THE ENGLISH BEAT
6/30/25 – Granada Theater – Dallas, TX
©M’Lou Elkins / Skip2Photography.com
Another blistering Texas evening didn’t stop droves of ska fans from packing into the historic Granada Theater on June 30, eager to relive the glory days of two-tone with Dave Wakeling and his legendary crew, The English Beat.
Kicking things off was DJ Culturegang, known locally as the synth wizard behind the Dallas goth/darkwave outfit SEVIT, who spun a perfectly curated 40-minute set of retro gems. For the Gen X crowd, it was an instant time warp to neon windbreakers, MTV marathons, and weekends spent digging through record bins. As Culturegang wrapped up, he pointed dramatically at the rack of Dave Wakeling’s iconic left-handed Vox Teardrop guitars, sending the room into a frenzy before he vanished into the wings.
When The English Beat finally hit the stage around 9 PM, the crowd wasted no time: everyone was bouncing, skanking like it was 1982 again. The vibe was pure joy, people were dancing with reckless abandon, free of self-consciousness, and it was downright contagious.
If you don’t know The English Beat (or just “The Beat” if you’re in the UK), they emerged from Birmingham’s vibrant late-70s ska revival scene alongside fellow two-tone pioneers like The Specials and Madness. With politically charged yet danceable hits, they blended ska, punk, pop, reggae, and soul into an upbeat, socially conscious sound that’s still irresistible decades later.
From the first unmistakable strum of Wakeling’s guitar, fans knew they were in for a sonic treat. The setlist hit all the sweet spots: “Twist and Crawl,” “Tenderness” (technically a hit from Wakeling’s post-Beat band General Public), “Save It for Later,” and, of course, the eternally cool tune “Mirror in the Bathroom.” Between songs, Wakeling charmed the crowd with stories and banter, proving once again why he remains one of ska’s most beloved frontmen.
Sharing the spotlight was Antonee First Class, the band’s dynamo toaster. For the uninitiated, a toaster in ska is like an MC in hip-hop… part hype man, part lyrical spark plug. Filling the big shoes of the late, great Ranking Roger, Antonee has been keeping the vibe alive for over a decade, and his energy was off the charts as he bounced around the stage, trading lines with Wakeling and connecting with the audience.
As the night wrapped up, Wakeling slipped offstage and handed the final moments to Antonee, who led a joyful band jam and roll call to close out the show. The house lights came up, the PA music rolled in, and just like that, Dallas stumbled back into the hot night air, sweat-soaked, smiling, and still humming that unforgettable sax riff from “Mirror in the Bathroom.”
Long live The Beat!
