Hey hey, a Monkee's coming to town!

11:09am Tuesday 25th March 2008

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A MUSIC legend from the world's first manufactured boyband will be headlining Darwen's annual music festival.

Peter Tork, one quarter of 1960s pop band The Monkees, has signed up to perform on the main stage in Market Street at Darwen Live 2008.

And he plans to perform some of the group's greatest hits for the festival.

The Monkees were based in Los Angeles in 1965 for an NBC American television series. The show, which ran from 1966 to 1968, helped make them one of the most popular music acts of the decade. The group officially disbanded in 1971 after hits such as I'm a Believer and Daydream Believer.

The two-day Darwen festival takes place during the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, on Sunday, May 25 and Monday, May 26.

As well as the main stage in Market Street, where Peter Tork and an all-American band will perf-orm, there will be two other stages, in Darwen Library Theatre and at Knott Street Community Centre.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has also announced that a whole host of bands are to join the former Monkees singer at Darwen's ninth annual music festival.

English indie rock band The Bluetones, who hit the big time with their 1995 hit Slight Return, 80s rock band The Men They Couldn't Hang, whose first hit single was The Green Fields of France', 80s Liverpudian rock band China Crisis, who have recently started touring, punk rock band Goldblade, Stray and Swill and the Swagger-band, will all be there.

Last month, WEC Group, based in Junction Street, Darwen, pledged £10,000 for the main stage to help secure the event's future.

Blackburn with Darwen Council have taken over the full organisation of this year's event.

Coun Michael Law-Riding, executive member for leisure and culture, said: "As well as the outdoor stages, many of the surrounding pubs and clubs will be scheduling their own entertainment programme continuing in the evening.

"We also have an additional venue this year in the Knott Street car park, so I am confident we will have a weekend to remember."