Blue Oyster Cult Newcastle City Hall 1975 and 1978
I first went to see Blue Oyster Cult at Newcastle in 1975. This was their first UK tour and at the time, they were not very well known at all in this country. I went along, with my friend John, largely out of curiosity. I’d read a little about them in NME or Sounds, and had heard a few tracks somewhere. By 1975, BOC had released three albums, and their live set featured such classics as Harvester of Eyes and my all time favourite Last Days of May, which I still love and play to this day. Set list: Stairway to the Stars; OD’d On Life Itself; Harvester Of Eyes; Flaming Telepaths; Last Days Of May; Before The Kiss; Candy Store (Fill-in Jam); Cities On Flame; Maserati GT; Buck’s Boogie; Me262 (5 guitars); Hot Rails To Hell; Dominance & Submission. 
I remember much being made of a five guitar line up, and the show as being pretty good, with a half full hall being seriously impressed by this new band. Note the miss-spelling on the ticket! By 1978, when The Cult returned to the City Hall, they were much bigger news. They had released Agents of Fortune, and Spectres both of which were massive lp successes here in the UK. 
The single Don’t Fear the Reaper was played everywhere, and has since become their trademark. So this time the City Hall was sold out, and the concert was much anticipated. Nick Kent wrote in the NME: “See, the facts as I recognize ’em are clean-cut to a fine-boned T – the two kings of heavy metal rock in the world right now are Britain’s own Thin Lizzy and the U.S. Blue Öyster Cult.” I went along with a group of mates, all of us now being big BOC fans and they were just amazing. 
BOC were at the top of their game at this time, and the Newcastle crowd witnessed a great gig, and gave them a great reception. The show was much bigger than in 1975, with lazers, smoke and other pyrotechnics. In fact BOC were one of the first rock bands to make use of lazers, which seemed pretty exciting and dangerous for the times. Support came from Japan, in their pre-Ghost arty-rock era. They were hyped up quite a lot at the time, but were pretty disappointing on the night. The set list will have been something like: R.U. Ready 2 Rock; ETI; Harvester Of Eyes; We Gotta Get Out of This Place; Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll; Then Came The Last Days Of May; ME 262; Kick Out the Jams; Godzilla; This Ain’t the Summer of Love; 5 Guitars; Born To Be Wild. Encore: Hot Rails To Hell; (Don’t Fear) The Reaper. I’ve just found a flyer for the 1975 gig, with support act Birth Control. The flyer entitles me to 70p off On Your Feet or on Your Knees! from Virgin records. I wonder if its too late to cash it in? (Actually it is, the flyer says “offer closes 30 Nov 1975”. Shame).
5 May
Blue Oyster Cult Newcastle City Hall 1975 and 1978
Posted May 5, 2012 by vintagerock in Blue Oyster Cult. Tagged: blues, concert, concerts, folk, gig, gigs, heavy metal, music, pop, prog rock, psych, punk, R&B, rock, rock n roll. 12 Comments
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Posted by Kevin Geraghty-Shewan on May 5, 2012 at 11:52 am
I was at the 78 gig – they finished really late and we watched Don’t Fear the Reaper from the very back of the hall before legging it all the way to Central Station to catch the last train home. Also do you remember the paranoia among the bouncers about the lasers – they were really freaking out and making us sit down when the lasers came down into the audience!
Posted by vintagerock on May 5, 2012 at 9:48 pm
Hi I can remember the lasers being quite simple, but don’t recall the bouncers reaction; my memory is not good. I do remember worrying myself that a laser might hurt my eyes. Think The Who also had early lasers at one of the Charlton concerts during Baba O’Reilly, which will have been before BOC.
Posted by paul white on November 25, 2012 at 10:16 pm
I was at the 78 gig and was blown way by the whole show, lasers and all. They quickly scheduled another gig a few months later did they not? I believe they recorded the next gig for possible use on their next live album. I was at that gig too and it was just as good as the first one.
Posted by Jimmy Goulding on March 17, 2016 at 5:20 am
1976 at the Commack Arena
Styx
J Geils
B O C HEADLINED THE SHOW
One of the last GEN ADM. Shows
Those were the days a band could play late.
Some idiot was tossing m 80’s down t o the floor. And Eric Bloom stopped the show,screamed to the crowd to kick the shit out of the people tossing the fireworks and the place went wild. He res targeted the show and they played into the wee hours.
MEMORIES. AFTER seeing so many shows,i can’tenjoy any since everything is cut to shit and your lucky if they play an hour
Posted by Ian Shipley on February 26, 2017 at 10:05 am
I think I was at the second concert you mention. Wasn’t it recorded live with the track “We gotta get out of this place” recorded for the Some Enchanted Evenening album.
Ive got some photos from the concert with the lasers visible. Great night.
Posted by Roseanne Rainbow on October 17, 2020 at 7:25 pm
Hi, thanks for this. Just booked tickets for next year’s BOC show at the City Hall again and have been racking my brain trying to work out when I last saw them. You’ve helped me pin it down to 78- good old City Hall.
Thank you very much R🌈x
Posted by vintagerock on October 18, 2020 at 11:45 am
Happy days Rose cheers Best wishes Peter
Posted by Pedro on December 20, 2020 at 2:41 pm
I was at both shows, one of the first bands I saw live and love them to this day. Been to every gig they played at Newcastle
Posted by vintagerock on December 20, 2020 at 6:03 pm
Hi Pedro Sounds like you are a true Blue Oyster Cult fan! My favourite song is “Last Days of May” Good man Happy Days Peter
Posted by Brian on February 22, 2023 at 12:22 pm
Japan were booed off stage both gigs, I thought they were awful, yet a few years later I was buying their albums the change in musical direction was astonishing. I was also at the ‘Colt’ gig, seat G13. BOC were always great live, I saw them in Patchogue (Long Island) not that long ago with the newer line up, and they still leave the audience wanting more. Allen Lanier was sorely missed though (odd that his history—long history), with Patti Smith is not covered in mags like Uncut or Mojo…
Posted by vintagerock on February 22, 2023 at 12:55 pm
Thanks Brian for sharing
Yes Japan transformed themselves into a much more polished act from the ramshackle band who supported Blue Oyster Cult. It is some years since I have seen Blue Oyster Cult. I really must make sure I catch them next time. Happy days Peter
Posted by Meanwhile….Back in the real world! – The Rock of Blyth & other stories! on September 24, 2025 at 12:02 pm
[…] smash hit single it was always on the jukebox. The BÖC (as they were known) were coming to the City Hall so obviously, we had to go! The light show was amazing! It was (as they proudly boasted) the “first use of […]