The Clash Take the Fifth Tour
Supported by Bo Diddley & The Undertones

updated 7 July 2008 - added punters view (SmokeM)
updated 30 Dec 2008 - added flyer/ticket stub
updated 30 Dec 2008 - added review of Chicago FM Rebroadcast
updated 22 January 2022 - added pass/tic

5 decent copies!

Over the time I have received 5 decent copies. There is not much between them. Some include the first minute of the radio annnoucer from the re-broadcast, some (from previous broadcasts?) don't. The FM Rebroadcast was broadcast in the Ccigao area only on January 18th 2003. I have excluded poorer copies such as the 'Home of the Blues cdr'

Audio 1 - Live in Chicago CD

Sound 4 - 64mins - low - 19 tracks
An older recording, slightly flater and probbaly copied more. Misses the intro

Audio 2 -

Sound 4.5 - 64mins - low - 19 tracks
From the WXRT re-broadcast & includes the announcer. As good as it gets. A bit higher pitch.

Audio 3 - WXRT Chicago FM (This is Live Clash...)

Sound 4 - 63mins - low - 19 track
From teh FM Broadcast and for some at amore pleasing balanced pitch. Misses the intro

Audio 4 - radio broadcast master but at 128k

Sound 4.5 - 65min - master - 19 tracks
Probably the best. Sounds like 3 and includes the announcer.

Audio 5 - radio broadcast master but at 260k

Sound 4.5 - 63min - master - 19 tracks
Sounds no different to the 128k (4) and excludes the radio announcer.

Koka Kola, I Fought the Law

Newer FM Rebroadcast Jan 2003

This supercedes all others just thought the older copies came from the previous FM broadcast back in the day. Very clear, not the quality of a soundboard but hugely enjoyable. There is some static at the begnning on Jimmy Jazz.

The radio announcer identifies the station and broadcast following Jail Guitar Doors where two tracks are cut from the broadcast.

There is a duller more muffled version. If downloaded it will be 128k whereas the better version above is 270 VBR.

The Older Releases

Several recordings circulate on this one and one has been booted, This is Live Clash: Chicago 1979. All emanate from a radio broadcast at the time or a re-broadcast in 1995 on WXRT.

Several cdrs exist as well as the boot CD [source 1]. The Boot CD has a poorer sound to source 3 and 4 below.

One cdr [not listed here] falsely goes under the name of Live Clash Chicago, the boot CD title, but its a poor copy.

Another two go under the name House of the Blues [1 not listed its awful], the name Joe identifies before the first number, but these last two are from different radio sources. Of the two going by the name of the Home of the Blues, one can be dismissed as it suffers interference and distortion though good. The one listed above is only average.

Source 3 has a much better sound, and sounds like a clearer version of the This is Live Clash: Chicago. This, the second Home of the Blues/I’m so Bored with Chicago (II)is much much better.

Source 4, called WXRT Chicago circulating is identified as Live Clash Chicago, however it is not as this one carries the broadcast information for the radio station identifying the station and the rebroadcast that was to follow. An extra track at the beginning.

The WXRT 1995 re-broadcast has the best sound; more dynamic and detailed than any of the others, however it had 2 second track gaps and there is some slight noise. The sound and stereo mix is excellent on all the instrumentation particularly though on Mick’s guitar which is right up in the mix.

arguably the best of the tour

The second night of the tour and a marked contrast on the first at St. Paul. Here a combination of a receptive very lively audience, and resolved inter-band conflict result in a superb charged and intense performance, arguably the best of the tour.

Where as at St Paul the audience were muted, Joe and Mick were falling out and Joe bit Paul in frustration, here in Chicago 2 days later Joe warmly introduces Mick as “This here’s my partner” and the shared purpose of the band is evident throughout.

A purpose that is evident in a fanstastic Clash gig, Joe recently saying that there were some highly memorable nights where everything came together and the band caught fire. This was one of those nights. Captured by the local FM radio broadcast, the concert exists in stereo pro sound.

Paul Morley for the NME (NME Ray Lowry 5th Tour Notes published on the 29th September, 6th of October and the 13th October) wrote that Chicago was a Clash city and went where Clash wanted to take them. The band patted each other on back at end, and the Clash thought the Chicago audience was great. There was a downside when Paul ricked his back and hurt his hip requiring medical attention.

