Hardcore Uproar

‘The year is 1996, the month is July and a heatwave hits the usual dreary England in full force. John Major’s Criminal Justice and Public Order Act has plummeted young, disenfranchised brits into a new political landscape. A 31 year old, Keith D. Gerald, is preparing to perform at Lewisham’s infamous ‘Manifest’ club. Little did he know he was going to ignite the most defining moment in the history of music’.

Hardcore Uproar is an exhibition exploring the historical music movement of S.O.R.B (succession of repetitive beats) revolving around one era changing night in 1996. The show includes first person accounts, protest posters and rave flyers that led to The Public Enforcement of Sonic Restriction Act effectively banning music. Looking at the political climate and illegal rave culture from the 90s to modern day, we’ve been given special government permission to play chosen music outside of state mandated times.

Hardcore Uproar invites you to relive a pivotal moment in music history—where rebellion met rhythm and reshaped a generation. With rare permission to break state-enforced silence, this is your chance to experience the soundscape of resistance like never before.

(entrance is free but as ever please bring your official Government identification number)