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Last updated 16 January 2016
last updated 22 January 2022 - added (poor) 48 Thrills review
updated March 2024 added FB post

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RETURN OF THE LAST GANG IN TOWN:
LACY LADY, ILFORD

Page 163

While discussions were going on, the Clash continued with their eclectic approach to live work. On 11 November 1976, a gig was arranged at the Lacy Lady, a soul boy haunt in liford, east London, with Subway Sect again providing support. Bearing in mind Steve Mick's comments about tension between punks and ‘discos', the gig might well appear to have been asking for another ULU-style confrontation.

Reviewing it for the first issue of his Clash-inspired fanzine, 48 Thrills, Adrian Thrills mused on the possibility: ‘the disco audience didn't know how to react. Would it be cool to dance? sit down? beat each other up?' In fact, the division between punks and soul boys was not quite so clear cut as that between punks and teds.

For a start, soul boys were not exactly the same species as Steve Mick's ‘discos', who were just your average nightclub-goers of the day. In effect, while punks were one type of latterday mods, soul boys were another, and the difference between them was further blurred by the fact that — in 1976, at least — they shared much the same wardrobe.

Pop sociologists have amused themselves for years debating who took the role of the chicken and who the egg in the Great Soul Boy/Punk Style-Crossover. Some commentators have maintained that the early punk look borrowed much from the soul boy styles of the 1975-76 period.

Adrian Thrills made his position clear in his review, describing the Lacy Lady as ‘one of those soul discos where kids are now starting to dress in the new trendy punk fashion'.

In Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs, Johnny Rotten rubbished the idea that punks stole clothing tips from soul boys, insisting instead that he and his similarly eccentrically dressed friends had started something of a punky trend when they visited the Lacy Lady one night early in 1976 and dominated the dancefloor with their wild cavortings.

His claim is both simplistic and typically self- aggrandising. There was, in truth, a two-way exchange of stylistic influence. As early as 1974, the soul boys' mod-like obsession with up-to-the minute clothing had already led some of them to investigate the wares in Sex. In return, their own short hairstyles, mohair jumpers and plastic, or jelly, sandals had indeed become features of the nascent punk scene.

Any outbreak of violence between the two tribes at the Lacy Lady on Thursday 11 November 1976 would have been hard pushed to get out of hand: only 20 people showed up.

With low audience turnouts and less than keen record company reaction, the Clash hype needed to be stepped up a notch. On 22 October, Stiff had released the Damned's single, "New Rose', the first recording by representatives of the UK punk movement.

Jonh Ingham had made it Single of the Week in Sounds. In the light of this development in the Damned's career, Caroline Coon was quite justified in interviewing them for Melody Maker.

Instead of running the piece on its own, however, she twinned it with an interview she conducted with the Clash on 5 November — the day of the RCA gig — for no discernible record or tour related purpose, and rushed both into the 13 November issue under the joint headline: ‘NEW FACES: Caroline Coon introduces two hot punk rock bands.'

Poster - Lady Lacy, Ilford

"Wow! I never knew this happened! The Clash playing at Ilford's Lacy Lady is one thing, but DJ Chris Hill is another! (Chris Hill was one of the main players on he London "Jazz Funk" scene of the late 70's)." Facebook

Interesting bit of early punk history from Ilford

Rezz Heads | Facebook

The clash & the damned - live at the lacy lady, ilford, uk - 1976 - flyer

Care of the chris dench archive

Speaking to mark 'snowboy' cotgrove recently, he mentioned this flyer that his friend chris dench had, which he has kindly let southend punk.Com put on the site. He further said: 'this flyer belongs to a friend of mine called chris dench. He was at those gigs.The subway sect supported the clash, and the pub rock band, roogalator, supported the damned. The damned went off briefly after the first song because the drummer put talc on the snare and it went everywhere. They came back on I understand.'

Also 'chris hill told me that they were the only two punk nights there. I asked chris what music he deejayed but he said that he just compered the night. There had only been one or two punk records made by then', and 'as you know, the bromley contingent were all soul boys/girls (the fashion coming before the music) and were regulars at the goldmine and then the lacy, when chris moved there in early ‘76. Chris hill reckons that mick jones was one of the best dancers on the soul nights (in his finest westwood clothes! ??). Both siouxsie and john lydon mention the soul nights... It was bernie as a regular that talked chris in to putting them on on that thursday!'

Thanks to mark 'snowboy' cotgrove for the information. The Clash & The Damned - Live at The Lacy Lady, Ilford, UK - 1976 - Flyer

Seven Kings Hotel, High Road, Ilford, Essex

The Lacy Lady, located at the Seven Kings Hotel on High Road, Ilford, Essex, was a renowned soul club that operated from 1978 to 1984. It was a popular venue, drawing crowds from all over London. The club was known for its vibrant music scene, with resident DJs such as Tom Holland and Chris Hill. The Lacy Lady was a significant part of the British club scene during that era, hosting a variety of music performances and contributing to the cultural landscape of the time.

The Kings Pub ran a popular soul night called "Lacy Lady"

A local pub in Seven Kings, Ilford. Called The Kings Pub ran a popular soul night called "Lacy Lady" had started their own following of people. This became a form of sanctuary where I could finally express the love of dance through the joy of music.

The Lady Lacy was a soul club

It wasn't overly populated, no. Thursdays were normally Bowie nights and Lacy was a soul club run by Chris Hill and Tom Holland. But it was right up there as far as dress code was concerned. Lots of Acme and SEX clothes. Big crossover with soul scene early on. Never gets reported

— Dress up to Mess Up...(Official) (@e17hero) April 9, 2018

Seven Kings Hotel, High Road, Ilford, Essex

There's some comments on the venue here (Ilford.co.uk). Venue Facebook page is here. Link to a bit about the venue here (Punk 77) too. A long history of the venue can be found here (The Caister DJ team).

'48 Thrills' fanzine, Issue #1

Subway Sect

Subway Sect at the Lacy Lady, Ilford - 11/11/76. Picture by Jonh Ingham, from 'The Spirit of 76'. Rob Symmons goes Mod, Vic in old man's clothes pic.twitter.com/tlXMW7ESCF

— Jon Savage (@JonSavage1966) July 29, 2020

Subway Sect

Subway Sect at the Lacy Lady pic by Jonh Ingham pic.twitter.com/Y6b1yxZO9W

— Jon Savage (@JonSavage1966) April 10, 2018

The Clash : Live at The Lacy Lady, Ilford

Leonardo Gibo | Facebook

Live at The Lacy Lady, Ilford, UK - 1976

If you know of any recording, please email blackmarketclash

Setlist (from 48 Thrills)

	White Riot How Can I Understand The Flies London's Burning Protex Blue (soundcheck) What's My Name Janie Jones 1-2 Crush On You