The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Roy Harper, Yes, Mad Dog
Sunderland Empire Theatre March 8th 1969
(Semi) memories of my first gig
The first concert I ever attended was the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band at Sunderland Empire in March 1969. I was 12 years old at the time and had been getting into pop and rock music for a year or two. I’d started to buy the New Musical Express and was beginning to collect records. I managed to persuade my parents to let me attend the concert on the basis that there were two shows at 6pm and 9pm, and that if I went to the earlier show, I could safely get the bus home. None of my friends at the time were interested so I bought myself a ticket, reserving myself a seat in the front row of the stalls. First gigs are important in my view. They can shape musical taste and set allegiances for life. For me this gig set me on an unavoidable path to becoming obsessed with seeing bands, with rock music in general, and gave me a life long interest in Yes and Roy Harper, who both formed part of the supporting bill. I can still remember aspects of this gig some 43 years later as I write this. I sat fascinated at the performers on stage, and entranced by the loud music. In fact the volume was something that did it for me. The bands (I probably called them groups at the time) seemed very, very loud to me; I was almost frightened that my hearing would be damaged (in fact, it is starting to go slightly now, but it has taken a long time, and I can’t be sure that it is a result of going to rock concerts, but I suspect it is). And the power, passion and energy of the performers also struck me. First up was a band called Mad Dog. I’m not sure what happened to them, and the only song I can recall was a great version of Moby Grape’s Can’t Be So Bad, which appears on one of the Rock Machine albums. Next up was Yes who were a revelation, and fascinated me with their jazzy mix of rock and pop. And they played some songs that I knew: Something’s Coming from West Side Story and The Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby. They also played No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed, which is a Richie Havens song and appears on Yes’ second album, and opens with the theme from the film The Big Country. Yes had yet to release their first album, and the line up at that time was Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Bill Bruford, Peter Banks and Tony Kaye. I was impressed by how Jon and Chris were dressed; Chris in particular was sporting a natty hat and impressive flares and boots. I recall that a compere introduced each band and chatted to the audience while the stage set up was being changed around, in the way that I imagine it worked on 60s package tours. Next up was Roy Harper who sat to the right of the stage on a high stool, directly in front of me. He had incredibly long hair (something else which impressed me) and was wearing a pair of beat up old jeans and big work boots. I think he sang Hells Angels, Nobodies Got Any Money in the Summer, and I Hate The White Man. I was surprised at the way he interacted with the audience; it was as if people knew him and were having conversations with him from the stalls. Finally the bill toppers took to the stage, accompanied by some amazing machines and props which were always an important part of the Bonzos show. The Bonzo Dog Band (they had shortened their name at this time) performed tracks from their first two albums Gorilla and The Doughnut in Granny’s Greenhouse, including such great (and fun) songs as: Cool Britannia, The Equestrian Statue, Jollity Farm, Look Out There’s a Monster Coming, Death Cab for Cutie (which I has seen them perform on TV in the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour show), Can Blue Men Sing the Whites?, Trouser Press (featuring some natty on stage trouser pressing), and of course I’m The Urban Spaceman, during which Viv Stanshall blew through a long plastic tube while swinging it around his head. And so the die was cast, I set out on my life long concert journey which has given me great joy over the years, and also caused me some trouble at times when I become obsessive and attend too many! Sadly I don’t have a ticket stub for this concert. I hadn’t got into the habit of saving them at that stage, and the tickets for shows at the Empire at the time simply listed the date, and not the artist, so didn’t seem worth keeping.
Posts Tagged ‘blues’
14 Apr
The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band Sunderland Empire 1969. Supported by Roy Harper and Yes
12 Apr
Boston Newcastle City Hall 1979
Boston Newcastle City Hall 1979
Boston were a massive deal in the mid to late 70s. Their debut album was an incredible success, selling 17 million copies, and More Than A Feeling seemed to be playing everywhere I went at one time. The band came to the UK in 1979 for a short tour which called at Newcastle City Hall for one night. The gig sold out immediately, and I was pleased to get tickets. I went along with a group of mates, and looked forward to the gig. Although Boston are quite middle of the road rock, they do it excellently, and their first album is a classic of the genre. 
