Five years post its closure, a renowned music venue in London is being remembered by the city’s inhabitants with the help of one of its former proprietors. Tony Lima, a previous co-owner of Call The Office, is now selling a plethora of posters he crafted for the establishment during his 28-year tenure there. Lima, who retains around 3,000 posters in large binders at his residence, views these artifacts as a nostalgic documentation of a specific era. These posters serve as a visual archive of the diverse musical talents that graced London during their formative years, many of whom have since achieved remarkable success.
Among the collection are posters for prominent acts such as Blink-182, Queens of the Stone Age, Misfits, Arkells, and Tegan and Sara. Lima reminisced about notable shows, like the Radiohead concert in 1995 when the band was still relatively unknown, highlighting a poster advertising tickets for just $10. He emphasized the significance of witnessing rare performances, like that of English band GBH, which left a lasting impact on fans.
To showcase and share these historical relics, Lima will be offering copies of select Call The Office posters at the upcoming Punk Rock Flea Market’s holiday event at Centennial Hall. Reflecting on his design process, Lima recalled a time when posters were painstakingly crafted by hand but later transitioned to digital design tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. He noted the evolution of concert advertising, remarking on the shift from physical posters to digital banners on social media platforms, a change he observed over the years.
Despite the modernization of promotional methods, Lima’s classic posters continue to spark conversations and evoke fond memories among Londoners. He expressed joy in hearing personal anecdotes from individuals whose concert experiences at Call The Office left a lasting impression. Lima shared the sentiment that these posters hold sentimental value for many, serving as cherished mementos that can be displayed proudly at home, adding a touch of nostalgia to their living spaces.