I guess that it will be about 15 mins each - 3 tracks maybe, or, God forbid, "a medley of our hits"..

like the wind. [The 80's was my era, and these, with the odd exception, did not make up many of the good bits]

The 80s was my Era, but crikey that's a rum bunch. What no Bucks Fizz? No Ellis, Beggs and Howard? No Johnny Hates Jazz?
Consummate professionals all I'm sure (with the possible exception of poor old Steve Stange)
Altered Images might be fun though, and Kid Creole is sure to be good...as are his Coconuts.

It'll be fun. After a few drinks.

China Crisis
Altered Images
Visage (until they'd played Fade to Grey)
Jimmy Somerville (if he promised to play Smalltown Boy)

As for the rest: no thanks.

I saw China Crisis last year in a very small bar in Dublin and had one of the best nights out ever. Genuinely! Loads of hits, and they can play! Then we went on the piss with the band afterwards. They were great.

The rest...I can't really say, but they all have a couple of hits everyone knows so using that as an excuse I'd stay and have a couple of beers and a singalong!

For the Kid, China Crisis (been randomly humming King in a Catholic style this week), and of course the blessed Claire.
Its free, and if you like it it is all win. If you hate it you can say "I saw XX once and they were shite". No way to lose.

....it goes without saying is complete garbage, but I was at Richmond Station a couple of weeks ago when the 'Ascot crowd' got off (without a rubbish 1980s concert) and it was like going to a Millwall away game in 1975.

Then stay for the entertainment & have yourself a great time. You will enjoy it far more than you would believe possible.

China Crisis, Odyssey and Altered Images would be interesting.

Pack efficient earplugs for Toyah and the ghastly Jimmy Somerville.

...and none of them will be on long enough for you to want to commit pain on yourself (or someone else).

I bloody LOVE Odyssey, although not sure who is actually in them nowadays. Sisters, weren't they?

Kid Creole, Altered Images = ace
Visage, Paul Young = still alive, which is nicer than the alternative
China Crisis = tolerable, probably
Jason Donovan, Brother Beyond = trip to bar

I saw Toyah about 15 years ago, and it was quite a scream.

Finally, I watched TOTP 80s the other day and wondered aloud what happened to Jimmy Somerville. And now I know, so that's a plus.

I happened to be in Liverpool when one of these packages was in town a couple of years ago.

Imagine my surprise to find Kid Creole (August Darnell) checking in to my hotel at the same time as me, I think he had a rather nice young lady with him. Kim Wilde and Rick Astley also spotted in the hotel bar after the show.

Kid Creole had a great live act.
Not sure how many of the Coconuts that are the originals these days but the tunes are still ace so it couldn't be too awful - maybe just a little bit sad if Mr Creole shuffles out with a zimmer frame...
Still, I'd stay for that.
In fact, I'd time my arrival for the show rather than the races.
Will you be wearing a lovely hat ?

fun, after a few drinks and, hopefully, a few wins. Bloody hell though, Ascot has changed - do they still have those ill-mannered bowler hatted dwarfs manning the entrances ?

Kid Creole should be good, odyssey will do 'Native New Yorker' so what's not to like there and I have a nothing but good wishes for Paul Young, deeply unfashionable I know but I do think he had a great blue eyed soul voice and Love Of The Common People is a great song full of pathos and sentimentality.

This indecision's bugging me!

He came on stage. The girls screamed. "Hello Chicago Rock!". More screams. "What are you doing out on a Wednesday night?" More screaming from the girls. "And if you're wondering, no I don't take it up the a**e!" Screaming quietens down, to be replaced by a collective "what did he say???"

Then he did 4 songs, bizarrely including an acapella rendition of the theme from Home And Away.

Strange night, that one.

...have a few drinks; pick your acts with care; avoid trains to Richmond! Thank you all for your advice, it is much appreciated.

My instincts are saying go but; I will be driving - so must drink with care, if at all; picking acts is tricky, it's an all or nothing option (little 60's reference there); but, I will certainly manage to avoid the trains.

However, as in the 'Who runs the music in your car' thread, the views of the FPO will be decisive. There is every chance that she will ask "You want me to watch three hours of who, exactly?" So I need to do some work twixt now and Saturday to set this up properly. Watch this space....

As to some of the specific questions: No - I won't be wearing a lovely hat. It's not Royal Ascot after all! Yes - they do still have charmless bowler-hatted nurks manning the gates, but fewer than there used to be. Yes - the Ascot crowd has changed since they built their big new grandstand. They had hoped to fill it with corporate entertainees but the bottom fell out of that market, so they are now pushing the stag/hen party line and keeping the prices low. It is little wonder that Brenda doesn't turn up as often as she used to!

don't bother.

I can only imagine this being fun after about 12 cans of Special Brew.

if only for Kid Creole & assorted Coconuts. I saw them last year at the Vintage Festival and they were the best act all day, great tunes and leave everyone up for a party.
I also reckon you can't go too far wrong with Paul Young, he's got a great voice and plenty of songs you'll know.
As for the others, I would have thought it's similar to going into a second hand record shop where the vinyl is £2 a pop. Worth taking a punt as surely there must be some songs worth hearing.

..and turn out for the lovely Clare Grogan...

for Somerville. That way he might keep touring and stay the fuck out of the Brighton bike lane, with his BMX and no-hands riding 'style'.