...Places of Southend Punk Significance...
Focus Youth Centre
Punk Rock
Focus Youth Centre - Prospectus 1979 / 1980 - Side A Focus Youth Centre - Prospectus 1979 / 1980 - Side B Focus Youth Centre - Membership Card - 1980 / 1981
The Cards - Live at Focus - 22.10.79 - Poster
The Bleeding Pyles - Live at Focus - 08.09.80 - Poster
The Sinyx - Live at Focus - 20.06.81 - Poster
The Sinyx - Live at Focus - 1981
The Sinyx - Live at Focus - 1981
The Sinyx - Live at Focus - 1981
Eratics : Sinyx - Live at Focus - 09.03.81 + 20.06.81 (Blot Recordings, TCLSD 004) - Cassette Sleeve
The Get - Live at Focus - 13.07.81 - Poster
The Get (and The Getettes) - Live at Focus - 1981
Cats Meat, Dogs Meat - Live at Focus
Cats Meat, Dogs Meat - Live at Focus
Kronstadt Uprising - Live at Focus - 07.12.81
Autumn Poison - Live at Focus
Autumn Poison - Live at Focus
The Scapegoats (With Pam Caton also in shot!) - Live at Focus - 07.07.82
The Assassins of Hope - Live at Focus - 07.07.82
The Assassins of Hope - Live at Focus - 07.07.82
Giacomino Parkinson - Live at Focus - 07.07.82
Allegiance To No One + The Last Laugh + Beergut One Hundred + The Beers In Brothers + Ian Fry - Live at Focus - 22.11.82 - Poster
Kronstadt Uprising + Fallout + Autumn Poison + The Poets - Live at Focus Theatre - 11.06.83 - Poster
Kronstadt Uprising + Fallout + Autumn Poison + The Poets - Live at Focus Theatre - 11.06.83 - Ticket
Kronstadt Uprising - Live at Focus Theatre - 11.06.83
Kronstadt Uprising - Live at Focus Theatre - 11.06.83
Kronstadt Uprising - Live at Focus Theatre - 11.06.83
Allegiance To No One + The Burning Idols - Live at Focus - Poster
Stax Century - Live at Focus
The Three Mothers - Live at Focus
The Three Mothers - Live at Focus
The Armless Teddies + The Prey - Live at Focus - 17.12.84 - Poster
The Armless Teddies - Live at Focus
The Armless Teddies - Live at Focus
Closedown - Live at Focus
Punk Rock
Focus Youth Centre - Membership Card - 1980 / 1981Southend's Focus Youth House has a key place in the towns Punk Rock history, as from approximately late 1979 to around the late '80's and beyond, it was a place where many Southend Punk bands played their first gigs. The legendary Pam Caton whom ran Focus during the Punk Years really gave everyone a chance to get up on stage and play - The Monday Night gigs (and occasional Saturday Night Theatre gigs) of the early '80s were great events.

Local Punk bands such as The Sinyx and Kronstadt Uprising would often play at Focus, sometimes bringing down bands from London and other areas to play with them. Both bands also put on events in the Focus Theatre (The Sinyx in 1981 + Kronstadt Uprising in 1983), as did The Burning Idols, The Prey + Armless Teddies.

Experimental Theatre groups put on plays there, and there were many drama workshops. The upstairs Pine Bar was a good meeting point and the centre provided many other facilities for the town also, but it was its role in providing a space to play and perform that was key. Some bands would go on to play for several years, whilst some only lasted the night and some are still going.

The list of bands whom played at Focus is endless, but does include The Sinyx, The Icons, The School Bullies, Bleeding Pyles, Death Obsession, The Kronstadt Uprising, The Burning Idols, The Shakers, Empire Backfire, The Prey, The Armless Teddies, Allegiance To No One, The Three Mothers, Stax Century, The Sickies, The Shocks, Autumn Poison, The Beers-In Brothers, Helana Hex, Year Zero & Panic Stricken. Also The Cards, The Stripey Zebras, Dark Deeds On A Lonely Bridge (86-Mix), The Get, Cats Meat Dogs Meat and many more.
* Special Southend Punk Feature *
Click Here to see footage of the 'Farewell to Focus' gig that took place on October 9th, 2010
Punk Rock

 

 

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