Badfinger at the Godiva Festival

Badfinger at the Godiva Festival

by Pete Clemons

And as the sun continued to beat down Coventry’s adopted band, Badfinger, took to the stage shortly before 3pm for their debut gig in the city. And what a fitting platform, this year’s triumphant Godiva Festival was, for Badfinger to perform that first gig from.

In 2015, former member of the original band, Bob Jackson, assembled his own version of Badfinger along with guitarist Andy Nixon, bass player Michael Healey and drummer Ted Duggan.

The intention, of these accomplished musicians, being to keep the memory of original members Pete Ham, Tom Evans, and Mike Gibbins alive and hopefully introduce their music to a whole new generation of listeners.

And since 2015 this version of Badfinger has performed on a nationwide package tour as well as headlining at their own concerts.

Bob sat down at his keyboard and declared ‘if you want it you better come and get it’ and with that they threw themselves into the opening number.

The audience, of which I had been one of the many participating voices, simply lapped it up. Badfinger truly generated a wonderful atmosphere.

The Paul McCartney penned ‘Come and Get it’ was followed by a new tune, which incidentally, is totally free to download from Badfinger’s website. This was titled ‘In a Different World’.

A brief story about how the producer of hit TV programme, Breaking Bad, had also been a Badfinger fan, and how the song had featured into the final episode, linked nicely into the next tune ‘Baby Blue’.

Then things got a little more serious when Bob explained the background for the next song ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Contract’ and how Badfinger had been one of, if not, the unluckiest band in music history when it came to the business side of the industry.

The set concluded with ‘Day After Day’, another song with a huge Beatles influence, ‘I Can’t Take it’ and ‘No Matter What’.

And that was it. The forty minutes or so seemed to pass far too quickly. The stage had just radiated almost as much energy as the sun had. It had just become one of those many memorable, and unforgettable, moments that the Godiva Festival has given us over the years.

Backstage at the Godiva Festival 2017 -photo by John Coles

(Below - Not found any footage from the Godiva Fest but here is some from their UK tour.)

If for whatever reason you missed that performance, or you were left wanting more, then the good news was that Badfinger were due to perform in Coventry once more.

On Sunday 16th July Badfinger were one of a host of bands and artists who performed at the Mercia Music Festival.


The event ran from 2pm till 11pm at The Empire on Far Gosford Street (the site of The Paris Cinema for those unsure). It was in aid of Myton Hospice and Motor Nuerone Disease. And the line-up also included: Hazel O'Connor with the Subterraneans, Cupids Inspiration, Vicki Jackson, The High Tones, The Whole Foot, Dark Horses and Spitfire.

For those lucky enough to have been there Badfinger performed an extended to that they had played at the Godiva Festival. And this included tunes like ‘Just a Chance’ ‘Lucky Guy’ and ‘Without You’ . It was indeed a joyous and memorable performance clearly enjoyed by band and audience alike.

Bob Jackson in 1982 when he was part of the original Badfinger.

If for whatever reason you missed that performance, or you were left wanting even more, then the good news is that Badfinger were due to appear in Coventry for a third consecutive Sunday………..but I’m afraid in my mind only.

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Below the original Badfinger when they were the Iveys.

Badfinger at Godiva Fest.Photo by Dave Nellist.