Tickets, passes

Link

Flyers

Link

Aragon Ballroom, Chicago

The famous Aragon Ballroom is still open today. Built in 1926 it looks like the courtyard of a Spanish castle . Ray Lowry described the scene (see link): ‘The Aragon is the result of mating the Ponderosa ranch with the Albert Hall, setting it down in Blackpool in Scots week and calling in the Mongol hordes. And the Mongol hordes love The Clash. By time The Clash had finished their set the audience had melted down into a heap of steaming insides and twitching nerve ends slithering around the floor of the theatre.’

crank up the volume

Thankfully Mick’s use of some guitar effects which spoils the enjoyment somewhat of many of the Take The 5th shows is a problem here only on London Calling where the songs intro especially loses its edge and impact. Mick was really wired for this show and his playing is a delight with lots of invention and ‘punk rock electric guitar’.

Joe’s rhythm guitar is lost in the mix somewhat until Police & Thieves onward when it is clear as a bell in the left channel, the two guitars sounding superb. The only criticism of the mix is the vocals, which are not as in your face as you would expect from a pro-recording. Overall though it’s a hugely enjoyable sound (crank up the volume) arguably capturing the power of the performance better than the New York FM broadcast. Certainly the performance here is more intense and together.

Following the short introduction to the rebroadcast, Mick starts the set with “This is the home of the blues, right” and an excellent Jimmy Jazz, blues Clash style. As Jimmy Jazz ends there’s a short gap, the orange stage lights blaze on and Mick’s guitar blasts out the intro of I’m So Bored With The USA. The audience go wild and there’s no break before an intense Complete Control.

London Calling is still fairly ragged, spoilt somewhat by Mick’s guitar effects and still containing the “time to be tough, midnight shutdown” lyrics although “phoney Beatlemania” gets its debut. The London Calling lyric and musical differences evident on this tour surely mean it was recorded or over dubbed after the tour contrary to accounts of the band playing the acetates in the tour bus flown over by Bill Price later in the tour?

Clampdown follows, a song also still in live development but here sounding magnificent especially at the start with Mick screaming “hey, hey, hey, hey”. The song gets into a great groove and then stops without a proper ending, yet to be worked up. Mick introduced a similarly magnificent White Man with “this is for Rock Against Racism in Chicago”.

All the performances are intense and powerful with Mick and Joe evidently really fired up. An edit after Jail Guitar Doors loses Guns of Brixton (Morley confirms Paul singing at this gig) and English Civil War (eye witness account). Mick’s playing on Police & Thieves is superb and inventive, only a lack of an inspired rant (you know what I mean!) from Joe stops it matching the magnificence of the Cleveland Pearl Harbour performance. Stay Free here though arguably is the best live performance with Mick doing some Clash translation for US ears;” this the appendix right, Butlin’s means the nick, the nick means the penitentiary”. Clash City Rockers is another highlight amongst a set full of them.

An edit after Safe European Home on WXRT loses Joe’s introduction and Mick’s guitar intro to Capital Radio which is on Home of The Blues/Bored With Chicago; “ I was listening to the radio in Hawaii, just lying on the beach, not a thought in my head, not a care in the world, the radio never plays no song..”. It’s another great performance with Joe singing “passive audience reaction that’s the way we gotta be today, don’t play your records, no chance, won’t play your record, no dance, no hit record, no chance, never mind, never mind..” It’s an inspired charge then through Janie Jones and Garageland to the encore.

With lights out drum and bass punch out repeatedly the rhythm to Armagideon Time before Mick’s guitar comes in playing his reggae chops and then Joe with his candelabra now adding more improvisation to this song as it develops and gets extended during this tour. The lull in intensity is short lived as Career Opportunities is blasted out followed by a wild White Riot, which comes to an end only for Topper to keep the drums beating, and then the guitar blasts out another chorus.

Superb performance and sound, an absolute must have bootleg. Essential.

My Mom helped me sneek in without a ticket

I first saw THe ClASh 26 years ago at The Aragon Ballroom 1979 I was 12 years old. My Mom helped me sneek in without a ticket got me past the door by saying I just wanted to buy a t-shirt..........once in I was gone up the stairs never to be seen until the end of the show while my parents waited for 2 hours in the car........... then again in 1982 same venue I was a sophomore in high school. The greatest band ever!! -Autumn

Did you go? What do you remember?

Info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome.
Please email blackmarketclash

I've seen tons of shows and it was the best ever.

"All of a sudden they let us in and we ran for the chairs. There was a 10 foot pit area, then tons of chairs. I was on a chair dead center about 25 feet away. Barry somebody (big DJ) was spinning tunes I remember. They brought him from London [Barry “Scratchy” Myers]..Bo Diddley opened the show and I remember seeing the Clash up on the balcony getting into it.

Then the Undertones took the stage. Then The Clash. Right when they got on stage I'll never forget a giant backdrop came down (different nation's flags sewn together) and it brought them even closer.

Started a slow jam and I remember Joe Strummer kinda slowly moving (later on I realized it was Jimmy Jazz). Also remember Mick Jones starting with something like"This is Chicago, home of the Blues, right?"

