The Clash Live - London - The Rainbow (Southall Defence Fund) - Saturday 14th July 1979

As soon as they hit the stage my mate and I pushed our way as far to the front as possible.

I remember arriving slightly late, and the worse for booze. The support act were just arriving on stage, and although listed as Sham 69, I am pretty sure they were not there. I do remember Rat Scabies, and a few of his mates playing, although he, and some of the others were very drunk/the worse for substances, and the set, which seemed to be little more than a few numbers, was a complete shambles, and they were booed off.

There was then a lot of waiting for The Clash to appear, but when they did - WOW. Lighting was basic white lights, and the backdrops of images of planes, etc. were the only distractions from the band. As soon as they hit the stage my mate and I pushed our way as far to the front as possible. I seem to remember them playing almost all of the first album, and quite a lot of what would become their second - everything at breakneck speed. I had already seen The Jam on a couple of occasions, and didnít think they could be topped. But crap support or not, this gig was absolutely amazing. I remember White Riot being among the encores, and several people getting up on stage. Looking back now, I canít believe how lucky I was to pay £2.25 (cheap even at the time) to see the most amazing live band ever. I only wish there was a live recording of the show!í

I have looked everywhere for a live recording of this show - or anything from the tour. I canít get the downloads on the links you sent below to work. You suggest not buying cds from ebay, but it is very difficult knowing where else to get them - I desperately want something to remind me of one of the nights of my life.

Spence, Paul Spenceley <paul.brownie[at)blueyonder.co.uk>

Charles Brown - Ended up helping shift the kit after the Saturday [The Clash] gig

Sam Jamieson - Did Pete Townshend have a band backing him for this gig or was it just him solo acoustic?

Peter Abbott - The only Clash gig I witnessed from a seat! Up in the circle away from the madness you could concentrate on how great the new songs are and how great they look as these great photos clearly show.

Stuart McArtney - Ranking Fred, Was the benefit to do with Blair Peach (I think) who died during an anti fascist rally?

Steven Hancock - my favourite Clash show out of the 20+ times I saw them. shame there isn't a recording of it (as far as I know)

Peter Abbott - Facebook - That RAR Rainbow show was unique amongst my Clash shows as it was the only one we watched from the circle (am i remembering correctly Ian Goold )so i remember it in widescreen rather than being in the thick of it. A different perspective but still absolutely thrilling..

Luis Carlos Ferreira - The Clash at "Southall Kids are Innocent" gigs, The Rainbow, London 1979.

Paul Wilson - Mat Coffinatchi-Black - They played some London Calling tracks at an RAR benefit at the Rainbow Finsbury that summer. I went but cant remember the exact date. London Calling, Rudi; Hatefull, Death or Glory and Im not down. 14th

The gig was to raise money to fund the defence of kids arrested at an anti racism demo in Southall, West London. The first night featured Pete Townsend and Band, The Pop Group, The Ruts, The Enchanters and Aswad.......42 years latter, and we're still fighting racism in society!!!

It's what we'd all come for. What the whole weekend was about. Silence; then handclaps. Curtains rise on The Clash. I'm hoping. They've gotta be better than at the Notre Dame. That was just a practice gig. And they are. Far, far better.

They've changed, for better or for worse. They look cooler, trendier. There's the new songs, controversial in their acceptability, but in spite of the talk of the `new Clash', they still play the old songs. And they play them well, as ever.

Starting off with `White Man In Hammersmith Palais', crashing through `Clash City Rockers', `I Fought The Law', `London' Burning' to name but a few The new numbers aren't new anymore though. l've heard them before and they sound miles better on the second time around. Deep and pounding `London Calling', `Death Or Glory', and new Clashic `Rudie Can't Fail'.

You couldn't move. Even the Rainbow was steaming. All eyes on Joe as he poured Out his feelings, his passions with an ironically twisted smile. Nearly lost his mike to the ebullient followers. Threw his guitar triumphantly into the atmosphere as the set closed. Plenty more where that came from.

Return to the stage. Stand there like gods. Play `Tommy Gun' and `Garageland' for the fans who are theirs for ever. Then they've gone. Lights go on, bathing sweaty faces. Certain in their love of The Clash, maybe less certain of this time. But give em enough rope, and you'll find little has changed.
The Clash live on.

The myths and symbols are vaguely echoed; the vulnerability of the attack on the massive obstacles - of everything from falling in love through struggling for survival to wondering what is the `cause' - is more obvious than it has ever been.

Alive because caught within the flash where most people aren't even able to blow their noses, Clash are willing to blow their lot. Clash's significant resignation is manifested as the ultimate defiance. And that's positive enough and primitive enough to be actually liberating.

