Month: April 2024

Electric Light Orchestra – Hastings Pier 27th April 1973

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elo 27th april 1973

27th Arpil 1973 ELO

elo

elo photo

ad supplied by Sarah Harvey

Alan Esdaile…..I did the disco for this. They had so much gear that I ended up doing the disco from the balcony and before anyone says it my stage gear at that time was make up, blonde wig and black cloak!

Andre Martin….Memories of that night, must have been another that Paul and I spent in the Balcony with the best views. Have a vague recollection that Shirley on form as well that night !!

Mick O’Dowd….Nice one Sarah! Great band!

Chris Sambrook….Sarah or Alan you might be able to correct me but I have a feeling that Darryl Way’s Wolf supported. The drummer at the time Ian Mosely, much later joined Marillion.

John Austin… Did Electric Light Orchestra ever play at the White Rock Theatre ?

Alan Esdaile…  I think a ELO2 played the White Rock in recent years (anyone confirm?) and ELO tribute bands but not Jeff Lynne.

Chris Giles… Only remember them playing on the pier. Good concert.

Mick O’Dowd…Yes  ELO II did play the White Rock. I was there and I think i’ve still got the programme.

Jeff Chuzz Balcombe… yeah I remember them on the pier.

Jon McCallion… Got Out Of The Blue vinyl, full volume.

Dennis Torrance… God I missed it was 19 can’t think why I missed it kicking a football a lot then.

Clive Garrard…  I remember buying the single Showdown

Peter Thomson… Fabulous night. Apart from the concert, I still have it in my head that this was the night that the Albert Memorial was alleged to have “burnt down”. Yet I and others were in the town centre after this gig and witnessed no inkling of a fire or anything unusual, only to read of the event afterwards. Like others my age, I can’t remember why I went into the kitchen these days but this stays with me. Can anyone corroborate?

Andy Maby… One of my first live bands, but in 1978 and at Wembley! Loved ’em!! They rose up out of a ‘hamburger’ (spaceship), with green lazers flashing up to the ceiling and back walls! First time I’d seen lazers too! An amazing sight!!

Martin Richter… oh yes – out of the blue tour ? the Empire Pool ? I seem to remember 2 spaceships on wires came down at the end ? mr blue sky was in the charts at the time

Gerry Fortsch… My wife at the time fell asleep and missed the guitar cock up at the beginning of roll over Beethoven, I think he may off improved since then.

Roy Penfold… The Albert Memorial suffered the first arson attack the night after on the 28th of April, then a subsequent one on the 18th of June

Tony Court-holmes… missed it

Alan Esdaile… Remember doing the disco for this. ELO had so much equipment that I set up in the balcony at the back. Complete with blonde wig and black cloak!!! Pity no photos, or maybe just as well!

JS Bythesea… I might have been there but I used to spend a lot of time in the early 70s sitting and crying on the counter in the ladies’ toilets for some reason or other, so I can’t say for sure.  Whatever it was, I’ve got over it now.

Christine Giles… JS, hose ladies toilets were a nightmare so crowded out ..girls fighting or crying …I didn’t really enjoy having to go in there at all

Morgan Le Fay – Hastings Pier top deck – 27th April 1984

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18447484_10213300862262567_1569269381020869276_n

supplied by Reg Wood

Morgan Le Fay were: Phill Wood – Vocals, Jon Parnham – Guitars, Simon Calland – Bass, Joey Lee – Drums, John Kinson – Keyboards. This was from the last demo that they recorded before going their separate ways.

Reg Wood… Posted by Phill but I have the poster!

Mark Harris… My partner’s son, Joe Lee was the drummer

Minstrel’s Rest… How is Joey? I haven’t seen him for years…Phill (I was the singer)

Mark Harris… He’s fine, these days plays in a band called Suspect, you’ll find them on FB!

Mandy Wright… Remember them well .. xx

Joe Lee… I wish i new where i left the leather jacket, i still have the T-shirt in an old disc jockey bag from Queens road.

