Attitude was an ahead-of-its time gay night at the Academy in August 1991 promoted by Lucy Scher, and a pre-cursor the hugely successful Flesh at the Hacienda.

In 1990, Lucy has put together 'The Summer of Lesbian Love', a successful women-only night at the Hac.

Hacienda Entertainments Manager Paul Cons had asked her to do another event the following year, but a gun incident at the Hac led to the night (Attitude) being moved to the Academy.

Attitude was a big success and led to Paul and Lucy's joint venture 'A Bit Ginger' - the promotions company behind Flesh at the Hacienda.

Queer art collective HomoCult did projected visuals at this event that a some people found upsetting!

A series of flyers designed by HomoCult for Attitude at the Academy.

Thanks to Lucy Scher for sending these in.

Attitude was an ahead-of-its time queer club night at the Academy in August 1991, promoted by Lucy Scher, and a pre-cursor the hugely successful Flesh at the Hacienda.

In 1990, Lucy has put together 'The Summer of Lesbian Love', a successful women-only night at the Hac.

Hacienda Entertainments Manager Paul Cons had asked her to do another event the following year, but a gun incident at the Hac led to the night (this time called Attitude and welcoming a mixed crowd) being moved to the Academy.

Attitude was a big success and led to Paul and Lucy's joint venture 'A Bit Ginger' - the promotions company behind Flesh at the Hacienda.

Queer art collective HomoCult did projected visuals at this event that a some people found upsetting!

Fresher week programme from the University 1991.

Freshers 1991 programme for the University.

A gig listing advert for September - December 1991 including the provisional date for Nirvana's much lauded booking, they eventually played on 4 December. Just look at the list of bands: Teenage Fanclub, The Cramps, Crowded House, Blur, Curve, Psychedelic Furs, ACR, Dinosaur Jr... thank god for student grants to help pay for the tickets.

Taken from the Mancunion newspaper, written and edited by University of Manchester students. With thanks to James Peters at the University of Manchester Archives and Ben Ward at University of Manchester Students' Union.

A bite-sized review of Blur's first visit to the Academy on the back of the success of their first three singles. It mentions that the crowd were hysterical watching Damon pull shapes with his onstage antics and over all they sounded great, generating an amazing atmosphere.

Taken from the Mancunion newspaper, written and edited by University of Manchester students. With thanks to James Peters at the University of Manchester Archives and Ben Ward at University of Manchester Students' Union.

Words: Helen Fletcher.

Teenage Fanclub play the Main Debating Hall a month before their classic third album 'Bandwagonesque' came out.

In August they had released 'The King' - a deliberately shambolic, semi-improvised album, which was deleted on the day of release.

From the 'Look Mom No Head' tour supported by The Golden Horde, this was the Cramps' second visit to the University. The first time was at MDH in 1981.

Funky backstage pass for indie darlings Lush, who, 25 years later, will perform at Academy 1 as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations.

A ticket for World of Twist, Manchester's great lost band let by Tony Ogden.

They released one album, Quality Street, in 1991.

Excerpt from Wikipedia:

Whilst the World of Twist never toured in North America, the "Sons of the Stage" single was an indie/club hit in Toronto and New York. Oasis considered naming themselves after the song, and it was later covered by Oasis's successor group Beady Eye.

Work began on a second album, up album and there were plans for further touring, but problems emerged when Ogden decided that he no longer wanted to sing. This, coupled with creative differences within the band, contributed to the demise of the group in 1992.

Gordon King, James Fry and Nick Sanderson went on to form Earl Brutus in 1993 with Rob Marche (formerly of Joboxers and Subway Sect) and Stuart Boreman. King, Fry and Boreman would later form The Pre New in 2010.

Anthony William Ogden died on 26 July 2006, in Bramhall, Greater Manchester, on the verge of a return to the music industry with Bubblegum Secret Pop Explosion. He was 44. Few details on his death have been released.

Quality Street was reissued with bonus tracks on CD and heavyweight vinyl by British independent record label 3 Loop Music in 2013.

This advert highlights the variety of performances the Academy / Student Union were booking, including...

Hugh Lennon and his 'hypnotist laughter show'

Intastella celebrating the chart success of their Top 75 single 'Century'

Four days of alt rock heaven:
Monday - Curve
Tuesday - Bob Mould
Wednesday - Nirvana (not listed)
Thursday - Ramones

Smile and Upfront club nights.

Taken from the Mancunion newspaper, written and edited by University of Manchester students. With thanks to James Peters at the University of Manchester Archives and Ben Ward at University of Manchester Students' Union.

Nirvana arrived at the Academy in December 1991 just at the point that 'Nevermind' was starting to sell by the bucketload and 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' was omnipresent.

The gig was originally scheduled for November. I'm not quite sure why the date change occurred.

This is a live bootleg reputedly recorded at the Academy gig. Trusted sources claim it to be genuine. It was posted to YouTube by Downer87.

Downer87 writes:

The show opened with Kurt on drums, Krist on guitar, and Dave on vocals for an unknown song that was very similar to the instrumental demo reportedly recorded with the Drain You demo in spring 1991.

After one verse and one chorus of 'Polly' Kurt went into '(New Wave) Polly' which the band played in its entirety.

During the encore, Kurt switched to bass and Krist switched to guitar for the jam and unknown song. The last unknown song was also performed at the 11/25/91 radio session.

This was Nirvana's second gig in Manchester having played further up Oxford Road at Manchester Polytechnic back in 1989.

Smells Like Teen Spirit had hit the charts two months earlier and was ruling the dance floor at The Ritz and Jilly's/Rockworld club nights, as you might suspect, the buzz surrounding the show was incredible. It really was the golden ticket of 1991.

