EMMA DUNN checks out the Rewind Festival

EIGHTIES stars Level 42 will be helping people turn back time at Rewind Festival this summer.

Rewind South 80s Festival, in Henley-on-Thames from August 15 to 17, will also include entertainment from Sister Sledge, Rick Astley, Wang Chung, Bonnie Tyler, Howard Jones, A Flock of Seagulls, Jimmy Somerville, The Boomtown Rats, Tony Hadley, Jason Donovan and Marc Almond.

Level 42, who are performing on August 16, took the 80s by storm with their brand of bass-driven jazz funk.

Singer and bassist Mark King said: “Music is like a time machine. You hear a song and it takes you back to that moment in time. Throughout our career people have said hearing our songs reminds them of certain points in their life.

“It’s really touching too that people pick up on a lyric and it means a great deal to them.”

With Mark King’s infectious basslines as their hallmark, Level 42 broke through into the hearts and minds of all soul-funk lovers with such underground hits as Turn It On and Love Games, cementing the way for a period of sustained chart success with hits such as Running In The Family and the funk-pop classic, Lessons In Love.

Mark added: “I love the Rewind festivals and I am so pleased they seem to be getting as big as they are.

“We did Rewind at Henley before and it’s got such a chilled out vibe there and I love the fact so many families come along.”

Mark said choosing the set will be a tough job.

“To be playing our songs 30 years on is a blessing. I love all of them. Lessons in Love always goes down pretty well. We were going for 14 years putting albums and singles out and we had a lot of chart success. The hard thing for me is knowing which to leave out,” he said.

This year’s festival promises to boast the biggest 80s knees-up to date, with the Rewind Main Stage playing host to Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey’s first live appearance in over 25 years, plus a rare headline appearance from Holly Johnson, the former lead singer and principal songwriter from Frankie Goes To Hollywood who, this year, celebrates the 30th anniversary of hit single Relax.

Rewind Festival will also feature additional highlights including the Silent Disco, Live Karaoke Bar, plus Camping and Glamping (aka Glamorous Camping) options.

Originally launched at Henley-on-Thames in 2009, Rewind The 80s Festival boasts the biggest line-up of 80s artists in the world.

Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames has proven to be so popular with 80s music audiences that 2011 saw the launch of its sister festival, Rewind Scotland, at Scone Palace in Perth, followed by Rewind Festivals in South Africa in 2012, followed by festivals in Dubai and Bangkok in 2013. This summer sees the launch of a third UK Rewind Festival – Rewind North at Capesthorne Hall, Cheshire from August 29 to August 31.

For tickets or for more information visit www.rewindfestival.com, www.facebook.com/ rewindfestival or twitter.com/rewindfestival.