Culture Club Newcastle City Hall 1983
Dave and I went to see Culture Club at Newcastle City Hall in March 1983. This is the only time that I have seen the band. At this point in their career Culture Club had released their first lp “Kissing to be Clever” and had hit the singles chart twice, with the No 1 single “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” and a No 3 hit with “Time (Clock of the Heart)”. This was their first major tour, before they became really mega, with the release of the massive “Colour by Numbers” album and the world wide hit “Karma Charmeleon”. 
Boy George was (and still is) a fascinating character, and it was to see him and to hear the hit singles that drew us to The City Hall that night. Support came from The Swinging Laurels, reportedly at the request of George. The concert was pretty good; George looked great in a multi-coloured suit/dress and had impressive dreadlocks. I remember the music as being a mix of pop and reggae, and the sound much quieter than most rock gigs. The gig was sold out, and had been for some time in advance. I seem to recall that we went on to the Mayfair after the gig that night to see Marillion. 
I haven’t seen Culture Club since that night, although I did sit in the next row to Boy George on a flight to Munich once. A bootleg recording of the Liverpool show of this tour gives the setlist as: Boy Boy (I’m The Boy); I’ll Tumble 4 Ya; Mister Man; Take Control; Black Money; Love Twist; Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?; You Know I’m Not Crazy; I’m Afraid Of Me; White Boys Can’t Control It; It’s A Miracle; Church Of The Poison Mind; White Boy; Time (Clock Of The Heart)
Posts Tagged ‘gigs’
24 Jun
Culture Club Newcastle City Hall 1983
23 Jun
The Cramps Newcastle Mayfair March 1986
The Cramps Newcastle Mayfair March 1986
When I was very young, around 10 years old, I discovered horror movies and a magazine called Famous Monsters of Filmland. I loved the classic 30s horror movies: Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolfman, and was fascinated by zombies, ghouls, the creature from the black lagoon. Through my teens I bought Famous Monsters from Filmland regularly, and saw as many 30s, 40s, and 50s horror and scifi films as I could on TV or at the cinema (which was sometimes difficult as many were X rated, which meant that you had to be 16 to see them). Why I am telling you this in a post about The Cramps? Simple. The Cramps blended together several of my favourite things: a love of gothic horror, the bizarre, scifi, surf music, garage, and rockabilly. They came out of the New York punk scene, and are often credited with starting the psychobilly genre. Looking through the pages of the programme from this gig reminds me how great this band were. The programme is crammed with images taken from B movies and features the 1985 movie Return of the Living Dead, for which The Cramps wrote a song “Surfing Dead”. 
The Cramps were at their peak of popularity on this, their 1986 world tour. The tour took in several nights at Hammersmith Palais and a few nights at Hammersmith Odeon, as well as gigs around the country, including this North East gig at Newcastle Mayfair. They were fronted by singer Lux Interior and guitarist Poison Ivy. I went to the gig with my mate Dave, and it was a load of fun. The show was totally wild and wacky, quite similar in many ways to The B-52s, but much crazier. Lux Interior was totally wild on stage; I can picture him now, crawling all over the top of the speaker cabs, stripping off at the same time. The guy had no fear; think of Iggy Pop at his wildest times 10. The place was packed, and the crowd lapped it up. The Cramps continued throughout the 90s, and split only when Luz Interior passed away in 2009.
22 Jun
Bruce Springsteen Sunderland Stadium of Light 21 June 2012
Bruce Springsteen Sunderland Stadium of Light 21 June 2012
Laura, David, Luke, Phil and I all went to see Bruce last night. Great gig, and a pretty marathon set, coming in at over 3 hours, which seems to be pretty standard for Bruce these days. The afternoon had started with the heavens opening, soaking Sunderland with a deluge of rain, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of anyone there. Bruce was advertised to come on stage at 7pm, with no support act. David, Luke and Phil went over around 6pm, but Laura and I couldn’t get away until a little later. We drove over and managed to get parked in a side street quite close to the stadium, and got in to the gig around 7.30pm, thus missing the first few songs. Its quite strange entering a massive gig after the show starts; and seeing the band and crowd in full swing. Its like entering a party late, where everyone is already drunk and well into the spirit of the thing. The set was a mixture of old and new, and although there were quite a few songs that neither Laura or I knew, it didn’t drag at all. The favourites were kept until the end; Laura was delighted he did Thunder Road, and of course Born to Run, she had been hoping for Because the Night, but hey you can’t get everything. The E Street Band was as tight as any band can be, and Bruce’s energy and stamina was just amazing. The show was somewhat understated, no gimmicks or technology, just good honest music. And that for me is what makes Bruce world class, the boss, the future of rock and roll, whatever you choose to call him. You get the feeling that this guy really means what he says and sings; that he really feels it, and yet he does so almost effortlessly. There is a level of honesty, passion and authenticity about Bruce that few others have. He comes over as a working class guy with a voice that transcends political, cultural and geographic boundaries and barriers, and he connects with the audience in a unique way. The connection between performer is so natural, simple, through the songs, the way he holds and plays the guitar, and yet in a way no other performer can quite match. Last night in Sunderland everyone of the 50,000 people in that stadium felt a connection with that guy on the stage, and we all went away feeling a little happier, stronger and all the better for it. I went to work today, and everyone I met was talking about the gig, whether they were there or not. 
