The Tubes Newcastle City Hall 17th June 1981
Come 1981 and The Tubes were back at the City Hall again. This time they had turned full circle, had become businessmen and were wearing suits. They had just released their 6th album “The Completion Backward Principle”, which was a concept album presented as a motivational business document. The album received good reviews, and featured much more poppy, accessiblem songs than their previous albums. “A favorite of many Tubes fans, this is a unique album in their catalog in that it married their quirky songwriting and stage persona with a commercial appeal. The breakout that the band had been searching for with their backs to the wall had finally arrived” (from Wikipedia). The album was a success and the band went out on a world tour to promote. 
The stage show was based around the album concept, and featured many of the new songs. We were, of course, also treated to old favourites including “Mondo Bondage” and “White Punks on Dope” which was reserved for the encore. This was much more of a straight theatrical show, and although enjoyable, it lacked the amateur crazinesh of their first UK concerts.
Setlist (something like): A Matter Of Pride; Think About Me; Amnesia; Mr. Hate; Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman; Smoke (La Vie En Fumer); Mondo Bondage; Don’t Want to Wait Anymore; Sushi Girl; Talk to Ya Later; Tubes World Tour.
Encore: Let’s Make Some Noise; White Punks on Dope
This was the last time that I saw the Tubes.
8 Nov
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