This brutalist gem (one of Sheffield finest C20 architectural complexes) was opened as The Top Rank and hosted live music for many years, as well as doubling up for other entertainment. The large block next door was The Fiesta night club (now a cinema) and underneath was a seedy ‘foreign film’ cinema and walkways with shops, etc.

Both Top Rank and Fiesta were entertainment chains with venues around the country, so could book bands for several venues. Bowie and many others played here. The Sheffield Top Rank was taken over and became The Roxy later, then became more of a down-market night-club called Barry Noble’s Roxy. It then closed altogether and was empty for ages, before being used as a religious hall. Happily sense has prevailed in recent years, and it is now part of the O2 Academy chain.

Please share any memorabilia about this venue and add any missing gigs.

The Roxy came into it’s own in the later seventies and early eighties, hosting many of the premier punk and new wave acts which didn’t really fit in at The City Hall. As a live venue it was pretty much the best modern hall in the city. A wide deep stage, a large square floor area, and a balcony round three sides which gave an excellent view. We remember seeing Killing Joke, Police, Cramps and many more bands there.

Looking round the forums out there, it’s clear the place is well remembered. Bands seen include The Buzzcocks, Joy Division, Magazine (supported by Simple Minds on their first tour), Clash, Siouxsie and the Banshees (supported by Altered Images!), The Jam, Hinkleys Heroes (with Joe Cocker guesting), Hoslips (Irish prog rockers), The Damned (“me and my mate thought it would be a good idea to get backstage, we sneaked through a door to the right of the stage to be met be the sight of Dave Vanian stood in a coffin. Needless to say we decided this was a bit wierd and beat a hasty retreat!”), etc.

“The first time I went I made a bit a prat of myself by trying to buy some tickets in advance at the Top Rank Bingo place round the corner!”

Missing tickets, decent quality please, always appreciated!)

