Pictures of Birmingham Gigs in the Early 1980s

I started at Birmingham University and quickly began taking concert photgraphs for the university newspaper Redbrick as a way to get free tickets.

I was given my first camera – a Rolleiflex 35 mm SLR – for my 18th birthday in the summer of 1981. A few months later, I started at Birmingham University and quickly began taking concert photgraphs for the university newspaper Redbrick as a way to get free tickets. Later on, I also took photographs for Musique, a local fanzine/music paper.

This was a time when very few people took photos at gigs and I was lucky enough to capture several soon-to-be-huge bands playing small venues, including Depeche Mode, Eurythmics, New Order and Duran Duran.

The photographs sat unseen in bags and boxes for decades until I started sharing them on Twitter a few years ago…

Orange Juice – 19 Feb 1982 – Imperial Cinema, Birmingham

Orange Juice – 19 Feb 1982 – Imperial Cinema, Birmingham

Orange Juice – 19 Feb 1982 – Imperial Cinema, Birmingham

New Order – 23 Jan 1982 – Imperial cinema

JoBoxers – May 1983 – Birmingham University

JoBoxers – May 1983 – Birmingham University

1980s

The Jam – 20 March 1982 – Bingley Hall, Birmingham

The Jam – 20 March 1982 – Bingley Hall, Birmingham

Haircut 100 – 16 March 1982 – Locarno

Haircut 100 – 16 March 1982 – Locarno

Psychedelic Furs – 7 Nov 1981 – Imperial Cinema, Birmingham

Birmingham bands 1980s

Psychedelic Furs – 7 Nov 1981 – Imperial Cinema, Birmingham

Birmingham bands 1980s

Eurythmics – 7 Dec 1981 – Holy City Zoo, Birmingham (tiny audience – around 30 people)

Birmingham bands 1980s

Eurythmics – 7 Dec 1981 – Holy City Zoo, Birmingham (tiny audience – around 30 people)

Birmingham bands 1980s

Eurythmics – 7 Dec 1981 – Holy City Zoo, Birmingham (tiny audience – around 30 people)

Birmingham bands 1980s

Duran Duran – 3 Dec 1981 – Rum Runner, Birmingham

Birmingham bands 1980s

Duran Duran – 3 Dec 1981 – Rum Runner, Birmingham

Birmingham bands 1980s

Duran Duran – 3 Dec 1981 – Rum Runner, Birmingham

Birmingham bands 1980s

Depeche Mode – 4 Nov 1981 – Birmingham Locarno

Birmingham bands 1980s

Depeche Mode – 4 Nov 1981 – Birmingham Locarno

Birmingham bands 1980s

Depeche Mode – 4 Nov 1981 – Birmingham Locarno

Birmingham bands 1980s

Blancmange – Sept 81 – High Hall, Birmingham University

Birmingham bands 1980s

The Beat – 24 Nov 1981 – Bingley Hall, Birmingham (after ‘Jobs For Youth’ march)

Birmingham bands 1980s

The Beat – 24 Nov 1981 – Bingley Hall, Birmingham (after ‘Jobs For Youth’ march)

Birmingham bands 1980s

The Beat – 24 Nov 1981 – Bingley Hall, Birmingham (after ‘Jobs For Youth’ march)

Birmingham bands 1980s

The Beat – 24 Nov 1981 – Bingley Hall, Birmingham (after ‘Jobs For Youth’ march)

Birmingham bands 1980s

Bauhaus – 27 Oct 1981 – Birmingham Locarno

Birmingham bands 1980s

Bauhaus – 27 Oct 1981 – Birmingham Locarno

Birmingham bands 1980s

Bauhaus – 27 Oct 1981 – Birmingham Locarno

Birmingham bands 1980s

Aztec Camera backstage – 16 Oct 1982 – High Hall, Birmingham University

Birmingham bands 1980s

Aztec Camera – 16 Oct 1982 – High Hall, Birmingham University

Birmingham bands 1980s

Altered Images – 6 Nov 1981 – Aston University

Birmingham bands 1980s

The Alarm – 13 May 1983 – Birmingham Poly

All pictures courtesy of @Birmingham_81

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