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.
photo by Mark Wrigley
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!”
-
- Stranglers Top Rank
-
- Adverts Top Rank
-
- Police
The Stranglers
20/09/1978
The Buzzcocks
15/10/1978
Siouxsie & The Banshees
31/10/1978
Be Stiff tour
05/11/1978
Adverts
10/08/1979
The Stranglers
14/10/1979
The Buzzcocks
21/10/1979
Slade
22/10/1979
The Clash
27/01/1980
Stiff Little Fingers
17/03/1980
The Cure
06/05/1980
The Undertones
28/05/1980
Angelic Upstarts
30/06/1980
The Damned
22/11/1980
The Jam
31/03/1982
Venue : Top Rank (161 entries)
| band | support | date | venue | town |
| The Police | The Cramps / The Bobby Henry Band | 15/06/1970 | 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 | |
| The Doctors of Madness | 07/11/1976 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| Burlesque | 27/03/1977 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| Scorpions | 01/05/1977 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| The Boomtown Rats | Bernie Torme | 12/08/1977 | Top Rank | Sheffield |
| Alvin Stardust | Muscles | 18/09/1977 | Top Rank | Sheffield |
| Motorhead | Motors | 09/10/1977 | Top Rank | Sheffield |
| The Stranglers | Drones / 2.3 | 19/10/1977 | Top Rank | Sheffield |
| Dave Edmunds | 23/10/1977 | 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 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 |
| No Dice | 15/01/1978 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| Osibisa | 18/01/1978 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| Dillinger | 31/01/1978 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| Strife | 05/02/1978 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| The Strawbs | 05/03/1978 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| The Vibrators | Push | 12/03/1978 | Top Rank | Sheffield |
| The Buzzcocks | Slits | 14/03/1978 | Top Rank | Sheffield |
| Wilko Johnson | 23/04/1978 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| Sham 69 | 17/05/1978 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| The Clash | 30/06/1978 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| Magazine | 09/07/1978 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| The Stranglers | 20/09/1978 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| The Buzzcocks | 15/10/1978 | 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 | |
| The Clash | Innocents / The Slits | 19/11/1978 | Top Rank | Sheffield |
| Culture | 19/03/1979 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| Magazine | Simple Minds | 18/04/1979 | Top Rank | Sheffield |
| Iggy Pop | 22/04/1979 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| The Damned | 11/06/1979 | Top Rank | Sheffield | |
| Adverts | 10/08/1979 | 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 Specials | Madness / The Selecter | 04/11/1979 | 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 | |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 | |
| 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 |
| 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 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |