Punk by popular demand as Vice Squad play the Voodoo Lounge in Stamford

Stamford will be served a dose of old-school punk rock this weekend when genre icons Vice Squad headline a bill at The Voodoo Lounge.

The band, still led by original singer Beki Bondage, are still going strong more than 30 years after they formed.

They will be supported on Saturday, February 7, by Peterborough oi! punks The Black Marias and rock’n’rollers Mental Ward, from Corby.

Vice Squad played their first gig at Bristol University in 1979. They soon built up a reputation for fast, loud performances - although their early shows also attracted violence which saw them banned from most venues in the Bristol area.

After setting up the Riot City label they released their debut single Last Rockers, which sold more than 20,000 copies.

In 1981 they signed to major label EMI, with debut album No Cause For Concern soon to follow. Despite initial success, musical differences cause the band to split in 1985.

After a 15-year hiatus, demand for Vice Squad shows encouraged Beki to reform the band. Vice Squad toured Europe and the US, and have been gigging and recording since then.

More recently, the band released their latest album Cardboad Country in December after a successful crowdfunding campaign. Last year the band played in Paris for the first time and appeared before a packed house in the Empress Ballroom at Rebellion Festival in Blackpool. Members also played shows as their acoustic side project The Dirty Folkers.

Other festival appearances included Rise Up, Inkfest, The Great British Alternative Music Festival and Pod Parou in the Czech Republic.

The Black Marias are mainstays of the Peterborough punk scene and can be relied upon for a great show.

Tickets are £10 on the door or £8 from www.wegottickets.com. Doors 8.30pm.