...Places
of Southend Punk Significance...
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Southend'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. |
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Special Southend Punk Feature * Click Here to see footage of the 'Farewell to Focus' gig that took place on October 9th, 2010 |
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