A pair of Hacienda doors might well cost ten grand but you can't get away from the spirit that fired and inspired the Hac in the first place.
At the opening of the Then Hacienda Now exhibition last night, a classical music ensemble provided `interpretations' of New Order and Joy Division hits - but a few feet away Peter Hook had written in the visitors book `Salford Rules!'…
A little later on, poet Mike Garry was doing his ace street hagiography to `Saint Anthony' when a bloke called Kenny stood at the window outside the posh Richard Goodall Gallery chucking notes about, mocking the whole event.
No matter how it's tarted up, framed and revered, the Hac and all it stands for will always have sweat stains on its t-shirt and a gob that's too big. Even its memory can still pull a crowd. While Hooky himself and Graeme Park DJ'd the toons, those in the packed gallery were still pointing to posters and flyers going on about their caked out memories of muddy fields, Salford booths and skipping queues. The flyers, here in glass cases, are stuffed in attics, bottom drawers and shoe boxes of those who were there.
For those who weren't, this exhibition is an opportunity to buy a piece of cool. There's loads of Hooky's original Hac, New Order and Joy Division posters up for sale, plus all the Hac merchandising stuff that came after – a Hac guitar for £4,500, a signed framed Ben Kelly digital print of `Fac 51 Hacienda West' for £675 (£480 unframed), plus those original Hac `51' carved doors for £10,000.
Hac watches, Hac trainers, Hac t-shirts… the legend lives on, the price tag goes up…
But this week long exhibition is free. Well worth a trip. As Northside once wheezed.
THEN HACIENDA NOW
Richard Goodall Gallery, High Street, Manchester
Until May 28th
For further details click here
And everything Hacienda and now is at the new www.fac51thehacienda.com website with news of Hacienda tours, more merchandise and the Hacienda record label.
Photo shows Hooky with Lewy