Punk fans in the Stowmarket area have the chance to see The Mekons’ current and original line-ups performing live at an arts festival this summer.

East Anglian Daily Times: The Mekons in 1978.The Mekons in 1978. (Image: Contributed)

They are playing together for the first time to celebrate the band’s 40th anniversary, taking place in the village of Pettaugh, between Stowmarket and Ipswich, on July 28, 29 and 30.

As well as The Mekons, Bonnie Prince Billy and many other globally-recognised musicians, including Tilly Moses, Charlie Law and Claws, have recently been added to the line-up.

At Mekonville there will be an array of attractions including DJs, poetry, films, children’s crafts and plenty of games.

Andy Corrigan, founder member of The Mekons, is bringing the original and current line up from America together for a once-in-a-lifetime performance at the festival, organised by the team at Petta Fiesta.

He said: “Mekonville will be more than a celebration of a band. We will be creating a family-friendly celebration of the enthusiastic immersion in all art forms which took a bunch of teenage art students from painting, to film-making, to performance art, to recording John Peel sessions.”

In 1977 a group of Leeds art students started a band, and in 2017 The Mekons are still going strong - now based in America and applying their customary anarchic approach to country music and Americana.

Through the years, the band’s musical style has evolved, incorporating aspects of country music, folk music, alternative rock and even occasional experiments with dub. They are known for their raucous live shows.

Much in the spirit of the Mekons, Mekonville is about celebrating the journey of the band, exciting new art and music.

The festival will take place in a 12-acre moated garden at Laffitts Hall in Pettaugh.

Original and current Mekons member Jon Langford said: “As teenage art students we formed a band. Who’d have thought we would have still been going all these years later?

“Mekonville will feature every element of the performing arts we can cram into a weekend.”

Ticket numbers are limited so people are encouraged to book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

For more information see here.