“When Lowestoft Rocked” launches with successful Memory Café event

The Lowestoft Town Hall Project‘s first When Lowestoft Rocked event, the Memory Café, was a great success, bringing together 35 people connected to Lowestoft’s music scene. Attendees shared stories, photos, and memorabilia, including scrapbooks from a former Lowestoft Journal writer and memories of supporting the Rolling Stones at South Pier. It was clear how much people valued celebrating the town’s musical heritage.

The official Lowestoft Rocked launch on 4 February at the Marina Theatre also drew an enthusiastic crowd. Before the event began, people queued with photo albums and framed pictures, ready to share their stories. Old friends reconnected, and conversations quickly filled the room—drowning out the 60s–2000s playlist in the background. We heard from musicians who helped usher in the shift from formal dances to American‑style guitar bands in the early 1960s, and from families whose musical traditions span generations.

Special thanks go to Karen Wood for bringing photo albums and clippings from her time reporting on local music, and to Richard Morling of Morlings Music Shop for contributing photographs.

This year will see many more Lowestoft Rocked events and activities, all building toward the first exhibition in the refurbished Town Hall.