ESCAPE ARTISTS AND LUDDITE EXPLORATIONS PRESENTS: INTERSTELLAR FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SYD BARRETT FUND

Thursday June 17th

Featuring Skinbat Scramble, Criminal Suicide Ltd, Sissy and the Blisters and Luna Park Rescue

The memory of rock icon Syd Barrett is to be celebrated in Kent this June.

On Thursday June 17th the Tunbridge Wells Forum will be playing host to four bands all inspired by the late Syd Barrett, the original singer, songwriter and lead guitarist in Pink Floyd. The four bands have come out in force to raise money for the Syd Barrett Fund, set up by his sister Rosemary Breen following his death in 2006. The fund exists to support the work of Escape Artists, a socially inclusive arts charity, based in Cambridgeshire and London.

The Tunbridge Wells Forum show is the first in a series of events, building up to a London celebration of Syd Barrett this November. The Forum has been chosen as Escape Artists are teaming up with local promoter Ludger Wilmott, himself a massive fan of Syd Barrett.

Following the Kent gig in June, Interstellar will move to 93 Feet East in London, with a show in Syd Barrett’s home city Cambridge planned for early Autumn.

The climax will be the first ever London display of Syd Barrett’s paintings in November, with further events being planned to support the exhibition.

The Tunbridge Wells gig will launch Interstellar with a line up which reflects the diverse range of musicians influenced by Syd Barrett.

‘Skinbat Scramble’ open up with a post punk, psychedelic wall of sound. Forming in the late 1970s as an improvised and randomly written prog goth electro psychedelic art school band from the Punk Scene of Medway and London, The Skinbats have seen numerous line up changes, the current collective includes Karl Gent once of Mumm-Ra. Front man Mark Eason is a captivating performer, reciting his lyrics in a confrontational poetic style over experimental sounds and melodies provided by the guitar, bass and keys.
www.skinbatscramble.co.uk

Hard rock duo ‘Criminal Suicide Ltd’ is made up of front man and guitarist James and C.A. Jones who is responsible for the soundscape of drum loops, samples, sequences and backing vocals. Put together these two create a dark and mysterious atmosphere with the help of some unusual lyrics.
www.myspace.com/criminalsuicideltd

‘Sissy and the Blisters’ brighten things up with their guitar driven garage with a dollop of pop. Their early demo track ‘Gang of Three’ drew comparisons to early Horrors and The Raveonettes.
www.myspace.com/sissyandtheblisters

Bringing the night to an upbeat close are South East England-based three piece ‘Luna Park Rescue’. Formed in 2007, their music touches on many styles, often described as alternative, electronic, indie and experimental. Made up of music and art students Antony Armstrong, Joe Stanley and Joe Page, Luna Park Rescue are known for combining electronic beats with guitars, all manor of electronic sounds and bringing a more experimental and unconventional approach to pop music, something that has earned them airplay on BBC 6Music and BBC Radio Kent.
www.myspace.com/lunaparkrescue

Expect energetic performances, psychedelic noise and perhaps a few cover versions of Syd’s inspirational work, that said, it wouldn’t be a tribute to Syd Barrett if we knew exactly what was going to happen.

Tickets are £7, and can be bought from here