One of Thanet’s top fundraising music festivals returns to rock the stage again this summer.
The eighth showcase event that generates much-needed funds and awareness for the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund goes live on Sunday, July 5, at the Pavilion in Harbour Street, Broadstairs, from noon until 5pm.
Once again RockthePav is free entry with donations collected at the venue – last year’s event raised around £1,200 bringing the running total for music events run by the RTP team since 2018 to an impressive £12,700.
Musicians involved, the organising team, DB Rising sound and tech systems, Frank Harvey as Master of Ceremonies and the Pavilion venue, all give their support free to enable as much money as possible to go directly to the charity.
This year three bands – Musica, Get Carter and The Laurel Canyon Appreciation Society – will be providing a diverse range of styles to ensure the show has something to whet the appetite of listeners across the board.
The organisers said: “As ever, the event is a celebration of our friend, guitarist and event co-founder Phil Hunt from Broadstairs, who lost a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer in 2019. It is also a testament to the many musician friends and music fans whose lives have been affected by cancer – and our festival is a positive way of raising funds and raising awareness.”
Yasmin Bailey local fundraising co-ordinator from the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund and her fellow volunteers will be on hand throughout with advice and support, and Yasmin will provide regular updates on fundraising from the stage. The team will once again be joined by their distinctive mascot, a giant toy gorilla called Ramsden.
She said: “RockthePav is one of our best fundraising events. I have an amazing small team of helpers who have been with me from the very beginning without whom none of this could be possible and they will be with me at the concert.
“I look forward to meeting everybody and my thanks goes to all those working tirelessly behind the scenes together with the bands who will be performing. A huge thank you to everyone who will be supporting us again this year.
“PCRF has been funding grants for the research projects since 2004 when the charity was founded by Maggie Blanks. The research projects look at early diagnosis and better forms of treatment to advance and improve survival for pancreatic cancer patients.
“In August 2025 the fund’s Tissue Bank became the first in England to receive ISO (International Standardisation Organisation) accreditation, an international standard that recognises the excellence in biobanking and only the second in the UK.
“We continue to be successful in our local fundraising for PCRF and to date we have a grand total of £69,152 – I continue to be so encouraged by people’s generosity.”
Meet the bands:
Get Carter – Led by frontman and multi-instrumentalist Terry Carter, the band plays a clever mix of rhythm and blues gleaned from artists in London, Melbourne, and New Orleans. In addition to their blues and roots sets, the group functions as a popular wedding and party act, featuring covers in the style of The Blues Brothers and The Commitments.
Musica – Musica members hail from across the East Kent coast and Maidstone. They’re a tight 4-piece band who simply love playing live for any crowd, and promise three-part vocal harmonies and plenty of energy to styles including South African beats, soul, Motown, disco, latin, funk and pop. Lead vocalist Stacey is joined by Paul on lead guitar and vocals, bassist and vocalist Matt, and drummer Andy.
Laurel Canyon Appreciation Society – A collective of like-minded musicians, they perform music created by the stars who resided in Laurel Canyon in America’s Santa Monica mountains in Los Angeles in the late 1960s and early 1970s including Carole King, Joni Mitchell, The Doors, CSNY, Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor. The band is Rosa on guitar and lead vocals, Perry on keys, Chris on bass, Andy on drums and Bob on guitar.
Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund
To find out more about the work and research that PCRF undertake, and about the tissue bank, go online to www.pcrf.org.uk or contact local fundraising co-ordinator Yasmin Bailey at [email protected] or phone 01843 491695.
