Punk might have exploded onto the British music scene almost 50 years ago, but TV Smith certainly hasn’t spent the decades since looking backwards. The former Adverts frontman is bringing his solo show to Stockton this month, offering audiences the chance to see a genuine punk original in an intimate setting.
He’ll be heading to The Green Room, next door to The Georgian Theatre, on Sunday 11th October for what promises to be a pretty special evening for anyone with a love of great songwriting and a bit of British music history.
As the founder, singer and songwriter of The Adverts, TV Smith was right there as the punk movement began tearing through the UK music scene in the late 1970s. He played some of the era’s most important venues and became part of a movement that would completely change the face of British music.
The Adverts produced some of the most memorable songs of the period, including ‘One Chord Wonders’, ‘No Time to Be 21’ and, of course, ‘Gary Gilmore’s Eyes’, which reached the UK Top 20 in 1977. Their debut album, ‘Crossing the Red Sea with The Adverts’, has since become regarded as one of the genuine classics of the era.
When The Adverts split in 1979, Smith continued making music with The Explorers before embarking on a solo career that has taken him around the world. Since then, he’s released a string of albums, continued writing and, perhaps most importantly, kept getting out there and playing live.
What makes this show especially interesting, though, is that it isn’t simply a chance to dig out the old punk records and relive the glory days. Smith’s acoustic performances put the focus firmly on the songs, with his extensive back catalogue joined by material from his solo career and the stories that have come with a life spent making music.
Seeing an artist with Smith’s history in a smaller, intimate venue should make for a memorable night. Rather than a huge nostalgia-tour production, this is an opportunity to get up close to a genuine punk original and hear the songs stripped back to their essentials.
So, whether you were there the first time around or discovered The Adverts and TV Smith more recently, this should be a cracking night for anyone who appreciates great songs, good stories and a little bit of punk attitude along the way.
Tickets, priced at £13.00 in advance, are available at seetickets.com.
