Feel Good Festival: Baked A La Ska

Baked A La Ska

Ahead of their debut performance in Rochdale as one of the headline acts on the main stage of the Feel Good Festival on Saturday, Rochdale Online caught up with Frank ‘The Skank’ vocalist with Baked A La Ska.

Baked A La Ska are described as 'the heavy heavy sound of Manchester, a super charged 11-headed ska monster on a rampage through the dance floors of the UK leaving a trail of skanked out bodies in their wake'.

Frank 'The Skank' said: “We’re looking forward to it: it should be a good one and we’re most looking forward to playing for a lovely Rochdale audience.”

Saturday’s setlist remains under tight wraps, although Frank revealed the songs could change on the night. Expect anything from their own original material to quirky covers such as The Beastie Boys’ ‘Intergalatic’ and Black Sabbath’s ‘Iron Man’ or even Britney’s ‘Toxic’, served with a ska twist.

He commented: “We go up there and it works very well for us. Anything can happen between the music when the audience gets going.”

He promised: “We’ll be playing a 45-minute set - it should be noisy, but fun.”

Since they were founded on April 1 2008, Baked A La Ska have released four acclaimed albums, including a Christmas album ‘Ska of Wonder’ and are currently finalising their fifth album, a Halloween-themed concept set for release in – when else? – October.

Familiar with performing at sell-out shows and festivals including the Manchester Jazz Festival, Kendal Calling, Manchester’s Band On The Wall, Matthew Street and Saddfest, their upbeat anthems are certain to have Rochdale skanking like never before.

A band of assembled oddballs and pranksters, fronted by an un-holy trio of singers: Frank “The Skank”, Tommy Robot and Kuntri Ranks, who combine with the soft lilt and harmonica magic of Robin Sunflower.

Joining them are Basil Padrik and his keyboard, ‘Bulldog’ Morel and Kenji Fenton on the saxophones, Armitage Shanks on the double bass, Wilkinson Sword on guitar and last, but by no means least, drummer Dubble D.

From 12.30pm on Saturday, the main stage will be headlined by indie rock band Razorlight, alongside Baked A La Ska, RedFaces, Pacific, The Bright Black, The Karpets fronted by Tom Hingley, Honeyfeet, the Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band, singer/songwriter Kirk McElhinney, The Delphina Kings and The Recreation.