band	support	date	venue	town
Geno Washington	Ram Jam Band	22/10/1968	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Police	The Cramps / The Bobby Henry Band	15/06/1970	Top Rank	Sheffield
Alexis Korner / Pink Faries / Noir	Pure Wings / The National Head Band	25/09/1970	Top Rank	Sheffield
David Bowie		06/09/1972	Top Rank	Sheffield
Mott the Hoople	Home	21/09/1972	Top Rank	Sheffield
Thin Lizzy	Fusion Orchestra	27/06/1973	Top Rank	Sheffield
Strife		19/09/1976	Top Rank	Sheffield
Krakatoa		26/09/1976	Top Rank	Sheffield
Babe Ruth		05/10/1976	Top Rank	Sheffield
Casino	Merlin	24/10/1976	Top Rank	Sheffield
Stretch	Shanghai	31/10/1976	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Doctors of Madness		07/11/1976	Top Rank	Sheffield
Horslips		14/11/1976	Top Rank	Sheffield
Trapeze	A.F.T	21/11/1976	Top Rank	Sheffield
Steve Gibbons Band		05/12/1976	Top Rank	Sheffield
Stray		12/12/1976	Top Rank	Sheffield
Van Der Graaf Generator		06/01/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Clash	The Slits / Innocents	11/01/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
George Hatcher Band		10/02/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Medicine Head		17/02/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Doctors of Madness	Pat Travers/ Tyler Gang	03/03/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Horslips		06/03/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Deaf School	Darts	23/03/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Burlesque		27/03/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Ultravox		03/04/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Frankie Miller Band		05/04/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Stray		10/04/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
O'Band		24/04/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Scorpions		01/05/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Judas Priest	Magnum	08/05/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Jenny Haan's Lion		22/05/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Stranglers	Drones	12/06/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Jam		10/07/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers		24/07/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Racing Cars		31/07/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Doctors of Madness		07/08/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Boomtown Rats	Bernie Torme	12/08/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Woody Woodmanseys U Boat		04/09/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Alvin Stardust	Muscles	18/09/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Motorhead	Motors	09/10/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Siouxsie & the Banshees		11/10/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Stranglers	Drones / 2.3	19/10/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Dave Edmunds		23/10/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Kursaal Flyers	Cortinas	23/10/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Burlesque		24/10/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Clash	Richard Hell	01/11/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Van Der Graaf Generator		06/11/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Jam		10/11/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Damned	Dead Boys / Subway Sect	23/11/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Jam	New Hearts	27/11/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
The British Lions	Hurricanes	04/12/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Ian Dury	Moon	06/12/1977	Top Rank	Sheffield
Adam & the Ants		07/01/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
No Dice		15/01/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Osibisa		18/01/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Deaf School		29/01/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Dillinger		31/01/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Strife		05/02/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Rich Kids		26/02/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Vibrators	Push	12/03/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Buzzcocks	Slits	14/03/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Adverts		19/03/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Deaf School		26/03/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Elvis Costello		04/04/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Wilko Johnson		23/04/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Damned	Doctors of Madness	30/04/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Slaughter & the Dogs	Eater/Blitzkrieg Bop	07/05/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Sham 69		17/05/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
AC/DC		21/05/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Xtc		02/06/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Clash		30/06/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Magazine		09/07/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Xtc	The Yatchs / Dazzlers	12/09/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Stranglers		20/09/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Stranglers	Human League	20/09/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Buzzcocks		15/10/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Buzzcocks	Subway Sect	15/10/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Radio Stars		25/10/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Siouxsie & The Banshees	Spizz Oil / Cabaret Voltaire	31/10/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Be Stiff tour	Wreckless Eric / Lene Lovich / Jona Lewie / Mickey Jupp / Rachel Sweet	05/11/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Sham 69		06/11/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Budgie	Strife	12/11/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Clash	Innocents / The Slits	19/11/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Damned		26/11/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Split Enz		30/11/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Alberto Y Los Trios Paranoias	The Police	03/12/1978	Top Rank	Sheffield
Generation X		20/02/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Culture		19/03/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Eddie & the Hot Rods	The Members	23/03/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Magazine	Simple Minds	18/04/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Iggy Pop		22/04/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Undertones	The Kilometers	02/05/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Private Sector	Frantic Elevators / Screwdriver	20/05/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Stiff Little Fingers	Star Jets	03/06/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Undertones	The Chords	04/06/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Damned		11/06/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Police	The Cramps / Bobby Henry Band	15/06/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Dave Edmunds		27/06/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Magazine	Zones	09/07/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Adverts		10/08/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Adverts	Negatives/ Diks /Artery /	19/08/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Xtc	The Yatchs	12/09/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Penetration		30/09/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Stranglers		14/10/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Buzzcocks	Joy Division	21/10/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Slade		22/10/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Skids	Fingerprintz	24/10/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Specials	Madness / The Selecter	04/11/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Damned	Dead Boys / Victim	23/11/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
