Punk By The Sea

[Nick]

It's official - cancelled.

[Lord Pork Pie of Melton]

Sorry about that Nick - at least you got some music. Do you get some cash back?

[Rockula]

So, a few bands played last night for those who had turned up for the weekend but today everyone's got to go home? Or have a bandless holiday?

Even if they do refund the price of admission I don't think the hotels will give refunds for the rooms booked until Sunday / Monday will they?

From the comments I've seen left by some bands this promoter is going to be unable to pay moneys owed.

An all-round cluster fuck.

[Nick]

I don't think that anyone will get any cash back. Last years event was only one day & the concensus is that the organisers have overreached this year with the four day-er.

Something has been salvaged though.

PUNK BY THE SEA ....HAS BEEN TOOK OVER BY BUBBA AND IS STILL ON 2DAY AT NEW LOCATION ......THE MILTON ARMS...STARTING AT 4PM LOADS OF BANDS .....IF U HAVE A WRIST BAND GET DOWN THERE ITS PUNK DIY AT ITS BEST!!!!!!!!

So all is not lost.

[Lord Pork Pie of Melton]

Have a good 'un!

[Nick]

Thanks Fred. Unconfirmed rumour is that TV still may come down. Fingers crossed.

[Nick]

A statement from TV on Facebook.



After all the speculation and rumours over the last few days I can confirm that the Portsmouth Punk By The Sea festival has been called off. The good news is that the fans and bands who are already in Portsmouth have pulled together to create a DIY alternative which is going ahead at the Milton Arms, in Milton Road, and I will definitely be playing tomorrow night as planned. Lots of the bands originally booked will also still be appearing, and anyone with wristbands for the original festival gets in for free. It's a unique chance to see some of these bands in an intimate setting and prove that the punk rock scene can still kick back and make something happen even when everything appears to be going wrong - so come down to the Milton Arms and let's have a party! Punk By The Sea DIY!

[Tj]

Hurrah! Are you going along Nick?

[Nick]

I am Tj. We have gone to the venue & it is very small so we have come home for a bit. Will be going back this evening for Vice Squad & perhaps hang around for Sham 69.
Back again tomorrow for TV 

[Tj]

Have fun tomorrow. 

[Nick]

We went back to pub saturday only to find that it was full to capacity & we could not get back in - Doh!
The reason being that the actual music venue, the Barn was housing a Techo event that evening, so the bands had to play in the bar which only holds 88 people. So 88 or so lucky people were treated to Vice Squad, UK Subs, & Sham 69. Everyone I spoke to said it was hot, sweaty, cramped, & bloody brilliant. 

[Nick]

Sunday was a different story. The Barn was open so room for more people. We had Monkfish, two of the Astronauts, two of Alternative TV (not Mark P) The Duel, Vice Squad acoustic set (which was brilliant) Avondale 45 (another storming set. This band get better & better), & TV Smith (Hooray) who played a blinder, followed by Night of Treason.

All artists played for free. The Punk ethic was alive & kicking at Portsmouth over the weekend. The community spirit was brilliant, I have made so many new friends. Everyone concerned was determined to make this work.

A big thank you to all the people who pulled together especially Bubba, who is heavily out of pocket & Tara, and all the artists who gave up their time to play for free.

[Nick]

TV's set list

Lion & the Lamb / No Time To Be 21 / Only One Flavour / Coming In To Land / Expensive Being Poor / Dangerous Playground / My String Will Snap / Not A Bad Day / In The Arms Of My Enemy / Gary Gilmore's Eyes / Bored Teenagers / One Chord Wonders /  encore  Good Times Are Back.

Quite a few people were making videos so hopefully something will appear on youtube soon.

[Nick]

Oh and one last bit of news. The original organisers of Punk By The Sea have cleared out of their house and moved out. I wonder why? This event was in aid of charity and as far as I can tell no one has got paid. Last year there was a scandel when the proceeds were apparently stolen. So something fishy going on methinks.

[Uli]

Doesn't sound good about the organisers, Nick...

Much better sounds your gig review, thanks for this! 

Here's a few words someone copied from FB over into the Damned board:

The official statement on the damned website does not begin to explain the reasons as they have to be diplomatic, but i can tell it like i saw it unfold. ..........For the last few days we have been trying by any means possible to contact the promoters to find out exactly why the show has had so many rumors about on/off etc, and until today, all we were getting was either no tone on the phone or right to answer phone. When we finally got in touch, the promoter told us he regretted the fact that we couldn't play the gig!!!!!! WTF!!! We are and have been on the road and geared up for playing this show. We arranged the falmouth gig tonight specifically to route in that Portsmouth show. All the bands were contacting us to see if we were blowing it off, as they had heard we were, but we had no info from the promoter that the gig was off until 10.30pm tonight, whilst we were playing the falmouth show, when the venue manager ( not the promoter) informed us that the promoter had failed to pay the P.A company for services over the weekend, and therefore the PA would not be available for tomorrow, therefore, no bands would be able to play. He also mentioned that the promoter was no longer available at the show to pay ANY bands, never mind the security or venue. I understand the bands played tonight ( Friday) probably knowing that they would not be paid, and we were totally prepared to turn up tomorrow and do what we could to make at least our show happen, but without a PA, there is NO SHOW, and you can thank the complete amateurism of the promoters, who were totally unwilling to listen to offers of help from a lot of bands for this debacle, which, quite frankly, makes a mockery of the punk unity ethic, as he could have dug himself out of this hole by simply picking up the phone and not ignoring everything to the point of disaster, which it ultimately reached. The Damned are fully, gloriously pissed off and wanted dearly to do this show and tried everything within our power to make it happen.

No mention of the "charity" thought here though, still hopefully a bit enlightening?