Long Live The Music!
Welcome to Big Figure Promotions website which is primarily based in Marske by the Sea, North Yorkshire. Big Figure is ran by a music obsessive – Stephen Harland, named after the drummer in Dr.Feelgood. He used to frequent two music venues on Teesside - Middlesbrough Rock Garden and the Dovecot Arts Centre in Stockton on Tees back in the late seventies and early to mid-eighties.
In total Steve has promoted 126 concerts, worked with various local promoters and occasionally on his own in almost ten years - which is not bad for someone who originally only wanted to put Punishment of Luxury on!
He originally commenced promoting live music as Rock Garden Revisited in September 2010 when a very successful reunion evening (requested by Gill Hawes & Fiona Robb who were Rock Garden regulars) was staged at Stockton's Georgian Theatre. Rock Garden (Revisited – named after a well-known local music venue in Middlesbrough) and not to be confused with anyone else using a similar name, originally operated between Sept 2010– Dec 2013. It would prove to be a bittersweet liaison.
After 20 events Stephen started promoting his own gigs from Sept 2012 onwards when he hosted Gemma Ray in Stockton on Tees. Since then he has worked with various local promoters including Martin Mathers, Leigh Sayers, Tim Oxnard & Barry Simpson. Tragically Barry died from Motor Neurone disease in February 2020. Martin commenced promoting in April 2014 with Gallon Drunk and together they promoted 40 gigs over a three year period between 2014-2017.
In December 2017 Martin had decided to take a break from promoting live music but he wasn't dormant for very long. Stephen now works with his wife Wendy and to mark the change they became Down By The Jetty Promotions maintaining the Dr Feelgood connection. He explains: "Down by the Jetty" is a subsidiary of Big Figure. I was brought up on indie labels so with Martin leaving I thought it would be time to freshen things up under a new identity."
Bands that have featured include 999 (four), Barb Wire Dolls, Barrence Whitfield & The Savages, The BellRays (three), The Bermondsey Joyriders (four), The Bitter Springs, Black Bombers, Blue Orchids (twice), The Chameleons, Chelsea (three), Gary Clail, The Courettes (twice), The Cravats (twice), Church of Elvis, The Delta Bombers (twice), The DeRellas, The Devils (Italy), Duncan Reid & The Big Heads (twice), Eight Rounds Rapid (twice), Eton Crop, The Fallen Leaves, Gallon Drunk (twice), The Godfathers (five), Goldblade, Harry Stafford, Imperial Wax, Inca Babies (five), Interrobang, June Brides, The Membranes (three), Newtown Neurotics (twice), The Nightingales (four), Pete Molinari, The Primevals (three), Punishment of Luxury (four), The Primevals (three), The Rezillos (four), Roughneck Riot (twice), Steve Ignorant’s Slice of Life, Sleaford Mods, Tav Falco’s Panther Burns (twice), Terry Edwards, Terry & Gerry (four), TV Smith (four), Turbulent Hearts, TV Smith & The Bored Teenagers, Twin Guns, The Vibrators (twice), The Wildebeests, The Wolfhounds, The Wolfmen & X Ray Cat Trio.
Big Figure and its associated promotions now use Westgarth Social Club in Middlesbrough which has two rooms; one holding 100 and the other 220. Previous gigs took place in various venues in Stockton on Tees and Middlesbrough including the Georgian Theatre, The Green Room, The Sun Inn (pub), The Legion & Libertys.
This website and related sales are administered by Wendy.