Two of alternative music’s most distinctive and enduring acts are sharing a stage this summer, and the setting couldn’t be more fitting. The Flaming Lips and The Beta Band are co-headlining the Scenic Stage at Dreamland Margate on Saturday, July 18, a rare outdoor UK performance from both acts and one of the more genuinely exciting double bills of the summer season.
The Flaming Lips need little introduction. Formed in Oklahoma City in 1983, the band has spent over four decades pushing alternative rock into places no one else dared to go. Multiple Grammy Awards, a Tony nomination, a gold-certified album in ‘Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots,’ and a live show reputation that borders on theatrical spectacle, they remain one of the most creatively alive forces in contemporary music.
The Beta Band brings equal weight to the bill. Formed in 1996, the Scottish group built a devoted following through three albums, ‘The Beta Band,’ ‘Hot Shots II,’ and ‘Heroes To Zeroes,’ that blended indie rock, folk, electronica, and psychedelia into something entirely their own. Their recent reunion shows have reminded anyone paying attention exactly why they matter.
Dreamland Margate, the historic seaside amusement park on the Kent coast less than 90 minutes from central London, continues to cement its reputation as one of the UK’s most distinctive live music destinations. Festival-style atmosphere, vintage rides, street food, and now this.