MORE than 12,000 people turned Southampton Common into a dance floor from the 1980s yesterday as the city turned back the clock for a party like never before.

Revellers were today waking up bleary eyed following one of the liveliest days ever seen as Let's Rock! rolled in to town for the first time.

Daily Echo: 1980s lovers  made the journey from across Hampshire and beyond for one of the greatest days the city has seen in years, as it celebrates it's 50th anniversary.

Gates opened to the festival, the first time it's ever been held in the city, at 11am before Brother Beyond opened the show just before 12pm.

 

Daily Echo: It was a day packed with wall to wall music from 30 years ago from the likes of Altered Images to Heaven 17, Howard Jones, Go West and Bananarama.

Leg warmers, rara skirts and Frankie Says Relax t-shirts were the fashion must haves, while there was also an abundance of neon Lycra.

Daily Echo: Comperes for the day were Pat Sharp and Dave Benson Philips kept the crowd entertained between the acts.

But as the sun went down on the 10 and a half hour extravaganza, all eyes were on the legendary Billy Ocean.

Daily Echo:

He performed a tremendous set belting out hit after hit including the famous Love Train and When The Going Gets Tough before closing the show to Caribbean Queen.

Organiser Matt Smith told the Daily Echo last night that he was delighted with the success of the Lets Rock! event in Southampton.

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