The Triangle was located in Gosta Green right in the middle of Aston University and the Birmingham Institute for Art & Design. It housed the fabled experimental Arts Lab group, members of whom would go on to create great things in Theatre and Audio Visual disciplines. It also housed the wonderful and much missed Triangle Cinema.
But it was as a live music venue that it was probably best known. In my memory, it was great venue and played host to some brilliant indie bands in the mid 80’s.
This ticket stub belongs to a good friend of mine, Dave Kal, and was for a Balaam and the Angel gig which I also attended, bizarrely, with my dad! Signed to local label Chapter 22 Balaam had fleeting success but were highly regarded in the Goth scene.
Hi there. I was wondering if anyone remembers the band The Copy ?
Oh yes, the Copy, put them on at the fighting Cocks, another band i forgot to namecheck. I put on two gigs at the triangle, the nightingales had a label, Vindaloo and we put on their bands, Fuzzbox, and ted chippinton, another gig was with a local band that came out of the dead babies, and at this moment I cant remember their names, sorry lads
I was at the Copy gig at the Triangle. Somewhere around at home I still have the tape they were selling at the time. I’m not sure if it still plays.
The only other gig I remember from the Triangle was the Go-Betweens touring for Liberty Belle… I don’t think the place lasted as a venue much longer.
Well I have a digital cassette tape convertor if you ever find that tape William!
Triangle, Terry & Jerry, Hollywood Beyond, Colbert Hamilton & the Hellraisers, Gay John & the Dogettes, Have I missed anyone?
I was House Manager at the Triangle from 1987 and remained there until the cinema finally closed in summer 1994. The Studio closed in summer 1988 so I came in towards the end for live events so to speak. We also had some live speakers at Birmingham Film & TV Festivals like Tilda Swinton, Terence Stamp, Alan Bates, Jack Cardiff (cinematographer for Black Narcissus, The African Queen). A few of the gigs/theatre nights I managed: Courtney Pine (my first night managing and it sold out), Julian Clary and Fanny the Wonder Dog, Latin Quarter, Gay Sweatshop theatre Co.
I am digitising all the programme brochures I collected when I worked at the Triangle. Above link should let you view/download them as I post them up.
I am digitising all the programme brochures I collected when I worked at the Triangle. This link should let you view/download them as I post them up: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1YKeP_NnZ2AH_T-UZ9Gm5LVVwUNJ0c83D
Second try! I am digitising all the programme brochures I collected when I worked at the Triangle. This link should let you view/download them as I post them up: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1YKeP_NnZ2AH_T-UZ9Gm5LVVwUNJ0c83D?usp=sharing
Very interested to have just stumbled across this. I lived in Birmingham from late 1984 to mid 1986, and just searched on triangle to see if it was still there. In my mind I spent most of my evenings there either at films , gigs, or plays (there were plays too weren’t there?) . One band I remember was toxic shock, which I think was 2 women on saxophones. (It probably wasn’t). Went to see ted chippington a lot, and the nightingales. Thanks for uploading the old what’s on sheets. Vagabond by Agnes varda made a huge impression on me, as did Caravaggio. I am told I need to clear the attic, so wonder if I will find anything from those days there.
I was a member of the triangle youth theatre 1983-85
Many happy memories of great productions and great people.
I have archived very many of the Birmingham Arts lab/Triangle Arts Centre programme brochures. I have just moved them all to a more professional open source host here: https://archive.org/details/@steveparry Steve Parry
Other bands performed at the Triangle include Hugh Masakela, Swansway, Hollywood Beyond, Mike Chapman and Bert Jansch amongst others – 1982-86
The recording studio released a cassette of various Triangle artists in 1986 called Handy Wrappers. I had two unopened copies and sent one to Jez Collins to transfer to digital. Tracklist:
17 Birmingham indie tracks from 1986. Recently transferred from cassette. Released on Triangle Records.
Track listing:
Side 1
1) Terry & Gerry – Butter’s on the Bread
2) Mr. Liquorice – Get Me A Cat
3)Drainpipe Dreams – Drainpipe Dreams
4) The Man Upstairs – Cry Baby Cry
5) The Bomb Party – Yeah Yeah Yeah
6) Big Moments – The Vibration of the Pendulum
7) The Copy – All You Can Eat
8) Electric Wallpaper – All
9) Cara Tivey – As Always
Side 2
1) Mark Since – Boom Boom
2) Pigbros – Excessive
3) The Hunters Club – Play The Game
4) Bumbites – Are You Sure You’re Doing Enough?
5) The Noseflutes – Sprass
6) Ideal – Just One Thing
7) Taaga – Hairy Shark Shoes
8) The greatest Show On Earth – Prisoners of the Night
The recording is here: https://soundcloud.com/jezc/handy-wrappers-triangle-records
Just came across this archive. When i was 16,17,18 or there about, so long ago now! I. worked as a casual ,sound/ lighting/ projection occasionally Had some real fond memories. I was so shocked when i was driving near there and it had just disappeared! It would have been around 83,84,86. trying to remember names. tech director was called Ken I think. I worked mainly with a guy who’s surname was Swift, his colleague was called Andy? so log ago. Thanks to the triangle I have had a long, interesting and varied career in entertainment and events. Thankfully avoiding ever having to have a ‘real job’.