'For Vini' A Tribute to The Durutti Column, Purcell Room, London - 17 June 2026

'For Vini' - A Tribute to The Durutti Column
Purcell Room, South Bank Centre, London - 17 June 2026

As part of Harry Styles's Meltdown Festival, on Wednesday 17 June 2026 at 19:00 and 21:00 BST (2 shows, separately ticketed), Keir Stewart presents a celebration of the music of Vini Reilly and The Durutti Column.

Keir (guitar, bass, samples, keys) were be joined by Liz Rossi (violin, piano), Caolfhionn Rose (vocals, piano) and Sam Morris (French horn) as they interpret key moments across the band's six-decade career.

More details at southbankcentre.co.uk.

Celebrate the iconic musical moments of Vini Reilly, guitar maestro and post-punk legend who inspired Harry Styles, with the artist's collaborator Keir Stewart.

Tickets were 27.00 GBP and went on general sale Friday 22 May 2026, 10.00

Run time 1 hour and 45 minutes (approx)

Setlist

'For Vini'
Keir Stewart - Curate & Arrangements of Durutti - Song book
Set-list (subject to change) as of 17th June 26 TBC

Tony Wilson's voice…. Pick up
> 'Chant // My Country Mash'
Keir Guitar & Samples & Playbacks
From 'Paean to Wilson' & Fac 244 'Vini Reilly'

'Sketch for Manchester' // segways into
'Sketch for Summer' - Hannett intro pick-up
Keir Guitar
Sam Morris on Bass

‘2nd Aspect of the Same Thing’
Keir Guitar

'Madeline'
Keir Guitar & Liz Rossi Violin

'What is it to me Woman'
Synth Playback (4 mins)
Bruce Drums
Keir guitar -
Sam Morris - Flugelhorn

'Love no More'
Keir Guitar
Sam Morris - guitar

'Sargasso Sea'
Keir Guitar
Caoilfhionn Rose Piano Vocal
(from ‘Renascent’)

'Tomorrow'
Keir Guitar
Liz Rossi Violin
Caoilfhionn Rose vocal

'Follow'
Keir Guitar
Caoilfhionn Rose piano Vocal

'Love and Maths'
Keir Guitar
Liz Rossi Violin

'For Friends Everywhere'
('Renascent')
Keir guitar
Sam Morris French horn
Sam Morris glockenspiel
Liz Rossi violin

'Opera Two'
Keir guitar - Sam Morris guitar

'Otis'
Playback pick-up
Bruce Drums
Keir Guitar
Liz Rossi violin
Sam Morris on piano

Encore

'Sing to Me'
('Time was Gigantic')
Caoilfhionn Rose. Vocal
Keir guitar
Sam Morris. Glockenspiel
Liz Rossi. Violin
Sam Morris Piano
Bruce Pedal Tympanie

Many thanks to Bruce Mitchell for the notes and photo.

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Photographs of the event by Nick Hill on Instagram

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Wilbraham St Ninian's Church, Chorlton, Manchester, 21 May 2014

On Wednesday 21 May, Vini Reilly was interviewed on stage by author and DJ Dave Haslam and then made a return to live performance as part of the Chorlton Arts Festival. The venue wss Wilbraham St Ninian's Church in Chorlton, Manchester.

Review by Bryan Burford

The evening began with a brief intro from Dave Haslam, and then straight into an interview with Vini. Slightly shocking to see Vini obviously frail and having to be helped onto the stage, but although his speech is obviously still affected his humour and character are still there. He spoke of having to change the way he plays since the strokes - he can't finger-pick so has to just strum, and can't feel the frets like he could. He spoke also of the frustration of having tunes in his head, and not being able to get them out as easily.

He talked about the making of Return Of, and how it was Martin Hannett's album - the first he knew of what it sounded like was when Tony and Lindsey Wilson gave him a white label signed by them. He talked about first playing with Bruce, on Alan Erasmus's suggestion, and how the connection was immediate, how Bruce knows what Vini's doing before Vini does (the improvisation and 'I don't know what will happen' was a theme of the night). He said something similar about John Metcalfe.

He then introduced Old House Playground giving them a build-up no-one could really deliver on, but they did seem to have something. Three-piece of drum, guitar and double-bass, with a striking vocal sound. They played two tunes, and then Vini took the stage again.

