Iggy Pop Newcastle City Hall September 1977 and Redcar Bowl
My writing takes me to the letter “I” and I’m going to start by reflecting on my memories of Iggy Pop in concert. I’ve already written, when I covered David Bowie, about seeing Iggy at Newcastle City Hall with Bowie on keyboards in 1977. I’d also seen Iggy on the TV (was it on the Whistle Test?) throwing himself into the crowd and spreading peanut butter all over his torso at a late 60s gig in the USA. I’d read the reviews of his seminal, wild gig at the Kings Cross cinema (and regretted not going). I’d seen the Sex Pistols play the Stooges’ No Fun the year before, so knew a little about the Iggy legend and his impact on punk. The City Hall was barely half full for the Iggy/Bowie gig in March 1977.
As I recall Iggy was good, but not as wild as usual. He was however back to play to a packed City Hall later in the year and went totally crazy, climbing all over the amps, rolling around the stage, with his trousers coming open. Support was the Adverts, who were also great, featuring TV Smith and Gaye Advert, and playing their singles Gary Gilmore’s Eyes and Bored Teenagers. A few years later I caught Iggy again at Redcar Coatham Bowl (with the Sex Pistols’ Glen Matlock on bass), he was smoking on stage and flicking lit cigarettes into the crowd (how times change…).
Iggy was totally crazy and seemed to have no fear at all in those days. There was always an edge of madness and danger around his gigs; you felt that the guy was totally out of control and that anything could happen. His craziness encouraged the crowd to do likewise with lots of stage invasions. He has taken stage invasion to its extreme in recent years, inviting the entire crowd to come up and join him when he plays No Fun! I found a published setlist from the City Hall in 1977 which seems a little short. I am sure he played more songs than this, including old Stooges favourites: Sixteen; Lust for Life; The Passenger; I Got a Right; Gimme Danger; Success; Fall in Love With Me; Neighborhood Threat; Nightclubbing. I saw Iggy a few more times and will write on those over the next few days.
Archive for the ‘The Adverts’ Category
9 May
Iggy Pop Newcastle City Hall September 1977 and Redcar Bowl
5 Apr
The Adverts, Penetration, Warsaw (Joy Division), Harry Hack Newcastle Guildhall 1977
The Adverts, Penetration, Warsaw (Joy Division) New Wave Bop Newcastle 1977
By 1977 I was seriously into punk and new wave, and the new bands were starting to play gigs up in the North East. I still liked classic rock bands, but was also excited by the urgency and immediacy of punk. This gig was held at Newcastle Guildhall, a venue on Newcastle Quayside, which no longer holds concerts and is now a Tourist Information office. Punk was still in its early days. The Adverts had released One Chord Wonders as a single, but had yet to release Gary Gilmore’s Eyes. Penetration were starting to become known locally, but had yet to land a record deal. Penetration were quite a favourite of mine at the time. Marie and I saw them many times, and often ran into Pauline and the rest of the band at local punk gigs. This gig was memorable for another reason however. The first band up was a new combo who had come from Manchester to play. They were called Warsaw and Pauline and Gary from Penetration told us that they had played with them in Manchester a few days before at The Electric Circus. They had been impressed by them and had invited them up to Newcastle to play the Guildhall. Thus, as a late addition to the bill, there are not listed on the flyer. Marie and I arrived early primarily to make sure that we caught Penetration’s set, and as a result we were there for Warsaw. Warsaw were, of course, to become Joy Division some months later. I would love to be able to report that we experienced something momentous that evening. However, my recollections were of a band who were nervous, and obviously still learning to play. I don’t recall Ian Curtis displaying any of the manic dancing way that would become his trademark. Rather, I remember a shy guy who appeared uncomfortable on stage. I saw Joy Division a year or so later supporting the Buzzcocks and Ian was incredible; however what we saw at the Guildhall was a new, young band playing pretty average garage punk songs. Reports of the time suggest that they will have played early songs: Reaction and Leaders of Men. A recording of Warsaw playing Reaction at Middlesbrough Rock Garden exists, and can be found on YouTube. Next up was local band Harry Hack and the Big G; I recall one song about “Brown Dog” (Newcastle Brown Ale). Pentration were, as always, excellent; they had some great songs which I was starting to know, having seen them many times. The Adverts were also a good live act. TV Smith was a dynamic front man, and Gaye Advert stood quietly alongside him playing bass. Great memories. I note that the flyer states “all bands to be recorded”. I wonder if any recording exists. I would love to hear it.