Photo of more than 50 south Essex music legends on display

Carl Allen and Charles Sharman Cox with the special photograph <i>(Image: Big Wave PR)</i>
Carl Allen and Charles Sharman Cox with the special photograph (Image: Big Wave PR)
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A group photograph of more than 50 south Essex music legends is now on display.

The image has been donated to the "Scene by the Sea" exhibition at Southend's Beecroft Gallery and is now available to be viewed for the final weeks of the show.

The photo features national and internationally recognised artists from Southend, Canvey, and Basildon, who gathered at the Palace Theatre in Westcliff, to create the once in a lifetime picture.

It includes familiar faces such as Paul Shuttleworth, Will Birch, and Vic Collins from The Kursaal Flyers, original Dr Feelgood bassist John B Sparks, and Feelgood's manager, Chris Fenwick.

Musicians associated with groups like Depeche Mode, The Cure, and collaborations with artists like Eric Clapton, were also part of the portrait.

Southend musician, Mark "Snowboy" Cotgrove, organised the meeting, while Carl Allen, from the Essex-based public relations agency Big Wave PR, captured the moment.

Mr Allen said: "As a massive music fan it was an incredible honour to be the photographer for the project.

"To have so many respected well known and cult artists in the Palace Theatre was historic and momentous.

"Snowboy did an absolutely amazing job reaching out to everyone and getting them to the theatre, but it may have been a bigger ask to stop everyone talking long enough to take the photographs."

Acknowledging the significance of the occasion, Mr Allen asked everyone present to sign the photograph's mount.

He donated this signed photo to the Beecroft Gallery, where it will be on display until the end of the "Scene by the Sea" exhibition on Sunday, October 26.

Charles Sharman-Cox, the curator and founder of the Thames Group of Artists, which has organised the Scene by the Sea show, added: "When I heard that this meeting and photograph had happened, I was gutted – I wanted to be there.

"However, I was overjoyed when Carl offered the framed photo and mount to the exhibition.

"The visitor numbers to the exhibition have been phenomenal and this photograph will be a wonderful addition to the show, giving people another reason to visit or revisit the show before it ends."

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