Sort it Out Tour
Supported by the Innocents and the Slits.

Updated Nov 2024

No known audio or video

If you know of any recording, please email blackmarketclash

Poster

Clash City Collectors |Facebook

Tickets

An original Ticket from the night along with the Two Official CBS Badge Set for their Sort It Out Tour kindly shared by Johnny Kardash Clash City Collectors | Facebook

THE CLASH ON PAROLE | Facebook
https://facebook.com

Micky Price - My ticket stub from Wolverhampton Civic 1978

Wolverhampton Civic Hall

The hall was designed in the Classical style and completed in May 1938. It was officially opened by the Earl of Dartmouth, with entertainment provided by Jack Hylton and his orchestra 1.

The venue was renovated and expanded in 2001. It is part of a complex called "The Halls, Wolverhampton" which also includes the Wulfrun Hall and the Slade Rooms 1.

The Civic Hall is a Grade II listed building owned by the City of Wolverhampton Council. It is currently operated by AEG Presents and has a capacity of 3,404 1.

Over the years, the Civic Hall has hosted a wide variety of acts, from rock legends like Queen, David Bowie, and Nirvana to pop stars, comedians, and sporting events 3.

In 2015, the council announced plans for a £10.4 million revamp of the Civic Halls, but the project faced delays and cost overruns, with the reopening now scheduled for June 2023 1.

The Halls of Wolverhampton are Alive! PDF

Historic venue to start hosting shows again after £48m revamp

TheBusinessDesk.com
https://www.thebusinessdesk.com ›

The new operator Wolverhampton Civic Hall has announced when the venue would finally start hosting shows againafter an eight-year revamp costing £48m. AEG Presents confirmed the venue will be hosting shows again in June 2023. The new 3,404 capacity ‘The Civic at The Halls Wolverhampton’ and 1,289 ‘The Wulfrun at The Halls Wolverhampton’ will open its doors to music fans bringing artists back into a Grade II listed space.

I saw The Clash perform here in 1978

After being closed for seven years, The Halls Wolverhampton reopens next month following an extensive refurbishment. Steve Homer - CEO of new operator AEG Presents - talks to What’s On about the challenges and excitement of relaunching the iconic venue...

It’s a pretty big deal for such a global giant to be running the venue - on a 25-year lease, no less - but one that has been prompted by a very local connection. AEG Presents’ CEO, Steve Homer, hails from Stourbridge and attended dozens of gigs at the venue as a youngster, including his first.

“It’s incredible to be able to bring an iconic venue back to life,” he says, “and as a local lad, this is all the more special. I saw The Clash perform here in 1978, and it was an event that forever cemented my love of music. We can’t wait to open the doors of The Halls Wolverhampton and bring the world’s best artists to the West Midlands stage.” The Halls Wolverhampton are alive!

“Of the reopening, AEG Presents CEO Steve Homer said: “Having hosted artists from The Clash, Bowie and Nirvana to the Manic Street Preachers and Morrissey who debuted his first solo performance post The Smiths at ‘The Halls,’ it’s incredible to be able to bring an iconic venue back to life and as a local lad, this is all the more special. NME

I saw The Clash play at Wolverhampton Civic Hall, December 10, 1978

the fountain – Clint Mansell
https://iamclintmansell.com › pages the fountain - Clint Mansell

I saw The Clash play at Wolverhampton Civic Hall, December 10, 1978. I was 15 years old. It was the classic line-up of Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simenon, and Topper Headon. It snowed heavier than I’ve ever seen that night, but it didn’t stop nearly 3,000 rabid punk rockers packing the Civic to the rafters!

They were incredible, and blew my mind, that night. Infusing my young mind with the how music can connect people. From performer to audience via the shared experience of the music.

Years later, the Clash fell apart. A demise that began with the sacking of Topper, and later, their musical driving force, Mick Jones. In the documentary ‘Westway To the World’, Strummer lamented his decision to fire Topper, saying, and I paraphrase, that its the chemistry of the people involved that makes the magic happen, and you should do everything you can to preserve that magic. You can always get another drummer in, another guitar player, but its the character and personality of those involved that makes the magic. And you can’t replace that.

When we made The Fountain, we were The Clash! The people we were, the creativity we had, we were at the top of our game. But that time, and that team is gone now, never to be recaptured, I’d imagine. Things change, but the work remains.

The Fountain, i think, is the best of the work we did from Pi, to Noah. The Fountain is our ‘London Calling’, our ‘It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back’, our ‘Check Your Head’. It was savaged by the critics, and audience alike. But thats OK. as artists, its our responsibility to push things forward, to challenge, to confront. And, I believe, we did that with The Fountain.

