28th February 1979: Playhouse Theatre, Nottingham The venue is 750+ capacity seated theatre which has always catered plays and the arts - not rock gigs. The "new wave" venue in Nottingham back then was the Sandpiper. Paul can remember the gig: I can confirm Joy Division played Nottingham Playhouse. I was there (aged 15). I can't confirm the date, it was about the time you list (winter); but they were supporting the Buzzcocks and John Cooper Clarke which may help you work it out. I think it was JCC as 'poet' who got the whole thing into an arts venue. As is typical for support bands, the sound was pretty atrocious. Don't remember anything else except that they appeared fairly 'military' on stage. Diane Wragg remembers it like this: I went to that gig with a friend but it was John Cooper Clark who was headlining – Joy Division was the support. Apparently they were ‘late’ arriving so JCC opened for them. Joy Division came on next followed by JCC again! The theatre was the wrong venue for bands, I don’t remember much as I had a lousy cold and spent the entire evening with tissues stuffed up my nose – to stem the flow. Diane doesn't remember the Buzzcocks playing Fletch remembers it like this: Yes, I also went to it and still have my ticket and it's dated 28/02/1979. I remember it being all seated as it usually is at those type of venues. I agree with Diane' comments that it was suited to a bad type scenario. I would bet my pension that Buzzcocks didn't play, I would have remembered because I was a massive fan of theirs. Joy Division sounded very raw but as always there was something very compelling about watching them. I also remember being surpised that Joy Division were on. I'd bought 'An Ideal For Living' and was a bit disapponted that they didn't play anything off it! I didn't recognise any of the material that night, as I guess most of it was stuff they would be recording for Unknown Pleasures. I saw them again later that year, supporting the Buzzcocks at Derby Kings Hall and they were so much better! Something else I remember about that gig, was that the sound was poor. I don't remember the announcing themselves as Joy Division and me and my mates were arguing about who it was throughout the gig. We al thought it sounded like them but I'd only heard Ideal For Living. Obviously, once you saw Ian Curtis 'dancing' then you didn't forget it and I seem to remember that our thoughts were confirmed when we later saw them with the Buzzcocks! Lilythepunk posted the following information on the Guardian web site in October 2006: " ... I also remember seeing Joy Division at The Nottingham Playhouse with about 50 others, half of whom walked out." A follow up message mentions they had found the ticket to the gig,dated 28/2/79 and the admission price was £2.50. Dominic remembers it like this: I was there - front row seats - Joy Division were the unbilled support for JCC - it was a JCC concert - no other bands - not sure of date - it was certainly very cold They played a short set of probably 4 songs The sound quality was appalling - really mushy in a big theatre I was a schoolboy and we had never heard of them We thought JCC called them 'Geordie Vision' - sadly can't remember What they played - nothing came back to mind when I heard unknown pleasures - remember their look - all in black and white and totally stationary Anyway after the gig finished early we went to the stage door and JCC signed all our records for us - great guy - anyway he said we should check out Joy Division (he corrected our amusing for a Manc mishearing) as they were much better than the set showed - they had left early very unhappy apparently Saw them later that year at leeds futurama - awseome ! If you have any more info, especiallyif you are Lilythepunk with your ticket, please email us