The gig was great; loud, melodic rock at its best. I still own a copy of the first Boston album, althogh can’t pretend to play it very often. Boston have never returned to the UK, to the best of me knowledge, although they continue to tour in the USA. However More Than A Feeling remains a top rock song. Support act Trickster were a short lived UK melodic rock band who also supported on an ELO tour. Boston setlist from 1979 : Rock & Roll Band; Tell Me; Peace of Mind; Feelin’ Satisfied; Don’t Look Back; More Than a Feeling; A Man I’ll Never Be; Smokin’; Foreplay / Long Time; Something About You; Party.
10 Apr
Big Country in Concert 1982 to 1987
Big Country in Concert 1982 to 1986
Stuart Adamson formed Big Country after leaving the Skids, and in my view their work far surpassed his earlier band. The Skids were a fun live band, very much a product of the punk era, whereas Big Country were much more innovative and adventurous. It was clear that Stuart was the musical driving force behind the Skids, co-writing, alongside Richard Jobson, the band’s most famous songs such as Into the Valley. I first saw them in Dingwalls in Newcastle, which was a club which ran in the early 80s, out of what had been the old German Bierkeller. 
Their first single Harvest Home had just been released, and their jangling, swirling sound which married scottish traditional folk with rock, sounded so new and fresh. They were soon having big chart success with Fields of Fire and In a Big Country, and could command headlining status on a tour of major concert venues. Their 1983 tour brought them to Newcastle City Hall, and the first of a couple of great nights I spent with them in that venue. Big Country and Stuart Adamson in particular connected with the audience in a manner rarely seen. 
At times band and crowd were at one, singing together those great anthemic songs, with Stuart rocking back and forth leading us all on, as if to battle. The support on the 1983 tour was One The Juggler, who were an interesting and now forgotten band; quite theatrical if I remember correctly. I also remember seeing them at Newcastle Dingwalls. 
I next saw Big Country on their 1986 tour, again at the City Hall. By then they had released their third album The Seer, and the single Look Away was their biggest hit in the UK. Once again, it was a great night with another stirring set from the band. The last time I saw Big Country was at Roker Park, Sunderland in 1987, when they appeared as one of the support acts for David Bowie on his Glass Spider tour. It wasn’t one of Bowie’s best performances, and in contrast Big Country delivered their usual storm and went down very well with the crowd. They were obviously a lot of fans of the band there, and I’m sure that many people felt that their performance was better than Bowie’s that day. The band has recently reformed after Stuart Adamson’s tragic death, and have been once again touring the UK.
9 Apr
Gary U S Bonds Newcastle City Hall 1981
Gary U S Bonds Newcastle City Hall 1981
Some gigs I remember very well, some I hardly recall at all. This is one that makes me strain my memory. Gary U S Bonds had hit the charts in the early 60s with New Orleans and Quarter To Three which was a No 1 in the USA. In the early 1980s, he had a career resurgence through a collaboration with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, with some of the songs on his new album being written by Steve Van Zandt. Apparently Bruce and Steve had happened to be in a bar where Gary was playing, and were impressed enough to work with him, thus giving him, in effect, a new career. This UK tour came off the back of this renewed interest and a comeback single This Little Girl. I was obviously interested enough to go along to the City Hall gig to how Mr Bonds shaped up. I recall the place being pretty empty. I can remember him playing New Orleans, Quarter To Three, and I Want You To Be My Baby, and putting on a good showing. Gary is now over 70 years old and still performing. Good on him.
