Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

Jubilant scenes in the crowd.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

Buzzcocks fans pressed up against the fence. The guy pogoing on the right is clearly in his element.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

(L-R) Steve Garvey & Pete Shelley - Buzzcocks

Fresh from their Top of the Pops appearance with Love You More, Manchester pop-punk superstars Buzzcocks whipped the Carnival crowd up into a frenzy. ‘This wasn't politics,’ said singer Pete Shelley afterwards, ‘it was fun. But the best kind of fun is with people, and being with people is politics.’ Guitarist Steve Diggle famously fell off the back of the stage when he was invited to jam with Steel Pulse.

Support came from Moss Side favourites Exodus (X-O-Dus) and China Street from Lancaster. Ernie Dalton, from the North West Spanner theatre group, was compere.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

One of the key shots from the physical exhibition at NIAMOS. The front row crew are really feeling the crush during Buzzcocks.

Photo © John Sturrock

(L-R) Steve Garvey & Pete Shelley - Buzzcocks

You can see Pete Shelley's famous 'I Like Boys' badge on this shot. Pete Shelley said afterwards, ‘This wasn't politics, it was fun. But the best kind of fun is with people, and being with people is politics.’ Guitarist Steve Diggle famously fell off the back of the stage when he was invited to jam with Steel Pulse.

Support came from Moss Side favourites Exodus (X-O-Dus) and China Street from Lancaster. Ernie Dalton, from the North West Spanner theatre group, was compere.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

Buzzcocks bass player Steve Garvey signs autographs, whilst an enthusiastic admirer grabs him by the corduroys.

This image was featured in Manchester Digital Music Archive's 'We Are Dynamite! Northern Carnival Against the Nazis 40th Anniversary' exhibition, held at Niamos (old Nia Centre) in Hulme in September 2018.

Special thanks to our funders Heritage Lottery Fund and Futura.

Thanks also to all our wonderful volunteers.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

Young people in the crowd soak up the atmosphere. The Carnival provided many with their first experience of live music on this scale.

This image was featured in Manchester Digital Music Archive's 'We Are Dynamite! Northern Carnival Against the Nazis 40th Anniversary' exhibition, held at Niamos (old Nia Centre) in Hulme in September 2018.

Special thanks to our funders Heritage Lottery Fund and Futura.

Thanks also to all our wonderful volunteers.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

The crowd lock in on Steel Pulse.

Photos: © Joseph Brehony

Joseph writes:

As it was 40 years ago my memories of the day itself, to be honest, are not that clear so I don't think I would be able to add much information other than the two girls in the "punks in the park" picture are called Sheila (left) and Kym (right) and also the solo picture is of Kym. You can also see Buzzcocks' Steve Garvey signing autographs in Alexandra Park.

Photo © John Sturrock

Photo: Steel Pulse (L-R) Basil Gabbidon and David Hinds

In July 1978, Northern Carnival headliners, Steel Pulse, the UK’s leading reggae band of the era, had just completed a European tour supporting Bob Marley and The Wailers.

Paul Morley reviewed the Carnival for the NME, writing: ‘Everything was respectable. Everyone grooved on fun, not fear. The stand was made.

This image was featured in Manchester Digital Music Archive's 'We Are Dynamite! Northern Carnival Against the Nazis 40th Anniversary' exhibition, held at Niamos (old Nia Centre) in Hulme in September 2018.

Special thanks to our funders Heritage Lottery Fund and Futura.

Thanks also to all our wonderful volunteers.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

Ronald McQueen, bass player in Steel Pulse.

Photo: Rhoda Bracewell © 1978

Rhoda remembers:

I went to both the march and the rally but this isn't going to be the most amazing contribution, as I was only 10 years old (11 a few weeks later) and I don't have any outstanding memories of the day.
All I remember is that was a great atmosphere, obviously relaxed and friendly enough that my parents were happy to take a child, so I thought I'd send in a photo of me taken on the day.

It's not very clear but I'm wearing my RAR and Anti-Nazi League stickers on my chest! I now live on the Isle of Wight.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

As well as being a day of blistering live music and protest, the Northern Carnival provided a safe space for families and friends to be together.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

Bernie Wilcox writes:

We were expecting about 40,000 people along and the stage had to be about 20 feet high, 60 feet wide and 30 feet deep. It was a major scaffolding job. Then the PA had to be big enough so 40,000 people could hear the bands in a public park. Chris Hewitt came to the rescue. Chris is a superb bloke who used to organise a free festival every summer at a place called Deeply Vale near Rochdale. The Deeply Vale festival was due to be on the week after our carnival so he lent us his stage and PA at cost as well as erecting it and dismantling it. He also provided the security fence at the perimeter to keep people out of the backstage area (not only for the bands but to protect the huge amount of expensive equipment that was there.)

I got a mate from Partington, Mandy Fletcher to sort out the security. Mandy was about 6’-4” tall and was an Army boxing champion. He was as hard as nails and the cock of Partington, which was saying something. Mandy worked as a bouncer in Manchester at the time and brought a team of bruisers along free for two days. Funnily enough, he ended up running the door at the famous Hacienda club where he used to let me in on the guest list.

Photo © John Sturrock

A heroic moony by one of the members of the Barmy Albert Army. The Albert was a pub in Rusholme with its own special crew.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

Buzzcocks fans at the Carnival. As well as being a day of blistering live music and protest, the Northern Carnival provided a safe space for families and friends to be together.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

A rather conspiratorial conversation taking place in front of the barrier. It is possible that this guy was part of Steel Pulse's entourage.

Photo © John Sturrock

Young people in the crowd soak up the atmosphere. The Carnival provided many with their first experience of live music on this scale.

Photo © Phil Ramsell

View from the crowd: Steel Pulse in action.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

An interesting pair. Note the Che Guevara badge.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

A couple of uber cool women, one of whom is sporting the ubiquitous 'Fight Racism' badge - a classic bit of graphic design.

Photo © John Sturrock, 1978

As well as being a day of blistering live music and protest, the Northern Carnival provided a safe space for families and friends to be together.