Marc Bolan (December 23, 1972) – “I Was There!” Concert Memorabilia – Brixton Sundown.
Personal scrapbook page preserving original memorabilia from a T. Rex concert at Brixton Sundown on December 23, 1972, including a London Theatre Bookings receipt, postal order counterfoil and surviving pieces of concert confetti.
Publication: Personal Concert Memorabilia
Date: December 23, 1972
Country: United Kingdom
This scrapbook page documents attendance at a T. Rex concert at Brixton Sundown on December 23, 1972. At its centre is a space originally intended for a ticket, accompanied by a handwritten note reading “I was there!” The page also preserves a London Theatre Bookings receipt showing a payment of £2.50 including booking fee, together with a postal order counterfoil dated 4‑12‑72.
Scattered around the page are surviving pieces of green concert confetti collected during the show, transforming ordinary event ephemera into a unique personal record of the evening. A small photograph of Marc Bolan and another image associated with T. Rex have also been added to the layout, helping capture the atmosphere of the period.
Context and Notes
Original concert memorabilia rarely survives in such a personal form. While tickets are often discarded after an event, this page preserves several elements connected with attending the concert, including booking records and stage confetti. Together they create a first‑hand snapshot of the T. Rex live experience during the height of Bolanmania.
Feature Highlights
Event: T. Rex live concert at Brixton Sundown
Era: 1972 – Peak Bolanmania period
Tone: Personal, nostalgic and documentary
Photography: Scrapbook layout featuring small contemporary images and preserved concert memorabilia
What the Clipping Shows
Brixton Sundown concert date label: December 23, 1972
London Theatre Bookings receipt showing payment details
Postal order counterfoil dated 4‑12‑72
Original concert confetti collected from the event
Handwritten note reading “I was there!”
Publication: New Musical Express (NME)
Date: December 30, 1972
Country: United Kingdom
This NME feature forms part of the paper’s “Front Row Reviews” section and focuses on T. Rex’s special Christmas concert performances. Accompanied by a large photograph of Marc Bolan taken at Edmonton Sundown, the article reviews the group’s live appearances during the holiday season as Bolan continued his reign as Britain’s biggest glam‑rock star.
The accompanying reviews assess the band’s stage performance, audience reaction and the continuing appeal of songs such as Telegram Sam, Metal Guru, Get It On, and other staples of the T. Rex catalogue. Reviewers discuss the atmosphere surrounding the concerts, the enthusiasm of the audience and Bolan’s growing status as a major live attractio
The feature presents a snapshot of a group operating at peak popularity, combining chart success with a powerful live reputation. The photograph of Bolan on stage, illuminated by star‑shaped lighting, reinforces the larger‑than‑life image that had become synonymous with T. Rex throughout 1972.
Context and Notes
Published at the end of 1972, this feature documents T. Rex during one of the most successful periods of Marc Bolan’s career. The year had seen the continuing success of The Slider, a string of hit singles, and the growing phenomenon of Bolanmania. NME’s coverage reflects the band's dominance within British popular music as the year came to a close.
Feature Highlights
Event: T. Rex Christmas concert reviews
Era: 1972 – Peak Bolanmania period
Tone: Critical, celebratory and observational
Photography: Large black‑and‑white concert photograph of Marc Bolan performing at Edmonton Sundown
What the Clipping Shows
NME “Front Row Reviews” coverage of T. Rex Christmas concerts
Marc Bolan photographed performing at Edmonton Sundown
Reviews of the festive T. Rex live shows
Discussion of audience reaction and stage performance
Coverage published at the close of T. Rex’s breakthrough year
All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.
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