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In pictures: 1988 - the year the biggest stars came to Brum

1988 was a year when some of the biggest stars in the world came to Birmingham. The 'Boss' Bruce Springsteen played a concert at St Andrew's football ground - prompting fans to camp on the streets in a desperate bid to get tickets. Bros who were at the time a national sensation came to the city and prompted an invasion by 'Brosettes' - their most ardent fans. Tiffany, a 16-year-old American singer, continued her national tour of shopping malls where she gives singing performances at the Bull Ring where crowds turned out in their thousands. Other big stars to hit the city that year were local boys Duran Duran, Prince as part of his 'Lovesexy' tour, and Princess Diana opened the Acorns Childrens Hospice in Selly Oak. Sporting wise Birmingham City fans got excited about progress to the FA Cup fifth round.

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  1. 1988 saw Bruce Springsteen, Tiffany and Prince hit Brum1 of 35
  2. Fans queue outside football ground ahead of Bruce Springsteen Concert at Villa Park, Birmingham, Tuesday 21st June 1988. Sitting on Pavement.2 of 35
  3. Bruce Springsteen in Concert, Villa Park, Birmingham, Tuesday 21st June 1988.3 of 35
  4. Bros at BBC's Pebble Mill Studios, Edgbaston, to launch Radio One's new frequency. 1st September 1988.4 of 35
  5. Thousands of young pop fans gather at the Bull Ring Shopping Centre for pop singer Tiffany. Birmingham, West Midlands. 19th January 1988.5 of 35
  6. Princess Diana, arrives to officially open Acorns Children's Hospice, only the 3rd Children's hospice in the world. Selly Oak, Birmingham, West Midlands. 14th December 1988.6 of 35
  7. Prince performing at the NEC during his Lovesexy tour. 5th August 1988.7 of 35
  8. Duran Duran performing at the NEC Arena, a 16,000 capacity venue located adjacent to Birmingham International Airport 24th December 19888 of 35
  9. Bruce Springsteen in Concert, Villa Park, Birmingham, Tuesday 21st June 1988.9 of 35
  10. Bruce Springsteen in Concert, Villa Park, Birmingham, Tuesday 21st June 1988. Crowd Scenes.10 of 35
  11. Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa, member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in Concert, Villa Park, Birmingham, Tuesday 21st June 1988.11 of 35
  12. The London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Princess Royal Class No. 6201 Pacific steam locomotive arrives at Dorridge Station at the front of a Euston to Birmingham 150th anniversary special. 17th September 1988.12 of 35
  13. Ian McKellen pictured at The Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 1988. He is sitting outside the theatre ahead of his forthcoming production Acting Shakespeare. Acting Shakespeare is a one-man show of Shakespearean monologues interspersed with theatrical anecdotes devised and performed by Ian McKellen. McKellen first performed the recital in Scandinavia in 1980 and later performed it throughout the world. Picture taken 10th April 198813 of 35
  14. Scarlet Fantastic, music group consisting of pop duo, Maggie De Monde and Rick P Jones, pictured 22nd April 1988.14 of 35
  15. Tom Stinchcombe (right) and the Rev John Mallard of COGS (Christians Outreach to Girls on the Street) hand out steaming cups of soup to the street girls on Balsall Heath. 22nd February 1988.15 of 35
  16. Coventry 2 -1 Aston Villa, First Division game held at Highfield Road. 26th November 1988.16 of 35
  17. Kay Alexander, Presenters, Midlands Today, BBC regional television news service for the West Midlands, discusses the art of News reading with Marion Brennan, Post and Mail Journalist, Pebble Mill Studios, 24th October 1988.17 of 35
  18. Newlyweds, Kay Alexander & Brian Conway, Presenters, Midlands Today, BBC regional television news service for the West Midlands, Pictured on their Wedding Day, 1st October 1988.18 of 35
  19. John Curry, the former European figure skating champion, arrives at Solihull Ice Rink, where he hopes to pass on a few tips to promising youngsters. 10th June 1988.19 of 35
  20. 1988 Birmingham International Jazz and Blues Festival, Artists, Photo-call, 1st July 1988.20 of 35
  21. 1988 Birmingham International Jazz and Blues Festival, Artists, Photo-call, 1st July 1988.21 of 35
  22. 1988 Birmingham International Jazz and Blues Festival, Artists, 29th June 1988. Into The Blue, Birmingham jazz band , cool down with some champagne at Reps Cafe Bar, where they will be playing during the Birmingham Jazz Festival.22 of 35
  23. Gary Andrew Pallister (born 30 June 1965) is an English former professional footballer, sports television pundit and operations director of Conference National side Darlington. As a player, he was a defender from 1984 to 2001 and is most noted for his nine-year spell at Manchester United from 1989 until 1998. He also played for Middlesbrough and Darlington and was capped 22 times by England between 1988 and 1996 (Picture) Gary Pallister scores the equaliser in Middlesbrough 1-1 against Birmingham draw at Ayresome Park. 26th March 198823 of 35
  24. FA Cup fever gripped St Andrew's today as blues fans queued for tickets for the Nottingham Forest tie on February 20th. 4th February 198824 of 35
  25. Mount Pleasant Youth club members put on happy faces as the rain comes down on Balsall Heath Crnibal Procession. 3rd July 1988.25 of 35
  26. Aerial View of Spaghetti Junction, Birmingham, Tuesday 21st June 1988.26 of 35
  27. Aerial View of Villa Park football ground, showing large crowd gathering, ahead of Bruce Springsteen Concert, Birmingham, Tuesday 21st June 1988.27 of 35
  28. Thousands of young pop fans gather at the Bull Ring Shopping Centre for pop singer Tiffany. Birmingham, West Midlands. 19th January 1988.28 of 35
  29. Thousands of young pop fans gather at the Bull Ring Shopping Centre for pop singer Tiffany. Birmingham, West Midlands. 19th January 1988.29 of 35
  30. Bros at BBC's Pebble Mill Studios, Edgbaston, to launch Radio One's new frequency. 1st September 1988.30 of 35
  31. Bros at BBC's Pebble Mill Studios, Edgbaston, to launch Radio One's new frequency. 1st September 1988.31 of 35
  32. Princess Diana, arrives to officially open Acorns Children's Hospice, only the 3rd Children's hospice in the world. Selly Oak, Birmingham, West Midlands. 14th December 1988.32 of 35
  33. Acorns Children's Hospice. Topping Out Ceremony, with guest of honour Lord Lichfield, Patrick Anson, 5th Earl of Lichfield, 8th March 1988.33 of 35
  34. Maria Stevens, Beauty Queen, 29th February 1988.34 of 35
  35. Dame Judi Dench and kenneth branagh mark the start of their Shakespeare season at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. 29th February 198835 of 35
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