Paul McCartney and Don Letts: see Rebel Dread at the Electric Palace, Sunday 2 July

Rebel Dread screening – plus DJs Vinyl Tap and Dr Philgood

Head over to the Electric Palace cinema on Sunday 2 July for Rebel Dread, a star-studded profile of British-born Black filmmaker, DJ, musician, and cultural commentator, Don Letts, plus DJs Vinyl Tap and Dr Philgood live after the film, says Annie Waite.

Kicking off the cinema’s annual Summer Music Season of music-related screenings and events, Freakz Promotions presents Rebel Dread, which covers Don’s relationship with the nascent punk scene of the 1970s and ’80s and how rastas and punks found a common bond, both outside of the mainstream. The film also shares how Don introduced reggae to the punks, influencing a whole generation of rock acts.

Joe Strummer is directed by Don Letts

Don was part of the inner circle of The Clash, and Johnny Rotten, and later formed Big Audio Dynamite with Mick Jones, and made music that incorporated dance, reggae, rap, film samples and rock n roll.

Speaking in the film, Letts shares some insights into why music is so important to him:

“Everything I am comes from music. It was music that got me to the Roxy. It was music that got me to Jamaica. It was music that got me into being a filmmaker. Music is the elixir of life. Music has that potential to change people’s life to inform and inspire. I’ve learned more from music than I’ve learned from anything else to this very day. My love of music, art, film and that it’s a very personal thing.”

Before becoming an award-winning feature director, with films such as Dancehall Queen, Westway to the World: The Story of the Clash and One Love, starring Idris Elba, Letts also directed over 300 iconic music videos including for Public Image Ltd, The Clash, Bob Marley, and Musical Youth. He is now a leading cultural commentator and well-known voice on BBC Radio 6.

David Bowie and Don Letts, among others at a concert in New York in 1987

Don Letts, Amy Winehouse and Terry Hall

Spice up your Sunday afternoon

Hastings is well known for both its love of live music, and for there being a lot of party animals in the town. So the event will keep the party going after the screening with live DJs providing more entertainment. DJs Vinyl Tap and Dr Philgood will take to the decks, and the bar will be open until 8pm.

The rest of the jam-packed Summer Music Season of events and screenings at the Electric Palace will be announced very soon, and music journalist and author David Quantick will once again be joining the Electric Palace as guest host for the season.

Book now for Rebel Dread – plus live DJs at the Electric Palace cinema on Sunday 2 July at 3.30pm. DJs performing after the film, with bar open until 8pm.

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