Tina Turner Gateshead Stadium 22nd July 1990
Tina Turner had just released her seventh studio album “Foreign Affair” and went out on a massive stadium tour of Europe. The tour played to and amazing three million people, breaking the Stones’ record for attendances on a European tour. The tour was billed as a farewell tour (it wasn’t of course), and Tina Turner stated: “I’ve always thought this would be the final one but I must admit I now have mixed feelings. I’m the first woman to fill all these stadiums and the feeling from all those fans night after night was fantastic. I don’t want to close that door completely. I’m going away for about a year and when I’m ready to return, I just hope the fans will want whatever I have to offer.” The show came to Gateshead Stadiun for two nights and north east fans were treated to a high energy performance, and all those classic Tina Turner songs. 
Tina ran around the stage, danced, sang, screamed and gave 110% without taking a breath. The lady is amazing. I think support may have been Joe Cocker?
Set List: Steamy Windows; Typical Male; Foreign Affair; Undercover Agent; Ask Me How I Feel; We Don’t Need Another Hero; Private Dancer; I Can’t Stand The Rain; Nutbush City Limits; Addicted To Love; The Best; I Don’t Wanna Lose You; What’s Love Got To Do With It; Let’s Stay Together; Proud Mary; What You Get Is What You See; Show Some Respect; Better Be Good To Me; Be Tender With Me Baby
Tina’s Band: Jack Bruno (drums); Timmy Cappello (percussion, keyboards, sax); Bob Feit (bass); Ollie Marland (keyboards); (local hero) John Miles (guitar); Kenny Moore (piano); James Ralston (guitar); Lejeune Richardson & Annie Behringer (dancers).
Posts Tagged ‘classic rock’
17 Nov
Tina Turner Gateshead Stadium 22nd July 1990
16 Nov
Thompson Twins Dunelm Ballroom, Durham University 9th March 1982 & Newcastle City Hall 6th May 1983
Thompson Twins Dunelm Ballroom, Durham University 9th March 1982 & Newcastle City Hall 6th May 1983
The Thompson Twins were named after the bumbling detectives in the Adventures of Tintin. The Crab With The Gold Claws was my favourite 🙂 I would run in from playing in the street to watch it. I can still hear the intro: “Hergé’s Adventures of Tintin: The Crab With The Golden Claws”.
But these Thompson Twins were very different. These started as a new wave outfit, formed in a squat with full on left wing anarchic values. In my mind I have them bracketed with the Raincoats and the Mekons. They were a large band comprising seven members, fronted by Tom Bailey on vocals and synth, which he was apparently just learning to play, Alannah Currie on vocals and percussion and Joe Leeway on vocals, percussion, synths and guitars. 
The other members were Chris Bell (drums), Peter Dodd (guitar, synths, percussion), John Roog (guitar) and Matthew Seligman (bass). Thomas Dolby would sometimes accompany them on synth. It was this seven piece Thompson Twins that I saw at Dunelm House in early 1982. I remember the set as being very rhythmic, verging on dance, with lots of drums and percussion, and that there was much running about the stage by everyone. This was at the time of their second album “Set” which featured the single “In the Name of Love”. “In the Name of Love” was a dance hit, particularly in the US, and encouraged the band to follow a dancie/pop direction. Shortly after “Set” the band split and was reduced to the trio of Bailey, Currie and Leeway. Big success was soon to follow. 
In early 1983 the new slimmed down Thompson Twins released their third album “Quick Step and Side Kick”. The album was much more of a slick pop/dance record and reached No 2 in the UK charts. It also gave them four UK singles chart entries with “Love on Your Side” (No. 9), “We Are Detective” (No. 7), “Watching” (No. 33) and “Hold Me Now” (No. 4). The Thompson Twins had made the transition from a new wave act living in a squat to massive international success. Their “Side Kicks” tour sold out everywhere. I saw them when the tour called at Newcastle City Hall. A fun show, all the hits, and very different from the band that I had seen only one year previously.
15 Nov
Tear for Fears Newcastle City Hall 6th April 1985 (and Knebworth 1990)
Tear for Fears Newcastle City Hall 6th April 1985 (and Knebworth 1990)
In 1985 Tears for Fears released “Songs from the Big Chair”, their second album. It was a massive worldwide success, reaching No. 2 in the UK, and staying in the Top 40 album chart for over a year. It also reached No. 1 in the US, and gave them a string of international hit singles: “Mothers Talk”, “Shout”, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and “Head over Heels”. The album was well received by the music press and fans alike, and saw them move from their previous dark pop synth style to more poppy upbeat music. They toured extensively to promote the album, and called at the City Hall in April 1985 for a concert which sold out well in advance. Support came from Vitamin Z who had a hit with the single “Burning Flame”. My memory of the concert is of a joyous fun night with some serious audience singalongs during “Shout” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”. This was definitely the best time I saw Tears for Fears.
