The Sweet – Hastings Pier 31st Dec 1971

894778_10201375235360883_392473046_o-2

1053465_10200646185135083_764799684_o-2

the-sweet-31st-dec-1971

supplied by  Andre Palfrey-Martin Collection

Chris Giles….Saw Sweet at the Aquarius was surprised and quite pleased that they did a lot of rock numbers

Alan Esdaile….I also saw them at the Aquarius Chris and we were packed in like sardines. They always did some good rock ‘b’ sides, one of the best was ‘done me wrong alright’.

Mick Mepham….Sweet were always a rock band first and a pop band second.

Karen Sweatman was Blackman… Saw a band called the Wandering Crutchlees down the Crypt in the early nineties. Two ex members of Sweet. At the end of the gig, they called out to the audience for requests. Don’t think they were expecting me to shout out ‘Poppa Joe’ and they fell about laughing. They decided to do Ballroom Blitz instead!

Kev Towner… I was a big Sweet fan – but I was only 9 in 1971!! I’ve still got the vast majority of The Sweet’s singles on vinyl. The albums seem more difficult to track down.

Karen Sweatman was Blackman… Beat you. I was only 1! But I’m sure I was dribbling along with the best of them. I also saw The Sweet with Mud at the White Rock a few years ago. Half the audience were obviously reliving their teenage years and the other half were about my age (early twenties at the time) seeing what we had missed. Great party night.

Jane Hartley… I saw them at the Aquarius!

Nicola Dobson… I  was 17!

Matt Thomas… I was working behind the bar at The White Rock when they appeared around 1989/90 sadly they had all seen better days lol

Jeff Chuzz Balcombe… wasn’t a good turnout only a handful of peps & they wasn’t that good.

Tim Elms… I saw Sweet at the Aquarius the week they went to no 1 with Blockbuster, fantastic night. I worked there behind the bar but this was a night off. Much of their set was rock although I suspect many in the the audience where there for the pop. I seem to remember they finished on Blockbuster, the house went wild. The manager told me he enquired about re-booking Sweet but they were now way too expensive for a small venue. The group asked for a six foot safety area between the stage and the audience but were persuaded it was not necessary in sleepy Hastings. Instead, a large friendly doorman (can’t remember his name) stood centre front of the stage watching the crowd. A weird image that has stayed with me!

Andre Martin… OMG another good night on the Pier – playing to 2.00am !!!!!

Jan Warren… Loved The Sweet. I remember most of their “b-sides” of the singles were good rock music!! They “cleverly” put out the pop music to get in the charts, but us rock fans always listened to the b-sides ……… just listening to a SWEET cd now and I remember “Burning” was one of my fave b-sides, yeeee Haaa!!!

Janet Cruttenden… I went to see them recently at del la warr bexhil

Sue Goddard…me too, what a great night.

1 thought on “The Sweet – Hastings Pier 31st Dec 1971”

  1. I saw Sweet at the Aquarius the week they went to no 1 with Blockbuster, fantastic night. I worked there behind the bar but this was a night off. Much of their set was rock although I suspect many in the the audience where there for the pop. I seem to remember they finished on Blockbuster, the house went wild. The manager told me he enquired about re-booking Sweet but they were now way too expensive for a small venue. The group asked for a six foot safety area between the stage and the audience but were persuaded it was not necessary in sleepy Hastings. Instead, a large friendly doorman (can’t remember his name) stood centre front of the stage watching the crowd. A weird image that has stayed with me!

    Reply

Leave a comment