Liverpool Eric's: Eric's

1976

The earliest poster for Eric's is from October 1976, the first gig listed is The Stranglers, but Deaf School played a pre-opening show.

According to the Deaf School website it took place on August 3rd, which was a Thursday.
According to Bill Sykes' Sit Down & Listen to This Eric's opened on September 24th, a Friday.
According to Paul du Noyer's Deaf School: the Non Stop Pop Art Punk Rock Party "Before the downstairs venue was ready, Deaf School played a pre-opening night in Gatsby’s. On the next night, 1 October, the Stranglers played the same stage for Eric’s official unveiling."

At the beginning of August Deaf School played Drury Lane Theatre in London on the 4th, before coming back to Liverpool for a show at the Empire on the 6th.

In the early days Eric's Club was a one night a week takeover of the Revolution Club. The main band played upstairs at Gatsby's, the support bands played downstairs at the Eric's we all know and love. As all the Eric's gigs for the rest of 1976 were on Fridays I would suggest that 24th September would be the most likely date. Deaf School (according to their website) only played one gig in September, at Mr Digby's in Birkenhead on the 16th, so they would be free.

Friday September 24th Deaf School

Eric's Club opened, taking over the Revolution Club at 9 Mathew St, Liverpool 2. The Revolution Club wasn't ready yet so the opening night was upstairs at Gatsby's. Liverpool's best band of the time, Deaf School, played.