad Manners, The Beat featuring Rankin Jnr, Lobster & Mazzy Snape

B:Music presents: A Night of Ska at Birmingham Town Hall. Originally brought to life in Jamaica during the '50s, and with a rich and longstanding history, Ska has transcended time and arrives September 2025 in the heart of Birmingham for a night of live music, DJ sets and dancing.

Bad Manners were one of the many bands to take their inspiration from the Specials and the Ska revival movement in England in the late 1970s. They quickly became the novelty favourites of the fad through their frontman's silly on-stage antics, earning early exposure through 2-Tone Records package tours and an appearance in the live documentary Dance Craze. Outrageous and enigmatic, they remain as one of the country’s best loved live acts.

Lobster are a six-piece reggae and hip-hop influenced punk band from Birmingham formed in 2009. Rarely sticking to one genre for too long, they go from melodic roots reggae to downright dirty, dubby punk and all the way back through soulful hip-hop and upbeat ska. They have closed TEDx events at the Library of Birmingham, presented live music showcases at the REP Theatre and are seasoned performers of Birmingham’s underground pubs and clubs. The band have a deep respect for live events and understand how to engage and entertain a wide variety of audiences.

The Beat crossed over fluidly between soul, reggae, pop and punk, and from these disparate pieces, created an infectious dance rhythm. Along with their contemporaries The Specials, The Selecter, and Madness, the band became an overnight sensation and one of the most popular and influential bands of the British Ska movement. The Beat featuring Rankin Jnr continue to perform all the classic hits in their dynamic live shows.

DJ Mazzy Snape is a vinyl DJ specialising in mod, ska and soul who has warmed up for Terry Hall, Russ Winstanley and many more. Promoter of The Night Owl and Birmingham International Ska & Reggae Festival. We look forward to welcoming Mazzy as a host for this special event.