He played three tunes - first Love & Maths with John Metcalfe. It took a minute or so for them to synchronise, but it became a really nice version. Second was a tune with the OHP vocalist Tryfon contributing vocals from poems written by a young women whose name I didn't catch (who was also present), with Bruce sneaking onto the stage after a little while. Vini did appear genuinely surprised when he noticed (that tune is on YouTube). It was wonderful to see that chemistry at work again.

The third tune was preambled by Vini talking about his guitar teacher, Miriam (Mimi, presumably of the LC track), the only one of her family to survive the holocaust and a "second mother" to Vini. He talked about her telling him (I think) of the responsibility of an artists, of people who have a gift, and of looking at the stars and telling him that the light was from long-dead places, and something about Zeno’s paradox - all blowing the 12 year old Vini's mind. He then took out a copy of Maus he'd received anonymously in the post, a synchronicity with his already thinking about Mimi, and began to introduce the tune with a warning that it would take it out of him and he would be helped from the stage afterwards. He said something about the need to balance terrible evil by seeing the goodness in the world, and began.

From the start he seemed traumatised, pausing between each of the first few chords, but starting something that was in the end extremely powerful, very beautiful, and entirely Vini. Tryfon contributed some more vocals that I thought were very effective - reminded me a little of vocals on Sex & Death, and also (oddly) of Liz Fraser in This Mortal Coil mode. Vini finished in tears, to another standing ovation, and the audience left I think probably slightly stunned, as well as moved (if that’s not a contradiction).

It was very raw, and difficult in places, but compared to Bridgewater Hall in 2011, where Vini's desolation about Poppy was uncomfortable to see, there was something more positive here. From what Vini was saying about Mimi, and all that she'd meant to him and taught him, I got the impression that he was reflecting on his place, and his identity, as an artist, and that despite the setbacks of illness, he still has a gift, and a responsibility, and a desire, to make music, and get those tunes out somewhere.

Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, 30 April 2011

(# - clips on YouTube)

- First half of the show was songs from 'Chronicle', Two of which feature Poppy Morgan on piano. 2nd half of the show included 'Sketch for Summer', 'Otis', 'Woman', 'Salford', 'Keir's Opus ("Brother" I assume), 'Without Mercy' and 'Requiem for Mother'. The encore consisted of Poppy and Vini playing 'Wild Beast Tamed' and then Vini playing a solo piece (usually 'Storm for Steven') tinged with 'Albatross' by Peter Green.

Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, 20 November 1994

November 20 - Royal Exchange, Manchester (with Peter Hook) (*) (w/ Guo Brothers and Mark Springer )

- Organ Donor, Jacqueline, Otis, Sketch for Manchester Summer 1989, The Next Time, Fado, Sketch for Winter, Anthony, For Collette, The Missing Boy, The Beggar, Friends in Belgium, Hooky's Tune.

Rob Gray with Vini Reilly, Atlas Bar, Manchester, 29 May 1994

Flyer from the AHW Collection:

"Rob Gray with Vini Reilly
a performance
Atlas Bar  Deansgate Manchester
8 o'clock Sunday May 29th
with guests Mind Your Head
Tickets £3.00 from Atlas & Piccadilly Records"

Video still available at Manchester Digital Music Archive

Sala Universal, Madrid, Spain, 27 May 1988

The Durutti Column

SALA
UNIVERSAL

Vier. 27 10:30
MAYO '88

PRECIO 120 Pta

VENTA EXCLUSIVA EN DISCOPLAY GRAN VIA 55

--

Many thanks to Álvaro Luis Gómez for poster imagery

Industria, Porto, Portugal, 30 April 1988

The concert was filmed for broadcast on Portuguese television. The video has been upload to The Durutti Column TV on YouTube.

I-Beam, San Francisco, 3 November 1986

the durutti column
monday 3rd november 1986

I BEAM
doors 9pm
over 21
admit one
$7 adv.

--

Original ticket which belonged to Tony Wilson (from the AHW collection) for gig by The Durutti Column at I-Beam in San Francisco on Monday 3 November 1986. This was on the same North American tour as notable gigs at El Mocambo in Toronto and The Bottom Line in NYC.

