On February 14 1981, the ‘People of Romance’ arrived at Steve Strange and Rusty Egan’s St. Valentine’s Ball at The People’s Palace – or Finsbury Park’s Rainbow Theatre, as it was known on any other night. Where the Blitz was cramped, here was a playground almost as ostentatious as its occupants. As the tribe members preened and posed for the flashing bulbs of the media, the event’s status as the apex of the New Romantic timeline was assured – at least, for the outside world. Aside from Rusty’s record collection, the entertainment included headliners Ultravox – riding high on the success of Vienna – plus dance/mime troupe Shock (pictured) and Depeche Mode, playing their first-ever London show. “If the New Romantics ever had a perfect moment,” opined Dave Rimmer, “then that – FLASH! – was it. From then on, the whole scene began to dissipate.”