SPIRAL

label - tba
venue - Signature Brew Haggerston (London)
date - 05.16.25

images & video - AMK Films

experience share - ZsaZsa K.

We've all seen the phrase "Punks Not Dead" graffitied on bathroom walls or adorned on pins and patches. Well, Peter and the Test Tube Babies put this cliche to the test and proved it to be 100% true! Since 1978 (that's 47 years) these guys have been serving their vigorous tongue-in-cheek banter to lifelong "punk pathetique" connoisseurs. When our crew arrived at their Signature Brew gig (by Regent's Canal, under the Haggerston railway arches in East London), the patio was packed with a lively crowd that appeared to be mostly original fans (easily described as the elders of the scene). Literally everyone was smiling, happy to be there, and more than willing to partake in some friendly chats. They'd obviously come ready to party & started without us. This was not like the elitist "punk" scene we get in Southern California, leading me to think we may have gone wrong at some point. These folks were polite and using their manners with language such as "excuse me" and "sorry" - very unexpected. It was cool to see the "different brands" of punk style intermingling without impending friction. After finding our way inside, via the brick lined Acton Mews, the venue manager was super cool and made us feel very welcome. It is a taproom, after all, so the pints were being filled and re-filled so often that the queue for the loo was ridiculously long almost immediately. At some point several of the co-ed toilets got clogged & things got a bit messy but the upside was the lines miraculously got shorter. After several openers, P&TTB took the stage before a seemingly vibrating group, ready to get the pit started. Things got wild! Folks fell down (and helped back up), some repeatedly. Beer was spilled. The floor became slippery and then sticky icky goo. The band pumped on and the symbiotic energy remained high for the duration of the set. The flow of the pit waved around the room like an indecisive whirlpool, changing directions on a whim. Luckily everyone was extremely respectful and protective of our camera/video crew and therefore we endured no injuries or equipment damage (despite some suspicions that things could have easily gone south in the midst of the excitement). What's a punk show without a little chaos, right? We grabbed a set list and hit the merch booth - it was honestly such a thrill and ended on a perfect note.
As we exited, we noticed the window text had fore warned us accurately ...
"FRESH BEER"
"GREAT MUSIC"
"GOOD TIMES"
It sure as heck was!

Fun Fact - Signature Brew Haggerston is located at Acton Mews. Mews is a term referring to a row or courtyard of stables and carriage houses, often with living quarters above, built behind large city houses in areas like London before the widespread use of motor vehicles. The term "mews" originated from the Royal Mews in London, a set of royal stables. These structures were designed to house the horses, coachmen, and stable-servants of wealthy residents.