The Clash Live 1980

This page lists all known Clash gigs from 1980 with info. If you have any corrections please email blackmarketclash

Tours

Jan 80 - 16 Tons UK Tour ...

Mar 80 - 16 Tons US Tour ...

May 80 - 16 Tons UK / Europe ...

June 80 - In the Studio ...

...16 Tons and what do I get / Another day older and deeper in debt... (Tennessee Ernie Ford).

The Clash had not toured the UK since the end of 78 (partly because of CBS debt) and they were at the height of their popularity in Britain. London Calling, single and album were high in the charts and venues sold out fast. Punk had taken off in a big way with spikey haired punk rockers contrasting with The Clash’s new slicker retro rocker, greased back look.

The Tour, the support acts, a new album

Clash favourites, the great Toots & The Maytals sadly cancelled at the last minute resulting in a last minute search for replacements. Ian Dury & The Blockheads stepped in to repay the favour paid to them by The Clash supporting them at the Kampuchea Benefit. Prince Hammer and Lew Lewis also stepped in, the latter providing harmonica at Aylesbury and elsewhere in 1980. Mikey Dread, of Dread At The Controls fame would appear later and have a huge influence on the sound Bankrobber and Sandinista. Mikey has said recently that he is angry that he has not received the royalties since that his imput merited.

The Clash touring party was still swelled by the likes of Robin Crocker and Kris Needs (whose band played support at Aylesbury) and Mo Armstrong (over from San Francisco with FSLN bandanas and first news of the Sandinista’s. Baker and Johnny were still there but now there was catering and merchandising, organised by Blackhill who were still the management. Barry “Scratchy” Myers still DJ’ed and Tennessee Ernie Ford’s classic, 16Tons became the first Clash stage “fanfare”, the song’s lyric of obvious appeal to The Clash, not least because of their huge debt to CBS. Dreadlocked (at least via his hat) Ray Jordan became a new fixture in the Clash camp, able to defuse any potentially violent situation before it blew up.

For a collection of other printed material, interviews fanzines, magazine, tour clippings etc..

Extensive archive of articles and magazines from around the tour period

Video and audio

16 Tons Tour, UK, Paris


Jan 5		UK ITV TV - TISWAS 2nd Tiswas Appearance
Jan 5		Aylesbury - Friars
		Punk & It Aftershocks Video has a better sound. It may also come from 1980 TV documentary "Rock: Ready for the 80´s. 7min
Jan 6		Canterbury – Odeon
Jan 8		Brighton – Top Rank
Jan 9		Brighton – Top Rank
Jan 11		Bath – Pavillion
Jan 12		Taunton – Odeon
Jan 13		Bristol – Locarno
		South West swing cancelled
Jan 11		BBC Radio – Strummer & Debbie Harry 47mins
Jan 11		Crawley – Leisure Centre
Jan 12		Hastings – Pavilion
Jan 14		Ipswich – Gaumont
Jan 16		Leicester – De Montfort Hall
Jan 18		Dundee – Caird Hall
Jan 18		BBCTV "Nationwide"
		Posted by Edda In Reply to: Nationwide & The Last Testament live footage. I think the live footage in those two videos is from the two Edinburgh gigs from Jan 19/20th 1980 , and not from the 18th Dundee gig . Last 30 secs Londons Burning in nationwide clip does sound a lot like the Londons burning from 20th.It also looks like Joe's wearing the same clothes in the van ( nationwide interview) and the soundcheck pictures from the 20th.
Jan 19		Edinburgh – Odeon
Jan 20		Edinburgh – Odeon
Jan 21		Glasgow – Apollo
Jan 22		Glasgow – Apollo
Jan 23		Lancaster – University
		A Riot of Our Own p227 - See Blackpool Gazette
Jan 24		Blackpool – Tiffany’s
		A Riot of Our Own p227 - See Blackpool Gazette
Jan 25		Blackburn – King Georges
Jan 26		Queensferry – Deeside Leisure Centre
Jan 27		Sheffield – Top Rank
Jan 29		Bradford – St. Georges
Jan 30		Bridlington – Royal Spa
Jan 31		Leeds – University
Feb 1		Stoke – Victoria Hall, Hanley
Feb 1		Recording Bankrobber
		February 1st and 2nd Studio - Pluto Studio Bankrobber-Shepard’s Delight Broadway Line Up: Joe Strummer – vocals, guitar, Mick Jones – guitar, Paul Simonon – bass, Topper Headon – drums, Mickey Gallagher – piano, Mikey Dread – vocals, percussion. Producer Mikey Dread. Source – Complete Clash, London Calling 40th Anniversary notebook (for “Broadway” inclusion)
Feb 2		Manchester – Rafters secret gig [Did this take place?]
Feb 3		Manchester – Apollo
Feb 4		Manchester – Apollo
Feb 5		Birmingham – Top Rank
Feb 6		Birmingham – Top Rank
Feb 7		Coventry – Tiffany’s
Feb 9		Portsmouth – Guild Hall
Feb 10		Poole – Wessex Hall
Feb 11		Cardiff – Sophia Gardens
Feb 12		Bournemouth – Stateside
Feb 13		Southampton – Top Rank,
Feb 15		London – Electric Ballroom
Feb 16		London – Electric Ballroom
Feb 17		London – Lyceum
Feb 18		London – Lewisham Odeon
Feb 20		Stoke – Victoria Hall, Hanley
Feb 21		Derby – Kings Hall
Feb 22		London – Liberty Theatre, Balham
Feb 23		London – Mile End Liberty Theatre
Feb 25		Bristol – Colston Hall
Feb 27		Paris – Le Palace