8 Apr
Bo Diddley Sunderland 1982
Bo Diddley
Woooh Bo Diddley!!! I was lucky enough to see the great Bo Diddley when he came to town to play a gig at Close Encounters nightclub in 1982. Close Encounters was previously the BoilerMakers Club, a well known Sunderland workman’s club, and is now a venue for Sunderland University students. I’d seen the great man once before on a rock n roll bill with Carl Perkins in the 70s. Bo rocked the place, strutting his stuff with his famous red cigar box guitar, and treating us to such gems as Who Do You Love and Hey Bo Diddley. The place was packed and we all sang along. There was a good showing by local teds who turned up in force, all decked out in their drapes, and showing off some great rock n roll bopping. Support came from local blues acts Ray Stubbs and his Blues Band, and the Hokum HotShots, both of whom are still paying around their native North East.
7 Apr
The Allman Brothers Knebworth 1974
The Allman Brothers, The Doobie Brothers, Van Morrison, The Mahavishnu Orhcestra, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Tim Buckley.
Knebworth Park 1974 The Bucolic Frolic
This was the first of the great 1970s one day festivals to be held at Knebworth Park. I went along with my mates John and Gillie, catching a bus to Stevenage and them making our way to the site on the Saturday morning. We arrived just in time for Tim Buckley, who came on early in the day just as the crowds were entering the site. I remember his deep booming voice echoing around the field, but little else about his set. Next up was the Sensational Alex Harvey band, who were already a favourite of ours, and a great festival crowd pleaser. 
We made our way to the front to get a good view of Alex, Zal and the others who started with Faith Healer, which was still quite a new song at the time. Alex was an amazing front man, had no fear at all and was also a bit of a philosopher: “Don’t pish in the water. Don’t buy any bullets , don’t make any bullets and don’t shoot any bullets”. You couldn’t get more of a contrast than Alex Harvey followed by John McLaughlin and his Mahavishnu Orhcestra, but such a rich mix of music was quite commonplace at 70s events. John was dressed entirely in white and he and his band took us through a wonderful blend of jazz, rock and classical music which swept through the field. The Mahavishnu Orhcestra was a big band, featuring Jean Luc Ponty, who had recently made his name playing with Frank Zappa. Van Morrison was just amazing, and at his peak, in the early 70s, and his set at Knebworth was great. His band on the day was a three piece, which was very small for Van, and a contrast to the Caledonia Soul Orchestra who I saw him with a few weeks later. 
I was never a big fan of the Doobie Brothers, they were a bit too funky for me, however John recalls them as the highlight of the day. They went down ok with the crowd, but by then everyone was waiting for the headliners. Jessica and Ramblin’ Man were real favourites that summer, played at all the festivals, and The Allman Brothers Band had a reputation for being THE Jamming band, renowned for playing long sets and mega versions of their songs, particularly Whipping Post. They didn’t let the crowd down. Gillie, John and I spent some time wandering around the site that day, and Jessica was constantly playing in the background. The Allmans came on late and played until well after midnight. Greg Alllman said at some point during the set “We are going to play every damn song we know” after continued shouts for Whipping Post. We slept the night on the site and got the bus back home the next morning, running into some of John’s school friends on the bus. Allman Brothers setlist: Wasted Words; Done Somebody Wrong; One Way Out; Stormy Monday; Midnight Rider; Blue Sky; In Memory of Elizabeth Reed; Statesboro Blues; Come and Go Blues; Ramblin’ Man. Encore: Trouble No More; Jessica; You Don’t Love Me / Les Brers In A Minor. Second Encore: Whipping Post. Thanks to John for the scan of the flyer. John comments that is was overall a very exciting day, with a diverse, even eclectic, line up which happened a lot a the time and gave everyone a chance to appreciate lots of different styles of music.
6 Apr
The Boomtown Rats Newcastle City Hall 1978 – 1982
The Boomtown Rats Newcastle City Hall 1978 – 1982
Blogging every day is turning up a lot of memories for me. I didn’t realise how many times I’d seen the Boomtown Rats. I must have seen them on quite a number of occassions, as I found four tickets and programmes from Newcastle City Hall in my collection, covering the period 1978 to 1982. Actually, the first time I saw the band was before those City Hall gigs, in 1977, at Newcastle Mayfair. I remember that gig well. 
