PETER & THE TEST TUBE BABIES + THE RELICS – PEACEHAVEN & TELSCOMBE FC 7.4.18
When I first heard about this gig at Peacehaven Football Club I thought “this will be a one off and I have to get my ticket – right now”, so I did. It seemed to take so long to come around too.
My personal history with Peter and the Test Tube Babies (PTTB) started as a young 14 year old at Tideway School. One of my best mates Walnut was the PTTB’s Del’s brother, so he was a big influence. Anyway, it must have been about 1978/79 when PTTB played at Tideway School. It was awesome and we all loved it, but they got banned from playing there again (no surprise). That was the first time I heard brilliant songs such as ‘Banned From the Pubs’, ‘Transvestite’ and of course ‘Peacehaven Wild Kids’. I lived in Denton at the time and was essentially a “Post Office Punk”, but I had a lot of friends in Peacehaven and they always made me feel like one of the wild kids. I went to many PTTB gigs in the early days – Newhaven Boys Club, Lewes, Lamport Community Centre, The Great Dane in Seaford to name but a few.
Anyway back to tonight. PTTB haven’t played ‘Peacehaven Wild Kids’ for some time and Peter and Del (Strangefish) have a great community spirit, which inspired the gig tonight. The band and supporters went to the game this afternoon, which Peacehaven won 1-0 against Chichester City – get in.
The football clubs Director Phil Merry has a band called The Relics that all hail from Peacehaven and provided the support for tonight. Phil was on vocals and the rest of the band were Ele Tully (vocals and backing vocals), Nigel Enever (lead guitar/rhythm and vocals), Chris Fairhall (bass guitar) and Steve Tully (drums). They started the evening off with their rendition of ‘Sunny Afternoon’ and got the room singing along and tapping their feet. They also played ‘You Really Got me’, ‘I Saw Her Standing There’, ‘Crocodile Rock’, ‘Money’, ‘Sorrow’, ‘Be My Baby’, ‘Sweet Caroline’ (by special request), ‘C’Mon Everybody’, ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’, ‘Locomotion’, ‘Rockin’ All Over The World’, ‘Silver Lining’, ‘Paper Plane’ and ‘The Last Time’. Lots of singing along to some classic tunes. Such great community support and a big shout out to Phil for everything he did to support the gig tonight!
Well by now the anticipation had grown. I had met people that I haven’t seen since I was 15 (some 38 years ago) and it had really got surreal. It was more like a punk reunion and I saw so many faces from Brighton circa 78/79/80. There were people that came across from France, Spain, Portugal and the USA just to be here for this special gig. Some fans had travelled hundreds of miles across England too.
Peter Bywater and Del “Strangefish” being the original founding members had instigated this and the crowd were well up for it, some of us have waited for years for a Peacehaven gig and that song. It all kicked off with an absolute favourite ‘Moped Lads’, then straight into ‘Run Like Hell’ the crowd were bouncing and a mosh started to grow and the list of awesome ditties old and new started to flow.
The PTTB setlist was ‘Moped Lads’, ‘Run Like Hell’, The Jinx, ‘Never Made It’, ‘My Unlucky Day’, ‘In Yer Face’, ‘Up Yer Bum’, ‘Spirit Of Keith Moon’, ‘None Of Your Fu**ing Business’, ‘Keep Britain Untidy’, ‘Wrong’, ‘Peacehaven Wild Kids’, ‘Transvestite’, ‘Maniac’, ‘Banned From The Pubs’, ‘Elvis is Dead’ and ‘Blown Out Again’.
As soon as the TTB’s played ‘Peacehaven Wild Kids’ it transferred me right back to 1978 and I have waited for such a long time to hear them perform this song again. Well it was a true reunion and must have taken the band right back to their roots, with many of us being there right from the start 40 years ago. The whole evening was amazing and everyone loved every second. I have to say that my view was from the mosh pit and it was one of the best gigs I have been to in a long time.
Undercover Festival in Margate next Saturday is your next opportunity to see this great band in action, they will be one of the highlights.
More info on the Test Tube Babies here: http://www.testtubebabies.co.uk/
For further information on Peacehaven & Telscombe FC visit the official website: http://www.peacehavenfc.co.uk/
It was a great night and a special one to be at. I have seen them a few times but not right at the beginning as I was only 9! Always been one of my favourite bands. Good to see you again Mark after nearly 40 years!
Loved last night !-Peter and Del were in my class right back even b4 Tideway!..So good catching up with lots of old friends..😎
Was one of the Post Office Gang back in the day but always took the chance to see PTTB whenever they were in the area. A great night and even better seeing old mates again. Evs would have loved it. Gone but never forgotten
Great stuff Mark. I am so disappointed that I couldn’t make it 🙁
Amazing night….all the old faces and certainly worth the trip from Spain.
Now that’s dedication Kim – nice one!
It was great to be part of such a brilliant evening. Del has been so good and helpful in the build up to the gig. This gig meant so much to many people connected with the football club. Thank you all who came. Phil singer wth The Relics
Wearing his trademark camo shorts, as usual in my sigue sigue sputnik t-shirt, what a great night.First saw this bunch supporting the Dead Kennedys at the Cockcroft building which was then i believe part of Moulsecoomb Polytechnic back in 1983/84. Seen them many times since including Rebellion and an attempted gig at punk by the sea in Southsea as well as many other local events. Cant wait for the next one.
Tim
Hi Tim, I was at that Dead Kennedys gig too! That may have been the one where Attila The Stockbroker was being hounded by wayward skinhead punks. Saw the Dead Kennedys before that at Jenkinsons in Brighton too.
Next one for these guys Tim is Undercover Festival @ Dreamland Margate 13 & 14 April with Sham 69, Chelsea, Menace, Kirk Brandon,1919, Crisis, Big Boy Tomato, The Warriors and so much more
http://WWW.UNDERCOVERFEST.COM
Keep up the great work Mick 🙂
I have lived in Peacehaven for 6 years, so not a local lad. My wife got tickets when I saw they were playing local. What an amazing night! Last time I saw them, well it was mid 1980’s at places like Extremes and also The Dead Kennedy’s at the poly. Apart from memories of a lot of punk gigs years ago their musical talent was second to none. Peter’s energy was certainly there! My ears were left raw and bleeding but by God it was worth it. For me it was one of the the best gigs I’ve ever been to. Long live PTTB.