Billy Bragg marks miners strike

The pit strike brought Bragg to prominence as a political pop star

A concert and talk by singer and guitarist Billy Bragg is the highlight of Big Pit's plans to mark the 25th anniversary of the miners strike.

Big Pit, the National Coal Museum at Blaenavon, is one of the organisations producing a nine-date tour by Bragg.

It opens with a special event at Blaenavon Workmen's Hall on June 5.

Bragg will play songs and discuss, with political journalist David Williams, the miners' strike and its impact on his own life and music.

Ceri Thomas, Curator of Big Pit, said: ''We are delighted to be involved with this exciting tour.

"Back in 1984 and 1985 Billy's support for the miners was greatly appreciated, and we are pleased that he has chosen to come to Wales to mark 25 years since the strike.

"This tour and partnership are the highlight of a programme of events organised by Big Pit to commemorate this significant anniversary, a programme which looks at the strike from a number of different perspectives and tells some of the lesser known stories of this difficult time."

The full tour dates are as follows:

• June 5 - Blaenavon Workmen's Hall
• June 6 - Porthcawl Grand Pavilion
• June 7 - Cardigan Theatr Mwldan
• June 9 - Pontardawe Arts Centre
• June 10 - Brecon Theatr Brycheiniog
• June 11 - Caernarfon Galeri
• June 12 - Wrexham NEWI William Aston Hall
• June 14 - Aberystwyth Arts Centre
• June 15 - Blackwood Miners Institute

Ex-punk, ex-soldier, and ex-member of the Labour Party, Billy Bragg rose from working class origins in the 1980s to become one of the UK's foremost pop and protest singers and left-wing icons.

It was Margaret Thatcher who propelled the Bard of Barking into action; Bragg's defining political moment came with the miners' strike of 1984-5, which set the nation's coalfield communities against the Conservative government's pit closure plans.

Bragg became a fixture at political rallies and benefits, particularly during the strike, with his powerful pro-union songs including Which Side Are You On, There Is Power In A Union and the EP title track Between The Wars.

The tour is co-produced by Big Pit, the Coda agency and Theatr Mwldan in Cardigan.