23rd July 2026
Madrophenia took place on Brighton Beach on the 26rd July, starring Madness with special guest The Blockheads, Craig Charles, The Selecter and Beatles Dub Club. Tony Clarke reviews the event for Louder Than War.
As a dedicated fan of Ska Pop evergreens Madness, I was excited to attend the packed event Madrophenia, which took place in the picturesque setting of Brighton Beach to 10,000 dedicated fans. What’s more, the iconic nutty boys brought in the musical genius of The Blockheads to warm the crowd up. As both bands have collaborated on various projects over the decades, it made perfect sense to present the two ex-Stiff Record label mates together on one stage, both complementing each other perfectly, whilst nodding to the genius of Ian Dury.
Also in the warm-up department were Two Tone legends The Selecter, iconic DJ and all-round polymath Craig Charles and festival favourites The Beatles Dub Club, whose cool reggae slant provided a dynamic and unique interpretation of the Lennon and McCartney catalogue. They embraced the retrospective soundscapes of Third World, Steel Pulse, Johnny Clark and even Eek-A-Mouse, seamlessly blending Caribbean rhythms in a repertoire that included Hey Jude, Let It Be, Don’t Let Me Down, She Loves You and a quirky Come Together. The set combined Beatles’ imagery intermingled with multiculturalist artistry, against a nod to the Two Tone movement.
Craig Charles provided a brilliant Beatles segue with his mind-blowing mash-up of Come Together blended with blips and funk-infused soundscapes. Drum and Bass, left-field speed garage and cinematic sirens all came into play. The trident-tested DJ continued to subtly build his set into a frenzy providing a euphoric atmosphere, enthralling this beach front crowd.
Pauline Black’s latest incarnation of The Selecter provided a spark of surprise with amazing renditions of 3 Minute Hero, Missing Words and of course, On My Radio. The cornerstone for me was the finale, which was a carefully crafted, politically charged medley incorporating Too Much Pressure, and the legendary Toots and The Maytals classic, Pressure Drop. It’s only fitting that a special shout-out goes to the other original Selecter stalwart, drummer Charly ‘Aitch’ Bembridge, whose totally unique and instantly recognisable style provided an infectious backdrop to proceedings.
The Blockheads kicked off with the funk rock/new wave classic Sex and Drugs and Rock n’ Roll, underpinned by the funky bass playing of Level 42’s Nathan King, the cool looping drums of John Roberts, ace guitar weaving of John Turnbull, and the warm, squelchy keyboards of Mick Gallagher. They had the crowd bopping on Brighton’s picturesque pebbled beach to bamboozlingly beautiful effect. When the mildly theatrical Mike Bennett took to the mic, he had the audience singing along to Ian Dury’s laconically lush libretto! This involved a tailor called Simon, a cake of Liberty, and a statement about consumerism in the DIY punk funk community! I Want To Be Straight (which to me always has a feel of They’re Coming To Take Me Away Ha Ha!) was up next, followed by the tragi-comic What A Waste. Billericay Dickie and a reverberating rendition of Reasons To Be Cheerful Part 3. We were reminded of Dury’s wonderful wordplay that incorporated surrealism with a subtly commercial and candid style guide; everyone from Woody Allen to John Coltrane getting a mention along the way. The set culminated in the smash Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, with a Nathan King’s extended bass solo, whose multi-instrumental ability is legendary amongst Blockheads fans.
The evening’s pinnacle was provided by the mighty Madness, embracing elements of Ska Pop, Swing and irreverent storytelling. One Step Beyond, with Suggs spitting out the legendary refrain against pop art imagery projected against a massive screen that gave the performance a three-dimensional feel, was first up. The man who once described himself as the Freddy Mercury of Reggae, Suggs, was on top form and had the audience mesmerised. They pounded their way through Embarrassment, The Prince, NW5 and My Girl. Other classics such as Wings of A Dove, Bed And Breakfast Man, the number one smash, House Of Fun and Baggy Trousers. The set ended with three utter classics, Our House, It Must Be Love and Night Boat to Cairo.
All in all, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed myself and if you haven’t seen Madness live recently, I suggest you check them out in a festival environment because right now they are on fire…
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