SOUTHEND is set to look like a scene from cult mod film Quadrophenia this weekend.

Not only is The Lambretta Club of Great Britain holding its first big rally in the town since 1979, but two massive northern soul and mod events will attract die-hard revellers from miles around.

Almost Grown – a local mod night which has been going 15 years – is throwing a lavish all-weekend affair, from Friday until Sunday across three venues, which combines Mod, soul, reggae, R&B, a live mod band, film and a vintage market.

Also, in honour of the Lambretta Club, a two-roomed all-nighter is being put on by promoter Northern Noise, on Saturday. It will be held at the Kursaal on Eastern Esplanade, headlined by big named northern soul DJ and founder of the famous northern soul club the Wigan Casino, Russ Winstanley.

He will be joined by Mark Sargeant, Pete Kelross, Chad Fredericks, Dick Coombes, Jon Barnes-Jones, The Dandy Bloom Boys, Kev Moore and Kevin Johansen.

Archive footage of the original 78/79 scooter raillies will also be shown.

A free CD and northern soul patch will be given away to the first 100 advance tickets sold – only 30 are left at the time of going to press. Tickets are £10 from Theticketsellers.co.uk, 0844 870 0000. Full details are at www.northern-noise.co.uk Promoter and DJ Rob Messer, who has run Almost Grown since it began with Aaron Bunch, said they decided to put the all-weekend event to coincide with the arrival of the “world’s biggest” scooter club.

Former Almost Grown promoter and renowned DJ Marco Faccini has also returned for the occasion.

They will be joined by a plethora of other big name DJs who will be playing across the three venues from Friday, including Chad Fredericks, Dean Chalkley, Eddie Piller, Jo Wallace, Pete Tebbutt, Eddie Paget, Dean ‘Boss’ Aylott and Olly H, with The 1000 Tons Sound System, Jim Watson, Siy Aylott, Ben Harrup, Sean Pumfrett and Sonny (Scully) Evans.