Situated in the basement of "Crackers" discotheque this well known London punk venue was originally going to be called "The Void" run by Andy Czezowski of Roxy Club fame before a falling out with the owners led to the opening night on the 27th of June 1977 featuring Siouxsie & The Banshees + Snatch being cancelled.

A new booker, Dave Woods, joins and the 600 capacity club "The Vortex" opens at the start of July 1977 on Monday and Tuesday nights running from 8.30pm to 2am.


04.07.77; BUZZCOCKS + JOHNNY THUNDERS & THE HEARTBREAKERS + THE FALL + JOHN COOPER CLARKE.

11.07.77; SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES + THE SLITS + THE ANTS

18.07.77; STINKY TOYS + CROCODILE + MEAN STREET

25.07.77; THE ADVERTS + JOHNNNY MOPED + THE REZILLOS + NEO

26.07.77; THE VIBRATORS + NEW HEARTS + THE ANTS   (Free admission CBS Records party)

01.08.77; GENERATION X + THE LURKERS + ART ATTACKS + STEEL PULSE + THE ANTS

02.08.77; GENERATION X + SKREWDRIVER + PENETRATION + JOHNNY CURIOUS & THE STRANGERS

08.08.77; X-RAY SPEX + EATER + WIRE + THE UNWANTED

09.08.77; SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES + SLAUGHTER & THE DOGS + SKREWDRIVER + MEAN STREET + THE FLICKS + FRUIT EATING BEARS (Although unadvertised, Skrewdriver + Siouxsie & The Banshees also play tonight using Means Street's equipment as they are both being filmed (along with Slaughter & The Dogs) by London Weekend Television for their "Year Of The Punk" TV documentary.)

15.08.77; THE SLITS + THE PREFECTS + TANYA HYDE & THE TORMENTORS + THE NOW + DICK ENVY

16.08.77; THE ADVERTS + STEEL PULSE + THE LURKERS + MASTERSWITCH + THE OUTSIDERS

22.08.77; SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES + THE MODELS + JOHNNY CURIOUS & THE STRANGERS + THE TOOLS (Siouxsie & The Banshees are last minute stand-ins for Wayne County & The Electric Chairs who pull out.)

23.08.77; GLORIA MUNDI + LONDON + RIKKI & THE LAST DAYS OF EARTH + THE SWORDS

29.08.77; CHELSEA + RICH KIDS + NEO + SWANK + BERNIE TORME (Secret warm up gig by the Rich Kids who have Mick Jones of The Clash guesting on guitar)

30.09.77; 999 + ART ATTACKS + THE NOW + THE FLYS

05.09.77; SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES + THE SUSPECTS + THE OUTSIDERS + THE VERDICTS

06.09.77; WAYNE COUNTY & THE ELECTRIC CHAIRS + THE KILLJOYS + LOCAL OPERATOR + THE IGNERANTS

12.09.77; PENETRATION + NEW HEARTS + THE UNWANTED + THE MEAT

13.09.77; DOCTORS OF MADNESS + THE JOLT + MASTERSWITCH + SHAM 69

19.09.77; THE ANTS + BLACK SLATE + THE RAGE + THE SLUGS 20.09.77; X-RAY SPEX + THE TOOLS + THE CRABS + THE LOSERS + THE MODELS

23.09.77; THE VORTEX CAFE, HANWAY STREET, LONDON; (24 hour café...opening day....)
                SHAM 69 + THE MODELS + MEAN STREET + NEO + THE OUTSIDERS.
                (Whilst the other bands play inside the café Sham 69 play on the roof, they are stopped halfway through their set by the police who arrest Jimmy Pursey. The gig is captured by a film crew from Polydor.)

26.09.77; STEEL PULSE + THE WASPS + CYANIDE + THE JETS

27.09.77; RADIATORS FROM SPACE + DEAD FINGERS TALK + TANYA HYDE & THE TORMENTORS + WRIST ACTION

03.10.77; THE ONLY ONES + THE DEPRESSIONS + THE SPEEDOMETERS + THE SKUNKS

04.10.77; SHAM 69 + WIRE + SOLID WASTE + BAZOOKA JOE
                (The Sham 69 set is recorded by Polydor on the RAK mobile studio)

10.10.77; THE WASPS + BERNIE TORME + THE MANIACS + NEO + MEAN STREET + RAPED + THE DEPRESSIONS

11.10.77; JOHNNY CURIOUS & THE STRANGERS + ART ATTACKS + THE SUSPECTS + MASTERSWITCH + THE RAGE (Both nights are recording sessions for the "Live At The Vortex" album, some groups refuse to sign a publishing contract so play but are not recorded.)

