The Beat @ The Boat

Here at emediates we often get asked what influences our creative designs?

Now it's a really hard question to answer! As designers and developers we are influenced by everything around us and sometimes it's the weirdest things that stick in our minds at other times its the thrill of something new.

This weekend our New Media Director (Graham Cartwright) got a bit of something weird and something new at the same time.

The Boat Inn at Jackfield was transformed from idyllic riverside pub with an (in)famous habit of flooding to cool gig venue as The Beat came to town. Graham got tickets and went along to see what all the fuss was about.

And it was weird. Weird but utterly brilliant. The forerunners of 2-tone ska came, saw and conquered sleepy Jackfield near Ironbridge and The Boat - and The Boat became a mini-Glastonbury just for the night. Flooded this time with infectious energy and Ranking Rogers message of peace and love. The beautiful World Heritage Site came alive to the sound of ska.

Graham discovered something new in The Beat - it seems they might just be the next big thing (again) if Graham has his way.

So I am sure there will be lots of listening to Ska and checking out 2-tone websites going on the emediates studio over the next few weeks. And we wouldn't be surprised if we see a little bit of that late 80's hip ska style slipping into some of our web designs either.

Consciously or sub-consciously magical nights like this one leave a lasting impression and are often the food that feeds a creative mind.

If you weren't there you missed something weird - (things like that just shouldn't happen in Jackfield) - but something absolutely amazing. If you get chance go and see The Beat wherever they play. And if you're in or around Ironbridge then go and have a drink at The Boat it's a gorgeous pub in such a great setting.

If it ever happens again then you *MUST* see The Beat @ The Boat.