16 Tons Tour, US dates ...Less than 5 months after the last US tour The Clash were back in the USA for a short tour, a blitz of 9 gigs in 10 days in key cities. This reflects acceptance by the band that if they were to be able to break free of the CBS debt shackles they must break the huge American market. Indeed there was no complaint when the unrepresentative but commercial Train In Vain was released as a single in the US on February 12th.

Extensive archive of articles and magazines from the US leg of the 16 Tons Tour period

Video and audio from the 16 Tons Tour period

16 Tons Tour USA


March?		US TV report – PM Magazine
Mar 1		San Francisco CA – The Fox, Warfield
Mar 2		San Francisco CA – The Fox, Warfield
Mar 3		Santa Monica CA – Civic Theatre
Mar 4		Santa Monica CA – Civic Theatre
Mar 6		Philadelphia PA – Tower Theatre
Mar 7		New York NY – Palladium
		US TV report: Lifetimes - snippets of live footage, interviews. 20mins
Mar 8		Passaic NJ – Capitol Theater
Mar 9		Boston MA – Orpheum Theater
		1 track - source unknown dubbed with soundboard audio
Mar 10		Detroit MI – Motor City Roller Rink
		hand held footage - 5 tracks
Mar		Recording Junco Partner
		Mid-March, Studio – Channel One (Kingston) Junco Partner Line Up: Joe Strummer – vocals, piano, Mick Jones – guitar, Paul Simonon – bass, Style Scott – drums (source: Pat Gilbert, Sept 2020 Mojo magazine) Mikey Dread – vocals, percussion. Producer Mikey Dread. Source – Passion Is a Fashion (page 270)
Mar		Recording Police on My Back + ...
		Late March/Early April Studio – Power Station (New York) Police On My Back Louie Louie Madness (Prince Buster) (unreleased/no bootleg) Line Up: Joe Strummer – vocals, guitar, Mick Jones – vocals, guitar, bass (though Strummer interview claims Paul played it later “at Wessex”). Topper Headon – drums, Producer Mikey Dread. Source – Passion Is a Fashion (page 274)
Apr 7		Recording Sandinista
		April 7-April 20 Studio – Electric Lady (New York) The Call Up The Magnificent Seven Lightning Strikes Every Little Bit Hurts Lose This Skin Stop the World (backing track) Ivan Meets GI Joe Look Here Hitsville UK Charlie Don’t Surf Line Up: Joe Strummer – vocals, piano, Mick Jones – guitar, vocals, Topper Headon – drums, Ivan Julian – guitar on “The Call Up”. Mickey Gallagher – piano, organ Tymon Dogg - Violin and vocals on “Lose This Skin, violin on “Lightning Strikes”, Norman Watt-Roy - bass, Producer Mikey Dread, Source – Passion Is a Fashion (page 273), Clash on Broadway, Clash FAQ (page 244)
Apr 25		Los Angeles – ABC-TV "Fridays"
Apr 25		Los Angeles
		According to the 16 Tons gig poster there was a gig in LA.
Apr 27		Hollywood CA – Roxy Theatre,

