Charting the Rich Musical History of Warwick University
Pete Clemons
The University of Warwick, or Warwick University as it is more locally known, was first given government approval in 1961 and received its royal charter when it first opened during 1965.
Also out in that corner of the city, and already existing on what is now known as Westwood Campus in Kirby Corner Road, was the City of Coventry Training College for Women which first opened on the site in 1948. This, in turn, had replaced the Men’s Emergency College and was set up in a former wartime workers hostel to address a shortage of teachers.
When it became a mixed establishment during 1958 the City of Coventry Training College for Women also changed its name to the Coventry College of Education and, for many years, was more popularly known as Canley Teacher Training College .
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| Canley College of Education, Coventry |
After Miss Browne retired from the teaching college, which had been an entirely separate entity, it then became known as the Institute of Education and during 1978 was absorbed into Warwick University. The college, itself, was situated at what is now Arden House on the Westwood Campus .
The Coventry College of Education had its own campus and hall along with its own student union. A strong live music scene existed their during the late 1960s through to the mid 1970s and the venue attracted the likes of Status Quo, Stealers Wheel, Barclay James Harvest, Genesis, The Average White Band, Dando Shaft and Fairport Convention among many other visitors.
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| Genisis |
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| U2 |
Warwick University also had, and continues to have, a strong students union. The campus has, for many years, staged an annual arts festival. And those festivals, particularly those held during March throughout most of the 1970s, were fairly high profile. A whole weekend was taken up by a host of live concerts of all kinds, workshops, plays and poetry recitals. During their lifetime these festivals attracted bands such as The Pink Fairies, Caravan, Gong, Al Stewart, Osibisa and Desmond Dekker.
Apart from the festivals the venue became an important stop-off on the college circuit, which in itself was an important rung on the ladder to get on, and witnessed the appearance of many bands making their way in the music business like Pink Floyd, Mott the Hoople and The Wailers who, of course, included Bob Marley.
Warwick University also had a strong folk club which was quite pivotal in the area during the 1970s. Visits were made by Bert Jansch, Harvey Andrews, Dick Gaughan and Jasper Carrott among many others.
But if the 1970s saw some major talent play Warwick University then it has to be said that the 1980s saw a real purple patch for the university as both the ever growing Arts Centre and the student union were both attracting some serious names.
In 1970, five years after it opened, the University of Warwick, commissioned the building of an arts centre.
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| The Smiths |
Over time, of course, the Arts Centre would grow and this development saw the 1,500 all-seated Butterworth Hall completed in January 1981 with the Mead gallery following on in 1986.
By the end of the 1980s, however, times had changed and despite visits by bands such as Radiohead and
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| Radio Head |
The festivals were revived during 2002 by way of the Warwick Student Arts Festival (WSAF) with the aim of showcasing and celebrating all aspects of student art. It features a programme of events including plays, musicals, dance, film, orchestras, choirs and bands. All the events are normally free to attend.
Another revived club at the university is Warwick University Folk Society which was formed in 2001. They
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| Warwick University Arts festival in the 1970s' |
The students union, at the university, continues to be incredibly vibrant. They do not appear to have as many bands nowadays, although the likes of The Wombats and The Wild Beasts have appeared there in recent years, but they have continued the tradition of keeping abreast of the times by providing a wide range of club nights at the recently refurbished Students Union halls, also known as The Copper Rooms.
During 2009 the Butterworth Hall had a major overhaul that resulted in improved acoustics, new seating and an enhanced stage and backstage spaces. The result is that the Warwick Arts Centre continues to flourish and is now the largest of its kind outside of London. Apart from the theatres the Arts Centre also comprises a cinema, a conference room, hospitality suites, a restaurant, cafe, shops, and two bars. The site also includes the university bookshop and a branch of an entertainment retailer. It continues to have a regular stream of major name artists.
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Warwick University Arts Festivals 1970's See here on the Hobo - Coventry Discos and Venues etc
Warwick University Arts Festival 1971