1985 Setlist: Mothers Talk; Broken / Head Over Heels / Broken; Start of the Breakdown; The Prisoner; The Working Hour; Pale Shelter; Suffer the Children; Memories Fade; I Believe; Mad World; Shout; Everybody Wants to Rule the World; The Hurting; Change.
The next and final time I saw Tears for Fears was when they appeared low down on a multi-band bill at Knebworth in 1990. The day was headlined by Pink Floyd and Paul McCartney. Tears for Fears opened the day around noon, and we were listening to them as we drove in (it was broadcast live on the radio) and then caught the end of their set as we entered the park. They were having a big success at the time with “Sowing the Seeds of Love”.
Setlist at Knebworth 1990: Women of Ireland;Head Over Heels / Broken Change; Pale Shelter; Sowing the Seeds of Love; All You Need Is Love (The Beatles); Advice for the Young at Heart; I’ve Got To Sing My Song; Badman’s Song; Everybody Wants to Rule the World
14 Nov
Tear for Fears Newcastle City Hall 5th December 1983
Tear for Fears Newcastle City Hall 5th December 1983
Tears for Fears were inescapable during the mid 1980s. Their music was played absolutely everywhere. The band spent most of 1983 out on tour around the world, promoting their debut album “The Hurting”. In November 1983, they released a new single, “The Way You Are”, and finished a successful year with another UK tour to promote it. This was their second UK tour of the year, and they returned to Newcastle City Hall to play another sold out concert. Support came from Bristol band The Escape. This was another great concert. Tears for Fears performed most of the tracks from The Hurting as well as the new single and a few new songs which would eventually end up on their second album, “Songs from the Big Chair”, in 1985.
Setlist (something like): Start of the Breakdown; Mothers Talk; Pale Shelter; The Working Hour; The Prisoner; Ideas as Opiates; Mad World; We Are Broken; Head over Heels; Suffer the Children; The Hurting; Memories Fade; Change; The Way You Are; The Marauders
The single “The Way You Are” was written while on tour, as a sort of stop gap to keep the band in the public eye while they recorded their second album. It wasn’t a massive hit compared to their previous releases, reaching No. 24 in the UK singles chart. Both Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith later admitted that they didn’t rate the song, Roland stating it was “the point we realized we had to change direction”, while Curt said it was “the worst thing we’ve done”. And change direction they did indeed. The 1983 Tears for Fears sang very dark, depressive songs. A year or so later a new Tears for Fears would emerge with a clutch of joyous pop songs which would take them to massive international success. I saw them perform back at the City Hall in 1985, but that’s a story for tomorrow.
13 Nov
Tear for Fears Newcastle City Hall 22nd March 1983
Tear for Fears Newcastle City Hall 22nd March 1983
Tears for Fears seemed to appear from nowhere and were suddenly massively popular. This concert at the City Hall was completely sold out, and came a couple of weeks after the release of Tears for Fears first album “The Hurting”. The Hurting reached No. 1 on the UK Album Chart, was certified Gold within three weeks of release, and contains Tears for Fears first three hit singles: “Mad World”, “Change”, and “Pale Shelter”, all of which reached the Top 5 in the UK. I remember thinking how young Roland and Curt looked. I only knew the singles, but enjoyed the gig. “Mad World” and “Pale Shelter” are great pop.
From the tour programme: “Mad World was released in September 1982 and while Curt and Roland expected moderate sales, they were staggered when it smashed into the UK charts reaching No. 3 just before Christmas and staying there for three weeks.” Support came from North East band Verba Verba.
Curt Smith said of “Mad World”: “We were sitting in his [Roland’s] flat….and we were looking out of the window at people going to work, and existences we thought were pointless….we thought it was a really great, original track but we also thought there were songs on the album that were far more commercial. So we thought we’d release it first and that it would garner us some critical acclaim because it was interesting and different. None of us – including the record company – thought it would be a hit”.
“All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere”
(Mad World, Tears for Fears, 1982)
12 Nov
John Mayall 80th Anniversary Tour Sage Gateshead 11th November 2014
John Mayall 80th Anniversary Tour Sage Gateshead 11th November 2014
John Mayall at 80! Wow.
