World music, top comedy and audience favourites all featured in the programme for Peel Centenary Centre’s 20th anniversary year.
The venue enjoyed a busy year, culminating in theatre, film and two nights of world music to celebrate its anniversary in October.
Dave McLean is one of six members of the original management committee and was recognised by being made an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List last year.
He told Island Life: ‘The anniversary celebrations made me realise how far we’ve come in 20 years.
‘We still are as busy as ever with community events like coffee mornings and children’s parties but we have become more adventurous, in programming niche events like world music etc.’
One of the UK’s top Abba tributes, Planet Abba, made a welcome return to the Centenary Centre in February.
The Hunch proved very popular in September with their acoustic Irish, folk, Americana and Blues, so much so that they will be returning to the venue in the autumn for another gig.
The Noise Next Door, the UK’s premier improv comedy troupe, made their island debut in November.
The cheeky quartet, who are 12-time sell-out veterans of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, had the audience in stitches.
The venue’s 20th anniversary celebrations kicked off with Willy Russell’s comedy play Educating Rita, featuring Kim Quine and Jack Verity. The play was directed and produced by Lindsay Quayle.
Dave organised a night featuring Democratic Republic of the Congo dance music soukous from Kanda Bongo Man, Malawian one-man band Gasper Nali and old school, low-key reggae from Michael Mountain, who grew up in Zambia and is a now a farmer and village chief in Malawi.
And Trevor Bougourd brought over Mez and the Fezzes for a return show. The band has members of the Van Morrison Band, Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and Madness.