Discover music posters and handbills from State Library’s collections. Explore their do-it-yourself design and recall the bands and venues of Brisbane’s independent music scene of the 1970s and 80s.
Themes
A sign of the times
As punk rock swept across Australia in the late 1970s, Brisbane became home to a small but strong independent music scene. Along with a DIY attitude towards music-making, came a similar approach to music promotion.
Rocking the suburbs
Posters and handbills reflected the resourcefulness and determination of its creators to support local line-ups through years of instability, venue shortage and split audiences.
DIY meets technology
Technology advancement during the 1980s led to new production methods and greater design possibilities. Fast forward to the present day, DIY culture has made a comeback through compositions and performances that can easily be created, recorded, mixed, published and distributed independently.
Stories
Dive into our collection of photos from Brisbane gigs throughout the1970s and 1980s. Were you there? Do you know the bands, people and places in the photographs?
Photographs and ephemera of performances by Brisbane punk bands, including the Black Assassins, Flêche and La Fetts.
Uncover our collection of original music posters from around the state, collated by local artist and musician John Willsteed.
Explore photographs taken of the fun and live acts at the first 4ZZZ Market Day in 1982.
Discover photographs of bands and fans in the Brisbane punk scene from the late 1970s to the early 1980s.
Clippings and photographs of Brisbane new wave band The Humans and rockabilly band The Convertibles.
Events
4 Dec & 23 Jan | Free
Hosted by 4ZZZ, hear from local musicians, broadcast live from State Library.
26 Nov | Free
Hear from John as he interviews the exhibition's curators Robyn Hamilton and Reuben Hillier.
Recurring | Free
See the curators reveal the DIY design ethos of the era and discover the stories behind the posters and handbills, and the bands and venues that inspired them.
8 Dec | Free
Hear from John as he interviews Peter Loveday on his memories and his work featured in the exhibition.
19 Jan 2021 | Free
Hear from John as he interviews Gary Warner on his memories and his work featured in the exhibition.
16 Feb 2021 | Free
Hear from John as he interviews Kitty van Vuuren on her memories and her work featured in the exhibition.
16 Mar 2021 | Free
Hear from John as he interviews Andy Nehl on his memories and his work featured in the exhibition.
From the blog
State Library is active in acquiring and preserving published and unpublished materials documenting Queensland's music history — 4ZZZ is of course no exception....
2016 marks the 40th anniversary of a limited release single, by a then unknown Brisbane band, which...
On July 18, 1980 US punk rock band the Ramones performed at Festival Hall as part of their tour of Australia...
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