Stage: Sirens are back

For the last six months or so Latest CIC has been involved in a Heritage Lottery funded project called Live & Let Live. The core of this is celebrating the diversity of the city and the heritage that is attached to this. And in our first part we have clearly focused on the LGBT+ community and the decade that closely followed on from the partial decriminalisation of homosexual acts between men.

It’s been a magical experience and by casting our net wide through the magazine and through social media we have met some amazing people, people who shared their social experiences of that age, some who were the movers and shakers on the political scene and some who were at the core of the popular cultural scene from clubs through music, theatre and on to comedy. Some even managed to combine two of those elements and some three.

One of the highlights has been meeting members of a collection of women who together back in the 1980s were known as Siren. We first met Jane Boston who arrived with a bundle of amazing poster, fliers and a vinyl album. She talked with great passion about those early days, of performing in the band, touring around Europe and writing their theatre pieces – and all of it strongly political, yes ticking three boxes in one fell swoop. And judging by her presence there was probably a strong thread of humour in there.

A night of politics and post punk fun!

It wasn’t easy for them, they were attacked before, after and during gigs but something drove them on. The good news is that Siren have reformed, recording together and performing live, and you can catch them this October. I know that many readers will remember Sirens, but don’t dismiss this as a heritage gig, far from it, these feisty ladies, yes we’ve met them all now, are together and writing new material, no doubt with the same teeth as back in the day.

With expressive vocals, excellent musicianship and quirky humour, Siren promises a night of politics and post punk fun! They are joined by The Cheer Up Mollys, a five-piece folk, acoustic, and Americana band with stunning vocal harmonies and a blend of unique arrangements.

Siren and The Cheer Up Mollys
The Brunswick, 1 Holland Road, Hove, Sunday 21 October, 7pm
facebook.com/events/232522790928395/