If you haven’t yet been to Leicester’s Punk Festival exhibition ‘Rage and Revolution’ you’d better be quick as it finishes in a couple weeks. The main exhibition at Leicester museum on New Walk is the best produced exhibition I’ve seen in Leicester and looks more akin to something you’d see in London or Liverpool.
The exhibition focuses on the history of punk in the UK with an additional magnifying glass on its influence in Leicester and those who played an active part in shaping the culture of punk through music, fashion, art and the political statements attached to them.
There’s a memorable and insightful welcome from Manchester Punk Poet John Cooper Clarke, unseen photos of The Clash, fantastic Seditionaries clothing as well as the first exhibition of original clothing from the late Vivienne Westwood, lots of punk memorabilia and audio and video delights and much, much more.
Free Punk Festival Weekender
There are also other smaller exhibits at the curator base at Soft Touch Arts also on New Walk as well as a number of events in difference locations. This weekend there is a 3 day festival at Jubilee Square. On Friday early evening there is a showing of an X-Ray Spex documentary and talks at the museum. Then, at Firebug X-Ray Spex saxophonist Laura Logic will be playing with her band Essential Logic. Saturday is a really busy day with all kinds of fun at Jubillee square with a free open-air punk music event as well as stalls including a pop up vinyl record shop (River Soar Records!). Finally, on Sunday 20th punk legends Buzzcocks, Chelsea, 999 and UK Subs will be at Leicester’s O2. Full details of this and more events at Duffy's and the Phoenix here.
Anyway, make sure you go, and encourage young people to go. I was asked by a presenter of BBC Radio 4s Front Row about the similarities of now and then, I said there are many parallels but sadly the young are far too distracted with choice and that that choice makes them passive, at least for now. Let’s hope the youth of today can gain some inspiration from the punks of the past and enact their own Rage and Revolution for the better.
Anyway, if you can get involved and see this excellent one off exhibition before it’s too late.