The Evolution of Friars

Any plans we might have had for a day out today were firmly put back in their box as we woke up to rain, rain and more rain. Options were considered and we decided to go and take a look at "The Evolution of Friars" exhibition currently on display in Buckinghamshire County Museum.

Friars was (and to a small degree still is) a live music club based in Aylesbury. Over a period of 40+ years it has seen a huge range of artists play in a series of venues. In its heyday it was pretty much a must-play venue and saw an amazingly diverse range of acts, many going on to major success. The list is huge but includes David Bowie, Genesis, Mott The Hoople, The Jam, The Clash, The Ramones, Tom Petty, Split Enz, Fleetwood Mac, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Blondie, Talking Heads, The Buzzcocks and U2. Several local acts such as Marillion, Howard Jones and John Otway got a real leg up for their careers through playing Friars.

The exhibition plots the story of the club and recalls seminal moments with much memorabilia - posters, tickets, photos, newsletters and the like. There are also various exhibits of costumes and instruments donated by artists.

It's a great exhibition that actually made me (Chris) at times wish I'd been a few years older so I could have enjoyed the club at its height in the mid-1970s through to the early 80s. The list of acts I grew up with in the latter part of that period was eye watering.

Tricky to get a representative photograph of the exibition so I went for this view (for which I patiently waited to be visitor free) which includes a drum kit loaned by Nick Mason of Pink Floyd.