Happy Birthday Nuclear Dawn!!

The LMPS gathered before dawn, ok more like 11:30am it was a Sunday after all.

Balloons were blown, equipment gathered, venue set up, doors flung open, then the hoards began to gather in their ones and twos, drips and drabs, whilst busy beavering away upstairs the LMPS did the finishing touches.

By 12:45 a good crowd had gathered and down came the LMPS to grab a swift drink and meet the people. A tall white haired kiwi strided across the room towards artist Brian Barnes cheerfully booming “well your looking older” “Dale!” cried Barnes, “I haven’t seen you for years!”

The two original creators had a Cilla Black moment and merrily caught up with life, post murals.

On cue the hoards we gathered and on mass, looking both ways to cross the road, the crowd was guided to the site of the mural we’d all come to see, Nuclear Dawn.

With party hats and party poppers, and a few beers in the hand, we all cheered and toasted the 30year old mural a happy birthday, singing in full embarrassing volume for all of Brixton to hear, for a prosperous future and a quick photo opportunity.

Then all were whisked round the side where a curtain hung on the wall, a team of old hippies heaved a bin out the way, to make the moment more ceremonious. Then Dale and Brian, with a quick whip of their hands unveiled two plaques commemorating 30years of a Brixton well loved landmark to great cheers and more party poppers.

Our leader and co-ordinator Ruth miller, said “right now back to the pub”

And all 50 of us hiked back over the road, and into the Dogstar.

In the penthouse room at the top of the building everyone took their places and with a little fiddling the projector was on and the slide show begun as Brian, with many interjections from Dale, talked us through the making of Nuclear Dawn thirty years ago that day.

With flimsy scaffolding, original concepts, making in process and some very hairy photos of Brian and Dale, the story of Nuclear Dawn unfolded.

By the end of the talk, many a few vintage residents got into discussions of the place and politics past.

Close on it’s heals an animation made by local resident, Hannah Miller, was shown featuring the mural coming alive, a fascinating capturing of the time and era the mural was made, her childhood.

Finally Ruth closed the evening with Thanks You’s and offerings of the the legendary cakes and limited edition badges and was then pleasantly surprised to receive a beautiful print of Nuclear dawn by Brian himself, you could tell she was chuffed.

Cake and conversation were equally scoffed and a fun day was had by all.

God bless Nuclear Dawn and all who walk by her for many years to come!