Their songs are timeless and the memories they evoke are priceless
Plus, the Victorious festival is starting to pick up momentum with big acts like Noel Gallagher and the Manic Street Preachers on the bill.
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Hide AdBut for me, two bands playing this year will take me right back to my teens. Headlining at the last festival of the season at Bestival in September will be The Cure.
Fronted by the enigmatic Robert Smith, I loved The Cure at the end of the 1980s. I was fascinated by not only his appearance, but his demeanour.
In an age of Rick Astley’s naff dancing, Whitney Houston’s frizzy hair and Sabrina’s big, erm, vocals, you had this dark, brooding, intriguing frontman.
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Hide AdWith his wild backcombed hair, badly-applied make-up, baggy dark clothes and huge moon boots with laces undone, he was coolness personified for me.
Shy, unassuming and mild, his music spoke to me.
As I turned into a stroppy teenager, the angst he felt resonated with mine.
The album Disintegration was a masterpiece.
Imagine my excitement when I found out another of my all-time favourite bands are coming out of retirement this year and are playing live for the first time in 26 years.
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Hide AdCamp Bestival is a family-friendly weekend event that takes place at Lulworth Castle in Dorset. As well as Mr Tumble and Dick & Dom on the bill, Fatboy Slim and Jess Glynne will play. And alongside them will be Tears for Fears!
Sowing The Seeds Of Love was the song that got me into this band, fronted by Portsmouth-born Roland Orzabal.
To counter the moodiness of The Cure, Tears for Fears were more anthemic, with songs like Shout and Everybody Wants To Rule The World.
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Hide AdI’m looking forward to seeing how they look today as both bands will be well into their 50s by now.
Does Robert Smith still wear badly-applied make-up and is Roland Orzabal’s long, flowing dark hair now white?
Does it matter? Not at all. Their songs are timeless and the wonderful memories they evoke are priceless.
ALL CITY NEEDS NOW IS CONCERT VENUE THAT WILL RIVAL THE BIC
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Hide AdLondon has one, Brighton has one and now we have one – an eye!
When it comes to views, I think ours is superior to the one down the coast.
Although 40ft shorter, I reckon its views are more varied.
The Portsmouth and Gosport peninsula is flat, allowing for unrestricted views over the city up to Portsdown Hill.
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Hide AdThen of course you’re right next to Spithead, so you get a plum position for watching ships entering Portsmouth Harbour and the hovercraft arriving on the beach below.
It’s another fantastic attraction that is now making Portsmouth an even better place for people to visit.
All we need now is a concert venue in the city to rival the BIC and we’re sorted.
PRETTY IMPRESSIVE, BUT STILL NOTHING LIKE THE GREAT STORM
I slept through the Great Storm of 1987.
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Hide AdI woke unaware of the carnage that had happened across the south until I walked to school, dodging fallen trees on the way.
We were then all sent home again.
Storm Katie was pretty impressive, with a top gust speed of 105mph recorded at The Needles, but she was some way off 1987.
Back then, gusts of 120mph were recorded and although we had Severe Gale Force 9 winds on Monday, the mean speed back in 1987 was Severe Storm Force 11.
No wonder a cross-Channel ferry ended up on the beach at Folkestone and Shanklin Pier wasn’t far behind it in pieces!
Thankfully, only trees, sheds and trampolines took the brunt this time.