Back to news
The Cooper Associates County Ground will be transported into a world of rhythm and soul by the one and only Craig Charles on Friday.
We met up with Craig today to preview the show.
“It’s good time music with booming base, banging brass and booga-bloomin’-loo! We’ve got dancers and we play party tunes, so just come along and dance like no one’s watching!
“We’ve been doing it all over the world and it goes down really well so we’re looking forward to bringing it to Somerset.”
As Craig explained, he’s no stranger to the region.
“I used to live in Somerset and I loved it down there,” he said. “I lived just outside of Forton, between Forton and Winsham. We had a lovely house there looking down on the hill over Forde Abbey and I had a friend who lived in Cricket St Thomas back when it was a zoo. I’ve got really fond memories of my time there and I didn’t really want to leave. The problem was that I was always on tour so my wife was left on her own in the house in the middle of the woods and I think she felt a little bit like Little Red Riding Hood!”
How did he get into the music business?
“I was into DJing before all of the acting really,” he explained. “I also used to do the breakfast show on Kiss FM when it first stopped being a pirate station. I’ve been doing the funk and soul show on BBC 6 Music since it began in 2002, so I’ve been doing it for over 20 years. We thought it would be a good idea to take the radio show out on the road and it’s been ridiculous. We’re selling out all these mad venues and we’ve played in Australia, Ibiza and all over Europe. Basically, it’s a hobby that’s just got out of hand and turned into a fulltime job!”
Where does his love of music come from?
“My dad arrived in England on a boat at Liverpool Docks in 1958 with a pocket full of change and a bag full of records. When Liverpool was dancing to The Beatles, our house swung to a completely different groove. We were listening to Harry Belafonte, Johnny Mathis, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding and stuff like that. There were all the Blues men too like John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters, so it was really through my dad that I got into the golden era of Black American music, and I’ve always had a love of that.
“What we do now is take the music from that golden era and remix it for a modern dance floor and bring it into the 21st century. Everything’s got a 21st century groove to it, but it’s still the music that you know and remember but we’ve just made the beat a bit harder and a bit tighter.”
What can people expect from the show?
“It’s a musical journey and you wouldn’t want to miss it. It’s feel-good music that encompasses all age groups. You could be 18 or 80 and you’ll still have a good time.
“Funk and soul is a genre that just brings everyone together and I promise you that there’ll be no sleep until well past bed time!”
Make sure you don’t miss out on this incredible event at the home of Somerset County Cricket Club on Friday!
With his smooth grooves and funky beats, Craig has been taking the music scene by storm, earning a reputation as one of the most exciting DJs in the business. From the stages of Glastonbury to the airwaves of BBC 6 Music, Craig has been entertaining crowds with his infectious energy and unbeatable beats for over 30 years.
Turn up the volume, hit the dancefloor, and get ready for a night you’ll never forget.
Gates Open at 6:30pm with Craig set to take to the stage at approximately 8pm.
Tickets start at just £25
Hospitality packages are also available from a cost of just £50 per person.
