The Fizz: Make Your Mind Up time in Worthing!

The Fizz: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

The Fizz bring the Land Of Make Believe to The Factory Live, and the hits and more! Make your mind up time!

The Fizz and guests Soul Traders: The Factory Live 21/12/2025

The Fizz

The Fizz are a British pop music group formed in 2004 as a spin-off from the original group, Bucks Fizz. For many years the core of the group consisted of Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston, who are all former members of Bucks Fizz and performed as OBF (Original Bucks Fizz) initially with Shelley Preston and then replaced by Jay Aston. The group then performed as Formerly of Bucks Fizz, its complicated! Now Cheryl and Jay have teamed up with two new vocalists Matthew Pateman and Nikk Mager and are touring again, pleasing audiences, old and new, wherever they play.

The Set:

The Fizz appeared on the Factory Live stage to huge cheers from the capacity audience, they looked larger than life and full of positive energy, on a wet and cold Sunday evening in December. To those who have not yet encountered this band or their previous incarnations as Bucks Fizz (surely there can’t be many judging by the length of the line outside the venue!), they’re a popular outfit, in more ways than one…

The Fizz: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

Former Bucks Fizz’ers included Cheryl Baker and Jay Aston who are joined with Matthew Pateman and Nikk Mager and have come together into a band which possesses a special sort of magic. There’s an obvious, casual and electrifying chemistry between all of them; on-stage this translates into an extremely confident vibe, which gently pulls everyone along for the ride!

They’re all great individual singers and musicians, with highly tuned ears and great vocal control. This allows them, together, to formulate strong and yet entrancing and engaging songs packed with tight harmonies and interesting shifts in melody, timing and stage moves.

My Camera was ready!

The Fizz burst out of the gates with the rhythmic almost funky, swaggering samba styled single New Beginning and then blasting another single introduced by Cheryl My Camera Never Lies, a cracking single.

The Fizz: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

The four members took turns to chat or introduce and take the lead on different songs, another illustration of the collaborative attitude they bring to The Fizz. That approach also helps demonstrate just how catchy and captivating each of their songs are. Matthew introduced another chart success from back in the day with If You Can’t Stand The Heat.

The Fizz: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

The return of the 80’s!

Jay was up next to chat and introduce a rather enjoyable segue of 80’s bangers. This section included Flashdance, Sweet Dreams, Just Can’t Get Enough, Lay All Your Love On Me and closing with Venus.

Next up it was Nikk to do the intro for Amen from The F–Z of Pop album and You and Your Heart So Blue. Keep Each Other Warm was next up from the 1986 Bucks Fizz album Writing on the Wall. Nikk introduced the next song written by Jay and she took lead vocals. It was a single which featured Rick Wakeman on piano. I hadn’t heard this song before, go have a listen to it on your streaming platform, it’s a delight.

It has almost a Christmas feel to it and that led us perfectly into Christmas party session fired up by Cheryl. I don’t think there was one person not dancing and singing along. Some strong vocals (and more pinpoint harmonies) and a chance for us in the audience to join in with foot stomps and hand claps on some vintage Christmas crackers! Merry Christmas!

The big hits!

The Fizz: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

Jay then led us into the Christmas single, that didn’t quite make the number one slot due to The Human League topping the charts for that festive period. However, Bucks Fizz did knock the League of the top spot in the following January. The song? The Land of Make Believe. It was a joy to see the guys do this one with the dance routine, and who can forget Cheryl’s and Jay’s outfits for the video for the single.

Cheryl stepped forward to let us know there was time for just one more song! The drums that open the song pounded through the venue. Making Your Mind Up stirred the crowd once again. The guys lent forward to remove the skirts, poor Cheryl was almost pulled off her feet as the dress was proving to be stubborn! But we got there and that iconic moment was played out for us.

The one song I was hoping for Piece Of The Action didn’t appear, maybe next time? This show produced a genuinely joyful and relaxed atmosphere, set by the four on-stage and their frequent glances, giggles, jokes and the music – and all this on a wet Sunday evening.

Nothing beats knowledge and experience. Brilliant show, The Fizz, you nailed it! Perfect. It’s a great show and I thoroughly recommend seeing this outfit if you are lucky enough to live near a venue they are playing at. Next year is shaping up to be a busy one, with the anniversary of the Eurovision win! They know how to put some Fizz into your life!

A Video! Make your mind up!

And with the song closing, time for a bow and they were gone. The Fizz leaving the audience with a smile on many faces and all chatting about the gig as they filed out. See you next year!

The Fizz: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

The Fizz can be found on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thefizzofficial

Guests: The Soul Traders

Soul Traders: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

A local outfit who I have not seen before had the job of opening for The Fizz. A six piece band, Soul Traders, will take you on a trip down memory lane like few other bands can. It was a bit of a squeeze up there with personnel and concert gear. Tonight we had a 45 minute slot of killers and no fillers as they set about playing instantly recognisable hits alongside guilty pleasures that you’d forgotten you once loved.

Opening up with PYT segued into Shake Your Body, Lost in Music, All Night Long and the brilliantly performed Ain’t Nobody.

These guys know exactly what they are doing and deliver classy tunes in a highly polished and tight set. It was so tight it made my eyes water. I have to admit I do love a bit of Sax, and there was plenty of it tonight. A wonderful sound taking the superb vocals to the next level. Some fine guitars throughout and the bass and drums held it all together.

A good cover band excels in capturing the essence of the original songs while adding their unique flair. They prioritise musical skill, tight instrumentation and performance. I can happily confirm Soul Traders ticked all the boxes for me. The Soul Traders had split their set with some great disco and soul classics and then we moved on into breathtaking, wider range of 80’s hits.

Soul Traders promise to keep you on the dance floor all night! The Soul Traders effortlessly incorporated a fabulous mix of soul, disco, reggae, pop and even a few soul tinged rock tracks from the 70s, 80s and 90s. We had it all from Dexy’s, ABBA, Bangles, Elvis Costello, The Police, WHAM!, Peter Gabriel and ending with a vibrant and brilliant cover of Madonna’s Like a Prayer.

Soul traders went down a storm. They read the room and pitched it perfectly warming up the crowd nicely for what was to come.

Soul Traders: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

Brilliant band! These guys came to The Factory Live and were a huge hit, everyone on their feet having a great time. These guys have an impressive pedigree and have played in some truly iconic venues. Very talented bunch and I’d recommend these guys in a heartbeat, well played!

Soul Traders are on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/thesoultradersband

And Finally…

Thanks to Cheryl, Jay, Matthew, and Nikk Mager – The Fizz
Thanks to Soul Traders
Thanks to the award winning team at The Factory Live and Stephen.

CONGRATULATIONS to The Factory Live: Prestige Awards , an organisation launched to celebrate businesses and individuals that consistently offer excellent products and services to local residents, has crowned The Factory in Worthing as South England ‘Live Music Venue of the Year’ for 2025-26, a second consecutive win for the intimate venue on the South Coast, who were also awarded the title in 2024-25. Well deserved guys!

Words and photos/video by Ian Bourn.

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All original pictures / video – copyright to IANB/MEDIA WORKS/ SCENE SUSSEX – Ian “The Lens” Bourn 2025.

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