Festival of the 10th Summer, Town Hall, Manchester, 14 July 1986

The Horsemen Are The Connection

They are the leader of a movement.

The Durutti Column are a Manchester group who took their name from this image which adorned the streets of Strasburg in 1966. For all the usual reasons.

Jamie Reid is part of that movement. The man who painted the agenda for 1976 has now written a musical illustrating the situationist adventure. It is called "Chaos in Cancerland" and features the hit single "Leaving the Twentieth Century".

On Monday the 14th July, 1986, as part of the Festival of the Tenth Summer, Jamie's Partner in Crime, Margi Clark, Of Zinc and Breshnev Fame, will sing a selection from "Chaos" and Vini Reilly will play The Durutti Column's "Valuable Passages", in the post-Raphaelite grandeur of the Great Hall of Manchester's Town Hall, to visual and political accompaniment, slides and words.

THE DURUTTI COLUMN PLAY VALUABLE PASSAGES

MARGI CLARK SINGS CHAOS IN CANCERLAND

THE GREAT HALL OF MANCHESTER TOWN HALL

8.00 MONDAY 14 JULY 1986

Tickets £3.00 in advance from Piccadilly Records

--

More info at Cerysmatic Factory

Greenwich Theatre, London, 6 October 1985

October 6 - Greenwich Theatre, London (support by Life)

15 Dec 1984, Sallis Benney Hall, Brighton

 

w/ Felt 

Also recorded as being at The Zap Club (needs confirmation)

Futurama 4, Deeside Leisure Centre, Chester, 11 September 1982

September 11 - Deeside Leisure Centre, Chester - Futurama 4 Festival (*)

w/ New Order, Stockholm Monsters and many others. 

- Sketch for Dawn, Dream of a Child, Conduct, Sketch for Summer, Jacqueline, Never Known, The Beggar, The Missing Boy, Self Portrait.

Danceteria, New York City, NY, USA, 28 March 1982

28 March 1982, Danceteria, New York City, NY, USA

"ONLY N.Y. APPEARANCE
THE DURUTTI COLUMN
(MANCHESTER)"

"They played a bunch of stuff from LC... my friend recognized "Party" or whatever it was called (which I didn't because it was on some sampler or something)... Vini played some stuff before the curtain opened, I think, which he then played over shortly thereafter. Bruce Mitchell looked kinda crazy on the drums."

Thanks to Em for the above recollection.

Lesser Free Trade Hall, Manchester, 14 December 1981

 

December 14 - Lesser Free Trade Hall, Manchester (w/Kevin Hewick)

- unknown instrumental, Sketch For Dawn, Messidor, Party, Jacqueline, Conduct, Enigma, Sketch For Summer, The Beggar, The Missing Boy, Dream Of A Child

See also: MDM Archive poster

NiteMoves, Glasgow, 27 November 1981

November 27 - NiteMoves, Glasgow (aka Night Moves)

More info and imagery needed.

Sala Rock-Ola, Madrid, Spain, 21 November 1981

Sala Rock-Ola, Padre Xifre 5, M Cartagena, Madrid, Spain

--

"DESDE LONDRES MUSICA DE VANGUARDIA CON:

DURUTTI COLUMN

EL SABADO 21, IL NOCHE, EN"

--

Not quite from London, but billed as such. Saturday 21 November 1981.

Papaye Exotique, Brussels, Belgium, 15 August 1981

August 15 - Papaye Exotique, Brussels

More info and imagery needed. 

Place de la Monnaie, Muntplein, Brussels, Belgium, 13 August 1981

August 13 - Place de la Monnaie, Muntplein, Brussels, Belgium (*)

- Sketch for Dawn, Messidor, Jacqueline, Conduct, Sketch for Summer, Danny, Stains ("Useless Body"), The Missing Boy, Madness (Self Portrait), For Belgian Friends.

Notes: Released live as the Live in Bruxelles 13.8.1981 album

Kaivopuisto Park, Helsinki, Finland, 24 July 24 1981

July 24 - Kaivopuisto Park, Helsinki, Finland (outdoor festival w/ A Certain Ratio and Kevin Hewick) 

Lamplight Club, Manchester, 23 July 1981

July 23 - Lamplight Club, Manchester

- Invitation only gig for friends. Used as a rehearsal for the festival in Finland the next day.