Manx musicians will turn out in force to help commemorate the Summerland disaster later this month.

Five groups will perform at a memorial concert, held at the Peel Centenary Centre, to be held on Saturday, July 29, including singer/songwriter Jeff Jepson, Matt Creer and Mae Challis, along with groups the Fecktones and the Tides.

The concert, the third of its kind, is organised by campaigner Tina Brennan and local musician Chris Gray, and Chris believes that it will showcase the best in local music.

’We are absolutely thrilled to have these musicians appearing on the bill and really grateful to them for giving up their time to perform,’ said Chris.

’I’ve been involved in helping with the organising of the event since it started three years ago and the amount of talent the island has to offer continues to amaze me.’

The concert is held during the week of the anniversary of the disaster, which occurred on the evening of August 2, 1973 and claimed the lives of 50 people, many of them children and holiday makers.

They are organised by Summerland campaigner Tina Brennan, who in 2013 enlisted the help of Chris to put together a night of music and celebration to help commemorate the lives of those lost in the disaster.

Tina watched the fire engulf the leisure complex from Douglas promenade as a young girl, and has since fought to keep the memory of the disaster and those affected from being forgotten.

’I want to keep the subject of the Summerland disaster in the forefront of people’s minds and memories, particularly with the younger people,’ said Tina.

’I think there has been a collective decision by our elected representatives, to remain silent about Summerland over the years.

’There is a perception outside of the island that we have forgotten, or that we don’t care about what happened all those years ago, mainly because we appear to be so silent about it.

’That is why I organise the concerts.

’I hold them roughly at the same time of year that I hold the minute’s silence, on the anniversary of the fire.

’I want them to be a celebration of the lives and the memories of the people who died, and I want them to be remembered with love and happiness, and by enjoying each other’s company, because that is what the families in Summerland were doing that night,’ she said.

The organisers gave their thanks to Sure Mobile for sponsoring the concert. All money raised will be donated to Alder Hey Children’s Burns Unit.

Tickets for the evening are priced at £10, and available from Shakti Mann, in Ramsey, Celtic Gold, in Peel, Peter Norris Music, in Douglas and Thompson Travel in Port Erin, or from the Peel Centenary Centre website.

Doors open at 7pm and the concert begins at 7.30pm.

by Mike Wade

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