Rock City passes 45 years as the heart of Nottingham's gig scene

Ask almost anyone who grew up going to gigs in the East Midlands about their first big night out, and there is a good chance Rock City comes up. The venue on Talbot Street has been part of Nottingham life since December 1980, and more than 45 years later it is still packing in crowds.

The building has a far longer story. It opened as the Alexandra Skating Rink on 23 November 1876, was renamed Victoria Halls in 1887 and later became a Palais de Danse. As The Heart of the Midlands, it even hosted the inaugural World Professional Darts Championship in 1978.

Then came 1980. Sammy Jackson took over the building, with local bookmaker George Akins Snr providing the funding, and Rock City was born. The first gig took place on 11 December 1980, with The Undertones topping the bill and Orange Juice in support. Iron Maiden had actually been booked to open the venue, but that show was cancelled because the electrics were not finished in time.

What followed reads like a roll call of music history. Nirvana, Guns N' Roses, David Bowie, Ramones, Oasis, Blur, Rage Against the Machine, U2, Amy Winehouse and Ed Sheeran have all played here, and Public Enemy gave the first UK performance of "Bring the Noise" on its stage. Kerrang! magazine named Rock City its Venue of the Year for ten consecutive years.

Today the venue is owned by DHP Family, the Nottingham venue operator and concert promoter. George Akins Jnr took over management in 1994, aged just 19. Across three rooms there are six bars, with the Main Hall and the Basement hosting all-standing gigs.

The team has kept investing. The dancefloor was replaced in January 2019, the first replacement in around forty years, and the 40th anniversary saw new front-of-house and monitor desks plus lighting and video upgrades. Marking that milestone, George Akins said: "Forty years of a live music venue is a big achievement." Five years on, the achievement only looks bigger.

Gigs are only half the story. Weekly club nights keep the floor busy, from CRISIS on Wednesdays for University of Nottingham students to Rebel Rebel on Saturdays.

While its main website is being refreshed, Rock City's gig tickets, club tickets and social channels are all linked from the venue's online hub.