Supported by Subway Sect
The Clash: Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Miles, NME, Published 23 April 1977
A ROW OF PARKED Vivas, Consuls and Zephyrs indicated that the ICA had an audience a little different to the usual. It was "A Night Of Pure Energy" with Subway Sect, who were terrible, Snatch Sounds, who I missed, and The Clash.
The Clash were real good. I enjoyed them a lot more than the Patti Smith Band the night before. They were not poseurs. They are everything that Sniffin' Glue magazine promised they would be.
It was as if they had crystallized the dormant energy of all the hours of crushing boredom of being an unemployed school-leaver, living with your parents in a council flat, into a series of three minute staccato blasts delivered like a whiplash at the audience, who were galvanised into frenzied dancing.
The audience stood out the disco, but now they demonstrated the choreography of the West Side Story knife-fight, the sparring partner bop, the villain seducing the virgin' dance, the horse-ride, a little basic pogo dancing and even some old fashioned high-steppin truckin'. Patti Smith was there, of course, and felt moved to climb onstage to dance.
The Clash have the musical intensity of the Ramones – a concerted high energy delivery – and their lyrics are much better. You can't hear too well, but if you do catch them it's an extra bonus to what's going down:
In 1977, I hope I go to heaven
'Cos I been too long on the dole,
And I can't work at all.
Danger, stranger! You better paint your face,
No Elvis, Beatles or Rolling Stones,
In 1977!"
(‘1977’ by The Clash)
Lead singer-guitarist Joe Strummer was in the 101ers until they broke up. The other guys are Micky Jones on guitar, Paul Simenon on bass and Terry Chimes on drums.
The Clash weren't wearing pink plastic trousers, though a couple of dozen of their fans were. The Punk Rock scene – or New Wave Rock as it is better known – has already developed its merchant class of magazine importers, purveyors of 'punk paraphernalia' and, of course, journalists. The newly emerging independent record labels are doing fine work, but I personally find it hard to imagine a viable musical or social revolution coming from a clothes boutique in the Kings Road, Chelsea.
Not that the clothes don't look good – many of the outfits were really neat and were certainly freaking the NW3 crowd who'd come to see one of the ICA's other shows that evening. There were imaginative combinations of tri-colour hair, fishnet stockings with plastic minis, the curious safety-pin fetish, the ubiquitous plastic trousers and, of course, a lot of Keith Richard look-alikes.
The Clash played some great numbers like ‘I'm So Bored With The USA’ and ‘Career Opportunities’, all of which had a vicious treble ring to them. Then Joe peered down at the audience in front of the stage and muttered "I don't believe what's happening down here at the front..."
A young couple, somewhat out of it, had been nibbling and fondling each other amid the broken glass when she suddenly lunged forward and bit his ear lobe off. As the blood spurted she reached out to paw it with a hand tastefully clad in a rubber glove, and after smashing a Guinness bottle on the front of the stage she was about to add to the gore by slashing her wrists when the security men finally reached her, pushing through the trance-like crowd who watched with cold, calculated hiptitude.
Creepy, but not the much exaggerated violence that is rumoured to attend the new wave bands. I've seen rumbles at everything from Who concerts to pacifist folk singing sessions.
Meanwhile The Clash continued their 30 minute set, heads snapping forward like snakes on speed. They ended with their theme tune:
"White Riot. I wanna riot.
White Riot, a riot of me own!"
If anyone's got the energy for it, they have.
© Miles, 1977
Marcus Gray Last Gang in Town pg
Melody Maker gig review
Caroline Coon
The Clash:
Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Live Review by Miles, NME, April 1977
A ROW OF PARKED Vivas, Consuls and Zephyrs indicated that the ICA had an audience a little different to the usual. It was "A Night Of ...
any further info appreciated...
The birth of The Clash
The Independent
Friday, 10 October 2008
An epiphany at a Sex Pistols gig led to the formation of the most enduring of punk bands. Here, in an extract from a new book, The Clash reveal how they started in a London squat
The Clash: Down And Out And Proud
Caroline Coon, Melody Maker,
13 November 1976
following the ICA gig
The Clash: Eighteen Flight Rock...
