14 June 2025 (gig)
16 June 2025
Sun, sea and sand were the order of the day at the first ever Rewind Festival-on-Sea at Margate’s iconic Dreamland.
Luckily, flash flooding caused by torrential rain and storms on the Friday night did not turn the dream into a nightmare and thanks to the swift actions and dedicated teamwork of both Dreamland and Rewind Festival staff, the show could go on. And what a sun-soaked spectacle it was, with former Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley topping the bill.
Usually weekend affairs, this was Rewind’s second one-day festival, following hot on the heels of Rewind Dublin the week before, with both line-ups appealing to the Rewind faithful and 80s music lovers.
Just like at the Rewind weekend festivals, there was a colourful mixture of costumed festival goers dressed in day-glo and 80s characters. In any other festival, it might feel out of place to be standing in the crowd next to Ming from Flash Gordon, and a cast from Top Gun, but that’s how Rewind rocks.
This new festival tapped into the retro funfair heritage of this historic venue, which dates all the way back to the late 19th century. With fairground painting adorning the stage, and the iconic Scenic Railway as a backdrop, Rewind-on-sea gave the audience a huge dose of nostalgia.
Margate was, of course, the setting of the famous 1989 Only Fools and Horses Jolly Boys Outing episode, so what better way to open the live music than with Chas and Dave tribute band Gertcha, whose set featured the Only Fools theme tune. Lead singer Matt and keyboardist Pete (who also plays in the Rewind house band) got the beano off to a great start with their Rockney classics such as Rabbit, Ain’t No Pleasing You, Snooker Loopy, and the piece de resistance Rodney, was of course, their hit song Margate.
Gertcha were followed by a triple treat of females whose powerful voices were a big part of the 80s soundtrack - Tiffany, Toyah and T-Pau.
Tiffany’s iconic teenage anthem I Think We’re Alone Now recaptured the teen spirit of the 80s. Rocking a sequinned skirt, with denim jacket and fishnets, Tiffany always brings the energy and girl-next-door vibe. Indeed, she was only a girl herself when that catchy song rocketed her to stardom.
Always wowing the crowd with her flamboyant performances, punk-Queen Toyah strutted her stuff to songs including It’s a Mystery, I Want to Be Free and aptly for the setting, a cover of Martha and the Muffins’ Echo Beach, all of which went down a treat.
Fresh from her success on the Radio 2 Piano Room session with Vernon Kay, Carol Decker with T’Pau treated the crowd to hits including Heart and Soul, and her No 1 smash hit China in Your Hands. As always, her pitch-perfect voice reverberated throughout the arena.
Next up was the glam electro-pop duo Heaven 17, Glenn Gregory and Martyn Ware, whose dazzling outfits matched their striking performance. What a hit with the crowd. Channelling their inner Bowie, the guys produced a stunning rendition of the starman’s Let’s Dance, a regular crowd favourite at Heaven 17 concerts. Other songs included (We Don’t Need) This Fascist Groove Thang before concluding with a magical extended version of their 1983 hit Temptation.
British seaside humour wouldn’t be the same without a doctor in the house, and right on cue, was Rewind’s comedy compere Clive Jackson, who also performed Spirit in the Sky with his Doctor and the Medics band.
Of course, as we were nearing the setting of the sun, who better to grace us on stage but the inimitable Nik Kershaw whose rendition of I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, combined with the memory-infused venue, really touched an emotional chord with the audience. No doubt his songs would have been top of the charts as their teenage selves enjoyed days out at the venue’s Mary Rose and Big Wheel, so the songs really catapulted them right back to the 80s. Nik also performed a string of his much-loved other hits including The Riddle and Wouldn’t It Be Good.
With the 40th anniversary of Live Aid on the horizon, it was extra special to have one of the two event founders on the Dreamland stage. Always in tune with the Rewind audience, Midge performed a blistering set of his classic hits, from Fade to Grey to If I Was and Vienna, delivering a mesmerising guitar masterclass as well as a vocal one.
Closing the show was headliner Tony Hadley, another Live Aid phenomenon. Impeccably turned-out as always in his dapper suit, Tony packed in hit after hit, from early Spandau tracks such as Only When You Leave and Chant No 1, to the band’s unforgettable Top Ten hits Through The Barricades and True.
Tony finished his set with the Number Two smash hit, the anthemic Gold, which couldn’t have been more apt to close this new Rewind offering, that had luckily been soaked in golden rays for the whole concert, as well as invoking golden memories for the festival-goers.
This iconic and historic venue couldn’t have been a more apt choice for the ever-popular Rewind Festival. As you walk into Dreamland from the carpark there is a wall of incredible acts who have performed at the venue, from The Who to Bay City Rollers, Status Quo and Gerry and the Pacemakers, stretching through the decades. And there’s no doubt, that the acts who graced the stage this year at Rewind-on-Sea, would be fitting additions to this wall of fame in years to come.
Here's hoping this well-attended and clearly-loved new spin-off becomes an annual beano in the Rewind Festival calendar.
Photo credit: Timmie McLees
