They have played at some of the world’s biggest venues, but they all had to start somewhere - and that somewhere was usually in their home city.
From secondary schools to pubs and a room above an old cutlery works, these are the places it began for Sheffield’s most famous bands and musicians.
One seminal Sheffield gig missing from the list is the debut show by The Clash, which took place at the old Black Swan nightclub, where they supported the Sex Pistols, on July 4, 1976.
As great a band as they were, they were very much a London one so we can’t claim them for Sheffield.
Nor, much as we’d like to, can we claim Rotherham’s Self Esteem, aka Rebecca Lucy Taylor, despite her links to neighbouring Sheffield, including a brilliant costume inspired by the dome at Meadowhall.
Were you lucky enough to have attended any of these shows, or to have seen these huge stars during their early days gigging in Sheffield?
One seminal Sheffield gig missing from the list is the debut show by The Clash, which took place at the old Black Swan nightclub, where they supported the Sex Pistols, on July 4, 1976.
![Pulp's first ever gig was staged at City School, on Stradbroke Road, Sheffield. It took place during a Wednesday lunch break in March 1980, following encouragement from maths teacher Mr Jarvis.
The gig even featured some rather underwhelming pyrotechnics, with their chemistry teacher and two assistant pupils lighting a magnesium ribbon backstage.
Jarvis Cocker and his bandmates took to the stage wearing floral costumes created by his sister Saskia.
He remembers the occasion as a 'complete and utter humiliation' and told how he was so embarrassed he persuaded Mr Jarvis to delete the recording the teacher had made of the performance.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmJkODI5NmRlLTBlYzAtNDg2Zi1iNjM3LTY1ZGE5ZWNlMmQxZTo3ZGIxNTgyNS1iMTM3LTRlYjEtOTJiOS0wNjQzNWYxYzNkZjI=.png?trim=0,40,0,0&crop=&width=800)
5. Pulp - City School
Pulp's first ever gig was staged at City School, on Stradbroke Road, Sheffield. It took place during a Wednesday lunch break in March 1980, following encouragement from maths teacher Mr Jarvis. The gig even featured some rather underwhelming pyrotechnics, with their chemistry teacher and two assistant pupils lighting a magnesium ribbon backstage. Jarvis Cocker and his bandmates took to the stage wearing floral costumes created by his sister Saskia. He remembers the occasion as a 'complete and utter humiliation' and told how he was so embarrassed he persuaded Mr Jarvis to delete the recording the teacher had made of the performance. | Picture SheffieldPhoto: Picture Sheffield
![Like The Human League, ABC's first gig was at Psalter Lane Art College, a few years later. Founder member Stephen Singleton said he and his bandmates didn't know what people would make of their first performance as ABC, which had evolved in late 1980 from their previous group, Vice Versa. He told electricityclub.co.uk that they knew it must be good 'because our friends who before when we were VICE VERSA had being going “oh yeah, I like what you do”, were going “f*** me, this is f***ing amazing! It’s f***ing brilliant!”'. It was not long before they hit the big time in 1982 with the album The Lexicon of Love, and hits including The Look of Love and Poison Arrow.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2024/06/24/14/24/Psalter-Lane-Art-College-82.jpg?trim=0,0,0,313&crop=&width=800)
6. ABC - Psalter Lane Arts College
Like The Human League, ABC's first gig was at Psalter Lane Art College, a few years later. Founder member Stephen Singleton said he and his bandmates didn't know what people would make of their first performance as ABC, which had evolved in late 1980 from their previous group, Vice Versa. He told electricityclub.co.uk that they knew it must be good 'because our friends who before when we were VICE VERSA had being going “oh yeah, I like what you do”, were going “f*** me, this is f***ing amazing! It’s f***ing brilliant!”'. It was not long before they hit the big time in 1982 with the album The Lexicon of Love, and hits including The Look of Love and Poison Arrow. | Picture SheffieldPhoto: Picture Sheffield
![Joe Cocker first sang with his brother Victor's band the Headliners at a local youth club. He later played drums in Victor's skiffle group, the Cavaliers, before forming Vance Arnold & the Avengers in 1961. He started out performing alongside his day job as a gas fitter, but won a recording contract after securing support slots with the Rolling Stones and the Hollies. His biggest hit came in 1968, when his cover of the Beatles' With a Little Help From My Friends soared to number one.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2024/06/24/14/00/onecms_c1f69f62-8d96-4e5b-8bff-c11bb152b4cb.jpg?trim=0,0,0,41&crop=&width=800)
7. Joe Cocker - youth club
Joe Cocker first sang with his brother Victor's band the Headliners at a local youth club. He later played drums in Victor's skiffle group, the Cavaliers, before forming Vance Arnold & the Avengers in 1961. He started out performing alongside his day job as a gas fitter, but won a recording contract after securing support slots with the Rolling Stones and the Hollies. His biggest hit came in 1968, when his cover of the Beatles' With a Little Help From My Friends soared to number one. | Sheffield NewspapersPhoto: Sheffield Newspapers
![Heaven 17 formed in 1980, after Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh split from The Human League. They enjoyed huge success with hits including Temptation but in their early years they mostly confined themselves to the studio, rarely performing live. One of their first, if not the first, live shows was at Sport Aid 88 in Hillsborough Park, held in support of the African Famine Relief appeal. They joined other acts including Eddy Grant, Squeeze and The Hollies at the charity event.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2024/06/24/14/59/onecms_1b6477e9-c3d6-4784-9163-ddad7b96ea4f.jpg?trim=0,0,107,0&crop=&width=800)
8. Heaven 17 - Hillsborough Park?
Heaven 17 formed in 1980, after Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh split from The Human League. They enjoyed huge success with hits including Temptation but in their early years they mostly confined themselves to the studio, rarely performing live. One of their first, if not the first, live shows was at Sport Aid 88 in Hillsborough Park, held in support of the African Famine Relief appeal. They joined other acts including Eddy Grant, Squeeze and The Hollies at the charity event. | Sheffield NewspapersPhoto: Sheffield Newspapers