For such a momentous gig I don't have that many positive memories from the show, It was unbelievably busy, the closest to the front I could get was being pinned against the sound desk at the back of the room. Someone in front of me was headbanging furiously and his sweeping hair lifted the brand new pair of glasses off from my face and onto the floor, all I could think of was that my mum would kick off if I broke them. The band sounded flat and raced through the set losing the impact of the quiet / loud dynamics. I was pretty bored to be honest, I remember coming away thinking they were just 'okay' live.

Speaking to people today about their memories I think this was an 'off' show for the band, what a shame.

The show's support acts were Shonen Knife and Captain America.

Taken from Melody Maker 4/1/92.

ACR were riding the crest of their '27 Forever' wave and managed to fill the Academy. I love this review by Dave Simpson. Really honest and affectionate.

Taken from City Life.

I've included this Jabez Clegg advert as this pub was often a intrinsic part of a night out at the Academy. When I first started going to gigs in Manchester around the age of 13, my dad would give me a lift over from Preston and sit all night in Jabez waiting for me.

Courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information & Archives. You can make an appointment to see this the City Life collection by emailing: archiveslocalstudies@manchester.gov.uk

Taken from City Life.

Courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information & Archives. You can make an appointment to see this the City Life collection by emailing: archiveslocalstudies@manchester.gov.uk

Taken from City Life.

Story by Abigail:

Tori Amos was a really important artist for me when I was at school. I saw her at the Free Trade Hall and somewhere in York, but missed this one, which I'm sure would've been pretty powerful in the 900-capacity MDH.

Courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information & Archives. You can make an appointment to see this the City Life collection by emailing: archiveslocalstudies@manchester.gov.uk

Words: Chris Sharratt.

A few pages taken from the 1992 Academy Venue Specification Pack that was issued to promotors and agents interested in putting on acts at the venue.

With thanks to Sean Fintan Morgan

This is a list of services offered any The Academy taken from a 1992 marketing booklet issued to promotors and agents of bands. The list really highlights the additional jobs that are required to pull of a successful show in the 90s, not much has changes over the years with perhaps the addition of social media marketing and digital audience engagement.

With thanks to Sean Fintan Morgan

A batch of posters intended for promotional use within the University and across town. Flypostering was the most effective method of marketing for gigs back in the 80s and 90s, a quick sweep of the posters plastered over building sites and closed down businesses was the main way of finding out what what happening in the City and you'd often see the stripped remains of some posters that were pinched as trophies by fans - and 'The Mafia', if you believe the stories of gang related connections with flypostering sites in Manchester.

With thanks to Sean Fintan Morgan

This is a memory from when the Manic Street Preachers were touring their Generation Terrorists album.

With a couple of friends I arrived early to catch the band before sound check and get a few signatures on our records, whilst sat on the stairs leading up the MDH eating a tray of chips and gravy from Gemini takeaway, the band walked past and stopped to ask if they could have a few chips, of course we obliged! We started chatting and James mentioned that they were nervous about the evening’s gig because there was a last minute ticket sales spike from pissed-off Red Hot Chili Peppers fans who had arrived at the Academy where the Chili Peppers were due to play a sold out show only to find CANCELLED posters stuck to the doors. Someone had added a note saying tickets for the Manics were still available in the MDH next door.

News that Red Hot Chili Peppers had cancelled to appear on Top of The Pops was a bitter pill to swallow and bad vibes were starting to build outside the venue. Seas of people walking up Oxford Road were being told of a cancellation rumour by angry fans returning back into town.

The Manics were right to be worried, they pretty much filled the MDH and you could see large groups of Chilli Pepper fans at the back of the room sulking with their arms folded. The band managed to pull it around to their advantage when Nicky announced that the Red Hot Chili Peppers were “shit anyway”, and this got huge a huge cheer from the crowd.

It turned out that the Red Hot Chili Peppers did actually cancel their gig to appear on Top Of The Pops (Under The Bridge) only to be thrown off the show for refusing to mime and goofing about.

Story by DWho:

The gig that never was. Red Hot Chili Peppers cancelled the Manchester date to do Top of the Pops and then didn't even get on the show as they refused to mime. I drove to Liverpool to get a ticket from a tout so no refund for me!

The Sugarcubes come to the Academy on the back of their final album 'Stick Around For Joy'. By the end of the year the band had split to pursue solo interests. Not much sticking around and very little joy by all accounts.

Listing advert featuring the double headline tour of Beastie Boys and Rollins Band.

Story submitted by Matt Le' Rookie"

9 June 1992, a glorious summer's evening. The Beastie Boys are playing the Students' Union, with support from Henry Rollins. 'Check Your Head' had been released. I was just 20.

Got home from work and we set off early for the gig. It was the same night as the Greenpeace concert at the G-Mex, but we weren’t bothered about that as we were going to see the Beastie Boys and we thought we were the coolest people on the planet. Who likes U2 anyway?

Walked past the Pevril of the Peak on our way down to Oxford road, it was hammered, thousands of people milling about. Hoof it down Oxford Road, get to the Student's Union. You still had to sign in back then. Wanted to catch a bit of Rollins, but not an hour of him just full on shouting and screaming at us.

We get in and the Beastie Boys are already on, quickly try to get a drink, then I heard Mike D say, thank you Manchester, good night! Then they are off, were just stood there confused, waiting for them to come back on. 20 minutes pass, then Henry Rollins comes on, and proceeds to scream for over an hour. Go home deflated.

The next day was reading the Manchester Evening News Diary section. Guess who was spotted at Greenpeace concert? The Beastie Boys.