Plymouth say a final goodbye to an Easter tradition this weekend as the final Rockfest takes place this weekend after raising over £100,000 for St Luke’s Hospice. For the past 20 years, Easter weekend has meant only one thing to local rock fans.

The rock extravaganza, hosted by the inimitable Cuz Cussen, features a plethora of local bands offering their services for free to raise funds for St Luke’s Hospice. Having met and exceeded his fundraising goal of an incredible £100,563 in 2019, Cuz was planning to call it a day.

But as this year is St Luke’s 40th birthday this year, he’s getting a final Rockfest encore at Depo in Union Street this weekend. When Rockfest started it raised money for a variety of charities including the Teenage Cancer Trust, Cot Life Society, RNLI, Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Meningitis Research, British Heart Foundation and Macmillan CancerSupport. But since 2008 the funds have been funneled to St Luke’s after Cuz’s mother Dot was treated at the hospice before her death.

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Cuz said: “Mum was brilliant and losing her was very difficult but St Luke was amazing in all aspects of their care for her as well as being there for me and my dad too. I am delighted to be able to do this to honor mum’s memory and help the charity be there for more families in need at a very vulnerable time.

Kind-hearted lorry driver Cuz, who lives in Mutley with his wife Lyn and son Tyler, was honored for his fundraising with a special recognition award at Herald’s Pride Of Plymouth Awards in 2019. For this past year, Cuz says he’s gone for it all. featuring some of the hottest local cover bands and a range of genres.

At 2:00 p.m., Jurassik Punk do punk covers with original member and founder Charlie Casey (of Menace) on bass, followed at 3:00 p.m. by TNT, the AC/DC tribute band with a host of well-known musos from Plymouth, and at 4:00 p.m. Breakout will deliver its own brand of psychobilly, punk and punkabilly.

Cornwall’s premier ska band, Rudi’s Message, play at 5 p.m., followed by alternative metal/rock ensemble Rusty Angels at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m., Banana Thieves will entertain with songs like The Stranglers, The Cure, The Jam, The Smiths, and more. there’s an opportunity to see original four-piece indie band The Rhodes. Daddy Long Legs gives his best take on British pop, mod, new wave and more. at 9 p.m., with comedic punk rockers Population Pods at 10 p.m. and 80s hair metal band the mighty Sleaze, to end the day with arena anthems like Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Guns’n’Roses, Motley Crue and Van Halen at 11 p.m.

Nina Wearne, Head of Partnerships at St Luke’s, said: “Cuz has gone above and beyond to make Rockfest such a popular event every year and raise this incredible amount for St Luke’s. Not only is it a wonderful way to remembering her mother Dot, but it ensures that we can help more than a hundred patients and their families through a very difficult time. Because she is an inspiration and we are very grateful to her, as well as ‘to everyone else involved, for what they’ve accomplished.

Cuz said he wanted to thank everyone who helped make Rockfest happen over the years. He said: “I would like to give a special mention to all my close friends, volunteers, helpers and supporters over the years who have made this event what it has become and all the bands who have given up their weekends card to play for free.

“But I would like to thank very, very especially my awesome wife, Lyn, who took on a lot of the work for Rockfest when it really took off and became the two-day event. She not only organized the raffle, rotating doors, selling shirts, etc., which was more than I could handle, but she also put up with my meltdowns when groups pulled out or things went wrong!

The final Rockfest will take place at the Depo in Union Street on Saturday April 16 and will cost £10 on the door. For more information on what’s happening in Plymouth and when, sign up for our free What’s On Plymouth newsletter.