birmingham

86 was a top gig.

i always used to send postal orders to the tower for my new order tickets ...now we have ebay scalpers....hhhhmmm... i remember 1983 vividly as James supported new order and tim booth was sporting a skinhead and a very un natty demob suit...both bands were amazingly on top form that night.even tho new orders emulators kept breaking down.....

the next tower gig i seen, i was stood behind rob gretton at the mixing desk , hooky and bernard swapped instruments for confusion at this gig...i was told the support band were the stockholm monsters ...i really regret this if its true as their album gets played more than pcl nowadays.now as im unsure of this timeline but a week or so later i also went to doncaster rottters and recorded this gig on my sisters high class sony stereo walkman..... the tape was converted to flac and cd and is available from all new order fan sites .

the last gig ( i think ) at the tower was when the wonderstuff and happy mondays supported and i left just as the encore was played.....lol....i was gutted.....was it 3 gigs or is my memory fuddled nowadays....lol really looking forward to seeing the band again ....but i hate the hummingbird ...as its like a underground pit....no goood for my claustrophobia....much prefered the troxy.....oh bum

the badger wrote: i always used to send postal orders to the tower for my new order tickets ...now we have ebay scalpers....hhhhmmm... i remember 1983 vividly as James supported new order and tim booth was sporting a skinhead and a very un natty demob suit...both bands were amazingly on top form that night.even tho new orders emulators kept breaking down..... the next tower gig i seen, i was stood behind rob gretton at the mixing desk , hooky and bernard swapped instruments for confusion at this gig...i was told the support band were the stockholm monsters ...i really regret this if its true as their album gets played more than pcl nowadays.now as im unsure of this timeline but a week or so later i also went to doncaster rottters and recorded this gig on my sisters high class sony stereo walkman..... the tape was converted to flac and cd and is available from all new order fan sites . the last gig ( i think ) at the tower was when the wonderstuff and happy mondays supported and i left just as the encore was played.....lol....i was gutted.....was it 3 gigs or is my memory fuddled nowadays....lol really looking forward to seeing the band again ....but i hate the hummingbird ...as its like a underground pit....no goood for my claustrophobia....much prefered the troxy.....oh bum

THe Stockholm Monsters were named after their keyboard player she was a right MONSTER

I was only 16 in 1986 but went to the front and it was very lively. Lost a shoe after BLT and got it back after the gig. Hence stayed for the encore! Classic gig for me as there were cock ups, Michael Jackson references, Gillian smiling and so on. Temptation was very passionate and followed by Ceremony amazing. Can't dislike the Hummingbird as been to so many great gigs there including The Ramones, Pixies x 2, Mondays, PWEI x 3, Sonic Youth plus loads more. Also crowd surfed at Dinosaur Jnr for the one and only time!

Have no memory whatsoever of the Wonder Stuff supporting New Order at the 86 Tower Ballroom gig, thank fuck. Must have endured them as we got in there early.I remember Happy Mondays but hadn't got into them yet in 86.We waited for what seemed like an eternity for New Order to come on, they eventually did, very late. Sooner Than You Think was first song i think and the entire place seemed to be moshing, loads of pushing and shoving, i got involuntarily lifted up off the floor at one point and ended up facing away from the stage unable to twist back round at first . Regretfully we had to leave before the end to catch the frickin train so missed all the "We might be a pop group but you're a fucking wanker" fun and jolities.

The old Hummingbird (now Brum Ballroom) is a bit down in the pit i suppose, as one poster abOve mentions, but i've always liked it.

As i remember the Hummingbird (as was) has a great wooden bouncy floor - UP DOWN TURN AROUND

Tower Ballroom wrote: As i remember the Hummingbird (as was) has a great wooden bouncy floor - UP DOWN TURN AROUND

29th October 1979 Birmingham Top Rank = Two Tone tour. VERY bouncy floor, and very ripped clothing. Ah, those were the days