Seventies hitmakers Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel will be headlining this year’s Bermondsey Carnival, a day of music and fun that attracts thousands of revellers to Southwark Park.
This year’s programme of live music also features Nine Below Zero, Jo N’Gala Bantu Blues and Mancie Baker.
There will be lots of family activities including the SE16 Dance Hall created by local dancers, musicians and entrepreneur Laura Erwin, Millwall FC, Dockland Bell ringers, climbing walls, the BMX track, food from around the world, a massive second hand market, sports and games and Reuben Bond’s funfair.
The internationally renowned Kinetika Bloco will also return with parade.
Here’s the News’ full run down of the day’s line-up:
Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel – 6.30pm
Steve was born in Deptford and is excited to be returning to his south London roots.
From an early age he realised he wanted to be in a band after being inspired by meeting the Rolling Stones. Steve’s musical journey kicked off in London folk clubs and progressed to him forming Cockney Rebel. The band were quickly scouted and signed by EMI Records and went on to release several hit albums which spawned many hit singles, the most notable being the timeless Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) which became the top selling hit of 1975 and is regularly voted among the top singles in history and is still one of the most played records on popular radio stations to this day.
Read an interview with Steve Harley about his ‘homecoming’ here.
Nine Below Zero – 5pm
Nine Below Zero are the UK’s top blues band, renowned for their tireless spirit, non-stop touring and nailing their home grown blues to the floor of stages, worldwide.
Formed in south London, back in 1977 during the punk era, NBZ honed their sound on the pub rock circuit including regular gigs in the Thomas A Beckett and the Apples and Pears in Bermondsey, where their celebrated harmonica player Mark Feltham grew up.
Along the way they have shared the stage with a veritable who’s who of the rock and blues scene. They are equally at home in venues large or small and are just as vibrant and unpredictably brilliant as they have always been.
Jo N’Gala Bantu Blues – 3.30pm
Jo N’Gala‘s Bantu Blues encapsulates a blend of philosophy and human experience in his imaginative musical rhythms and beats to conjure music that brings to the stage a truly authentic flavour of Africa and its culture.
Mancie Baker –2.10pm
Mancie Baker, 16, is set to create a south east London entertainment dynasty as she follows in her father’s footsteps of fame. The singer-songwriter is the daughter of presenter, writer and DJ, Danny Baker, and has been packing regulars into the Pelton Arms in Greenwich with a solo spot every Sunday afternoon.
“All I do is listen to music, that’s all I do. I just started playing the guitar. I thought, I can do this,” she said. “It was a lot of Googling how to play the guitar and YouTube and stuff. It didn’t take that long because you only learn the basics of guitar and that’s all you need.”
Bermondsey Voice Choir – 1pm
Bermondsey Voices is a community choir made up from people across the world – including Belgium, Australia, Ghana and the UK, and their musical director, Kristina, is from Sweden.
Only two and a half years old, the choir has racked up quite a list of performances including at the Young Vic, the Southbank Centre, they sing with gusto every September at the fun and funky Bermondsey Street Festival and in December, they hold a sparkling and fabulous Christmas concert in a packed St James’ Church.
The SE16 Dance Hall
Programmed by SE16 Dance, this space is alive with international dance, workshops and live music throughout the day.
Acts will include performances including traditional Irish dance from the award-winning Carragher Academy, Zumberettes, Camberwell-based Future Essense, GDND Dance, Aim High, Albion Primary School and MIA Dancers.
There will also be some great musicians performing, including Brodie McBride and The Quay Players. Or take part in Dance Fit, Parkour or contemporary dance workshops.
Other activities
- Millwall FC Bus community scheme with giveaways and have a go sessions and special visit from Zampa the Lion
- Reuben Bonds traditional funfair
- Food from around the world
- Rumble in the Jumble, a second hand and vintage market
- The Youth Service and their ten metre high climbing wall
- Vauxhall City Farm
- Dockland Bellringers if you’ve always fancied a pull
- Gym challenge with Fusion
- Pop-up parks, providing playful and active fun for children and their families
- Friends of Southwark Park with traditional games
- Storytelling from Southwark libraries
- Face painting and dressing up with
- Southwark’s early years service
- A graffiti wall and graffiti printing on bags by Bizzy BodiesThe NHS health check bus for your health MOT.
- Talkaoke, a pop up chat show debating Southwark homes
- Pot a Plant and crafts activities with Time and Talents
- Learn more about recycling with Veolia
- Drop into the circus skills workshops and juggle and scarf, spin a plate or get on some stilts
- New this year is the cycling area. There are lots of fun bike based activities including a BMX pump track, a junior track for the littleun’s, pedal-powered Scalextric and smoothie making and the bike park is now in the event site.