DIY ska promotions are crucial in the fight to keep ska and its offshoots alive in an environment that has chiefly ignored the amazingness that the music embodies. Many hours of hard work are put into creating gigs and events that it takes sheer dedication to make things happen! Barney Boom, vocalist/guitarist of Sonic Boom Six, a ska-punk-hiphop band out of Manchester, England wrote a blog entry concerning the ending of Bomb Ibiza, a Manchester ska-promotions entity.

Created by Emily Johnson and Francis Hunt in 2004, they have established a weekly club night where they spin ska music as well as establish gigs at the various haunts around Manchester, such as the Satan’s Hollow. Emily stated her retirement in the “I Love Manchester Music” forums and described her overall intentions of Bomb Ibiza and how it ulitmately changed the ska market in Manchester. “When I started Bomb Ibiza it was because I fundamentally felt that ska as a sub-genre didn’t get a specialist enough airing in Manchester – or indeed in most cities in the UK. As I look around me today there are so many incredible facets of the scene – from TNS and SLit to the many others involved in promoting UK music here in Manchester.” Francis Hunt will be continuing his ska promotions in Manchester through his Manchester Ska bars and Project Bluebeat wishes him the best of luck.

With a heavy heart, we are saddened here by the news as staunch ska promotion entities who are stalwarts of ska/punk music are far and few. We salute you Do check out Barney Boom’s blog and come out to the last Bomb Ibiza’s events! ~ Jeff

“Bye Bye Bomb Ibiza” Sonic Boom Six Blog
Bomb Ibiza’s Forum