Some were up and coming stars of the future. Others were established pop legends, and some were flirting with fame but would vanish into obscurity.
They all had one thing in common. Their names appeared on vivid posters made by a Manchester company to promote concerts across the UK. The venues they played no longer exist, but at the time they were serving an insatiable appetite for "variety" a mix of top bands and comedians.
For 50 years hundreds of original pop posters by made The Electric (Modern) Printing Company, based in the city centre, were kept by the family who set up the firm. Now they are going up for auction and offer a fascinating insight into line ups there were enthralling thousands during a boom time for theatres.
