White Riot Tour with the with The Aggravators & Subway Sect

cdr – from master – Sound 3 – 46min – 16 tracks

This very welcome new recording from the classic White Riot Tour came into circulation in late 2002 and unusually includes songs from the support groups; Track 1 The Aggravators (local punk band) and Tracks 2 & 3 from Subway Sect.

Typically of this tour most of the audience do not know how to react to The Clash, many coming out of curiosity about the new punk phenomenon plastered across their newspapers. No bands that looked or played like The Clash had ever played in Swindon before. At one point Joe says to the audience “We’re not from outer space you know!” at which someone shouts, “Could have fooled me”

The best shows are when the audience respond to the on stage energy of The Clash which in turn further fuels the band’s attack. With the audience largely lukewarm The Clash’s performance is not as charged as others on the tour. However when the repeatedly called for White Riot is finally played the audience do react to the extent that Joe says mid song “This is better”

decent audience recording

This is a decent audience recording which captures the primitive but charged sound and equipment of the White Riot Tour very well. It is from the master but suffers some tape drop-out problems. There is good clarity with little distortion. All the instrumentation comes through well particularly Paul’s bass. Vocals are the weakest aspect, being distant but not very poor. This together with the limited range of sound makes it, in terms of other recordings from this tour, on a par with Plymouth, which has better vocals but significant distortion.

The atmosphere of the gig is captured well, with some stereo separation. Chat near the taper is intrusive at a few points. The master is probably a very decent recording. The last track includes a short exchange with The Aggravators bass player who asks the taper “Why you recording, is it for you?“, “Too fuckin’ right!” he replies. A sentiment we can approve of, as his recording is an enjoyable and important document of both The Clash and punk in mid 1977.

The Affair was a small venue, in this medium sized southern town and was used for other punk gigs in 77 but appears then to have been either closed or renamed.

The Clash set begins with Joe commenting on problems with the sound “Mine’s not working either” The band continue to tune up, amidst shouts already for White Riot, before Joe shouts “Swindon’s Burning” and launch into London’s Burning.

77 vintage energy levels continue into 1977 and into an excellent Pressure Drop. Joe comments at the lack of reaction from the majority “Don’t clap if you don’t move!” I’m So Bored With The USA is strong with Paul’s bass lines to the fore. There is then a lengthy gap before Janie Jones “If you can’t see what’s happening, he’s broken a bass string” - No Johnny Green or spare guitars to deal with the problem. The audience shout out requests including unusually one for KeysTo Your Heart.

Hate & War is strong as is Cheat but Joe’s vocals can hardly be heard until mid-song. The sound dips a touch for 48 Hours before reverting back (but with several tape drop-ours) on an extended Police & Thieves with Joe improvising new lines;” Walking down Swindon High Street, nothing in your pocket, just walking, along comes the Police, say Hey where do you think you’re going? It’s late, you know it ain’t allowed you mustn’t deviate!…” Joe’s continues until Mick’s shouted 1-2-3-4 brings one of the set’s highlights to an end.

“Listen to the tunes on the Dr Goebel’s Show” is Joe’s intro to Capital Radio, which also suffers several drop-outs. Deny next “A love song for the girls”. Joe introduces a strong Remote Control “We were just told yesterday that this was going to be our next single” and Mick says “TOLD” emphasises their disgust at CBS’s decision to release the song as their next single without asking them.

Career Opportunities is followed by Garageland dedicated to the Aggravators. “This is a pop song entitled White Riot”; the audience finally responding to a manically fast performance with Joe breaking off to congratulate them “this is better”

The audience shout for an encore, before an edit starts with Joe delivering some laid back Californian audience repartee “We’re gonna do one more then fuck off! He’s in love; he’s in love…” leads into a stronger reprise of Janie Jones, getting the nod as the encore number rather than the usual 1977

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16	London’s Burning 1977 Pressure Drop I’m So Bored With The USA Janie Jones Remote Control Cheat 48 Hours Police & Thieves Capital Radio Deny Remote Control Career Opportunities Garageland White Riot Janie Jones (Encore)

To follow

May 1		Civic Hall, Guilford
May 2		Rascals, Chester
May 3		Barbarella, Birmingham
May 4		Affair, Swindon
May 5		Erics, Liverpool
May 6		University, Aberdeen
May 7		Playhouse, Edinburgh
May 8		Electric Circus, Manchester
May 9		Rainbow, London
		infamous riot gig - often mis-cited as the 7th. See 7th gig at Edinburgh with Edinburgh Ticket
May 10		Town Hall, Kidderminster
		Following an injury to his hand, Mick Jones of the Clash is forced to cancel the gig booked for Kidderminster Town Hall.
May 12		Palais, Nottingham
May 13		Polytechnic, Leicester
May 14		Brakke Grond Amsterdam
May 15		Fiesta, Plymouth
May 16		University, Swansea
May 17		Polytechnic, Leeds
May 19		Rock Garden, Middlesborough
May 20		University, Newcastle
May 21		City Hall, St. Albans
May 22		Skindles, Maidenhead cancelled
May 22		Wolverhampton Civic Hall
		The Clash played a replacement gig at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall on May 22 1977. This gig was played literally days after The Jam departed the tour. Rumour had it there was a dispute about the use of lighting on the tour. Buzzcocks, Slits and Subway Sect supported. The ticket stub did not have the bands name printed on, but had a "complimentary" stamp across it and the price written on. It was however an official Civic Hall ticket.
May 23		Top Of The World, Stafford
May 24		Top Rank, Cardiff, Wales
		White Riot 1977 was Clash at their superlative best – from Cardiff’s Top Rank balcony the front of stage appeared a pogoing and spitting frenzy. Against the Notting Hill Riot backdrop, Joe’s eye’s burning and neck pulsing, his lyrics spat out with such white heat intensity - I wondered if he could survive another year! Dave Smitham
May 25		University of Sussex, Brighton
		Video exists
May 26		Colston, Bristol
May 27		Pavilion, West Runton
May 28		Odeon, Canterbury
		probably didn't happen...
May 28		De Montfort Hall, Leicester
		date listed in NME...
May 29		Chancellor Hall, Chelmsford
May 30		California Ballroom, Dunstable