Bottle Alley entrance, Hastings Pier and White Rock postcard

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Interesting to see the back, in the days when senders could only use a five word greeting or if you wanted to put a full message it would cost you double!

Linda Gowans… Early WW2 economy regulations, maybe to make it easier for censorship? The photo doesn’t look old enough for the early days of postcards.

Mick O’Dowd… What year was this?

Jim Breeds… Mick, The photo is probably 1950s, I would think, or late 1940s. Bottle Alley opened in 1934, so it’s obviously after that. Postage for postcards went up to 2d. in 1940 and stayed at that price until 1957.

Mick O’Dowd… Why I asked is because the couple pushing the pram look a lot like my Mum & Dad. If it was the early 50’s or even late 40’s it could well have been. I was born in January 1949!

Patricia Burgess… Fabulous picture, Thank you for sharing

Remember the ice cream lady in the cinema?

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shared from Dave Hill https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010644697991

Leigh Mitchell… My Mum was an usherette/ice cream lady at The Regal in Uxbridge in the early 1960s. She wore a maroon coat dress with gold braid.

Jackie Willett… Leigh, my mum was too at the Gaiety cinema in Queens Road Hastings! That’s where my dad fell in love with her!!!

Lesley Bowles… My Nan was one at the local cinema (Gaiety) many years ago xx

Mick O’Dowd… Plain or choc?

Tim Moose Bruce… Albatross!

Dave Reece… Tim, D’ya get wafers with it?

Kev Towner… Tim, Badgers noses.

John Wilde… Crunchy frog

Phil Thornton… Penguin on a stick ?

Will Cornell… This same brand, or at least one with the same logo, is sold in Indonesia by guys pedaling an ice chest cart. And there’s a 3-bar company theme jingle you can hear from down the block.

Alan Esdaile… popular UK brand over here Will

Will Cornell… Probably same company , “corporate imperialism”–an enterprising Brit maybe saw the need for cold snacks in a hot sticky environment.. Although I was surprised to find out Chicken of the Sea was owned for a while by an Indonesian firm…it’s now a Thai owned company. Other common food cart vendors in Indonesia: Bread (“roti”), Milk and other dairy goods (“susu”) and soto–soup, usually meatballs. Each one has a theme song or sound that identifies it as they pedal or push around the neighborhoods. Walls is the only one with a prerecorded tune.

Jeff Belton… I remember this happening at the cinema, before the film started

Tracy Birrell… I remember her well. Especially at The Curzon Cinema in Norman Road.

Steeleye Span – Hastings Pier 24th April 1975

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photos by Chris Meachen

Pete Fairless… I might have been there…

Alan Esdaile… I was and they were excellent.

Chris Meachen… I dragged their gear on, and announced them when they went on…

Paul Morfey… I was there, seen them loads of tlmes since!

Jim Breeds…  I was there. I might have a ticket stub somewhere but not sure where. Saw them all over the place. Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Milton Keynes (yes, really), Folkestone, London and places I’ve forgotten. Lat time was Aylesbury in 2013, the night of my 60th birthday. Peter Knight’s final tour with them. Now I see Gigspanner whenever I can. 

Tony Court-holmes… I was there

Drew Drew Barney… Me too!

Chris Meachen… The best moment for me was in the otherwise empty ballroom before the gig, when all 6 members of the band turned up, stood in a circle & burst into ‘Gaudete’ & another couple of acapella numbers. One of the most magical musical experiences I’ve ever heard..

Alan Esdaile… Chris, I remember.

Jim Breeds… I was at this one.

Patrick Lewis… So was I, I think.

Carol Anne… I was there, they were brilliant

 

 

Lucifer, Skinflint, Mirrors – The Carlisle Hastings 25th April 1985

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Alan Esdaile… I don’t remember Cracked Mirror changing the name to Mirrors?

Martin Richter… “The Mirrors”

Colin Bell… Perhaps they did it on reflection……..

Dave Nattress… No me neither.  Used to go to many of the Carlisle gigs around this time.  Don’t recall this gig or the other bands – local bands?   Not heard of, i’ll try and look them up.