Miles, NME, 11 December 1976
...AND THE SOUND OF THE WESTWAY
interview with The Clash
The Clash - Caroline Coon, '1988:
The New Wave Punk Rock Explosion', 1977
5th November 1976
Interview & review
Don Giovani
Finest post Pistols band
Nov 1976
The Clash & Polydor Demos
Rockscene Anarchy
Photo review 1 2 3
Greatness from Garageland
Peter Silverton, Trouser Press, February 1978
UNANNOUNCED, TO SAY the least, a kid in boots, suspenders and short-cropped hair clambers through the photographers' pit and up onto the stage of London's Rainbow Theatre. Benignly ignored by band, stage crew and security alike...
 |
Black Swan, Sheffield |
|
|
Last gang in Town p170 |
||
|
Rehearsal Rehearsals, Camden Town, London |
|
|
....private invite gig |
||
 |
Screen On The Green, Islington, London |
|
|
Midnight Special Last gang in Town p180 |
||
|
||
|
...supporting the Sex Pistols.Last gang in Town p190 |
||
|
|
|
The Roundhouse, Camden Town, London |
| ...Keith Levenes last gig with The Clash. journalists invited; 3 show up. Last gang in Town p190 |
||
|
|
|
Club, London...100 Club Punk Festival |
|
| with the Pistols, the Damned, the Buzzcocks, Subway Sect et al. Last gang in Town p195 | ||
|
Tiddenfoot Leisure Centre, Leyton Buzzard |
|
| see ZigZag Aoril 77 'Konctere Clockwork' text version or scans ... ZigZag Aoril 77 'Konctere Clockwork' .... pg1 ......pg2 .....pg3 supporting the Rockets... just a note on your gig list i saw them at tiddingfoot leisure centre and keith levene was still a member they were supported by a r n b band called the rockets. the promoter a guy called chris france had also promoted gigs by the jam,the dammed and eddie and the hot rods all in leighton buzzard he also managed john otway and wild willy barrett at this time.the clash were superb sounding a lot like the mc5 at this gig. i'd actually gone along to see the rockets who i'd seen locally several times in the previous couple of years and followed around a bit,but the clash blew them off stage and they split soon after.cheers glyn |
||
|
Guildford |
|
| In an NBC 'Live at 5' Interview early 1982, Paul & Joe refer to this gig and the fact there was only 1 member in the audience. | ||
|
Acklam Hall, Ladbroke Grove, London |
|
| supporting Spartacus and Sukuya. Last gang in Town p210 (from Time Out mag). |
||
|
University of London, London |
|
| supporting Shakin Stevens. Last gang in Town p211 |
||
|
||
| Last gang in Town p215 |
||
|
Barbarellas, Birmingham |
|
| Last gang in Town p217 | ||
|
||
| with Subway Sect
see ZigZag Aoril 77 'Konctere Clockwork' text version |
||
|
||
| Last gang in Town p217. Supporting Roogalator | ||
| Nov 3 | |
Harlesden Coliseum |
|
Royal College of Art, London |
|
| A Night Of Treason Last gang in Town p218. ...supported by thge Rockets see ZigZag Aoril 77 'Konctere Clockwork' text version |
||
| Nov 6 | |
|
| 3 photos given as this date, though it is likely to be the 29th Nov | ||
|
Lacy Lady, Ilford |
|
| Last gang in Town p222. |
||
| Nov 13 | |
Birmingham Barbarellas |
| Nov | |
|
| Nov? | |
Harlesden Coliseum - Anarchy Tour Rehearsals |
| When I spoke with Rob from Subway Sect yesterday he said the Clash only played Harlesden once - in early 1977. They rehearsed there for the anarchy tour. Vincent | ||
|
Nags Head, High Wycombe |
|
| Last gang in Town p224. |
||
|
||
| Last gang in Town p189 |
||
|
|