It was originally going to be at Middlesbrough Rock Garden and still appears as such in published Rats gig lists, however, it was moved to Newcastle at a couple of days notice, I have no idea why. It was a Friday night, which was normally a heavy rock night at the Mayfair and the ballroom was filled with a mixture of rock fans and punks. The Newcastle crowd gave the Rats a pretty hard time, with a constant stream of beer and spit being flung at them. 
The poor keyboard player, Johnnie Fingers, who was famed for wearing pyjamas on stage, was completely soaked right through. In the end Geldof called a halt to the show and the band left the stage without completing their set. Looking After No 1 had just been released at the time and the band were very much in the news and up and coming. They were the first new wave / punk band to appear on Top of the Pops. 
The next tour, around the time of Rat Trap brought them to the City Hall. A DVD exists of the Hammersmith show from that tour including live performances of the hit singles Looking After No.1, She’s So Modern, Like Clockwork and Rat Trap, along with other Rats favorites such as Joey’s On The Streets Again (very Springsteenish as I recall) and the audience participation number Do The Rat. They toured pretty constantly over the next few years, on the back of a string of single successes, reaching a peak with the great I Don’t Like Mondays in 1979. I loved that single, and recall being very excited about seeing them on tour at that time. They were great in concert, Geldof a ball of energy, and the band really tight. 
I also saw them at Knebworth on a show with Frank Zappa, The Tubes and Peter Gabriel, where they seemed out of place and performed early on the day, low down on the bill. My last Boomtown Rats experience was at Live Aid in Wembley Stadium, by which point Geldof had become involved in other things and the band was coming to an end. I’ve never been to see Bob Geldof in concert since, although I did see him at Live 8 in Hyde Park. 
I also went along to see him receive an honorary doctorate from Newcastle University as a ceremony at the Sage Gateshead, which was a different, and interesting experience. I found a setlist from 1979 on the setlist.com site, which reminded me of some of their old tracks
: Blind Date; (I Never Loved) Eva Braun; Neon Heart; Me and Howard Hughes; Don’t Believe What You Read; Like Clockwork; Rat Trap/Kicks/Joey’s On The Street Again; Living in an Island; (She’s Gonna) Do You In; 
She’s So Modern; Looking After Number 1; Mary of the 4th Form; Do the Rat. Encore: I Don’t Like Mondays. Looking back, they had some pretty great singles. I’d forgotten Like Clockwork, I can picture Geldof tick tocking the intro. Do The Rat always signalled some pretty manic dancing. 
To summarise my thoughts, the Boomtown Rats were a fun live band, high energy and much more pop than they were punk or new wave. Geldof was amazing on stage, a dynamic front man who truly engaged the audience. For some reason I’d almost forgotten them, or how good they were at the time. I still play stuff by contemporaries the Clash, Jam, Damned and the Pistols, but would never play a Boomtown Rats track. Perhaps that something I should remedy. The Boomtown Rats have reformed, without Geldof, in recent years, and have toured a couple of times. I wonder what they are like these days.
2 Apr
Pat Benatar Newcastle City Hall January 1983
Pat Benatar Newcastle City Hall January 1983
I only saw Pat Benatar once, at Newcastle City Hall in 1983 on a short UK tour. At the time she was a hard rock act; this was before her rise to mega stardom, and pop/ adult oriented rock. I knew a few of her songs at the time, notably Hit Me With Your Best Shot and Shadows of the Night”. Her big smash “Love is a Battefield” was yet to be released, although she may well have performed it. I remember the gig being a pretty good rock show. 
Support came from Brian Connolly of the Sweet, who was at the time fronting his new band called Connolly’s Encore, which consisted of ex-Argent guitarist John Verity and Terry Uttley, bass player from Smokie. I found a backstage pass on the floor after the gig, which I still have (see left). I googled a setlist from a March 1983 concert in the USA on setlist.fm, which was: Anxiety; Love Is a Battlefield; Hell Is for Children; Promises in the Dark; Precious Time; Fire and Ice; You Better Run; Heartbreaker; I Need a Lover; Treat Me Right; Shadows of the Night; Hit Me with Your Best Shot. I guess the set at the City Hall will have been similar.
