The Clash: Black'n White Drop Outasite
Ian Penman, NME, 4 November 1978
The Clash: Roxy Theatre, Harlesden

WEAPONS EXIST, but some people can't see them for looking.

The Clash take the obvious lines of misrepresentation, superficiality, and hold up the tacky backdrops, the disinfected battleclothes, the turbulent, tubercular grimaces, and most of all the rock instruments as their weapons, not forgetting air rifles – roots rock rebel!

But these plain chaps with art school roots...what is it exactly they have rebelled against? Tell me that! On the basis of this performance, one of the two re-scheduled at the Roxy theatre in Harlesden (immigrant population, heavy industry, how convenient) I for one won't fall in with the future they are supposedly leading us into.

A joyless, emotionless, directionless, self-important music, something like a shambolic HM quartet converted to Mao minutes before a show but still retaining the original ego-pushy set, swaggers and all.

Perhaps this heavy manners street band have finally come to realise that the "street" houses expense and excess as well as the romantic oppression visions. What is this myth about the "street"? Remember, the street is the basis not only of free enterprise (market place credibility?) but of capitalist exploitation...and I'm sure The Clash have been exploited as much there, naked in the street, as much as – more than – anyone.

Which is probably how they come to be in their present sorry state. There are embarrassing runs across the stage, HM poses, hackneyed guitar solos – no idea of how to mix and assert different positions and degrees of sharp rock sound, unlike, say, Penetration.

Headon's drums are leaden and lumpen – I fail to observe any reggae inflexion either there or with Simonon – a different part of the sound from Strummer's rehearsed spastic twanging and Jones' now-engineered playing – that's right, fancy fancy FX.

The Clash's motives? There don't seem to be any anymore.

The Clash is The Clash is The Clash, no relationships between the individual members of the band, or between the band and the audience.

On stage, there's only the disgusting mock stand-and-deliver confrontations, the choreographed bumping into one another. The only concession to the 'kids' came at the very end of the set when Jones stopped sprinting for a second to garble "Alright? Sorry to keep you waiting"...he had to say that.

The Clash are awkward. Unlike their peers – Travolta, Brotherhood Of Man, Dooleys – they have not come to terms with their role of working class entertainers. They aspire; they do not want to be seen to simply perspire.

They have not come to terms with anything beyond The Clash, and now, after all the sycophantic press, after the coke busts, after the second album gap, The Clash don't know what to do with themselves, don't know what to do with rock music, but I and you know what it's doing to them.

The Clash is a dying myth.

© Ian Penman, 1978

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19	Complete Control Tommy Gun I Fought the Law Jail Guitar Doors Clash City Rockers White Man Drug Stabbing time Protex Blue Guns on the Roof Stay Free Police and Thieves Blitzkreig Bop Capital Radio Janie Jones Garageland Whats My Name English Civil War Londons Burning White Riot

