Groovy! How is Exeter leading the way with all things retro?

Nothing brings smiles to people’s faces and gets them talking more than thinking about the not-so-distant past. If one thing is certain in life, it’s that things that were once popular will come back into fashion – and our love of retro has certainly proven that to be true. Whether its fashions we thought were condemned to the history books or sounds and sights that send us down memory lane, going retro provides a breath of fresh air. So, how is Exeter bringing it back old school and giving us a blast from the past?  

80s notalgia at full blast with the Let's Rock festival

Let’s Rock Exeter

The Let’s Rock retro festival is the perfect embodiment of everything we love – and cringe at – about the past. The nationwide tour is arriving on Sunday 27 June 2020 at Powderham Castle. The show will allow anyone who fondly remembers the 80s to relive their heyday and see how the retro nature of crimped hair, crinoline, leg warmers, and windbreaker jackets mingles with iPhones, social media, and stunning stage shows. The show will feature performances from popular classic acts such as 80s icons Adam Ant, Wet Wet Wet, ABC, Kim Wilde, and Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley.

The sounds of the 80s aren’t just relegated to one-off performances, as modern nightclubs and bars, such as Popworld and Yates, have dedicated nights that pay homage to these artists of the past. The fact that the tour is stopping at Exeter – and at such a prestigious location – shows that the city has made a name for itself as being one that relishes an opportunity to throw it back and embrace the nostalgia of the past. Not only does providing a platform for acts that are less well known today allow those who were fans to reminisce and enjoy their favourite artists, but it also allows them to tap into the audiences of today and possibly garner a new reception.

The festival comes replete with stalls for food and drink and provides an entire day of enjoyment for all, all inspired by the retro motifs of nostalgia the music heralds.

Retro garms

Exeter doesn’t just facilitate a retro soundtrack; it is at the forefront of bringing back retro fashions. The rise of vintage shops and the trend to dress in clothing from the past not only helps the planet by supporting second-hand sustainable businesses, but it provides a source of income for a variety of vintage providers.

Savvy eyes are able to procure garments that would otherwise be lost to moths in the back of the wardrobe, and repurpose them for customers who are desperate for a taste of the glamorous past. The Real McCoy is one such shop, throwing fashions from the 80s to present day – the 1880s that is! From 1940s pin-ups to the styles of the swinging sixties and roaring twenties, The Real McCoy provides repurposed retro clothing from many an era and replica pieces to use as costumes.

Great Gatsby themed parties that take inspiration from the decadence of the prohibition-era have become extremely popular, so there is a real demand by customers for such outfits, especially the American-inspired vintage styles of aviators, Letterman jackets, and American Western paraphernalia. Having been established for more than 35 years, the shop knows how to keep the classics alive.

While Let’s Rock allows us to sink back into nostalgia for a day, adding hints of retro to our wardrobe allows us to pay homage on a daily basis. While everyone else is hitting the bars in the same H&M dress and Topman shirt, you’ll be able to dive into your eclectic wardrobe and stand out from the crowd. Other vintage shops, such as Peachy Tipi and Sobeys Vintage Clothing also provide exclusives from top brands such as Nike and Levi’s to classic Disney-inspired pieces. The boom in retro clothing and vintage shops evidently illustrates that people are as eager to embrace the retro aesthetic in what they wear as much as they do in terms of what they listen to. Perhaps most importantly, it's always great to try and shop locally and, who knows, you'll most likely find some interesting finds in doing so!

Bingo!

Bingo's recent rise in popularity is helped by our love of all things retro. 

Bingo is a timeless classic, and every few years finds itself at the heart of a retro revival. The game has many different associations, depending on who you ask. The arrival of Bongo’s Bingo throughout the country has stoked up the fire for the tense classic among a younger audience. While Exeter is yet to experience the traveling bingo extravaganza, it has certainly made a name for itself throughout other student cities.

The game involves the classic number calling of bingo but throws in dance segments, odd prizes, and hectic, energetic fun. The game shows how you can take a traditional classic such as bingo and modernize it to keep the essence the same. This is exactly what you can see online through the online resurgence of retro iGaming. For instance, many sites have diversified the traditional game of online bingo and while it does use vintage graphics to hark back to the past, the gameplay is as modern as it comes. By harnessing the latest gaming technology, sites are able to transform traditional games – including a range of online slots - into ones that would appeal to contemporary audiences as well as those who might enjoy experiencing the nostalgia of playing something retro. Judging by the users who leave a Winkbingo review, it appears that this approach has been hugely successful. Online gaming is where many avid gamers like to spend their time, so bringing the retro classics to them has only aided the genre's popularity.

Retro is definitely the ‘in’ thing and nationwide tours such as Let’s Rock, vintage clothing stores, and the rise in popularity of games such as bingo help to solidify our warm nostalgic, rose-tinted view of the past, that develops into something tangible in the present.

Whether you want to watch your old favourites on stage play the hits of your youth and first foray into adulthood, or you want to add elements of retro style to your wardrobe to create a unique image, or simply take up a game that has been loved and for centuries, there is definitely plenty to choose from when it comes to going retro in Exeter.