Blues legend John Mayall is out on the road again for his 80th, yes you read it right, 80th anniversary tour.The ‘Godfather of British Blues’, founder of the Bluesbreakers, who launched the careers of Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Peter Green and Mick Taylor, was back in the north east last night to play a concert at the Sage Gateshead. Support came from top blues band King King.
Mayall has dropped the Bluesbreakers name for his current band to signal a slimmed down new line-up which features Rocky Athas on guitar, Greg Rzab on bass and Jay Davenport on drums.
The set went something like this: “You’re Too Lazy” (great start with white haired pony-tailed Mayall up front playing mouth harp from the word go), “Where Did You Go Last Night?” (Mayall on rolling piano and great guitar solo by Rocky), the lights dim and John picks up guitar for “Early In The Morning” which is a slow moody blues song “early in the morning and we ain’t got nothing but the blues” and which sees John and Rocky trading riffs, “The Sum of Something” (Mayall back to piano and powerful mouth harp solo ), 
“A Special Life” (the title track of Mayall’s latest, and 45th!, album), Mayall explains that the band are playing a different set each night on this tour to “keep things alive and keep us on our toes”, “Moving Out and Moving On” (Mayall back on guitar for some great guitar work and a stomping blues), then an old familiar tune: “Parchman Farm” (great chugging mouth harp and bass and drum duel/solo from Greg and Jay), “Speak of the Devil” (here he comes after you 🙂 – amazing mouth harp solo which receives a loud and well deserved round of applause), Otis Rush’s “I Can’t Quit You Baby” (“we are going to do a blues” with an amazing guitar solo from Rocky to loud applause), and then a very welcome surprise – my favourite (and which I don’t believe he plays that often now) “Room To Move”, and a 100% amazing mouth harp solo from the master Mayall, drum solo from Jay and a tremendous bass solo from Greg. Then it’s back to Mayall’s harp and the familiar “Room to Move” riff. Took me right back. It really don’t come much better than this. The concert was pure class. Top blues played by the master. But you wouldn’t expect anything less. Long may he continue.
11 Nov
Talk Talk Redcar Coatham Bowl 22 April 1984 & Newcastle City Hall 3 May 1986
Talk Talk Redcar Coatham Bowl 22 April 1984 & Newcastle City Hall 3 May 1986
Talk Talk are a massively under-rated, and sadly largely forgotten, band. I saw these guys twice; once at a gig at Redcar Coatham Bowl in 1984 and them again a couple of years later at Newcastle City Hall. Both gigs were excellent, but the Redcar gig particularly sticks in my mind. By the time I went to see them in 1984 with my mate Dave, Talk Talk had been in the lower regions of the charts a few times with some great singles: “Talk Talk”, “It’s My Life”, and the excellent “Dum Dum Girl”. Coming out of the new wave movement, at first they seemed a straight synth pop band. But there was much more to Talk Talk than pop music. They soon moved into more experimental areas. The gig at Redcar was very unlike what I expected. I thought I was going to see a regular new wave / pop act. What we actually witnessed was a much darker, moodier performance by a band pushing at the boundaries. There was something quite strange and almost unnerving about their performance. The singer Mark Hollis stood, hair covering his face, (Dave said he reminded him of Curly Watts from Corrie 🙂 ) hunched over the mike, almost ignoring the audience and sang moody songs, as dark textured synth sounds crept around the venue. Powerful stuff.
I saw Talk Talk once more in 1986. This was in a (sadly) half full City Hall, and at the time of their classic “Life’s What You Make It” which is another great track. The importance of Talk Talk is beginning to be recognised with bands including Radiohead and Portishead declaring them an influence on their music. Talk Talk split in 1992 and Mark Hollis retired from the music business.
Setlist 1986: Talk Talk; Dum Dum Girl; Call in the Night Boy; Tomorrow Started; Life’s What You Make It; Mirror Man; Does Caroline Know?; Chameleon Day; Living in Another World; It’s You; Give It Up; It’s My Life; I Don’t Believe in You; Such A Shame.
