From First Gig to Dark Pilgrimage: My Motörhead Experience in Stoke-on-Trent

I was 14 when Motörhead stormed into my life. It was Friday, 24th October 1980, at Victoria Hall, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. The band had just released Ace of Spades, and my teenage world was about to be shattered by sheer noise, fury, and adrenaline. Hair long and dark, patchouli clinging to my clothes, I was primed for a ritual I didn’t fully understand yet: headbanging. That night, the Victoria Hall became a cathedral of chaos, a place where distortion and power converged in perfect anarchy.

The stage was dominated by the infamous Bomber rig — a steel frame shaped like a WW2 airplane, hanging overhead as if ready to strike. Searchlights cut through thick smoke, casting jagged shadows across the audience. Then Lemmy appeared, a silhouette in the spotlight, gravelly voice summoning the crowd. “Bomber,” he growled, and the room erupted. Bass rattled my chest, drums pounded like war drums, and guitars screamed with merciless energy. I left with ears ringing, heart racing, and a memory that has never faded.

Victoria Hall — A Local Landmark of Rock History

Victoria Hall, Hanley, wasn’t just any venue. In 1980, it was a hub for music in Stoke-on-Trent, hosting touring bands and nurturing a local scene hungry for rock. Walking those streets today, it’s easy to imagine the buzz on that Friday night — queues snaking down the road, the smell of smoke and sweat, the collective pulse of a crowd on the brink of madness.

Bridging Past and Present — Lemmy Memorial in Burslem

Decades later, I revisited Stoke-on-Trent in a very different way — paying respects to Lemmy in Burslem, where a 2.25-meter dark bronze statue by Andy Edwards now stands in Market Place. Part of his ashes are embedded within it, turning this memorial into a shrine for fans. Roaring motorcycles, quiet moments of reflection, and the knowledge that a man who once commanded Victoria Hall now resides in bronze, makes the pilgrimage feel tangible.

Read the full story of the Three Amigos and their dark pilgrimage here

Reflections on the Journey

Looking back, my teenage self could never have imagined the journey ahead — from that first Ace of Spades gig to photographing memorials, visiting graves, and retracing the footsteps of legends. For fans, these experiences aren’t just nostalgia; they are an exploration of legacy, music, and rebellion.

Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor rests in Hasland Cemetery, Derbyshire, and his grave forms the next stop on the pilgrimage.  

Discover how to visit Phil Taylor’s grave

Whether standing beneath the Bomber rig in 1980 or gazing up at Lemmy’s bronze gaze today, the spirit of Motörhead endures. Stoke-on-Trent was the starting line for this journey — and for fans, it remains a place where memory, music, and pilgrimage intersect.