Celebrating Our Great British Youth Culture Heritage
The Dreamland Trust's Soul Town Weekend is a celebration of our great British
Youth Culture Heritage and marks the 48th anniversary of the youth riots that took
place in British seaside towns around the UK during Whitsun bank holiday weekend
in 1964.
Margate found itself on the front pages of the national press reporting how
violent clashes resulted in over 40 arrests and four men being jailed in the Margate
Magistrates Court (now Margate Museum). In his summing up Chairman, Dr George
Simpson, described the youths as; " ... long-haired, mentally unstable, petty little
hoodlums, these sawdust Caesars who can only find courage like rats hunting in
packs, came to Margate with the avowed intent on interfering with the life and
properties of its inhabitants." A speech later immortalised in the teen cult classic 1979
film, Quadrophenia.
Throughout the 1960s Dreamland was a major music venue supporting fledgling
bands such as The Who, The Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds. Margate became a
destination for young people to meet, parade and create their own unique style and
culture.
This Whitsun weekend soul tunes will be played across various venues in
Margate's iconic Old Town vintage quarter along with other activities including the
DIY Jukebox - it does what it says on the tin - and special screenings of Dean
Chalkleely's award award-winning film, Young Souls, plus his latest film, The New
Faces: A Short Film. This, a documentary showcases the continuing popularity of the
sixties-born youth cult and is a study of eight Mods bound together by a shared
passion for smart dressing, rare soul, socialising and dancing.
Soul Town Weekend 2012 line up and venues can be found on the Dreamland
Trust's website www.dreamlandmargate.com.
Nick Laister (Chairman, The Dreamland Trust)
Jan Leandro (Audience Development Officer)
www.dreamlandmargate.com
www.savedreamland.co.uk
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