Trans Docker Destroys The Beatles

In 2023 the band Pleasure Island and friends held the inaugural Penny Lane Weekender, a three day multi venue music festival at the iconic location. Now in it’s third year, we talk to Sean from Pleasure Island, who has continued with the festival as the programmer, with the responsibility for scouting and selecting the bands that take part each year. We catch up with him to find out what goes into organising a music festival and managing over 70 acts each year.

So, Sean how are you?

Sean: I’m very good thanks, we are very close to the start of the festival, so we’re all a little nervous too. I’m very pleased with the line up and how well everyone has done pulling this together. We work on this for over 6 months of the year, so it has become a big part of all our lives.

You decided to hand over the role of festival manager this year to concentrate on booking the bands, how has this worked out for everyone?

Sean: It has worked well, but it was still challenging for everyone as a lot of how the festival works is stuck inside my head. To begin with I became extremely ill over Christmas last year when I should have been doing the handover. I have a mental health condition that can leave me unable to work, so we started a little on the back foot as I was basically incapacitated for over a month.

That sound’s quite stressful.

Sean: Yes, not to mention it left us completely skint, I work as a docker, if I don’t work I don’t get paid so it blew a huge hole in the budget.

This doesn’t sound the ideal way to begin a festival.

Sean: Lisa had quite a baptism of fire, she rolled in on the first day as manager to find out she had no money, no handover and the programmer’s brain wasn’t working. Fortunately she’s been involved in music for decades so this sort of challenge is nothing new to her. She got on with managing the festival, then when I recovered I started sorting the bands out and trying to find the money from somewhere.

Not the sort of money you can pull out of thin air?

Sean: Not really, we attempted to get a grant, but our bid wasn’t quite ready, so I’ve taken a loan out and will pay it back through economising. I’ve stopped drinking for six months and I’ve also given up my Everton season ticket which did make me a little sad as I was looking forward to the new stadium.

Given the costs, is it all worth doing?

Sean: What choice do I have? A lot of people have worked extremely hard to create this thing and my job is be the festival’s champion. I don’t mean the person who goes around winning everything, I mean the person the village chooses to go out and fight whatever it is that comes to harm us. In this case it was my brain.

We’re going to be alright though, we’ve had to work twice as hard to make sure we got the festival ready. It has been stressful but everyone has made it. I know we are going to be successful as we’ve been selling tickets twice as quickly, so with a bit of good fortune I might be able to get back on the ale again shortly… Then again I am looking quite good now I’ve knocked it on the head.

We were going to ask about the press shot.

Sean: Nicky Wire eat your heart out.

So this festival is a bit of a coming out party?

Sean: Something like that, some would say it’s a bit self-indulgent to throw myself an entire music festival to mark the occasion, but if you’re going to be fabulous you can’t cut corners.

So the festival is all about inclusivity?

Sean: The festival is for everybody and we take steps every year to improve and bring more communities onboard. It is truly a safe space and should anybody decide to cause mischief, they will find themselves confronted by a 6 foot tall docker in a dress, politely asking them to leave.

So why should people come to the festival?

Sean: We choose bands that are on their way up, Captain Crocodile are going to be massive and you’ll want to able to tell your mates you saw them playing at Fogherty’s for a tenner. Bands like The DSM IV and Silent-K are already worth the cost of a weekend ticket alone, but then you get Edgar Jones, Bloodworm, Paint Me in Colour, André Jahnoi, Obfusk8, The Froobz… These might not be names you recognise now but they’re ones you will definitely remember.

Any final things to say?

Sean: Yes a big thankyou to everyone who has stood by us and a huge shout out to the team. It has not been easy for us this year. We definitely don’t want any sympathy, but your attendance at the festival would be greatly appreciated!

Penny Lane Weekender 2025
8 – 10 August
Tickets