The
Chancellor Hall in Chelmsford was a crucial live venue for the areas punks,
including the legions of punks that would travel to it from Southend,
Basildon, Canvey and beyond to see the likes of Penetration, Buzzcocks,
The Adverts, Generation X and perhaps most infamously The Clash, a gig
described by many whom saw it as 'truly life changing'.
The Chancellor Hall (named after the Victorian Chelmsford Mayor and Architect
of the demolished Corn Exchange, Frederick Chancellor) in Victoria Road
was built on the site of the former Corn Exchange when the town centre
was redeveloped in 1971 - Indeed The Corn Exchange itself had a great
history and famously hosted a Jimi Hendrix gig in 1967.
The Chancellor Hall in the late '70's/'80s really provided a great venue
for the many bands whom played there though, and it certainly hosted some
legendary nights. The Clash chose the venue for their Essex date on their
trailblazing 1977 White Riot tour, causing much uproar in the local press
and beyond. This concert really helped ignite the Essex Punk scene, and
in no time at all many punk bands would put the Chancellor Hall on their
itineraries. The Ultravox gig there in 1977 was known to be hugely influential
on many of its attendees, and the venue continued to put on touring and
local acts throughout the 1980's, and in the process became quite a Goth
stronghold as evidenced at both the performances there for Ghost Dance,
the band formed by Anne-Marie from Skeletal Family and Gary Marx from
The Sisters of Mercy.
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