Encore: Renée
10 Nov
The Toy Dolls 1981
The Toy Dolls 1981
Now and then I come across a ticket in my collection, and I can’t remember the gig at all. This is one such ticket. Now I think I might have read somewhere that this gig didn’t take place, which might explain why I don’t remember it 🙂
The Toy Dolls, of course, emerged from the Sunderland punk and pub/club rock scene in 1979, and quickly built up a reputation as one of the best live bands around. The Toy Dolls were, and are, led by crazy lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter Olga and produced great tongue in cheek ditties which told stories of local people, clubs and events like “Tommy Kowey’s Car”, “She Goes To Finos”, “James Bond Lives Down Our Street”, “Fisticuffs in Frederick Street” and “Geordie’s Gone to Jail”. They hit the charts in 1984 with a zany cover version of “Nellie the Elephant”. Toy Dolls’ music is fast; part punk, part new wave, part Oi with catchy melodies, humour, and lots of energy. Gary Bushell termed it “punk pathetique”; a subgenre of British punk rock which involved humour and working class cultural themes. This ticket shows the support acts for this “festival” as being local bands Dance Class, who released a great album in the early 80s, and New Studeau. Although I don’t recall this gig, I do remember seeing The Toy Dolls play in local pubs and clubs including the sadly missed Old 29 and West Cornforth (Doggy) club.
A quote from Olga: “I became involved in music as soon as I saw a picture of Suzi Quatro in a magazine when I was delivering newspapers in Sunderland, about 12 or 13-years-old. Punk came to me about four years later, changed my life and suddenly all the barriers were broken down and it was possible for me to become a singer too, or at least pretend I was. Getting bullied at school was a big factor, wanting to prove I could do something, and then hearing Sweet, Slade, Suzi Quatro etc, I knew exactly what I would do with my life at that point.”
The Toy Dolls continue to play and remain successful in Japan, and Europe.
9 Nov
Judie Tzuke Newcastle City Hall 25th April 1980
Judie Tzuke’s emerged in 1977, when she signed to Elton John’s Rocket Record label, and had her first major single success “Stay with Me till Dawn” in 1979. “Stay with Me till Dawn” was co-written with Mike Paxman (more of him later) and featured on Judie Tzuke’s debut album “Welcome to the Cruise”. It was a massive success and stayed in the UK charts for 16 weeks.In 2002, BBC Radio Two conducted a poll to determine the top fifty British songs of the past fifty years, and “Stay With Me Till Dawn” was at No. 39. In 1980 Judie Tzuke released her second album “Sportscar” which was a bigger success than her debut album. I saw Judie Tzuke at this time, when she toured the UK playing at Newcastle City Hall on 25th April 1980. It was great concert, by a superb artist.
But there are a few facts relating to this concert that I have to mention. The first is the Status Quo connection. The aforementioned Mike Paxman, who was Judie Tzuke’s co-writer for “Stay with Me till Dawn” and many other songs, as well as her guitarist, has more recently been a producer for Uriah Heep and Status Quo. Paxman had produced several Quo albums including Heavy Traffic (2002), The Party Ain’t Over Yet (2005), Quid Pro Quo (2011) and the recent Aquostic unplugged album. But that’s not the only Quo connection here. Judie Tzuke’s band also included John “Rhino” Edwards on bass, and Jeff Rich on drums. Rhino is of course Quo’s current bass player and Jeff Rich was drummer for the Quo from 1985 to 2000. If you look closely at the centrefold picture from the Judie Tzuke programme pictured here, you can see a young Rhino. He is the tall blonde guy in the leather jacket. Jeff Rich is the guy with the red curly hair, also wearing a leather jacket. 
But there is yet another interesting connection relating to this gig. The support act was an unknown new wave mod band called Graduate (see the flyer which I found in my programme). Graduate had just released their debut album “Acting My Age”, and a single “Elvis Should Play Ska” (which refers to Elvis Costello, rather than Presley). The single wasn’t a big success and Graduate soon split, but two of their members Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith went on to form Tears for Fears. If you strain your eyes you may be able to recognise Curt and Roland.
Judie Tzuke’s music is classic adult rock with great melody and romantic lyrics. David Sinclair reviewed a London gig in the Times: “the central image throughout was of the disarmingly beautiful Miss Tzuke, face framed by a tangle of teeming blond hair, singing with a fragile passion in the voice of a convent schoolgirl turned waif. Combining a glacial poise with her innate sensuality, she projected with controlled emotion through the preponderance of haunting slow songs… dignified and compelling performance.”
Judie Tzuke continues to record and perform today.
Judie Tzuke setlist: Chinatown; Sukarita; Welcome to the Cruise; Stay With Me Till Dawn; Living on the Coast; The Rise of Heart; Nightline; Rain on the Hills; Southern Smiles; Katiera Island; The Choices You’ve Made; Sports Car
Encore: For You; Ladies Night; New Friends Again; These Are the Laws
8 Nov
The Tubes Newcastle City Hall 17th June 1981
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.
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