Huddersfield Music Walk and Talk with Stephen Dorril

Journalism and Media's Dr Stephen Dorril will be reviving memories of Huddersfield Polytechnic's vibrant music scene in the 1970s when he undertakes a personal musical tour of the town on Saturday 5 May.

He will be talking about putting on concerts in the town in the 1970s and 1980s, with a host of stories about the major artists who played here including Elvis Costello, Dire Straits, Talking Heads, The Jam, The Stranglers, Joy Division, Folk, Reggae, the beginnings of Punk and the Sex Pistols, and lots more.

Stephen recently took early retirement though he continues to lecture on Journalism at the University, where he was Course Leader of Music Journalism for nearly twenty years.

Stephen said: "I thought it would be good to get some of the history of this down on paper before I forget it. When I did look at my diaries of the period I realised that there really was a lot going on in that period. I put on over 100 national bands, 40 local bands, nearly 30 Mod bands plus Reggae and other genres. Lots of good times and great stories to tell."

He arrived in Huddersfield in 1974 as a student at the then Polytechnic and was Social Secretary from 1976 to 1979, the key years of Punk and New Wave. He was also the DJ at the Coach House Club from 1977 to 1982 which was the haunt of students.

The Walk and Talk begins at 1.00pm outside the Harold Wilson Building and ends at the Northern Quarter (the former Builders Club), Wood Street.

The Walk & Talk is part of a Heritage Lottery Fund Project and includes an exhibition of local amateur photographer and postman, Brian Lawton, who took thousands of pictures of popular and folk music in Huddersfield in the 60s and 70s. There will also be live music from Emily Druce and Steve Jones, and the Ribble Beck Band from 2.00pm.

Free.