Fleetwood Mac played at the Poly on 27 April 1968. 55 years later, we recreate the event, in the place it took place.
About the event
Spring 2023 sees the launch of Polyphonic: A celebration of pop at the poly.
In 2019 as part of the Out of the Archives funded project, a team including former student Alex Hancock, our previous archivist Anna McNally and Guy Osborn from Westminster Law School documented all the bands and artists that had played at the Polytechnic between 1966 and 1992, looking specifically at the political benefits that had taken place during the period. An event entitled 'Pop and Politics at the Poly' took place in the Soho Poly as part of the Being Human Festival in 2019. Building on this, and inspiring the restoration of Fyvie Hall and its celebration of musical spaces, funding was kindly provided by UEB for this Polyphonic initiative, which celebrates the history of musical performances, and performance spaces at the University of Westminster.
As part of ghost gigs and found sounds, itself an element of Matt Morrison and Guy Osborn’s Disrupt the Everyday project, the musical spaces of the institution have already begun to be celebrated. From New Order and redksins at 115 New Cavendish Street, via Maureen Kennedy Martin at the Soho Poly, to online iterations of Donovan and Ralph McTell during the lockdown, former events have been re-imagined and celebrated. Even Fyvie Hall itself has been recognised and acknowledged via the Pete Shelley (buzzcocks) tribute of ‘Pop, and Politics at the Poly’. Polyphonic consists of a mini-exhibition, roving around our sites, with events taking place at LTS, Regent Street and NCS. These events are supported by a series of celebratory banners, a fanzine the size of a 7” vinyl single, and a spotify playlist of bands that have ‘played the Poly’.
Location
Room TBC, Westminster Law School, 4 Little Titchfield Street, University of Westminster, London, W1W 7BY
How to register
For more information about this event, and to register your place, please visit Eventbrite.
