Krazyhouse stickers and equipment at the Promoting Metal on Merseyside exhibition (photo: James Brady)
The work that goes into making gigs happen is often hidden and taken-for-granted. Whether this is producing gig posters and flyers, working to help establish venues and clubs, liaising with artists, or dealing with (sometimes outlandish!) rider requests, the work of metal music promoters has been largely unheralded.
Promoting Metal on Merseyside is the first exhibition from the Metal on Merseyside project. Curated by our own Nedim Hassan, with support from JJ Haggar, other members of the steering group, and researcher Robbie Griffin, it sheds light on the work of those who are frequently the lifeblood of metal music behind the scenes.
Focusing on the work of promoters operating within Merseyside, UK, the exhibition showcases event production-related artefacts that span the early 1990s to now.
From the genre’s inception, live performance has been integral to heavy metal music. Concerts have been a crucial means of creating strong bonds between fans and artists.
The exhibition captures broad historical shifts in how gig and club events are produced – from paper tickets (sometimes with rare artist signatures scrawled on them) and flyers, to stamps kits and digital flyers. The diverse range of ephemera on display chronicles promoters’ creativity and ingenuity, while illuminating the vast amount of gig venues that have come and gone within the Merseyside area.
The exhibition consists of four main sections, arranged in chronological order.
The first section charts the rise of the Krazyhouse, one of the most important rock clubs in northern England for more than a decade. This club, situated on Wood Street, thrived throughout the 1990s and 2000s, hosting gigs by acclaimed artists such as Paradise Lost, Korn and Fear Factory to name a few. It also arguably became the hottest rock club in the north-west and held album launch parties for the likes of Pantera, Sepultura, Bon Jovi and Metallica.
Artefacts on display from this era include rare Pantera Far Beyond Driven promotional stickers, signed posters from Amen and One Minute Silence, and a replica of the original DJ booth from the 1990s.
Krazyhouse original DJ booth backdrop at Promoting Metal on Merseyside exhibition (photo: James Brady)
The second section profiles Whiplash Promotions – a leading independent promoter of extreme metal events in the north-west during the 2000s and early 2010s. Whiplash hosted a who’s who of extreme metal artists in this era, including Watain, Behemoth, Napalm Death, Nile and Deicide. They also gave opportunities to rising Merseyside artists of the time such as Diamanthian, Dilacerate and Neuroma.
The displayed tickets and backstage passes at the exhibition attest to Whiplash's central role in the Merseyside metal scene.
Other artefacts, such as owner Sal Turner’s cash tin with customized stamp kits and wristbands, and the unique Whiplash condom, highlight the DIY nature and creativity of the company’s approach.
Whiplash Promotions event posters (photo: James Brady)
The third section places the emphasis on the shifting nature of the Merseyside metal music scene during the first decade of the new millennium. Posters and flyers reveal the turnover of venues used for gigs from the 2000s to the 2010s.
They also highlight short-lived venues like the Drezla Lounge and Roadkill, as well as beloved former outlets like the Magnet.
The final section of the exhibition places the emphasis on flyers and posters from the digital era, where social media plays a crucial role in gig promotion and digital flyers continue the tradition of battling for visibility in a new, virtual landscape.
Speaking after the launch event, exhibition lead curator, Nedim Hassan, stated that: ‘This exhibition represents a major step towards one of the key aims of the overall Metal on Merseyside project. Curating and documenting the Merseyside metal scene is a way to recognise its importance to the region both past and present.’
Nedim Hassan and JJ Haggar at the exhibition launch party (photo: James Brady)
Former Krazyhouse DJ (and Metal on Merseyside member), JJ Haggar, also said that 'Meeting up with past, present & future "Defenders Of The Faith" has been inspiring and Metal on Merseyside is more than a book, website or collective, it's a way of life!'
While the Spoken Metal Show’s (and Metal on Merseyside's own) Mark Cooper said at the event that: ‘All of these posters, flyers, tickets and merch represent the unsung people that made metal happen in our scene and are an integral part of its history’.
Mark Cooper speaking at the exhibition launch party (photo: James Brady)
Promoting Metal on Merseyside is being hosted by Dark Earth Records, 16 Seaview Road, Wallasey, Merseyside, until November 30th. Dark Earth are the only proper, specialist heavy metal record shop in the north of England. They are also unique in the UK in their ability to feature exhibitions in their gallery that embrace all aspects of heavy metal culture.
Please see @DarkEarthRecords (Insta/FB) for opening times.
During the exhibition’s tenure, Metal on Merseyside will also be supporting other events within the space, so stay tuned for more announcements soon!
Comments