Duckie, a cabaret clubbing extravaganza at Brighton Dome

Mods Versus Rockers

Duckie turn the famous beach battle into a cabaret clubbing extravaganza at Brighton Dome

Are you a mod or are you a rocker? Exactly 50 years ago this summer, mods and rockers fought their first battles on the beaches and streets of Brighton. Now, over Brighton Pride 2014 weekend, post-queer vintage club-mongers Duckie recreate this historical epoch in music, dance, performance and choreography with a Mods Versus Rockers club night at Brighton Dome Concert Hall on Saturday 2 August from 9pm. It’s for brutish benders and vintage trenders, lezbo rockers and tranny schlockers, well dressed str8s coming with their mates, odd bods and queer mods. It’s a club, it’s a contest, it’s a performance punch up at the seaside. But who will win? You decide!


Notorious comedian, writer and broadcaster Amy Lamé acts as the club night’s MC and referee. An unrivalled indie-disco hostess with the mostess, the former Mayoress of London Borough of Camden and co-founder of Duckie is no stranger to Brighton following four critically acclaimed solo shows including Amy Lamé’s Mama Cass Family Singers and Unhappy Birthday.

“If you like your theatre raucous, ridiculous and insanely affable, Lamé is undoubtedly the girl for you,” says The Huffington Post.

For this special evening of wanton mischief-making she will be ably assisted by Duckie DJs Readers Wifes in presenting an eclectic bill of deck chair-wielding performers including Fingersnap (the new musical collaboration between David McAlmont and Guy Davies), vintage styled garage surf rock from The Caezars, and Brighton favourites The Two Wrongies, The Actionettes and Lorraine Bowen.

Completing the party are Black Elvis, Piney Gir, The Test Shot, Miss High Leg Kick, Robin Whitmore and The Drakes, whilst Open Barbers will be on hand to sculpt your very own mods or rockers hair-do and Lucille Power presents her very own scooter-led rev-a-thon (note: audiences should also prepare themselves for a dozen Lesley Ash clones). Set across two stages – with performers split into groups of either Mods or Rockers – it’s up to punters to vote after each set to finally determine who should be crowned the victor in this decades long battle.

This unique clubbing event is the brainchild of Duckie – the post-gay performance and events collective that create event culture: audience interactive experiences that blur the boundaries between theatre, nightclubs and arty show business. From their legendary 18-year weekly residency at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern to winning Olivier awards at the Barbican, these pony purveyors of progressive working class entertainment mix live art and light entertainment.

“Duckie are not just roguish pranksters,” remarked The Guardian, “but chroniclers of the sickness at the heart of 21st-century life.”

Duckie work in a tradition of British illegitimate theatre that spans centuries – from music hall to punk rock, penny gaffs to the fairground, gaudy variety to underground clubbing – combining their big shows and clubs with a triptych of small socially engaged arts clubs; The Posh Club (a weekly cabaret for people in their 90s, 80s, 70s and 60s), The Youth Club (an LGBT youth theatre) and The Slaughterhouse Club (an arts project for homeless alcoholics and addicts in Vauxhall).

So then Brighton, it’s time to pick sides. Mod or rocker? Please dress accordingly and come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough!

Duckie presents clubbing extravaganza Mods Versus Rockers on S­­­aturday 2 August from 9pm to 3am at Brighton Dome Concert Hall. Tickets are £12, available from brightondome.org, on 01273 709709 or in person via the ticket office on New Road.