Vintage Photographs of Hippies and Teds Gathered at Wembley Stadium for a Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival Show in 1972

The London Rock and Roll Show was a concert held at Wembley Stadium, London, on 5 August 1972. It is often said to have been the first ever concert held at the stadium, but in fact the band Yes had performed in the Stadium on 13 July 1969.

From the late 1960s to the early 1970s, many rock and roll performers from the 1950s experienced major career revivals due to a temporary upswing of interest in their form of music. The Revival was marked by a series of major concerts in the United States, and also spread to Europe where events such as the Wembley concert attracted thousands of fans who came out to see the performers behind the music.

The concert included performances by major stars including Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Bill Haley and His Comets. The concert ended with an extended performance by Chuck Berry, who at the time was enjoying major chart success in Britain and the US with his "My Ding-a-Ling".

5th August 1972: A group of teddy boys dancing at the London rock ‘n’ roll revival show in Wembley Arena.

Rock ‘n’ roll fans who attended the Rock ‘n’ Roll Festival at Wembley, North London. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)

Teddy boys gather at Wembley Stadium for The London Rock and Roll Show, 5th August 1972. (Photo by Michael Webb/Keystone/Getty Images)

A woman standing next to a teddy-boy sells leather belts at the Rock n’ Roll Festival, Wembley Stadium. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)

Hippies and rockers together at the rock ‘n’ roll Revival Show, held at Wembley Stadium, London. (Photo by Michael Webb/Getty Images)

Rock ‘n’ roll legend Little Richard in costume at an empty Wembley Stadium, during rehearsals for a concert. (Photo by Tim Graham/Evening Standard/Getty Images)

Japanese hippies amongst the large crowd at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Festival at Wembley Stadium, London. Among them is Mei Wei.

August 1972: The audience in the arena at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Festival, Wembley, North London.

Three women dancing together during a rock ‘n’ roll festival at Wembley Stadium.

Teddy Boys, hippies, Rockers and Hell’s Angels gathered at Wembley Stadium for a Rock ‘n’ Roll revival show, 5th August 1972.

A Teddy boy and his girlfriend arm-in-arm after a Rock ‘n’ Roll Festival.

Flyer for The Rock n Roll Show printed on the back of a subscription form for Oz magazine, July 1972.

(Photos: Getty Images, via Flashbak)