I Fought the Law

Tour Notes & Clippings

NME 7 Oct gig preview
Chris Salewicz

Sounds Review
Eric Fuller

Any further info / reviews appreciated

These dates have changed and reflect A Riot of Our Own, the NME and tape details. Belfast was the first night, Dublin the day after, a day off in London before Paris. The remaining dates fit around the Belgium tape and A Riot of Our Own. Several French dates are missing after Paris
Oct 13		Belfast, University SU, Queens Hall
		Johnny Green (A Riot of Our Own p106) states this was the opening of the tour. Date from NME gig review.
Oct 14		Top Hat, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin
		with Berlin
Oct 16		Le Stadium, Paris
		Johnny Greens book states this was Le Palace (Le Palace is the promotion company for many French gigs). As the poster says, its the 16th October at Le Stadium.
Oct 20		The Stokvishal, Arnhem, Holland
		I went a concert of The Clash at the Stokvishal in Arnhem (Holland) on friday, October 20 1978. I don't know for sure if my agenda is completely right, but it seems right. The Stokvishal was a great place at this time, it was an old factory hall based on the, during the Arnhem battle of 1945, completely distroyed  area close to the Arhem bridge. Other concerts I visited at that time at the Stokvishal: Iggy Pop, Cure, Only Ones, Undertones, Stiff Little Fingers, Specials, Madness, Theatre of Hate...
Oct 21		"Le Home" Cinema, Lewen, Nr Liege, Belgium
		Johnny Greens book A Riot of Our Own (p109) suggests a Belgium gig at Leuven just outside Brussels, following a drive up from Paris. Some suggestion that this gig followed the Brussels gig. 400 people there.
Oct 22		Ancienne Belgique, Brussels
		some tapes have this labeled the 30th. The recording (Joe) I.D.'s the venue as Brussels but Johnny Greens book A Riot of Our Own (p109) suggests the Begium date of the 22nd was Leuven just outside Brussels. Around 1500 people at the gig.
Oct 23		The Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland.
		both these last two gig are noted on p110 of A Riot of Our Own.
Oct 25		Roxy Theatre, Harlesden, London
		Postponed on the 9th September, resheduled date of September 25th postponed and also further resheduled date of 14th October postponed. New GLC restrictions limited tickets to 900, so a second night scheduled for the other 700. Whirlwind supported. I do not know about the 26.10.78. Free t-shirts (Tommy Gun) given to audience for being messed around previously. I have two. Colin
Oct 26		Roxy Theatre, Harlesden, London
Nov 9		Village Bowl, Bournemouth
		cancelled? (NME 7 Oct 78)
Nov 10		Winter Gardens, Malvern
		cancelled?
Nov 12?		Canterbury Odeon
		A Riot of Our Own pg124
Nov 14		Locarno, Coventry
		cancelled?
Nov 15		Belle Vue, Manchester
Nov 16		Odeon, Edinburgh, Scotland
Nov 17		Town Hall, Middlesborough
Nov 18		Leeds University
		supported by the Innocents as well as by the Slits.
Nov 19		Top Rank, Sheffield
		supported by the Innocents as well as by the Slits.
Nov 20		De Montfort, Leicester
		supported by the Innocents as well as by the Slits.
Nov 21		Locarno, Bristol
		supported by the Innocents as well as by the Slits.
Nov 22		Birmingham Odeon
		cancelled?
Nov 22		Village Bowl, Bournemouth
Nov 23		Ipswich Gaumont
		cancelled?
Nov 23		Apollo, Manchester
Nov 24		Kings Hall, Derby
		supported by the Innocents as well as by the Slits.
Nov 26		Top Rank, Cardiff, Wales
Nov 27		University, Exeter
Nov 28		Tiffany’s, Coventry
		Melody Maker lists this as the Locarno at Coventry? On the Road with the Clash Traxmarx - includes Tiffany's Gig
Nov 29		Victoria Hall, Hanley, Stoke
		the 29th November '78 wasn't the Stoke Mandeville concert. '78 was with the Slits, was more rock, less anarchic, better musically, but I was a bit disappointed all the same (that isn't to say it was a bad concert, but compared to the first..). We weren't allowed backstage after the concert. Joe insisted that everyone got in for £2,25 whether they were advance sales or not, threatening not to play otherwise. (1) the gig line up was the clash slits and the innocents, viv and the rest of the slits came into the crowd to watch the clash autographs were given, when the clash arrived for the sound check, they also signed loads of stuff for the group of fans at the back door, which included me 14 years old and a clash fan then (2 nacro_killer) "During the drum intro for Tommy Gun, Topper hit himself in the eye with a drumstick, so joe shouted "tommy gun!, with one eye!" (Tim) I was at the same gig, had an amazing night, fist of all Topper was playing so maically his drum stick snapped in half and I managed to get the top half that flew off...and then after the gig me and my mates managed to get in the dressing room, sitting on the floor with the band talking, they all signed my Sort It Out Tour poster, unbelievable! (Shaun)
Nov 30		Wirrina Stadium, Peterborough
Dec 2		Polytechnic, Newcastle
		last night of the tour according to A Riot of Our Own pg 125 and it definately took place. It is listed on adverts in the music press as a late date for the Tour.
Dec 4		University Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland
		cancelled due to student only policy which Joe found out about and objected too. A Riot of Our Own pg123
Dec 5		University Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland
		cancelled due to student only policy which Joe found out about and objected too
Dec 6		University, Liverpool
??????		Brighton Top Rank
		I saw the Clash at the Brighton top Rank in '78 or possibly the first half of '79, can't see it listed anywhere, anyone else remember it? It was well before London Calling, they opened with English Civil War, I remember it cos Topper let me and some other kids in the side door as you were sposed to be 21 to get in and the bouncers weren't having any of it! I was 16 at the time I'm pretty sure, still at school anyway and i left in '79. I'd love to know the date of the gig.
Dec 12		Pavillion Bath
		This gig definately took place. Thx for info.
Dec 17		Portsmouth Locarno
Dec 18		Tiffany’s, Purley
		[originally anounced as Purley Locarno] supported by the Slits - snowed heavily. A large cheesy nightclub in South London. Supported by the Innocents as well as by the Slits.
Dec 19		Music Machine, London
		...Sid Vicious Defence Fund benefit. Also supported by Phil Rambow and Friends.
Dec 20		Civic Hall Wolverhampton?
Dec 21		Hastings Pier Pavillion
Dec 22		Friars, Aylesbury
		On the Road with the Clash Traxmarx - includes Friars Xmas Party featuring The Clash
Dec 28		Lyceum, London
Dec 29		Lyceum, London
Jan 3		Lyceum, London
		This gig may have been the 31 December? On the Road with the Clash Traxmarx - includes this Lyceum gig