On June 4, 1976, the Sex Pistols played the first of two shows at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester. The second took place on July 20, but that first gig directly led to the formation of some of the most beloved U.K. post-punk and alt-rock bands. Additionally, a few alternative labels formed after that, inspired by the incredible show.
As legendary as that show became, the Sex Pistols were still up and coming at the time. The Manchester gig was only attended by a crowd of 30 to 50 people. It lasted half an hour at most. It was also the first time the band had played outside of London. However, that February, they had their first review in print, so word was spreading of their live chaos.
The show came together thanks to Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley, students at the Bolton Institute of Technology at the time. They read the write-up in NME, then went to London to catch the Sex Pistols live in late February. Devoto and Shelley were immediately inspired by what they saw and formed the Buzzcocks soon after. Their first gig would be the July 20 show, opening for the Sex Pistols alongside Slaughter & the Dogs.
After The Sex Pistols played Manchester, Post-Punk Bands Start Appearing
Devoto and Shelley got the Sex Pistols booked at the Lesser Free Trade Hall mostly because there wasn’t a dedicated punk venue in Manchester at the time. The July 20 show allegedly had some technical issues with the sound equipment not being up to par. But the June 4 show essentially kicked off the post-punk wave in Manchester.
Many members of now iconic bands were in attendance. Initially, the newly formed Buzzcocks were supposed to open the show, but they didn’t get a bass player in time. Still, Devoto and Shelley ended up meeting Steve Diggle at the gig, who would become a member of the band’s classic lineup.
Additionally, future Joy Division/New Order members Peter Hook and Bernard Sumner were in the crowd. Morrissey was also there, along with Mick Hucknall, who later formed Simply Red. Others in attendance who later became influential in the post-punk scene included John Cooper Clarke, Jon the Postman, and Martin Hannett, who would become a crucial producer for Factory Records.
As for the July 20 show, about 150 Manchester punks showed up. These included Mark E. Smith of The Fall, as well as Alan McGee, founder of Creation Records, and Tony Wilson, founder of Factory Records. Paul Morley would later become a journalist for NME, while John Ingham was writing for Sounds at the time. In his review of the show, he noted the debut of “Anarchy in the U.K.”. Additionally, he seemed excited for the Sex Pistols’ promising upward trajectory.
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