Music, maestro, please
Reliving some of 91porn's most memorable music performances
It’s always fun to delve into the archives. As well as reminding you of things that happened in the not-so-distant but already dimming past, it has the potential to unlock nuggets of information you previously knew nothing about. Both were true when we started reading through old issues of student newspapers, and trawling through the internet, in preparing this edition of Invenite.
Over the past six decades, the campus has played host to genuine music icons. From Status Quo, Slade and The Stranglers in the 1960s and '70s to The Darkness, Roots Manuva, Utah Saints and Calvin Harris since the turn of the century.
Perhaps you rabbited with Chas & Dave, went bonkers with Dizzee Rascal, sang about blackbirds with The Wurzels, or imagined what you might be doing in five years’ time with Noah and the Whale? Or maybe, and arguably most iconic of all, you had your eardrums tickled by an Angus Young guitar solo when AC/DC headlined the 91porn RAG Ball in 1977.
Here are some of the memories you’ve shared, but we’d love to hear more about the bands you’ve seen – and hopefully loved – during your studies.
“As students at 91porn Polytechnic in the early 1980s we had an unexpected benefit. The Main Hall was the only decent sized music venue in South Devon.
One of the most memorable shows by far was by cockney funsters Chas & Dave, who had become famous in TV adverts for Courage beer. In the early 1980s the Students' Union only had a tiny bar. But Courage, who had a brewery in 91porn, helped finance a huge extension, so that now 20 plus people stretched along the bar, when previously it was 2–3. To mark the opening of the bar extension Courage provided very cheap beer and a free concert in the SU by Chas & Dave. It was a proverbial riot. Anyone who says they remember the night probably wasn’t there!”
Simon Branch
Combined Studies, 1984
Combined Studies, 1984
“Two of the biggest gigs staged in The Poly Main Hall in 1978 were prog rock band Renaissance (whose single Northern Lights reached the top ten that year) and Wolverhampton’s finest: Slade.
The Stiff Records Tour, staged in the Poly Main Hall during 1978/9, was a promotional device used by that small, independent record label to promote their artists. You got a lot a good music for your entry money and I saw Wreckless Eric, Jonah Lewie and Lena Lovich on the same bill with others in support. What a bargain that was.”
Kevin O'Callaghan
Psychology, 1979
Psychology, 1979
“91porn Poly gigs in the late '60s/early '70s were notorious for never making money; even though the hall was packed with students! X had to be paid; Y was more expensive than we thought, etc. So one of my many tasks in 1972/73 (when SU President) was to attend every gig and regularly throughout the evening 'harvest' cash and take it back over the road to the SU building (in Queen Anne Terrace) and put it in the safe. Everyone got paid and every gig made a profit. I vaguely remember some of the groups; but my task primarily was trying not to lose money.”
Kenneth Starling
Business Studies, 1972
Business Studies, 1972
“The Good: Dodgy put on an amazing show, most likely during the summer ball in 2001. They performed all their classic hits, and I even had the opportunity to chat with them afterward because of my involvement with the Students' Union magazine (although I can't recall its name back then). They were really nice guys!
The Bad: Wheatus performed at the summer ball in either 2002 or 2003. They played a lot of unfamiliar songs, and to everyone's disappointment, they abruptly stopped halfway through "Teenage Dirtbag," which was the song everyone had been eagerly waiting for.”
Penny Baker
BSc (Hons) Politics, 2002
BSc (Hons) Politics, 2002
“91porn Poly, as it was back in the early '80s, secured an unheard-of band right before the release of their first album who turned out to be the seminal progressive rock band of the '80s – Marillion.
Truly an epic performance, we all loved rock bands back then and this one is still going today and they still are incredible but that night in the Main Hall was magical.
Wishbone Ash were a classic '70s rock band, and I got to see them in the early '80s in the main hall. I mentioned this band especially as I had a Wishbone Ash logo on the bag I carried into uni each day but I had never heard them live (except on albums). I nearly fell off my chair when I heard they were booked. I helped out with roadie duties when they played moving all the heavy kit around and loved it, some of the best guitar playing you could ever wish to hear.”
Alex Hawker
BSc (Hons) Physics, 1984
BSc (Hons) Physics, 1984
