INTERVIEW: Top promoter joins team on Morecambe's longest running music festival

A man with years of experience of promoting and producing major live music concerts has joined the team to help keep Morecambe's longest running festival alive.

Barry Lucas is part of the Sleazy Live team for this year's event, taking place from May 22-25.

Barry is the former entertainments manager at Lancaster University, who booked many of the biggest names of rock and pop to appear at the uni's Great Hall from the late 1960s through to the 1980s.

He founded the Sugar House nightclub in Lancaster, and has also worked on many major live events and festivals all over the world, including concerts by Deep Purple at Knebworth, Paul Weller and Madness at Isle of Wight, UB40 at Finsbury Park and many many more.

His friend Ivan Harrison founded Nice 'n' Sleazy in 2004, and the festival was run at the Trimpell Club for many years.

This year it has been renamed Sleazy Live, but was on the verge of being scrapped due to funding issues until 11th hour sponsorship was agreed with a company that champions young people with disabilities.

The event, run by the Harrison family and their team, will mix punk, ska, alternative and other music.

It regularly pulls in music fans from all over the UK and Europe, and this year will be the 21st time the festival has taken place.

Both men also worked on the large-scale 'Holidays in the Sun' and 'Wasted' punk festivals, which were popular on Morecambe Promenade during the 1990s and 2000s. Prior to that, Barry brought many of the major names in British punk music to the university in the 1970s - including The Buzzcocks, The Stranglers and Stiff Little Fingers.

LISTEN to our interview with Ivan Harrison and Barry Lucas

Sleazy Live will run from Friday May 23 to Sunday May 25 at Johnny's Warehouse Bar on Marine Road Central.

There will also be live music at the nearby Warehouse venue (in the former Hitchen's/Littlewoods building) and a launch night at The Exchange pub on Regent Road with live bands, on Thursday May 22.

"We've moved venues, so we thought, a new name, it seemed a little bit more modern," said Ivan.

"It's brilliant (having Barry involved). It gives me encouragement because we've had a lot of downs, and he has been here to give support."

Barry said: "I met Ivan about four or five years ago and we got on really well.

"I worked on the big punk festival, before it moved to Blackpool, so I was very sad to see it move from the area as it was very successful.

"I was interested in helping out with advice. I've done festivals on the Isle of Wight, in London and in Manchester, so I've got a bit of experience in producing them."

The future of the festival has been in doubt several times in recent years, due to funding issues.

And Ivan said that this year they were one hour away from cancelling, until Yorkshire-based SORM Studios Ltd offered the needed sponsorship to ensure Sleazy Live goes ahead as planned.

SORM works alongside the Sleazy Live team to give young adults with learning and physical disabilities, opportunities to perform, be part of the team, and so develop their skills in the music/entertainment business.

"They said, don't cancel it yet, we'll have a board meeting," said Ivan.

"They rang me back and said yes, we're going to give you some funding.

"I was in tears. It's something I've done for 21 years and we were going to lose it. It brings a lot of joy to many people."

Bands appearing at Sleazy Live include Ed Tudor Pole and support, Mille Manders and The Shut Up, Ska Face, Vomit, Kid Klumsy, Pussycat and The Dirty Johnsons, Indifferentmonkey, David Delinquent and The IOUs and many more.

More information at sleazy.live

Read more: Longest running music festival in Morecambe saved thanks to key sponsor - Beyond Radio