Then the tune wound down, all of a sudden these big yellow lights hit and they went into "USA" and it was intense! They were all over the place. I was a big Who fan before them and at that time I had only seen pictures of The Clash. Didn't know what to expect. I remember Joe having the coolest stage presence. Just right there. Real herky-jerky. Paul was real cool looking. And Jonesy was all over the place. He was having an incredible night. Ending songs with wicked leaps.

I've seen tons of shows and it was the best ever. At one point I remember Joe climbing all over this net that was on the speakers. It was just wicked...Also remember on "Jail Guitar Doors" that I was disappointed that Mick didn't say "Fuck em" after the Stones verse...I remember Pressure Drop [the prisoner or maybe police & thieves?] clearly 'cause it was an incredible cover and I remember Joe during "ECW" just shaking and looking over his head when he was supposed to sing "marching right up the stairs.“

When the show let out, we were all standing in the street, still in semi-shock as to what a great gig it was.

When the show let out, we were all standing in the street, still in semi-shock as to what a great gig it was. I happened to look up at the Aragon . . if you look at the picture of the venue, there’s these little windows up high. Leaning out were Joe and Mick, looking at the crowd and Chicago with huge grins on their faces, like a couple of kids at Christmas. Joe turns and looks at me across the street, we exchange grins and waves and thumbs up and off he goes. Man, I miss that guy. Thanks for the memory. Paul from Chicago

My Mom helped me sneek in without a ticket

I first saw THe CLASH 26 years ago at The Aragon Ballroom 1979 I was 12 years old. My Mom helped me sneek in without a ticket got me past the door by saying I just wanted to buy a t-shirt..........once in I was gone up the stairs never to be seen until the end of the show while my parents waited for 2 hours in the car........... then again in 1982 same venue I was a sophomore in high school. The greatest band ever!! SmokeM

Me and some friends drove up from St. Louis. About 5 hours.

It was just a wicked show. Friday night, I'm pretty sure. Me and some friends drove up from St. Louis. About 5 hours. I remember waiting in an alley for hours. The show was at the Aragon Ballroom on Lawrence Street. One guy was just getting wasted and I remember he was passed out for the show!

All of a sudden they let us in and we ran for the chairs. There was a 10 foot pit area, then tons of chairs. I was on a chair dead center about 25 feet away. Barry somebody (big DJ) was spinning tunes I remember. They brought him from London (Myers???)..Bo Diddley (!) opened the show and I remember seeing the Clash up on the balcony getting into it. Then the Undertones took the stage. Then The Clash. Right when they got on stage I'll never forget a giant backdrop came down (different nation's flags sewn together) and it brought them even closer. It was perfect...

Started a slow jam and I remember Joe Strummer kinda slowly moving (later on I realized it was Jimmy Jazz). Also remember Mick Jones starting with something like "This is Chicago, home of the Blues, right?" Then the tune wound down, all of a sudden these big yellow lights hit and they went into "USA" and it was intense! They were all over the place. I was a big Who fan before them and at that time I had only seen pictures of The Clash. Didn't know what to expect. But it was just wicked. I remember Joe having the coolest stage presence. Just right there. Real herky-jerky. Paul was real cool looking. And Jonesy was all over the place. He was having an incredible night. Ending songs with wicked leaps. I've seen tons of shows and it was the best ever. At one point I remember Joe climbing all over this net that was on the speakers. It was just wicked...Also remember on "Jail Guitar Doors" that I was disappointed that Mick didn't say "Fuck em" after the Stones verse...

A Riot of our Own pg192

The Clash Turn Pro (Sort Of)

Peter Silverton, Sounds, 29 September 1979

TUESDAY LUNCHTIME: Cleveland Airport. With a couple of hours to kill before my one-stop-only flight to Minneapolis and the first date on the Clash’s second American tour (bewilderingly named ‘The clash Take The Fifth’), more ...

NME - Clash take the Fifth

Paul Morley

Alternate scan

Text version

Clash has the punk passion, but that's all

Chicago Tribune
Mon Sep 17, 1979

The heir of the Sex Pistols, Clash, is musically superior

The Philadelphia Inquirer

Wed Sep 19,1979

Setlist

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22	Jimmy Jazz. I'm so bored with the USA Complete Control London Calling Pressure Drop?** Clampdown White Man in Hammersmith Koka Kola I fought the Law Jail Guitar Doors Guns of Brixton?** English Civil War?** Police and Thieves Stay Free Clash City Rockers Safe European Home Capital Radio Janie Jones Garageland Armagideon Time Career Opportunities White Riot

** thought to be played

Found a flyer and ticket stub , thought you might like em. I was there. They played Pressure Drop, NOT the Prisoner. Not a chance.