Popes Of Chillitown + Shanghai Treason + New Groove Formation + The Barrys + Black Rooster Revival

Name: Popes Of Chillitown + Shanghai Treason + New Groove Formation + The Barrys + Black Rooster Revival
Start: 2025-10-11T16:00:00+01:00
Location: Bedford Esquires

Schedule

Sat, 11 Oct, 2025 at 04:00 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

Bedford Esquires | Bedford, EN

PUNKY REGGAE PARTY Ft: POPES OF CHILLITOWN + SHANGHAI TREASON + NEW GROOVE FORMATION + THE BARRYS + BLACK ROOSTER REVIVAL
4pm, Sat 11th October, Bedford Esquires
Heading into a new season we are pleased to announce a new ‘ALL DAYER’ at Bedford Esquires on Sat 11th October, the PUNKY REGGAE PARTY !
Punky Reggae Party brings together a blistering line up of some of the finest local and national touring bands often seen tearing up festivals and venues around the land with a mix of Punk, Ska, Dub, Reggae, Roots, Rockabilly and Alt Folk represented across the bill with a line-up that looks like this:

POPES OF CHILLI TOWN
Headlining the event is an old Bedford Esquires Fave: Popes of Chillitown – the band play ska/dub/punk with a progressive edge. Impossible to tie down and with enough energy to power a small city, their songs take you on journeys through punk, two-tone, rock, hip-hop, reggae, drum & bass, dub, metal and more.
Renowned for their energetic live shows they have amassed a loyal following over the years. Since 2011, Popes have released 3 well-received albums, 2 EPs, toured the UK with Fishbone, Voodoo Glow Skulls & The Slackers as well as doing extensive headline touring of their own across the UK & Europe.
Their latest album is ‘Take A Picture.’
SHANGHAI TREASON
Those Yorkshire Banjo Punks 'Shanghai Treason' will have you hopping around, spilling your pint and smiling from ear to ear. It's politically charged, good time, beer drinking music that's perfect for big tops, festival fields and mini revolutions!
Shanghai Treason have extensively toured the UK both as a headline act in small grassroots venues but also supporting the likes of Ferocious Dog, Stiff Little Fingers, Buzzcocks, Skinny Lister, Hayseed Dixie, The Undertones, Bar Stool Preachers, Mad Dog Mcrea, The Rumjacks, Terrorvision, From The Jam, Riskee & The Ridicule & many more.
Recent festival appearances include Beautiful Days Festival, Bearded Theory, Stone Valley Festivals, Northern Kin, Leopallooza, Maui Waui, Bingley Weekender, Rock N Roll Circus & a plethora of the UK's most loved grassroots shindigs. 2025 sees the release of the bands 3rd studio album 'Sonder'.
NEW GROOVE FORMATION
NGF as they are often referred to are an 8 piece Ska, Funk, Reggae band from Bedfordshire, they have sold out the Main Stage at Esquires in their own right numerous times & this is there first show at the venue since 2023 & we can’t wait to welcome back!
THE BARRYS
Liam and co are back on stage taking the second slot for the day "Bold, brash & from Bedford, The Barrys are drunk-folk, acoustic-punk chaos creators" , try watching this lot without an occasional smile, it’s near on impossible!
BLACK ROOSTER REVIVAL
Best described as Swampy, Hellbilly folk/ Gothic Americana from Bedfordshire the guys were last seen gracing the main stage at Esquires with The Ouse Valley Singles Club, BRR open up the proceedings on the day and are well worth getting down early for. "Think Capt Beefheart's child with Bo Diddley drinking at Jim Morrison's wake’’.

Alongside the bands playing there will be a DJ playing in the bar until late and we have lined up a couple of food vans to keep everyone fed for the evening

Tickets priced £20 are on sale now from Seetickets online and available in person (booking fee free) from Esquires Bar and Slide Record Shop.
*Due to Britpop legends DODGY gracing the Main Stage this this gig is taking place in room 2 at Esquires, with just 160 tickets available for the show & such a strong line up in place an early ticket purchase is essential !
**Please note Punky Reggae Party replaces the standalone SHANGHAI TREASON gig which was due to take place on this date – The good news is if you have already bought a ticket for this gig it’s still valid, thanks for supporting the gig in the first place.