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The first recorded concert held at Maxwell Hall (then known as the Main Hall at the Royal College of Advanced Technology) was on 25th March 1964. They performed at the Athletics Ball alongside Chrys Nava Combo and Fabulous Flamingoes, with tickets costing just six shillings. From here �������� began to attract bigger performers as it became one of the top venues on the university circuit. Other acts included (1965), (1968) and (1970).

One of the more fabled concerts at Maxwell Hall was on 18th February 1972, when newly formed band arrived at the Students' Union in a van, asking to play that night. It was decided that it would be 50p per ticket, with 25p going to the university whilst the other half went to the band. This was part of an impromptu tour by Wings, who were travelling around Britain playing at universities to practice as a live band. McCartney recalled in the “Wings Over Europe” tour book, ‘We had a big hall where a play was being produced and they were afraid the scenery would fall on us. We just missed a blackout that time’.  

The 1970s saw a surge in concerts, including iconic acts such as (1975), (1977) and (1979). An up-and-coming American band at the time, , also performed on 3rd March 1978. This concert has been immortalised with an iconic photo of lead singer Debbie Harry wearing the gig poster, taken by June Buchan. Her photos were also featured in the BBC documentary, ‘When Blondie came to Britain’.

The 1980s continued to provide great bands for students. graced the stage on 3rd October 1981, just as they were on the cusp of gaining widespread recognition. The collection includes a photo of all four band members on stage. They were followed by other popular acts such as  (1983), (1984) and (1984).

 performed a hometown gig on 17th April 1985, with a relatively unknown band at the time, , supporting. However, possibly the most memorable gig of all came on 20th July 1986, when played to a sold-out crowd. This concert was listed by Q Magazine in the early 2000s as one of the 100 best concerts ever, and guitarist Johnny Marr recalled, ‘The PA had to be tied down because the floor was bouncing up so high that the stage was practically falling to pieces’. After this, due to damage from The Smiths concert and other safety concerns, Maxwell was used less frequently as a concert venue, but still featured other bands including (1986, 1989), (1986, 1987) and (1988) in coming years.   

Maxwell Hall began to be used sparingly after the 1980s, due to a combination of structural damage and acts preferring to play at the better located Manchester venues. The Pav started to become used more often, with a pre-Britpop fame performing on 28th May 1992. Girl group also played there around Christmas in 2000. After a long hiatus, played the last official touring gigs at Maxwell Hall on the 19th and 20th December 2004, with a full-page spread reviewing the concerts available in our collection. However, 2024 saw Welsh Artist  perform at �������� based festival , signalling a resurgence for the venue.

Despite Maxwell Hall being the main place to hold concerts at the university, other locations were frequently used. Gigs were held in the Students Union Building throughout the 1970s and 80s, with standout performers including American rock band (1976). This shifted to The Pavillion, better known as The Pav, in later years with (1989), (1992) and Atomic Kitten (2000) gracing the stage. Concerts were also held at the �������� College of Technology, which merged with the university in 1996, with local legends Joy Division performing alongside Ed Banger and Fast Cars on 1st December 1978.

Many iconic and revered bands have played at the �������� over the years. The Who, , Paul McCartney & Wings, and The Kinks all performed at Maxwell Hall between 1968 and 1975. The collection includes interviews with both and . Heart (1976) and Blondie (1978) also came from the USA to perform on the cusp of their mainstream success. This was the case for many artists that performed at ��������, as it often relied on the Students’ Union events team (SUSU Ents) booking a band before they outgrew the venue. 

Many equally celebrated local bands appeared at �������� during its heyday. One of the leading groups of the 1960s, The Hollies, performed at the Christmas Ball in 1965. They were followed by 10cc in 1974, but it wasn’t until the mid-1980s that local bands began to flourish at Maxwell Hall. New Order performed their first hometown gig on 17th April 1985, with Happy Mondays supporting. Post-punk band also appeared just under a month later. The Smiths performed at their absolute best the next summer, on 20th July 1986. It is fondly remembered by all those who attended, with the full concert available on . Local legends The Fall and James performed multiple times between 1986 and 1989, with the former being joined by ex-vocalist and guitarist of the Buzzcocks Pete Shelley and �������� punk poet John Cooper Clarke for their November 1987 gig.  

These have mainly been donated by the public and our alumni. They provide context such as prices and dates. Tickets include: 

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We have received multiple posters, which were often found around campus and the local area. These include: 

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Photos are a great window into how Maxwell Hall has changed throughout the decades. Those donated include: 

• multiple .

The collection features a range of reviews from various sources, such as our student papers and NME. Reviews are valuable as they indicate how these bands were viewed at the time, and not the legendary figures many have gone on to become. Highlights include: 

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Oral history interviews are also available in the archive. They were conducted with Alumni, helping to capture the student experience at �������� when Maxwell Hall was at its peak.