1 Apr
Jack Bruce & his Big Blues Band Newcastle Tyne Theatre March 31st 2012
Jack Bruce and his Big Blues Band Tyne Theatre
Excellent show by Jack Bruce last night in Newcastle. Jack has assembled a first class seven piece band consisting of ace guitarist Tony Remy, drummer Frank Tontoh, keyboardist Paddy Milner, second bassist Nick Cohen, trombonist Winston Rollins, tenor saxophonist Derek Nash, and trumpeter Paul Newton. They really were great throughout with guitarist Tony worthy of mention for some exception solos. Jack took to the stage around 8.20pm sitting alone at a piano stage left. He was soon joined by the rest of the band, and then picked up his fretless bass and took up his place centre stage. The set was a mixture of solo material, blues and Cream classics. Quite a few were from the Songs For A Tailor lp. He introduced Neighbour Neighbour as “a song I used to sing with Graham Bond, back then, before I was born”. This guy goes back some. Theme from an Imaginary Western was performed beautifully, Jack’s voice sometimes straining a little to reach the high notes, yet coming over as powerful and haunting as ever. 
The blues of Spoonful and Born Under a Bad Sign gave the band a chance to shine, and featured some excellent solos. We’re Going Wrong is a great song, perhaps Cream’s best, and as relevant today as it was in the 60s. The last few songs were the almost inevitable White Room and Sunshine of Your Love. Its great that the old guys from the 60s are still around touring, and playing to an audience that, looking around the Tyne Theatre last night, is growing old with them. Jack suffered from a period of ill health around ten years ago, but looks great these days. Long may it be the case. Modern technology even reaches the old guys. You could buy a CD of the show at the desk (actually I’m not sure it was last night’s show you could buy or a recording of a previous night). The show finished around 10.15pm, leaving plenty of time for fishcake and chips from the wonderful local chippy on the corner. Setlist (something like): Can you follow?; Morning Story;You Burned the tables on me; Neighbour Neighbour; Child Song; Weird of Hermiston; Folk Song; Theme from an Imaginary Western; Tickets to Waterfalls; Spoonful; Born under a Bad Sign; We’re Going Wrong; Deserted Cities; White Room; Sunshine of Your Love. Encore: Politician. Just ran into an old mate Jim in the local supermarket. He’d also been at the gig last night and had spotted me there. He said that he had gone along with an open mind, not knowing what to expect, but had really enjoyed it.
31 Mar
Jack Bruce Band with Mick Taylor and Carla Bley Newcastle City Hall 1975
Jack Bruce band with Mick Taylor and Carla Bley Newcastle City Hall
A strange grouping this one. Take an ex Rolling Stone guitarist, an ex Cream bassist and a jazz keyboard player and what do you get? Actually what you did get was quite an intriguing concert experience, which as I recall promised a little more than it actually delivered on the night. I knew, of course, of Jack Bruce and Mick Taylor, but I had not heard of Carla Bley, or her recent Escalator On The Hill album, before going to this gig. The trio were short lived and never made it into the studio to record an lp, although a live album of the band does exist. 
The press of the time said: “The Bruce Band will play a smooth synthesis of diverse styles, forging ahead with a firm grasp of ‘60’s rock and ‘70’s space jazz. The personnel is all-star, but the band belongs to Jack, whose music cements the band’s foundations.” Based on a live album and reviews of the time the set will probably have consisted of something like: Can You Follow?; Morning Story; Politician; Keep It Down; Pieces Of Mind; Tickets To Waterfalls/Weird Of Hermiston/Post War; Spirit; Sunshine Of Your Love. I’m off to see Jack Bruce at the Tyne Theatre tonight; I’ll post a review tomorrow.
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