Music legend joins civic celebrations as historic club honoured
A packed room of former King Mojo-goers and Sheffield music fans gathered in Attercliffe as sixties star Dave Berry joined the Lord Mayor of Sheffield to unveil a major new community artwork celebrating the legendary nightclub.
The Sheffield-born singer, who performed at King Mojo during its 1960s heyday, helped the Lord Mayor, Councillor Andrew Sangar, officially unveil the finished mural at the Library venue a few days ago.
Dave's involvement was particularly fitting given his remarkable connection to the early fortunes of brothers Peter and Geoff Stringfellow.
Before King Mojo opened, the brothers had begun promoting concerts at the Black Cat Club. It was a performance by Dave Berry that gave them their first profitable event, helping convince them that their fledgling music venture had a future.
Without that early success, the brothers might well have abandoned their ambitions – and Sheffield's legendary King Mojo might never have happened.
Local artist Angie Hardwick, working alongside lead painters Paul Norton and Phil Barnes, helped turn the memories and ideas of former Mojo-goers into a colourful celebration of one of the city's most famous music venues.
Paul, whose distinctive artwork adorned King Mojo itself during the 1960s, was reunited with former club-goers as the finished mural was revealed.
Angie Hardwick said: “It's been really exciting watching the mural develop over the past few months and seeing so many different people become part of it.
“From the beginning, we wanted this to be a genuinely community-created piece of art. Former Mojo-goers have shared their memories and ideas and people have actually helped paint it.”
The mural forms part of the wider Mojo Rising – Celebrating 60 Years of Music and Community heritage project, supported by a £114,300 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
King Mojo opened at 555 Pitsmoor Road in 1964 and went on to become one of the most celebrated teenage clubs in northern England.
Its extraordinary roll-call of performers included Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Pink Floyd and Small Faces, while its influence on generations of Sheffield music fans has helped it achieve legendary status in the city's cultural history.
Designed as a travelling artwork, the mural is set to go on display at Sheffield's Moor Market next, giving shoppers and visitors another opportunity to discover the remarkable story of King Mojo and the people who made it special.
The next King Mojo reunion takes place on Friday 4 December at the Library venue in Attercliffe.