Our Friend Faren Short was obsessed with music and particularly live music, attending thousands of gigs throughout his life supporting national and local bands. Faren died earlier in 2021 after a brave and dignified battle with cancer; his legacy is one big party to celebrate his life featuring local live music from bands picked by Faren himself. Friends David Chinery (Chinners) and Ross Ferrone were given a letter after Faren’s death and asked them to put this fitting celebration together including a raffle featuring band merchandise and gig tickets along with a sale of some of Faren’s own home made punk waistcoats/t-shirts. His request was that all the funds from the event go to the ‘Sophie Lancaster Foundation’, a charity that was very close to his heart supporting personal diversity.

The event was over held over two days at the Madding Crowd in Bournemouth featuring 16 hand-picked bands that Faren would have most definitely approved of. A wooden cut out of Faren was made to stand on the stage and oversee all what was going on. The pandemic situation at the time brought its own challenges and there were bands than had to pull out along with people who could not come along. Despite these hurdles the event was a roaring success and £3470.24 was raised for ‘Sophie Lancaster Foundation’. Fazza Fest was such a roaring success the venue have invited the organisers to do it all again this year. It will be on 7th/8th October with some very special headliners to be announced in due course.

A cover of the Sex Pistols “Anarchy in the UK” was put together by Musician Andy Nazer along with a host of Faren’s Friends and presented to him before his died.

Words by David Chinery (Chinners)
Pictures by Matthew Rayner

If you want to get in touch with Faren’s Friend’s join our Facebook group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/889663531459802