AN EXHIBITION CELEBRATING the legacy of 1980s DIY punk culture as expressed through three venues – The Garage (Newcastle), The Station (Gateshead) and The Bunker (Sunderland) – is scheduled to open at the Newcastle Contemporary Art (NCA) gallery in November.
Gateshead Music Collective is working closely with the NCA to assemble materials for the exhibition, and a GoFundMe campaign is currently running to raise funds to support the project. All monies raised will “contribute to hire of the venue, display materials and workshops” and in the process encourage those attending “to learn from our experiences and inform future practice.”
The exhibition will explore the legacy of Tyne and Wear Youth Music Collectives that started in the 1980s, to identify engagement methods that can inform current and future practice. It will feature Archival material from DIY music collectives and venues: The Garage (Newcastle), The Station (Gateshead) and The Bunker (Sunderland), that grew out of the disenchantment of rapid de-industrialisation of the region, to create a space to explore the impact these collectives had on people’s lives as part of our living cultural history.
Newcastle Contemporary Art
It’s planned that the exhibition Tyne & Wear Music/Youth Collectivism from the 1980s and beyond will open at the NCA on 18 November 2023 and run until 16 December 2023 (on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, from noon until 17:00).
The project is being supported by the Bunker Group 35 team:
We are honoured to have been asked to take part in this exhibition, celebrating the Station, the Garage and the Bunker.
The North East DIY music scene in the 1980s is an untold social history of how similar groups of young people from Newcastle and Sunderland organized themselves into collectives. Its a story that deserves to be shown to a wider audience.
Bunker Group 35
Punk Exhibition Celebrates the Legacy of Tyne and Wear Youth Music Collectives
In the early ‘80s, young teenagers in Newcastle found solace and a vibrant music scene in an old, disused warehouse venue called The Garage. This iconic location became a haven for young punks, featuring performances by bands such as Total Chaos, The Reptiles, Model Workers, and The Village Idiots. This do-it-yourself music space was run by the kids, for the kids with minimal adult supervision and a huge amount of teenage angst.
However, after The Garage closed in 1981, the Gateshead Music Collective breathed new life into a former police club in Gateshead, known as The Station, which became the new epicentre for punk music in the area.
The Station was refurbished with help from Gateshead Council and The Millfield House Trust and became the place to be for live punk music including a secret appearance by The Clash on their acoustic tour. The venue also hosted rehearsal spaces too reinforcing the community spirit and fostering the development of local bands. A similar venue, The Bunker, in Sunderland, continues to thrive today.
Now, four decades later, a group of people who were part of the Garage and Station scene are coming together to host an exhibition that pays homage to the culture and significance of these venues. The exhibition will feature a captivating array of video footage, photographs, and memorabilia, including posters, that chronicle the energy and spirit of those times. Visitors will have the opportunity to delve into the punk movement’s history, explore the enduring impact of the Tyne and Wear Youth Music Collectives, and gain insights into youth engagement methods that can inform current and future practices.
The exhibition, hosted by Newcastle Contemporary Art, will be held at their gallery on High Bridge, Newcastle, starting from the 18th of November. The opening day will be marked by a special event to commemorate the exhibition’s launch. Following the opening, the exhibition will be open to the public on weekends throughout November and December.
Keeks McGarry, former singer with Total Chaos and now a manager of an adventure playground, eagerly anticipates the event, saying, “This exhibition is a remarkable opportunity to revisit the incredible culture that emerged from the punk venues of our youth. It’s a chance to reconnect with the spirit of those times, honour the bands and performers who shaped our lives, and inspire a new generation of music enthusiasts. I’m thrilled to be part of this exhibition and can’t wait to witness the impact it will have.”
The group have a GoFundMe page for anyone wishing to donate. Email the organisers to find out more:
Highlights PR
gmcexhibition@gmail.com
Newcastle Contemporary Art, High Bridge Works, 31-39 High Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1EW
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