​A Bristol band who supported U2 and were championed by broadcasting legend John Peel have reformed – almost 30 years after they last played a gig.

In the late 1970s the Stingrays were one of the biggest bands in the city, a new wave, post-punk three-piece that played all over Bristol.

Now, almost three decades after they split – and well into middle age – they are back on stage to bring their music to a new generation of fans.

This time round their fame might even eclipse the efforts of their youth.

Their music has recently been played on BBC Radio Wales, they are supporting Irish punk band Stiff Little Fingers in March and are heading to Japan for a 10-date tour in September.

And tonight they are playing their second gig since they reformed, supporting The Fall at Metropolis on Cheltenham Road.

Paul Matthews, a youth worker from Bishopston, will be on bass guitar, hoping that his fingers remember the riffs they have barely played since the band split in 1980.

Mr Matthews, 52, joined the Stingrays’ second line-up in late 1978, a year after lead singer and guitarist Russ Mainwaring formed the group.

He said: “The band was really active from 1977 to 1980. We did two Ashton Court festivals, supported U2 at Trinity Hall in Bristol on their first tour, and supported John Peel when he did a show at the Anson Rooms.

“We also released two singles, Countdown and Never Do, as well as recording the song Sound for the seminal Avon Calling compilation.

“It was great. We sent stuff to John Peel, and we still have his comp slip from the BBC where he sent our cassette back to us to re-use, because he knew we were short of money.

“He was amazing, and told us what he thought we should release and what we should record for Avon Calling.”

But after three years of almost breaking into the big time, the Stingrays lost momentum and went their separate ways in 1980.

But over a pint last Christmas Mr Matthews and Stingrays’ original roadie Chris Millman discussed the idea of reforming the band.

They tracked down Mr Mainwaring, 51, – by then living in North Wales – over the internet, and recruited another fan, Rich Meredith, 51, from Cambridge,  who has a doctorate on slugs, to be the drummer.

Mr Matthews said: “Bizarrely enough Russ had found an old cassette of ours, had it digitised and sent it to BBC Radio Wales.

“What is funny is that the presenter, Adam Walton, showcases a lot of new music and he didn’t realise it was 30 years old.”

“Because it came from a tape, he said it sounded like it had been recorded in a toilet next to the studio.

“It was very strange meeting my old friend Russ after 30 years, but when we put the guitars back on it was easy, the same as it always was.”

They started rehearsing in the summer and in June played their first gig for 29 years, at The Thunderbolt in Bristol, to critical acclaim.

Mr Matthews said: “It was rammed. It was a bit scary back on stage, but when we got going it was funny how we slipped back into things.”

Now they have a host of UK dates lined up, including gigs at Aberystwyth and Cardigan in Wales, and hope to play at the Watchet festival.

Mr Matthews said: “We are not hoping to make it big, just do some more gigs.

“It is a totally different market now, so we are just happy to be playing again.

“We have to apologise to our children, though, because there is nothing worse than seeing your dad do something like this.”

“My daughter Lauren is 17. She comes along to watch, but it is all a bit embarrassing to see your dad on stage at 50 years of age.”

“But it is amazing to see fans come out of the woodwork.

“When we played in Cardigan in the summer the dads there used to send their kids down to hear what new wave sounded like, and they went nuts.

“That is what it is all about. At 52 you get the Mickey taken out of you, but it is absolutely fantastic.”

To book tickets for tonight’s gig, visit www.metropolisbristol.co.uk.

To hear the Stingrays, visit www.myspace.com/stingraysstingr ays. corr, you have to say stingrays twice at the end