BOLTON is celebrating its part in modern musical history with a special display of rarely-seen art.

Time’s Up focuses on influential punk band the Buzzcocks, formed by Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto in Bolton.

They performed their first ever gig 41 years ago in the Bolton Institute of Technology’s student union. The institute is now demolished but the exhibition is on display just yards away in the University of Bolton.

The university is hosting the display of work as part of the Design Manchester festival and to mark the 40th anniversary of the release of the band’s single Orgasm Addict.

Malcolm Garrett, long-time designer for the band, attended the exhibition launch on Monday. He said: “I’m really proud to have this exhibition here. On April 1, 1976, the Buzzcocks first performed here and it’s great to celebrate that. There is now a squashed bollard where it happened which is very punk!

“This display features all of the original handbills from the time, all the graphic material, pages from Shy Talk – a fanzine from the time – and art work from the ground-breaking record Spiral Scratch.”

Professor Paul Hollins, of the School of Arts added: “The exhibition, which was first shown at the French Paper Gallery in Paris earlier this year documents the formative years of Buzzcocks, from their first gig at the university through to the seminal release of the first do it yourself “spiral scratch” EP.

“With both founder members of the band, Howard Devato and Pete Shelly awarded honorary doctorates from the university as well as being alumni, the institution’s association with the band continues to this day.”

Time’s Up runs for 10 days.