17.10.77; JOHNNY MOPED + THE UNWANTED + THE AUTOMATICS + BLOOD DONOR

18.10.77; SKREWDRIVER + THE TICKETS + MENACE + THE MUTATIONS

24.10.77; THE KILLJOYS + MODEL MANIA + SPIZZ 77 + SPITFIRE BOYS + THE RIVVITS

25.10.77; RIKKI & THE LAST DAYS OF EARTH + SHAM 69 + THE CRABS + THE TERMINALS + THE PRIMATES (Original headliner reggae artist Jah Woosh pulls out)

31.10.77; SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES + THE ANTS + AUNTIE PUS + THE VOID

01.11.77; THE MODELS + HEADACHE + THE TONES + PEROXIDE ROMANCE

07.11.77; THE MANIACS + BAZOOKA JOE + THE MONOTONES + THE JETZ + THE MACHINES

08.11.77; THE REZILLOS + TANYA HYDE & THE TORMENTORS + MENACE + THE BAZOOMIS

14.11.77; SLAUGHTER & THE DOGS + SPIZZ 77 + RAPED + METAL URBAIN

15.11.77; THE LURKERS + CHELSEA + ART ATTACKS + THE DOLL + BIZARROS (Unadvertised gig by the new line up of Chelsea)

21.11.77; JOHNNY THUNDERS & THE HEARTBREAKERS + THE DEPRESSIONS + MEAN STREET + SPIZZ 77 (Spizz77 didn't turn up so Acme Sewage Co. played instead) 

22.11.77; JOHNNY THUNDERS & THE HEARTBREAKERS + PENETRATION + JOHNNY CURIOUS & THE STRANGERS + SPIZZ 77

28.11.77; THE UNWANTED + THE TICKETS + BLITZ + THE MISTAKES

29.11.77; THE KILLJOYS + THE MIRRORS + PATRICK FITZGERALD + CANE

05.12.77; THE WASPS + THE MANIACS + NEO + MEAN STREET + ART ATTACKS
                (The "Live At The Vortex" album launch party)

06.12.77; MERGER + THE RAGE + BAZOOMIS + TUBEWAY ARMY

12.12.77; WAYNE COUNTY & THE ELECTRIC CHAIRS + MENACE + THE SKUNKS + BACKLASH + TEENAGE JESUS & THE JERKS

13.12.77; EATER + RAPED + THE MEMBERS + DICK ENVY

19.12.77; THE MEMBERS + THE REACTION + CANE + THE DRONES

20.12.77; MERGER +

26.12.77; CLOSED
27.12.77; CLOSED

02.01.78; GLORIA MUNDI + THE RAGE + THE JERKS + MARTIN & THE BROWNSHIRTS

03.01.78; SHAM 69 + THE CRABS + THE MIRRORS + THE JERKS

09.01.78; ????

10.01.78; THE MONOTONES +

16.01.78; ART ATTACKS + MEAN STREET + ACCELERATORS + PERVERSE VELVET

17.01.78; THE DEPRESSIONS + SUBURBAN STUDS + MUVVERS PRIDE

23.01.78; THE CORTINAS + THE AUTOMATICS + CHEAP STARS

24.01.78; THE CORTINAS + MEAN STREET + THE AUTOMATICS + CHEAP STARS + POISON GIRLS

30.01.78; THE POLICE + MENACE + MUVVERS PRIDE

31.01.78; THE POLICE + MENACE + MUVVERS PRIDE

07.02.78; CLOSED ?
08.02.78; CLOSED ?

14.02.78; CLOSED ?
15.02.78; CLOSED ?

21.02.78; CLOSED ?
22.02.78; CLOSED ?

Re-opens under new management with bookers Hazel Northcot + Dick Tee.

27.02.78; THE DEPRESSIONS + THE SPEEDOMETERS

28.02.78; THE MIRRORS + PATRICK FITZGERALD + MENACE

06.03.78; SUBURBAN STUDS + UK SUBS + FRENCH LESSON

07.03.78; THE SUBS + TUBEWAY ARMY + MENACE

13.03.78; NEW HEARTS + THE SPEEDOMETERS

14.03.78; EATER + MENACE + BLITZKRIEG BOP

20.03.78; RADIO BIRDMAN + ALLIGATOR

21.03.78; NEO + MENACE

27.03.78; ????

28.03.78; MENACE +

03.04.78; TUBEWAY ARMY +

04.04.78; ????

The final days of the Vortex are shrouded in mystery........can anyone help fill the gaps ?

@JOEPUBLIC;2017.
 

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