Human League	Victim	26/11/1979	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Clash	Mikey Dread	27/01/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
999		29/01/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Alaska		30/01/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Ramones	The Boys	03/02/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Pretenders	UB40	10/02/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Ruts	The Vibrators / The Gas	17/02/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Def Leppard	Dedringer / Witchfynde	20/02/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Selecter	Holly & The Italians	26/02/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Squeeze	Wreckless Eric	10/03/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Stiff Little Fingers	Another Pretty Face	17/03/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Secret Affair		13/04/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Sham 69		14/04/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Cure	The Passions	06/05/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Human League	The Scars	20/05/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Beat		27/05/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Undertones	The Moondogs	28/05/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Toyah	The Rent Boys	03/06/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Adam & the Ants	Martian Dance / Manufactured Romance	04/06/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Angelic Upstarts	The Irritators	30/06/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Damned	Ruts DC / The irritators	23/07/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Samson	White Spirit / Raven	08/08/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Specials	The Swinging Cats	24/09/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Skids		07/10/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Alvin Lee	Straight 8 / Chevy	08/10/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Cockney Rejects	The Exploited	20/10/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Siouxsie & The Banshees	Altered Images	21/10/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Jam	The Piranhas	26/10/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Blues Band	The Hitmen	29/10/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
UK Subs	The Citizens	09/11/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Adam & the Ants	God's Toys	16/11/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Damned	The Straps	22/11/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Girlschool	Angelwitch / Tank	26/11/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Split Enz	Fingerprintz	02/12/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
Ian Dury	Basement 5 / Blurt	15/12/1980	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Blues Band		01/02/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
Duran Duran		08/03/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
Stray Cats	Barracudas	15/03/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
Girlschool		14/04/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
Spizzles	Department S	15/04/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
999	The English	22/04/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Undertones	TV21	11/05/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
Comsat Angels	Clock DVA/ Past 7 Days/Mark My Words	12/05/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
Owen Gray	Addiction	25/05/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Comsat Angels	B-Movie / Past Seven Days / Mark Mywords	30/06/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
Suzi Quatro	(12 noon)	28/07/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
Sugar Minott	Black Roots Players / Jackie Mitoo / Musical Youth / Roland Alphonso / Sandra Logan	19/08/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
Joe Jackson's Jumpin Jive	Huang Chung	26/08/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
Misty In Roots	Mr Barley Wine / Bosco Steel Band / Jay Tubby Hi-Fi	28/08/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
Gregory Isaacs	Roots Radics	20/10/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
Alvin Stardust		28/10/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
John Holt		02/12/1981	Top Rank	Sheffield
Tim Chandler	Radigan / Karamoja	05/02/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
Ras Imruh Asher	Jah Mal Joseph / Yabby Youth / Karamojah	24/03/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Jam	Rudi	29/03/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Jam	Rudi	30/03/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Jam	Rudi	31/03/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
Anti Knowhere League	Chelsea / Chron Gen / The Defects	17/05/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
Alyx	Wolf J Flywheel / Beat Street / Y Distinction / Vortex / Expose (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Heat 1)	04/08/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
Phoenix Rising	Deeta / Chinawhite / Haze / Thunderchilde / Steve Lear (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Heat 2)	11/08/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
Cabaret Voltaire		14/08/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Mix	Insite / Kirlian Lens / The Stats / Graffiti / Interior Breed (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Heat 3)	18/08/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Mirror Crack'd	The Injetors / Sister / Black Mariah / The Saraband / Party Day (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Heat 4)	25/08/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Party	Yah-Boo! / Adrenalin / Agent Orange / Spectre / Tsi-Tsa (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Heat 5)	01/09/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
Panza Division	Notre Dame / Pop-Ups / Phono Industria / Jayde / Renegade (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Heat 6)	08/09/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
Splash	Toys For Girls / The Tremmers / Silent Running / Mercury / Rough Copy (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Heat 7)	15/09/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
