Take it to the Limit [2009] [Book]

The Limit was a legend of a venue.

It was Sheffield's Hacienda but, while its Lancashire counterpart famously lost a fortune, this place became a licence to print money with its management living the lives of rock stars.

The Limit was pivotal to Sheffield’s electro revolution of the early ’80s staging seminal gigs of Human League, Cabaret Voltaire, Comsat Angels and others.

The venue helped break bands that went on to national and international domination – everyone from U2 to B-52s played landmark shows there.

It was the subject of one of UK nightlife’s biggest ever Customs and Excise raids, with every member of its senior management team arrested in a bid to find evidence of a missing £250,000.

The ‘efficiency’ of Limit bouncers became the stuff of legend – club staff became targets for attack. Many resorted to bodybuilding alongside the bouncers to be ready for the worst.

The Limit machine was untouched by the Winter of Discontent, the early ’80s recession and the miners’ strike.

It hosted 13 years of club nights from early punk, to mid-eighties goth to the early rave and dance.

It was so successful that it bankrolled the transformation of Sheffield Lyceum from derelict eyesore to state-of-the-art entertainment venue staging everything from Joe Cocker’s Sheffield homecoming to shows spanning The Clash and Simple Minds.

The book contains previously unseen photos of many landmark Limit gigs including Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cramps, Selector, Jools Holland, Robert Plant and scores more.

John Quinn, The Star, said; “When it closed in 1991 it was like a part of Sheffield's cultural history had been wiped out. Some of us are unlikely to get over The Limit. It was an utter dive. But it was OUR utter dive. It’s good to see it brought back to life once more.”