Darren Aronofsky, Eric Watson, Jay Rabinowitz, Matthew Libatique, Ari Handel, Brian Emrich, Justin Skomarovsky, Geoff Foster, Mogwai, Kronos Quartet, I salute you! We all gave our everything, as well we should, but its a moment in time, when you capture that magic. Through hard work, through application, through belief in ourselves and one another.

Over the years, I’ve heard from many people how much this music, and the film, have helped them through very difficult times of their lives. Darrens story, the actors performances, Mattys photography, the special FX, the music, all combined to speak to people, those who were listening, anyway, those who were looking for something, needing something..a connection, perhaps..

For me, too..this music has taken on new depths. Performing this music earlier this year, I felt that connection between the audience and the music, performing it with my wonderful band in Los Angeles, London, Birmingham, Gateshead, and most of all, in Glasgow, helped me, and lifted me, through a stage of grief, from which I saw no way out.

I hadn’t know loss when I saw the Clash, or when I wrote this music, it was all borne out of Darrens film..but when i was in the darkest of places, it was this music that helped me recover-the connection between the music, the performers, the audience, and myself, the writer was palpable to me…

I had reached that place that I had felt back when I saw the Clash.

I dedicate this music to everyone of us who has suffered loss, everyone who has known pain, everyone who is struggling, everyone.

Clint Mansell, Los Angeles. 2016

The greatest Wednesday of my life. The Clash were immense!

Simon Catmur - I was there  - hometown gig for me. The the Civic Hall covered in snow. Got the bus up in the snow after school. The Innocents, Slits & Clash were awesome, running on stage in front of the Unprovoked Retaliation flags. Brilliant.

I bought that shirt too & cut off the neck & sleeves - looked great under a holey pink / black mohair I got from Malc Treece (pre From Eden & Wonderstuff).

I remember being spat at by a lady at a bus stop for 'dressing disgracefully', a snowstorm, a snowball fight outside the venue & the Clash charging onto stage like their lives depended on it. I walked some of the way home as the buses were snowbound. A version of the shirt I bought & wore to death.

The greatest Wednesday of my life. The Clash were immense! ɹnɯʇɐɔ uoɯıs - @SCatmur

At school next day, people stood in a daze, struggling to come to terms with what they had just witnessed

Robin Tate - Who ever's ticket this (No.6, ripped, above) wrote the following from the night...My ripped stub from Wolverhampton Civic Hall on the 'Sort it Out' tour, Wednesday 20th December 1978. Best Wednesday of my life. I will never forget that date, the first time I saw The Clash as a school kid.

I remember the snow, my brother driving us in a blizzard, taking his Opal Manta down an alleyway to avoid the gridlock, the severely delayed gig, the madness, the clutching to the front of the stage from the moment we got through the door, The Innocents, the spit, The Slits, the spit, the clutching to the front of the stage, the skinhead who seconds before The Clash were due on stage tapped my mate on the shoulder to tell him his mom was on the phone and he should stop clutching to the front of the stage and go and find out what she wanted, my mate thinking about giving up his spot and then 'Safe European Home' kicking in and changing our lives forever!

After the gig it was very late, we had school next day, people stood in a daze, struggling to come to terms with what they had just witnessed. The snow made Wolverhampton look beautiful. Our lives would never be the same again. Wolverhampton would never be the same again.

It was a great night!

Sean Regan - Abiding memory, Toppers drum sound which was so good, and Paul had just started slicking his hair back..soon to be copied

Karen Hill - Snowed like hell had struck that night - we all ended up having to walk miles home.

Mark Jeavons - It was a great night! It was a bitter winter's night karen,but the clash were absolutely brilliant weren't they!

Lorne Cartlidge - We had to walk and partly hitch to new st Birmingham to get early morning train too derby as train from Wolverhampton had stopped running due to a strike..start of the winter of discontent

Calvin Pope - Wolves civic Dec on the same tour, changed my whole view on everything. {Sort it Out ’78]

Chris Fradgley - I was there as well and had the t.shirt.... seems like yesterday! happy days!

Tim Owen - I was at that gig too , my favourite gig of all time I think . Had that t shirt and wore it to many gigs till had it ripped off !

Simon Catmur - I was so close to the speakers my ears rang for days on that tour at Wolverhampton. A very quiet next day.

Fanbloodytastic

Pete Kalhan - Remember the evening well. Superb night

Sandra Clarke - Fanbloodytastic still got my t.shirt

Mark Guest - Just remember standing in front of Paul Simonon and shouting for 1977,he just smiled back looking dead cool!