This was the seventh time I’ve seen Bruce, the first being at his first UK gig in Hammersmith Odeon in 1975. What I observe over the years is the way in which the guys music and confidence has grown, from a young guy wearing a wooly hat singing his songs about American life to a small(ish) theatre almost 40 years ago, to a guy who is perhaps at his peak now, leading a stadium full of people of all ages through a series of anthems that mean so much to so many. Just amazing. Setlist: Badlands; We Take Care Of Our Own; Wrecking Ball; Death to My Hometown; My City of Ruins; Spirit in the Night; Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?; Jack of All Trades; Youngstown; Murder Incorporated; Johnny 99; Working on the Highway; Shackled and Drawn; Waitin’ on a Sunny Day; The Promised Land; Point Blank; The River; The Rising; Out in the Street; Land of Hope and Dreams. Encore: We Are Alive; Thunder Road; Born to Run; Hungry Heart; Seven Nights to Rock; Glory Days; Dancing in the Dark; Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out.
21 Jun
Can Newcastle City Hall 1974 and Redcar 1977
Can Newcastle City Hall 1974 and Redcar 1977
I went along to this gig out of curiosity as much as anything else. I’d read a lot about Can in the music press, and heard a few tracks, although I didn’t own any of their albums. It seemed a cool and trendy sort of gig to go to, so off I went to the City Hall, by myself as I often was. By 1974 Can had released 5 albums, and vocalist Damo Suzuki had just left the band. The set was largely instrumental, heavy on the bass courtesy of Holger Czukay, with lots of free form improvisation, very avant-garde and quite challenging. 
The songs were quite drawn out, some lasting up to 20 minutes. I enjoyed the gig, and am pleased that I went to see them. Support came from Crow, who became the Buster James Band a few years later, and are not to be confused with an American band of the same name. I got to see Can again a few years later, this time with a group of mates, at Redcar Coatham Bowl. That gig was in March 1977, I have a stub from a gig that year, but the name of the band has been torn off (which suggests it was a short name, like Can).
20 Jun
Crass gigs in Middlesbrough early 1980s
Crass gigs in Middlesbrough early 1980s
Do They Owe Us A Living? Course they F***ing Do!
I was lucky enough to see Crass live twice in the early 80s. I went to both gigs with my mate Dave, the first gig was in Middlesbrough Rock Garden, and the second a year or two later in Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt. I have very vivid memories of the Rock Garden gig. The Rock Garden was an amazing venue, an old beer kellar, with sticky floors and full of punks and some of the edgiest looking skins you have ever seen. Dave and I went to many gigs there, it always exciting, and we often felt in fear of our lives, particularly as we both had long hair, and didn’t come from Middlesbrough. For Crass the place was packed, so packed that you couldn’t move. We were the only people in there with long hair; everyone else was a punk or a skin. There were black and white TVs all over the place, at first showing static and flashing screens and then images of war crimes, the holocaust, horishima, etc. Crass were just great. Dave and I loved Owe us a Living, Banned from the Roxy and Shaved Women and its.. Screaming Babies, Screaming Babies..chorus; the whole place went mental and sang along. 
Imagine being in a room full of punks, so full that you can’t move, the sound is loud, deafening, and the place is going wild, beer is being thrown everywhere and you are getting pushed all over. Well thats what it was like. Dave and I drove home singing Sreaming Babies… We were back to see Crass again a year or so later at The Crypt. In comparison that gig was quite tame, as I recall. Not as full (the crypt is a bigger venue) and no where near as wild or scary. They was no other band like them, nor has there been since. I picked up this comment from YouTube: “CRASS! are the most influencial punk band ever, not to mention, the PUNKEST band ever. they were not about the bull shit, and never sold out. they were a true punk band and spoke what they knew was right, not caring who opposed.” I can’t agree more. Well said.
19 Jun
Child Newcastle Odeon 1979
Child Newcastle Odeon 1979
Of all my guilty pleasure gigs, this one is probably the guiltiest of them all. Child were a late 70s teen band, and appeared quite a lot on SwapShop and other kids TV shows of the time. My mate Dave and I went to just about any and every gig in the North East, and went along to this for a laugh. 
By 1979 Newcastle Odeon had been converted into a multi screen cinema, and it was not the massive venue that it had been. We were seated at the front of the circle, amidst a group of screaming girls. Pretty embarrassing and frightening at the same time.
From a fan Myspace site: “If you were a teenage girl in those days, then you probably bought one or more of the many weekly teen magazines that lined the shelves of every newsagent in Britain. If so, then you would have found gazing from the pages, four of the most gorgeous guys around, Tim Atack, Graham Bilbrough, Keith Atack and Mike McKenzie…….better known as CHILD. Their first single was When You Walk In The Room and made it into the UK Top 40. The follow up single It’s Only Make Believe reached number 10 and earned the guys a silver disc. During the height of their success Child appeared on many TV shows including; Seaside Special, The Basil Brush Show, Jim’ll Fix It, Multicoloured Swap-Shop, Tizwas, Saturday Banana, Lyn’s Look-In and of course Top Of The Pops.”
18 Jun
Roger Chapman recent gigs at Newcastle Tyne Theatre
Roger Chapman Newcastle Tyne Theatre
Marie and I have been to see Roger Chapman a couple of times over the past ten years. Both gigs were in the beautiful setting of the Tyne Theatre in Newcastle. Chappo is in a great shape, and his voice is as strong as ever, which is pretty amazing, given his throaty warbling style. The set was a mix of solo stuff and Family favourites, the latter going down well with the local crowd, who were all 40 to 50 somethings, steeped in Family music and looking for memories and a night of great rock; both of which were delivered in ample helpings. A CD exists of a 2002 gig at the Tyne Theatre, the ste being: Kiss My Soul; Down Bound Train; Habits Of A Lifetime; Midnite Child; Blind Willie McTell; Wheels & A Crowbar; X Town; Weavers Answer; My Friend The Sun; Holding The Compass; Shank (Shadow On The Wall); Toe Nail Draggin’; Short List; Burlesque; Jesus & The Devil; In My Own Time
17 Jun
Family in concert 1972 and 1973 Newcastle Mayfair and Newcastle City Hall
Family in concert 1972 and 1973 Newcastle Mayfair and Newcastle City Hall
Family were a great favourite with rock fans in the North East of England. They came up here a lot in the late 60s and early 70s, playing Sunderland Bay Hotel, Newcastle Mayfair, Sunderland Locarno and other local venues. As I posted yesterday when writing about Roger Chapman, back in those days, if you asked anyone in the North East their favourite live band, my guess is that they would choose a band like Family who regularly played in local ballrooms and put on a great live show. In Sunderland the answer would have been Free, Family, and possibly Stray or Edgar Broughton. The first time I got to see Family was at Newcastle Mayfair in June 1972. I have very vague memories of them playing a gig at Silksworth Youth club in the late 60s, and standing outside listening, as I was too young to get in. The gig definitely happened, but my standing outside may well be a figment of my imagination. Thanks to Barry for his memories of the Silksworth Youth Club gig: “A couple of vague memories. Roger Chapman was wearing bright red trousers. When the group had a break a girl asked Chapman if they did any “Soul” music. No, was Rogers brusque reply. If I remember correctly the leader of the new youth club was a guy called Clive. He wanted to put Silksworth Youth Club on the map as music venue. Happy days..”. Back to that gig in 1973. I queued outside the Mayfair to get in early and get a good spot in front of the stage. Support came from Audience, featuring Howard Werth who, like Roger Chapman, has his own vocal and musical style. Their album, “House on the Hill” is a classic of the period. Listen to the track “You’re Not Smiling” and you’ll see what I mean. Family were great that night. Roger Chapman sang in his usual unique style, with lots of vocal and mike stand gymnastics; but what really struck my was the way that he engaged, and interacted with the audience. It was like he was meeting a group of old mates. Most of the crowd had clearly seen the band before, and there seemed to be some private joke between Roger and some of the crowd, starting with the crowd asking “What about the workers, Roger?”. The other thing, that sticks in my memory is Poli Palmer’s vibraphone; I hadn’t seen or heard anything like it before. 
By the following year Family had sadly decided to call it a day, and the next time I saw them was during their farewell tour, at Newcastle City Hall. The line up had changed (again) by the time of that gig, and the atmosphere in the City Hall was great, but tinged with sadness. Support came from Phillip Goodhand-Tait. Chapman was once again the focal point of the evening. I recall sensing as we walked out of the hall, that everyone was upset that they would not see this great band again. Family’s music was a strange and unique mix of rock, psychedelia and r&b. Singles such as The Weaver’s Answer, In My Own Time, and Burlesque were great favourites in the ballrooms of the time, the dancefloor always filling with lots of hippy dancers. Unlike many bands of that era, Family have never reformed; however Chappo continues to play (he has just announced a Christmas gig at the Y theatre is his hometown Leicester) and his set often includes several Family songs. Its a few year since I’ve seen Roger in concert (will blog on recent gigs tomorrow), but recent reports suggest that his voice remains as strong as ever.
16 Jun
Roger Chapman Streetwalkers Newcastle City Hall 1977
Roger Chapman Streetwalkers Newcastle City Hall 1977
Roger Chapman is often forgotten these days. In my eyes he is a major figure in English rock music and has one of the most unique rock voices. Back in the early 70s, if you asked anyone in the North East their favourite live band, my guess is that they would choose a band who regularly played in local ballrooms and put on a great live show. In Sunderland the answer would have been Free, Family, and possibly Stray or Edgar Broughton. I saw Family a couple of times in the early days, and I’ll blog on that in a day or so. By the mid 70s Family were no more, and Roger Chapman was fronting Streetwalkers, along with Family compatriot Charlie Whitney. 
I saw Streetwalkers a few times: once at the very rainy Buxton 74 Festival, again at Reading 74, supporting The Who at Charlton in 1976, and at this gig at the City Hall in 1977. The Buxton gig was particularly memorable for one thing. Rain poured down the whole weekend, but when Chapman and Whitney sang Family’s My Friend the Sun, the sun came peeping out through the clouds, as if by magic, to a great roar from the festival crowd. 
It was a moment that anyone who was there will remember. I was there with my mate Gillie, and John was there with Susan; we were just talking about that special moment the other week. I also went to this Newcastle gig with Marie. I remember the City Hall being about half full; I guess by that point in time Chappo and his Streetwalkers were beginning to go out of fashion, particularly with punk coming along. The Streetwalkers always delivered a great set of rock with Chapman’s voice and stage presence being like no other. He would talk the crowd as if he knew them, and perhaps in some cases, he did. By 1977 the set featured tracks from their 1970s lps, with one or two Family songs thrown in for good measure. There was then a big gap, where I didn’t see Roger Chapman at all, which was a mistake on my part. I’ll report on some more recent gigs, however, in the next day or so.
15 Jun
Leonard Cohen Newcastle City Hall 1976
Leonard Cohen Newcastle City Hall 1976
This was the first time I saw Leonard Cohen, and it was one of the best concerts that I have ever been to. I’d gone along with my mate Ian having heard some of Cohen’s early albums. John and Susan were also at this gig. I went along with an open mind; I quite liked some of Cohen’s songs, and had the usual image in my mind of a quiet guy singing dark, depressive songs. The show was just a revelation to me. The beauty of the songs, the clarity and quiet passion of Cohen’s delivery and the musicianship of his band all shoen through that night. This gig was part of a European tour to promote the Best of Leonard Cohen album, and Cohen was backed by a new band that included Laura Branigan as one of two back up singers. 
I left the gig as a convert, and waited to get the chance to see Cohen again, which didn’t happen until very recently. He has never returned to Newcastle and his visits to the UK have been few and far between until recent years. Setlist from 1976: Bird on the Wire; So Long, Marianne; Who By Fire; Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye; Store Room; One of Us Cannot Be Wrong; Lady Midnight; There Is a War; I Tried to Leave You; Diamonds in the Mine; Chelsea Hotel; The Stranger Song; You Know Who I Am; The Partisan; Story of Isaac; Famous Blue Raincoat; Lover Lover Lover; Sisters of Mercy; Is This What You Wanted; Suzanne; The Butcher; Bird on the Wire; Tonight Will Be Fine; Joan of Arc; Do I Have To Dance All Night. Looking at the setlist today, I realise just how many classic songs this guy has written.
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