The Specials Live in Concert.
By Farida Zeynalova.
DesiMag Exclusive! The Specials come home to rapturous welcome by SKA fans in Coventry.
The Specials were true musical pioneers during the era of punk and began the revival of SKA music in Coventry and then throughout the UK and Europe.
Formed in Coventry back in 1977 the band combined jaunty danceable SKA with an infusion of political and social observations of a trouble 70s Britain.
The messages do at times sound dated but the music is as fresh and danceable now as it ever was.
The Ricoh arena was packed to the rafters with 12000 SKA fans turning out to watch a band that have now become icons in Coventry and the surrounded area.
As the lights in the arena dimmed Neville Staples familiar voice doomed out "Al Capones guns don’t argue" and the music started with Gangsters The Specials first hit back in the 70s.
The bass beat was hammered out by John Bradbury on drums and Horace Panter on bass as the band bounced around the stage as if they were in their 20s again and the crowed bounced with them. You often wondered would this arena floor stand up to 12000 fans bouncing SKA fans bouncing in time to the SKA beat.
As the first song ended to a rapturous ovation Lynvil Golding shouted out to the crowd " hello Coventry we are home " with an obvious response from the people of Coventry..
The band continued through their repertoire and every song was met with the same raptrapturous response. However when the opening bars from Monkey Man ( recently recorded by Amy Whinehouse before her untimely death ) were heard the sound and response from the fans went to another level with all 12000 dancing and singing along to every lyric to the point where they drowned out the voice of Terry Hall completely. 
As the band finished the concert the fans refused to moved and continuous shouts of " Rude Boys Rude Boys " and chants of " Specials, Special" eventually saw the band come back on stage for a lengthy version of the bands number one hit Ghost Town, a song that was written about Coventry during its hard times in the early 80s. Following the song the band once again left the stage to a crescendo of noise that you felt may take the roof of the Arena, and as once again as the fans refused for the night to end the band came back for one last number. Prior to the song Terry Hall reminded the fans that they are now a lot older and not as fit as they use to be and this definitely was to be the last number . He should have told Neville Staples that who at 58 covered every inch of the stage time and time again and throughout the concert never stayed in one place. They finished the night with "you’re wondering now what to do now this is the end "
The concert was memorable for many reasons, The music sounded as polished as ever, the numerous fans dressed in SKA clothing complete with the iconic trilby hat, The message of racial harmony was loud and clear but for me the memory of all ages, and all races coming together to enjoy a terrific night of SKA music back in its home City of Coventry, the city that gave birth to the Two Tone record label.
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