Clash are alive because they refuse to congratulate themselves, could never isolate themselves and because their confusion doesn't render them impotent but infuses the whole being with practical resistance and the urge to uncover.

The Clash are dangerous and alive because with quiet industry they've reached a stage where they are something a Lot more than simply `scandalous' within the rock'n'roII network. And they operate with a strange value on the perimeters avoiding fake pulp publicity, making all sorts of mistakes - showing themselves up and being realistic enough to offer no hope. Because there is no hope.

So who sits back?

Clash are the real sound and fury. They're the first' rock'n'roII band you could call `dangerous' without chuckling at the same time.

Clash explode through everything once they're on stage. They know more than anybody that that's where it matters.

You only have to look.

I used to blindly follow what everybody else whined about The Clash, what they've read into it; about the frills and the poses and the slogans. Now I will decide for myself, and I'm going to be right.

They're a sort of blank screen on which the entire history of rock'n'roll achieves a comprehensive focus; corny, splendid, and, er, rebellious. They've got all the cliches and all the soul; all the poses and all the grunts.

When MIck Jones keeps his face and body straight and slashes his right hand across his guitar- that is rock'n'rolI. And it's not silly. It's great!

Before Clash, sharing the- bill and the spontaneous pained outcry against the Southall debacle and completing a moving union three acts entertained with that mixture of toughness, tenderness and triviality that makes you glow inside.

Bongo Danny And The Enchanters played the droning rhythms. Part time attention is what you need for this stuff. In the seat-less Rainbow that was easily attained; it was a light way to start.

The Members were even better than I hoped for

You can tell they've been playing a lot lately. Their set was taught and right; pop song after pop song, some verging on the epic, some bumping around an immediately identifiable reggae feel. Nicky Tesco seemed angry and J.C. was in his element. Who needs anything more?

Aswad, despite hints that the event was running well overtime, (a deserved `Members' encore was apparently out of the question), played a long set.

At first I was bored, my mind kept wandering. But then I noticed my right leg was moving and my fingers clicking. So I concentrated. Aswad are not as languid as a casual listen would suggest. There is depth and strength that you might have to move in close for.

Their music drifted into pokey jamming and choppy doodling, floated around a little, but didn't seem out of place. When Aswad finally left, the atmosphere was thick and sticky and just right.

Clash run out onto the stage, towards a mass of multicoloured hair, sweaty faces and pounding fists, and everything is as it should be. Topper is shoved away. Paul Simonon is loose limbed and beautiful. Mick Jones is a red guitar hero. Joe Strummer is a contorted leader.

Clash are a hard rock group, but calling them that - and inadvertently incorporating all the traditions of rock'n'roll that are really irrelevant - it must be said that no one else deserves the title.

Clash are hard but it goes far beyond a mere label, a simple cosy dismissal

They do what has to be done - thinking about the plectrum, thinking about a clenched nose - and play each moment for all it's worth. You don't know what this Really means until you see Joe Strummer inching towards the drum stand, side on, legs twitching, guitar on hip, face wrecked, fingers flurrying.

They thrash time, do it for themselves (which accounts for some of the posing), and push it so that everything threatens to collapse and there are a lot of holes. But the spirit keeps it together as much as needs be.

And faced with an audience whose responses are as `mechanical as everyone says The Clash's poses are, they need that spirit.

The Clash are audacious, natural, contrived: everything end nothing. The moment matters, and no more. The moment can hurt. But perhaps only because I wanted it to (and at the moment I'm making the rules).

This was a ragged sort of gig, but I think that it's the totality that is far more important than a single event. It started off like something important, but soon wilted. Perhaps it was because there were lots of new songs, and people just weren't familiar with them.

I thought the new songs sounded like masterpieces, but then you've probably learned not to trust me by now.

The Clash have a long way to go, but they're closer than anyone else that I can think of. No one knows what to do with them these days, but I've made my mind up.

The Clash are alive! Paul Morley

It was a memorable performance, which left a smile on my face until Aswad stepped forth. Unfortunately, somebody somewhere had decided to put emphasis on the bass and drums to such an extent that the light ethereal feel that the keyboards and guitar strived for was completely drowned. The result was a dull, repetitious thud which failed miserably to ignite the crowd. The lead singer bounced along jauntily, but he wasn't convincing anybody and, any- way, the Clash were on next.

Concerning the Clash, I have nothing to add to the perceptive review they received in this paper last week, except that in terms of skill and fire-power they still hold the cards over most bands.

And, judging from last weekend, I'll take Strummer over Townshend any day of the week.

Martin Black, a huge Pete Townsend /Who fan at the time went to the Friday night gig (The Clash headlined Saturday) with his schoolmates, Seamus and Mitch ...

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