Does a day go by without listening to music? It runs through yer veins. Addiction to music is a feeling everyone reading this site knows, and the person who this new post is about has it bad.

‘I’ve finally come clean and admitted to myself that I’m totally addicted to going to rock concerts. I’ve also realised that all attempts at treatment are futile, and anyway I don’t want to be cured!’ said Peter.

‘This blog is part of my treatment, creating a permanent record of gigs that I’ve been to. I try to remember as much as I can about them which is difficult as my memory is not good these days’.

‘It takes me back to the late 60s early 70s and includes concerts by Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, T Rex, Kate Bush and events such as Reading Festivals, Donnington Monsters of Rock and Live Aid. I’ve attended around 2000 gigs since 1969’ explained Peter.

The music blog started in 2011 (link below), and includes great reviews and stories as well as being illustrated with a collection of Peter’s ticket stubs.

First, a bit of background to Sunderland born Peter Smith. Peter graduated in Computing and Mathematics from Sunderland University in 1978, by 1981 he completed a PhD.

He went on to hold a number of positions at the University spending 11 years as a lecturer before being made professor in 1992. Not stopping there he became Dean of Computing and Technology from 1999 until 2007.

Peter has written hundreds of academic papers and books as well as speaking at conferences worldwide. In 2012 he retired from the University and was made Emeritus Professor.

Despite a severe spinal injury in 2016, Peter continued his life’s work and being a massive music fan, also found time to publish numerous papers and books on music venues, classic rock and punk bands.

In July 2022 Sunderland University commemorated his contribution to academia, awarding him with an Honorary Doctorate of Technology. Is that enough for ya’?

I started listening to music in the ‘70s and going to gigs in the ‘80s – they were great times and I know how lucky we were to see fantastic bands. Who do you consider your most memorable gigs?

‘Best gigs were Live Aid in Wembley Stadium 1985, I have so many great memories of that day. Queen’s performance is often rated as the greatest live performance by any band. Freddie certainly commanded the crowd that day’.

‘U2 weren’t far behind them with Bono showing how great a front man he was. For me, however, the highlights were The Who and David Bowie, as I was, and remain, a big fan of both acts’.

‘There was Led Zeppelin at Sunderland Locarno in 1971. I remember Zeppelin came on stage quite late, and the crowd immediately rose to their feet and surged to the front, forming a terrible crush’.

‘I remember a guy trying to take a photo of Robert Plant and the bouncers waded into the crowd to get his camera. Robert intervened, and told the bouncers to leave off the guy to a great cheer from the crowd’.

‘I was right down the front close to the band. I could almost touch them, the atmosphere was electric’. 

‘I also remember great gigs from the Sex Pistols at Whitby in 1975, David Bowie at Newcastle City Hall in ‘72, Rolling Stones at Newcastle in ‘71, The Who played Charlton football ground in 1974 and Abba at Stafford in 1979’.

On your blog you talk about seeing North East bands Geordie, Angelic Upstarts, Brass Alley, Lucas Tyson, Penetration and Tygers of Pan Tang.

There’s a review of a gig by Punishment of Luxury at the Dunelm House, Durham, what can you remember of that night?

‘This gig at Dunelm House came quite early in their career before they had released any recorded material, and was probably one of the first times I saw them.’

‘I do recall seeing Punishment of Luxury several times in 1978 including a packed gig at Newcastle University canteen, and supporting local punk heroes Penetration at the City Hall’.

‘Punilux as they were often called, were quite quirky and unique in their approach. Although their music undoubtedly grew out of punk, their spiky staccato art-rock had much more depth to it, and their performances were very theatrical, strange and in some ways scary, with use of masks and dance’.

What other North East bands have you seen?

‘Last Exit, Sting’s first band, were excellent, Penetration the best North East punk band, I found Prefab Sprout quirky and great, Lindisfarne always magnificent and now we have Sam Fender who is exciting, plus many others’.

What changes have you seen in the live music scene since attending your first gigs and now ?

‘The growth of custom-built arenas. Sadly fewer concerts are held in small venues. However, my hometown Sunderland now has its own great venue The Fire Station’.

For  live reviews including Slade, Queen, Genesis, The Clash, Van Halen, Sex Pistols, The Who and zillions more check out Peter’s excellent music blog at: https://myvintagerock.com/

Alikivi   September 2023