The end of 2002 saw Sigue Sigue Sputnik launch their latest album, Ultra Real with at a gig at the 600 capacity Garage in Highbury. Supported by no less than three support acts this promised to be a great night!!

After a quick drink down at The Tramshed our small gang headed down to the venue about 7 o'clock and it was already quite full. There was loads of SSS goodies for sale. As well as the usual stuff there was (obviously) the new album, a Johnny Thunders tribute CD that SSS have contributed a track to, and several new shirts, mainly based around the Ultra Real sleeve but there was a Mickey Mouse Is Going To Hell shirt too which personally I didn't like.

We found time for a quick chat and some photos with TJ while the support acts were on, as well as catching up with all the other fans there who I knew. I think Sputnik finally took to the stage around 10 o'clock to the usual Clockwork Orange theme. Jenny was wearing one of the white Ultra Real tops, Tony was in black with heels (guess they weren't just for the USA show after all), Deg's in the superb pink suit he wore at Wembley and Neal looking fantastic all in silver.

The full set list

CLOCKWORK INTRO
SEX BOMB BOOGIE
MICKEY MOUSE IS GOING TO HELL
EVERYBODY WANTS WHAT SPUTNIK WANTS
21ST CENTURY BOY
SUICIDE SSSHOW
ULTRA VIOLENCE
THE KING OF ROCK N ROLL
FAMILY X
JAYNE MANSFIELD
SLAVE TRADE
LOVE MISSILE F1-11
encore
EVERYBODY LOVES U
ATARI BABY
ROCKIT MISS USA

We all had a really good time, the crowd (for once) at The Garage wasn't quite as rough as they usually are. To be fair I think quite a few of them weren't into Sputnik at all so just stood and watched. The die hards at the front had a great time!! I managed to drop and recover both my phone and my camera although my hat did vanish onto the stage never too return. BUT to be honest I didn't think the band played as well as normal. Neal appeared to be having technical problems and Martin just didn't seem to remember the words to anything. I mean he lost his way on Sex Bomb Boogie, Rockit Miss USA and most of the other oldies that are performed gig after gig. Maybe Martin wasn't well, he didn't look too good at times on the stage. Still the band were thoroughly entertaining, Ultra Violence was fantastic, nice to hear a non acoustic version for a change. All the tracks were performed with the enthusiasm that you would expect from the boySSS, anyone who has been to a Sputty gig will know what I mean. At the end of the day everyone went away happy with Sputty goodies tucked under their arms. Even on a bad day Sigue Sigue Sputnik are still the best band in the entire world.

And I got so pissed I forgot to get a photo with Penny :( oh well next time I guess.

Big thanks to the guy that rescued my phone for me and to Kit Yi for finding my camera.

Special shouts to everyone that I spoke to during the evening, met some new people there and it's great that SSS are still attracting newcomer, thanks for coming along and helping make this such a great night out. Sorry I didn't speak to you Greg, you kinda disappeared.

Roll on 2003!!!

:)

CAROLINE MANNING THE MERCHANDISE

PROUD OWNERS OF ULTRA REAL. MANDY & KIT-YI

AFTER THE SHOW WITH OUR MANDY

THE NORFOLK BOYS

THE POSSE FROM THE FENS

SPUTNIK SURGERY & SPUTNIK FUTURE VISION

A RARE SHOT OF MANDY WITH A MEMBER OF SPUTNIK THAT ISN'T MARTIN

BEFORE THE SHOW WITH TJBO$$$. IT'S NOT A WAXWORKS, HONEST!

GRABBING AN AUTOGRAPH FROM TJ

THE WAXWORK BO$$$ WITH PEN & SHY GIRL

HAHA YEAH HE WOULD BE SMILING ON THIS ONE HEY LADS?

PLASTIQUE WITH MISS T

STILL GIGGING TOGETHER IN 2009 I'M GLAD TO SAY, ME & PLASTIQUE

DON'T REMEMBER THESE GUYS

A HUG AT THE BAR WITH A VERY BLONDE ANNIE

NEITHER OF US LIKES THESE PHOTOS MUCH BUT THEY SERVE AS A REMINDER OF A GREAT NIGHT

LOVE THIS SHOT, ME AND THE MAJESTIC MR ALLMARK

WE ARE BEAUTIFUL

HERE WE ARE AGAIN, ME AND JON NURSE

AHH HAPPY DAYS

ALL SO MUCH MORE PHOTOGENIC THAN ME

WITH THE ADORABLE MISS T, WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

JZ IN FULL SPUTNIK DUB QUEEN GARB

I WAS SO WASTED ON THIS PIC, POOR OLD JENNY.

MR. DEGVILLE JOINED US AFTER THE SHOW

MANDY AND KIT-YI WITH MARTIN, THESE TWO REALLY DID LOVE HIM. AGAIN, WHERE ARE YOU NOW GIRLS?

LOVE THIS PIC, DRUNK WITH DEGZ

PEN & MARTIN

THE STOKE CONTINGENT

IF YOU EVER SEE THIS GET IN TOUCH GIRLS

SET LIST

TICKET