June 26, 2009 20:37

Specials slate the BNP at Glastonbury

Ska comeback kings get political during sunset show

The Specials made their first ever Glastonbury appearance tonight (June 26), two years after Lily Allen kicked off rumours of their comeback by inviting two of the band onto the Pyramid Stage with her.

Kicking off the show with 'Do The Dog' from 1979's debut album 'Specials', the band went on to play classics including 'Gangsters', 'Rat Race' and the 1981 UK Number One single 'Ghost Town', which closed the set.

In 2007, members Terry Hall and Lynval Golding sang their classic songs 'Gangsters' and 'Blank Expression' at the festival, sparking rumours the ska group would reunite.

After a brief performance at 2008's Bestival, the group have been been playing shows throughout 2009 to mark their 30th anniversary.

Fittingly, the band - who are missing founding member and songwriter Jerry Dammers - took to the stage immediately after Allen's performance.

The multi-racial band took the time to express their anger at the recent election of two British National Party European MPs in England.

Before a feverishly-received 'A Message To You Rudy', frontman Hall addressed the crowd, saying: "It's taken us 28 years to get here but things are still the same. Then it was the National Front, now it's the BNP. This next song's called 'Fuck The BNP'."

The Specials played:

'Do The Dog'
'Gangsters'
'It's Up To You'
'Rat Race'
'Monkey Man'
'Blank Expression'
'Too Hot'
'Doesn't Make It Alright'
'Concrete Jungle'
'Friday Night Saturday Morning'
'Man At C&A'
'A Message To You Rudy'
'Do Nothing'
'Hey Little Rich Girl'
'Nite Klub'
'Little Bitch'
'Too Much Too Young'
'You're Wondering Now'
'Ghost Town'

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Watch the Specials' 2009 Glastonbury performance, courtesy of the BBC: