The Lurkers — 24 September 1978

Sunday 24 September 1978

The Lurkers — Chancellor Hall, Chelmsford.

The surviving Chancellor Hall research chronology lists The Lurkers on 24 September 1978. A contemporary Sounds listings page from 23 September 1978 also advertises The Lurkers at Chancellor Hall, Chelmsford, giving us unusually useful near-contemporary evidence for the venue and booking.

First-hand memory

Steve Lamacq has repeatedly recalled that his first gig was The Lurkers at Chancellor Hall in Chelmsford in September 1978. That gives the archive a direct personal memory tied to the venue and month, rather than relying only on later databases.

This is particularly valuable because it is independent of the Chelmsford Rocks collection and points to a real audience experience at the hall.

Evidence assessment

• Contemporary source: Sounds, 23 September 1978, lists The Lurkers at Chancellor Hall, Chelmsford.
• First-hand source: Steve Lamacq recalls The Lurkers at the Chancellor Hall in Chelmsford in September 1978 as his first gig.
• Later gigography: The Lurkers' Chancellor Hall date is listed as 24 September 1978.

Working status: strong research record, supported by contemporary and first-hand evidence. No surviving ticket or Chelmsford Rocks photograph has yet been matched to the date.

What we still want

A surviving 24 September 1978 ticket, poster, local newspaper advert, photograph or another Chelmsford audience memory would strengthen the record further. Until then, the archive keeps the evidence layers visible rather than pretending that a later gig list is the same thing as a primary artefact.

Sources checked

• Sounds, 23 September 1978 — contemporary listings page naming The Lurkers at Chancellor Hall, Chelmsford.
• Steve Lamacq — later first-person recollections identifying The Lurkers at Chancellor Hall, Chelmsford as his first gig in September 1978.
• Punk Music Catalogue — Chancellor Hall chronology and The Lurkers gigography, giving 24 September 1978.