The English Beat, Romantics to Headline May Fair

By Brianna Boyd

Special to Dixon Patch

The Dixon May Fair will flashback to the ‘80’s for its 137^th annual event, as hits from both The English Beat and special guest The Romantics will keep the crowd dancing inside the fair’s arena.

Fair officials recently announced The English Beat and The Romantics will play on the main stage the evening of May 10, the opening day of the four-day fair. 

The concert marks the third in a series the fair will offer this year, with additional artists to be announced soon.

Hailing from working-class Birmingham, England, Dave Wakeling and The English Beat entered the music scene in 1979. The band managed to fuse their respective musical influences – soul, reggae, pop and punk – into a unique sound that is also highly danceable.

The English Beat became one of the most popular and influential bands of the British Ska movement, achieving great success in their home country and charting multiple singes into the top 10.

Wakeling continues to tour as The English Beat, as he has done for the last three decades, with an all-star ska band playing both the hits of The English Beat and the General Public, as well as new songs.

The Romantics are one of the Detroit’s best exports from the 1980’s. The group is best known for hits that include “Talking In Your Sleep” and “What I Like About You”.

Tickets for The English Beat and The Romantics will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 17, at all TicketMaster Outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, at the Dixon May Fair Box Office, 655 South First St., in Dixon, or charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

Reserved seat tickets are $25 and general admission seating is $20. Every concert ticket includes admission into the Dixon May Fair. All children 12 and under can enter the concert for free, with paid fair admission.

The English Beat and The Romantics join an already impressive May Fair concert line-up. Hip hop star Snoop Dogg, who will soon release his 11^th studio album, will perform in the fair’s arena on Wednesday, May 9. The fair is planning a “soft” opening that evening for people attending the concert.  Larry the Cable Guy, a nationally known comedian and actor best known for his signature catchphrase, “Git-R-Done” will entertain the crowd on the evening of Saturday, May 12. Comedian Reno Collier will open the show.

Reserved seat tickets for both shows at $75 and $45, and general admission seating is $35. Every concert ticket includes admission to the fair.

The 137^th annual Dixon May Fair will open on Thursday, May 10 and entertain thousands of visitors through Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 13.  For more information, visit www.dixonmayfair.com.

Editor's note: Brianna is the editor of the