Simon Catmur - I might not be able to tell you my wedding date or the dates of other key events in my life but I never forget that 20th December 1978 was the first time I saw The Clash. Blimey, 37 years ago today at Wolverhampton Civic Hall with the Slits & the Innocents. Today is Clash day. If someone locks me out, I kick my way back in.
Simon Catmur | Facebook - https://macebook.com/

one of the best nights of my life

Simon Catmur - Adam Mole great choice. I do remember Topper’s blistering intro to Tommy Gun - might have to dig that out

Adam Mole - Simon Catmur did they start with that or Safe European Home, one of the two I reckon and did they do a bit of a medley encore of white riot/ complete control and a.n other which was maybe a bit naff dare I say, maybe cos the gig was well over time cos of the snow or have I dreamt that? Still one of the best nights of my life whatever

Don Ash - Best Gig at The Civic?? Though I Started with Hawkwind in 1974... And I went to The 'White Riot' tour gig...But it has to be..The Clash, December 1978..effing amazing gig!!!
https://www.facebook.com/
Wolverhampton Music Archive | Best Gig at The Civic | Facebook

so we travelled to Wolverhampton Civic Hall and for the princely entrance sum of £2.25

Jim Gleeson - The Clash weren't playing Brum so we travelled to Wolverhampton Civic Hall and for the princely sum of £2.25 in advance....I remember the fight below and also Joe Strummer asking everyone not to gob on them as he'd caught hepatitis earlier that year from gob.
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/

A lot of gob!!

Clint Mansell - The first band I saw at Wolverhampton Civic Halls was The Clash! December 1978! . A lot of gob!! I remember seeing something about a foot long hurtling across the stage!Whoever gobbed that up was seriously ill !!Facebook - https://facebook.com/

David Newton - Brilliant ... I was at that too ! Not forgetting The Slits & The Innocents, who suffered a lot of gob ... ugh ! !!

Nick Hall - I seem to remember catching the last bus back to Stourbridge, and there was a bus strike for the next day.

Keith Rowley - Really horrible for The Innocents especially.Expectorant night! Got a poster for this gig somewhere. Was it the Sort It Out tour?

Charlie McCartan - That was mine as well. Think it was the last day of school the next day?

What a night!!!

Neal Cook Ncp - I was there.

Miles Wood - With no gigs to go to for the foreseeable future, continuing trying to remember some important ones from the 1970s & 80s. 43 years ago, on December 20th 1978, I saw The Clash + The Slits at Wolverhampton Civic Hall. The headliners most definitely delivered live.
Miles Wood | Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/

Pete Kalhan - What a night!!!

The Best Gig I’ve Seen

Simon Catmur - The Best Gig I’ve Seen https://www.facebook.com/

Watching the Clash, Slits & Innocents on the Sort it Out tour at Wolverhampton Civic Hall 39 years ago today - 20th December 1978. Being spat at by a lady at a bus stop for 'dressing disgracefully', snow, snowball fight outside the venue & the Clash charging onto stage - best gig I saw them play. With (I think) Chris Fradgley, Kate Warrilow, Pete Kalhan, Glo Mason, Malcolm Treece, Paul Whitticase etc. A version of the shirt I bought & wore to death. I might have walked much of the way home as the buses were snowbound.

Pete Kalhan - Still remember that night. Brilliant Gig!

this the gig we mistakenly thought the Clash were staying at the Fox Hotel and stood outside singing Clash songs or did I dream it?

Mark Guest - Pete Kalhan  - was this the gig we mistakenly thought the Clash were staying at the Fox Hotel and stood outside singing Clash songs or did I dream it?

Julianna Scalley-Jackson - I think that was when The Clash played in Birmingham probably 1979?, it was rumoured they were staying at The Fox in Wolverhampton. I know Debby, Jacqui and I hung around in the hope that we would catch a glimpse of them.

Mark Guest - Pete Kalhan  - Thinking about it I don't remember it snowing so must have been a different clash gig. Definitely snowed. Was worried about disfiguring my suede winkle pickers

Got chucked out twice for jumping on stage but managed to find a route in round the back

Steve Beddoe - I was at the Wolverhampton gig !! Got chucked out twice for jumping on stage but managed to find a route in round the back, Get in !! Facebook

Great Night ! It Snowed Afterwards

Keith Andrew Roughton - Great Night ! It Snowed Afterwards ! I talked to Paul Simonon in 1990 when we were in a studio and He borrowed my lights, I mentioned this gig and he said that was a Great Tour ( English Civil War Tour )

Steve Beddoe - Yes we would have been stranded after, but you spotted someone you knew who took us back to Birmingham !!

Keith Andrew Roughton - Jen's Dad ! I was tempted to stay because Joe Strummer asked if we wanted to hang out ! Tough Choices ! I didn't fancy dying of Hypothermia

What a night

Graham Andrews - Was there. https://www.facebook.com

Ian Mitchell - Was there.... What a night

Peter Hope - I went to the one in whamton [Wolverhampton],still the best gig ive been to even now ,when the rolled the flags down as the back drop to strobe light ,bang ,straight in to safe European home ,

Mark Alexander - Wolves civic in December.... what a night

If you know of any recording, email blackmarketclash