Alan Esdaile… Mick Mepham was in Lucifer.

Nick Shute… Alan, not the same Lucifer that did albums ‘big gun’ and ‘exit’ ??

Alan Esdaile… No Nick. I still have the exit album, in the yellow cover and pretty sure it was a freebie if you sent postage stamps to an address in NME???

Tim Moose Bruce… Lucifer was Brian Reeve on vocals. His next band was Steel Dawn`. Cracked Mirror were great. Got their album on vinyl.

Nikki Hanson… you did till I cracked it

Bonx Trigwell… Wow, played there a few times!

Ady Aacorn… Lucifer were great, travelling up to the Ruskin Arms with them for a gig was a hoot too.

Martin Stoggell… Lucifer in the Carlisle. They all looked like Lucifer the last time I was in there.
Dark faces. Horny heads. Gothic makeup got a lot to answer for.

Dave Nattress… A reflection of the Times – and other newspapers!

Battle Dance Club – Epiton Entertainments – Battle Memorial Hall 1971

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jan 1971 - battle april 1971 - battle may 1971 - battle

june 1971 - battle sept 71 - battle nov:dec 71 - battle

supplied by Nigel Ford

Phil Gill… See, that’s 30p and 40p admission and I notice there’s no banjos. Just sayin’…..

Jan Warren… This has “stirred” some things in my very blurred memory banks??!! ……. and whether its relevant or not, I remember going to gigs somewhere in a village hall near or around Battle, also I recall a band called “Blue Condition” with Dave Gurr and a girl singer, I think they did a version of “Venus” by “Shocking Blue”?! – anyone else?? – yes, of course I remember “Suspect” and Rock Machine …….. well, I still have this album, I know it has nothing to do with the band advertised but its another old classic compilation album of the time.

Lance Collins… Symphonic Crab brings back memories Gerry Fortsch.

Colin Fox… As I recall, O’Hara’s Playboys were a great band, I saw them at the Sundowners Club in Eastbourne.

Andy Qunta… Great to have reminders of some of those names I had forgotten & others I remember really well!

Phil Wade Eyes Of Blond… The January date fills in a blank in our scrapbook – thanks! The April date was shortly after we broke up (March 24th) so we must have had to cancel it  🙁 Great to have this stuff after all this time – thanks again.

Geoff Peckham… I definitely saw your band there, Phil. It was the January date and it was pretty impressive!

Robert Searle… Some really good groups there

Mick O’Dowd… Didn’t The Bedrocks have a cover version of Ob-la-di at the same time as The Marmalade? O’Haras Playboys were also a good little band.

Alan Esdaile… Yes, well remembered Mick.

Keith Veness… Johnnie Johnson and the band wagon played there

Alan Pepper… SUSPECT 4 BARLEY 3

Oonagh Hague… I lived in Sedlescombe and Friday nights were Battle dance nights before we then progressed to The Cobweb happy times

Kevin Burchett… used to love the Battle dances i had some great times there and it was easy to get home to Netherfield then

 

Budgie & Fokker Triplane – Hastings Pier 23rd April 1982

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poster supplied by Gary Uwin. Ticket supplied by Tim Moose Bruce

Steve Reents… I LOVE Budgie!

Gary Uwin… poster spotted in Platform One Records.

Ian Brown… Definitely remember them went to see them at Manchester apollo

Tim Moose Bruce… Went to that one. Still got the ticket!

Mike Guy… Good old Budgie, played our local youth club before they made it in the States, or anywhere else.

Phil Gill… I saw Budgie that night but I don’t remember the other Fokkers.

Alan King… time just flew by

Alan Esdaile… that’s a cheap comment

Andy Davies… I’m sure I saw Budgie a few times on the pier in 70s. All I remember is the Roger Dean graphics,no recollection of the songs at all. Saw another old git on the prom the other day wearing a budgie tee-shirt, and wondered could I even listen to them today!!

Sparrow Baker… I was there ! I don’t remember any other Fokkers either. Mind you, those were the days for not remembering.