Mrs Beech & The Heretics	Blue Ice / Warlock / Lifestyle / Paragon / Mon Amour (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Heat 8)	29/09/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
Rocky Sharpe & the Replays		01/10/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
Ken Forgettable	The Daggers / Quiet Life / Geneva / The Ya Yas / Dee Dee & The Detitutes (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Heat 9)	06/10/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Toy Shop	The Mirror Crack'd / Panza Division / Phoenix Rising / Yah-Boo! (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Semi Final)	12/10/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
Splash	Mrs Beech & The Heretics / Y-Distinction / Ken Forgettable / The Mix (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Semi Final)	13/10/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Toy Shop	The Mirror Crack'd / Mrs Beech & The Heretics / Yah-Boo! / Splash / The MIx (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Final)	20/10/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
Y-Distinction	Splash / The Mirror Crack'd	10/12/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
Radiation		11/12/1982	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Toy Shop		15/01/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Bluebells		12/02/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Fun Boy Three		21/03/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Killing Joke		13/05/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Janet Kay	Winston Reedy	29/05/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Laurel & Hardy		18/06/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Bauhaus		20/06/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Emmanuel AD	Bamboo / Function / Poppups / Aku Ake / Oakenshield (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest)	22/06/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Urban Clearway	Fiction / Deeta / 3D Fiction /Graffiti / Maison Rouge	29/06/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Touch	Lands End / Paragon /Mechanical Wombats /Bay Of Pigs /Beat Street (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Heat 4)	06/07/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Sal Solo		09/07/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Sharp Cuts	Snatch / Palis / The Gallery / Haze / Colour Set (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Heat 5)	13/07/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Mick Karn	Midge ure	16/07/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Kirlian Lens	Counting Sheep / Phoenix Rising / Cloudburst / Scaramouche / Red (Star & Websters Rock & Pop Contest - Heat 6)	20/07/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Blue Zoo		23/07/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Snap 14	Aerial View / Mercury / Vortex / DNA / Abnormal (Star & Websters Rock/Pop Contest - Heat 7)	27/07/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Dr Kool	Thief / Final Hour / Tenants / Tu-Tu / The Party (Star & Websters Rock/Pop Contest - Heat 8)	03/08/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Rough Copy	Warhorse / March The Third / Dragonsong / The Stats /Madonna (Star & Websters Rock/Pop Contest - Heat 9)	10/08/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Cabaret Voltaire		14/08/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
T-Dive	October / The Tremmers / Cairo / The Daggers / Rogue (Star & Websters Rock/Pop Contest - Heat 10)	17/08/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
King Dice	Penance / Thin White Line / Second Light / Night Shift / MW (Star & Websters Rock/Pop Contest - Heat 10)	24/08/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Zyclones	Street Scene / Vicious Circles / The Fourth Dimension / Defective Turtles / Watusi (Star & Websters Rock/Pop Contest - Heat 11)	31/08/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Sharp Cuts	Jester / Pop-Ups / Fiction / Touch / Sharp Cuts / Kirian Lens (Star & Websters Rock/Pop Contest - Semi-Final)	07/09/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Snap 14	Dr Kool / Rough Copy / T-Dive / King Dice / The Zyclones (Star & Websters Rock/Pop Contest - Semi-Final)	14/09/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Sharp Cuts	Kirlian Lens /Touch / Snap 14 / King Dice / The Zyclones (Star & Websters Rock/Pop Contest - Final)	21/09/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Edwin Starr		01/10/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
The Pirates	(University Pyjama Jump)	26/10/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
David Grant	(personal appearance)	29/10/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Killing Joke		13/12/1983	Top Rank	Sheffield
Vision		10/03/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Gary Glitter	Flying Alphonso Brothers	23/03/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Jack Ruby	Karamojah / General Tree	06/04/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Yellowman	Rankin Jacko / Zaro	15/04/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
They Must Be Russians	Beshara / Le Push	16/04/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Sharon Redd	(personal appearance)	02/06/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Hanoi Rocks		06/06/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Divine		14/07/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Night Shift	The Touch / Bijoux / Midnight / Barrabas / Deeta (Star Hofmeister Rock/Pop Contest - Heat 1)	29/08/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Anthill Mob	Scaramouche / Veldt / Ten Ten / Blush / Plod & The Noddymen (Star Hofmeister Rock/Pop Contest - Heat 2)	05/09/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Maison Rouge	The Gatekrashers / Passing Strangers / The Cast / Elan / Miami Dolphins (Star Hofmeister Rock/Pop Contest - Heat 3)	12/09/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
World Of Twist	Katowicz / Actors / The Peter Cushings / Secret Noise / Fiction (Star Hofmeister Rock/Pop Contest - Heat 4)	19/09/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Depth In Metres	Soul Syndicate / Snatch / The Lonely Hearts / Geneva / Cloudburst (Star Hofmeister Rock/Pop Contest - Heat 5)	26/09/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Gary Glitter	The Internationals	01/10/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Aku Ake	Imaginary Friends / The Objective / Vortex / The Civilians / Cairo	03/10/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Aswad	Bush Telegraph / Claudette Boney	09/10/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Maison Rouge	Night Shift / Anthill Mob / Depth in Metres / Cairo / World Of Twist (Star Hofmeister Rock/Pop Contest - Final)	10/10/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five	The Rock City Crew	06/11/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Divine		16/11/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Scala Timpani		17/12/1984	Top Rank	Sheffield
Killing Joke	Ellery Bop	18/02/1985	Top Rank	Sheffield
Fiat Lux		18/03/1985	Top Rank	Sheffield
Wishbone Ash		29/03/1988	Top Rank	Sheffield
Styx		14/05/1988	Top Rank	Sheffield

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