Liverpool’s Cavern Club to host Mod festival over May Day weekend next year

Nov 8 2009 Laura Sharpe

Mods 460

FIFTY years after the Mods took to the streets on their scooters, Liverpool will hold its own special festival.

Modrophonic May Day Weekend (MM1) in Mathew Street, will celebrate everything great about the Mod culture, bringing scooters, Fred Perry clothing and sounds of the Jam to the city fir the first time.

And like London has its Carnaby Street, Liverpool’s Mathew street will throng with the sounds of Mod live music blasting out of the Cavern. After years of being one of the only cities without a dedicated Mod festival, the two day event has already had the potential to become a regular fixture alongside the Mathew Street and Beatles Festival.The weekend is the brainchild of music promoter Val Weedon, who worked for Mod band The Small Faces and their manager Don Arden (Sharon Osbourne’s father) back in 1966.

She was contacted by Mod fans and Liverpool Scooter Club desperate for a further revival of the Mod heyday in the 1960s.

Eddie Penny, a bus driver from Walton, is one of the fans leading the May Day event after becoming a fan back in the 1970s.

Eddie, 40, said: “Me and my colleagues at Gilmoss Bus Depot were all around in the 1970s and early 1980 when there was a revival and we’ve stayed Mod fans, touring around the country watching the likes of the Who, the Jam, Ocean Colour Scene and the Specials.”

Eddie, who snubs other designer clothing for Fred Perry or Ben Sherman, said it’s shameful the city hasn’t recognised the Mod following before.

He said: “There are loads of Mod fans and it’s not just about the older bands but we love Oasis and Brit Pop which revived the Mod scene.

“It’s shameful that we haven’t had anything in the city before, the Who once played at the Cavern so it’s right the weekend should be held there.”