"Spilling out into the night with your ears ringing"

 

“Many of us remember an amazing gig, bobbing up and down with friends, clutching a can of beer, as your feet stuck to a tacky nightclub carpet. After you had shouted yourself hoarse at the band for an encore, you spilled out into the night with your ears ringing. I vividly remember those nights – the youth, the energy, the excitement. ‘Rock Collecting’ will capture some of those moments, helping them endure the test of time. Imagine someone in 200 years’ time looking at your faded band t-shirt and ticket stub from a night out at TJ’s, Le Pub or the Kensington Club and smiling.”

Oliver Blackmore, Newport Museum & Art Gallery

"These nights offered just what they said on the tin. It was cheap, it was sweaty and it was definitely fun"

Rhys

I AM THINKING PARTICULARLY OF THE CONCERT IN THE NEWPORT CENTRE WHICH STARRED THE EVERLY BROTHERS. I BELIEVE IN NOVEMBER 1987, WITH VERY ABLE SUPPORT FROM RALPH MCTELL.

A. Mason

I SAW BILLY BRAG AT THE DOCKS SOCIAL CLUB (MINERS BENEFIT), BLURT, GIVE ME MEMPHIS, THE THREE JOHNS, RED LORRY YELLOW LORRY, BUTTHOLE SURFERS, HUSKER DU AND MANY MORE AT STOW HILL LABOUR CLUB. CERTAINLY OVER 100 GIGS I WOULD SAY AT TIS AS WELL AS GIGS AT THE NEWPORT CENTRE.
I ALSO WORKED CASUALLY SELLING PROGRAMMES AT THE NEWPORT CENTRE FOR RUN DMC, ROACHFORD, CLIFF RICHARD, I HAVE TOO MANY STORIES TO EVEN BEGIN TO SPEAK ABOUT

C. Bertram

I ATTENDED MANY GIGS DURING THE PERIOD, FROM THE JAM AT THE ROUNDABOUT PUB TO VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR IN ST WHOOLOS CHURCH HALL, STEELEYE SPAN, KEVIN AYERS IN THE LITTLE THEATRE AND MANY IN THE STOWAWAY CLUB. DR JOHN IN THE KENSINGTON CLUB

C. Scott

I HAVE BEEN GOING TO GIGS IN NEWPORT SINCE THE MID 60S. CAUGHT JOHN LEE HOOKER AT THE MAJESTIC BALLROOM IN 1965. ALSO JOHN MAYALL WHEN CLAPTON WAS IN HIS BAND. ALSO BEEN PHOTOGRAPHING ARTISTS SINCE THE LATE 70S. DID YOU KNOW THAT JIMMY REED PLAYED NEWPORT. BLESS THE MAJESTIC.
THERE USED TO BE A CLUB ON MALPAS ROAD CALLED PLATFORM I, AND AMEN CORNER BAND PLAYED THERE A LOT.

D. Lewis

I FEEL QUITE EMOTIONAL ABOUT BOTH NEWPORT MUSEUM AND THE EXQUISITE HEIGHTS OF THE NEWPORT MUSIC SCENE. I WAS A REGULAR LURKER IN THE FORMER FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE, TAKING SPECIAL PLEASURE FROM THE FOSSIL, ROMAN AND CHARTIST EXHIBITS.
THE LATTER BRINGS FORTH JOYOUS MEMORIES OF FREER DAYS, WHEN THE FUTURE WAS A RED CARPET OF POSSIBILITIES. BEFORE LIFE, BILLS AND RENT GOT A FIRM GRIP.

D. Miller

EIGHTIES MATCHBOX B LINE DISASTER, AT TI'S IN 2008. IT WAS JUST REALLY NICE, BUT DIRTY GIG. IT'S THE ONLY TIME I'VE BEEN TO T'S.
FUNNILY ENOUGH, I DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING APART FROM THE GIG REALLY, I JUST REMEMBER BEING THERE AND WEARING REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE SHOES.
BY THE TIME I'D GOT TO THE GIG I HADN'T SLEPT IN ABOUT 20 HOURS. BUT I'M GLAD I WENT BECAUSE I CAN SAY THAT I HAVE BEEN TO T'S.

F. Gillet