On May 31st, a Quadrophenia event was held at Network (Sheffield) to celebrate the film’s rich legacy. Upon entering, I was immediately overwhelmed by the kaleidoscope of sharp suits, modette mini dresses and fresh-out-the-drawer Fred Perries that filled the venue – it was like I’d just stepped into the year 1964. I was even more overwhelmed when I noticed Phil Daniels nonchalantly floating amongst the crowd as if he wasn’t the star of the event.

It was like I’d just stepped into the year 1964.

The night kicked off with the auction, which saw Phil Daniels and Trevor Laird flogging rare treasures from the film, including signed scooter helmets, photos and posters. I was about to bid on having lunch with Daniels, until two full-time fans had a ‘face’ off  (if you will), with the price rapidly spiking from fifty quid to well into the six hundreds. The winner most likely woke up the following morning with a head full of beer, terrified to tell the wife that they’ve got to live on beans for the next two months.

Following on, in the Q&A iconic footballer Chris Waddle made himself known when he asked how Daniels measured up to Ray Winstone in the famous bathhouse scene. Laird also revealed that Johnny Rotten had initially been approached for the role of Jimmy, but after doing a brief screen test with Toyah Wilcox proclaimed that he “didn’t want any part in Pete Townsend’s wet dream”. Of course, John Lydon’s acting in the international flop Copkillerwas nothing short of Oscar-worthy, but there was no doubt that there was only one Jimmy.

Shortly after, Nicki Donohoe did a blindin’ Northern Soul set, blasting out floor-filling classics such as The Night by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. The Rafters then delivered a solid set, backboned by a skilled layering of guitars. Griffiths’ unwavering vocals had a recognisably punk flare, and seemed to fuel energy into the dancefloor that set the mood for the night. A stand-out song was their cover of the Buzzcocks’ Ever Fallen in Love which seemed to ignite the same electric atmosphere as the original had done back in 1978.

The next band were The Moderators, who certainly understood the crowd’s desires as they reeled off a litany of hits that may as well have been from a Now That’s What I Call Ska CD. The Specials quota was undoubtedly met with their sparkling renditions of A Message to You Rudy, Too Much Too Young and Ghost Town, though a personal highlight was Madness’s It Must Be Love, in which Daniels joined the stage to sing the eponymous words. The love in the room was palpable, and in the smoky darkness of the dancefloor, this mod convention could well have been mistaken for a hippy circle. 

One thing the night solidified was that the impact of Quadrophenia has refused to dwindle over time. As a reluctant member of Gen Z, I was delighted to see that mod culture is still thriving amongst young people, and that a seventies cult classic still has the power to unite people almost fifty years after its release.

A seventies cult classic still has the power to unite people almost fifty years after its release.

To mark the film’s lasting impact, legendary Sheffield artist Jonathan Matthewson (Bubba2000) has created a mural (depicting the iconic image of Jimmy on Brighton beach) on the side of Armando’s Scooters, acting as a time capsule for the film and its many devoted fans – and hopefully proving that Sheffield has more to offer than just cutlery and Hendo’s. 

The event concluded with fans chanting a seemingly never-ending chorus of We are the Mods, clearly not wanting the night to end. What a better way to celebrate Quadrophenia than with generations of scooter’d and booted mods, and the icons who made it so great.

Date of event: 31-05-2025 | Venue: The Network, Sheffield (UK)