16 Tons Tour returns to Europe ...

Extensive archive of articles and magazines from the European leg of the 16 Tons Tour

Video and audio from the European leg of the 16 Tons Tour

16 Tons Tour UK & Europe


May 4		Trondheim – Trondheim Spektrum
May 5		Oslo – Chateau Neuf
May 6		Skien - venue unknown
		Cancelled scandianavian dates. Press release stated, "the Clash are in Jamaica recording".
May 12		Hamburg – Markthalle
May 13		Berlin – Neue Welt, Hasenheide Park
		cancelled dates due to Toppers injury - moved to later
May 14		Munich – Schwabingerbrau
May 15		Vienna – Oberlaa
May 17		Wiesbaden – Wartburg
May 18		Dusseldorf – Philipshalle
May 19		Hamburg – Messehalle
May 21		Oslo – Chateau Neuf
May 22		Lund – Olypen
May 23		Stockholm – Eriksdalsballen
May 24		Gothenburgh – The Scandinavium
May 26		Cambrai
May 27		Paris – Palais de Sports
May 28		Strasbourg – Hall Tivoli
May 29		Lyon – Palais D'Hiver
May 30		Nice – Theatre De Verdure
Jun 1		Bologna – Piazza Maggiore
		Italian TV 20mins mixture of part tracks and interviews The recording is from the Italian TV show MIXER. The popular journalist Gianni Minà interviewed the Clash. Full gig TV Broadcast wanted
Jun 3		Torino – Parco Ruffini
Jun 5		Berlin – Neue Welt, Hasenheide Park
		The concert on May 13th at the Metropole (as listed) was moved to the "Neue Welt" in the Hasenheide Park (Berlin) – Juergen
Jun 9		Derby – Assembly Rooms
Jun 10		Bristol – Colston Hall
Jun 11		Bristol – Colston Hall
Jun 12		Newcastle – Mayfair,
Jun 12		Stoke – Victoria Hall, Hanley
Jun 14		Lorraine, France – Rettel Festival
Jun 15		London – Liberty Theatre, Balham
Jun 16		London – Mile End Liberty Theatre
Jun 16		London – Hammersmith Palais
Jun 17		London – Hammersmith Palais
Jun 18		Stoke – Victoria Hall, Hanley
Jun 21		Reykjavik – Laugardalshöllin Sports Hall
		Unknown - Magnificent 7
		- unknown venue - supposedly shot as video for single (release date 24 April 1981)

Extensive archive of articles and magazines from July onwards

In the studio


July		Recording Spirit of St. Louis tracks
		Late July Studio - Wessex Spirit of St. Louis tracks Line Up: Joe Strummer – guitar, Mick Jones – guitar, vocals, John Turnbull - guitar, Paul Simonon – bass, Norman Watt-Roy - bass, Topper Headon – drums, Davey Payne - saxophone. Ellen Foley – lead vocals, Tymon Dogg - violin. Source – Passion Is a Fashion (page 278), discogs.com
Aug 8		Bankrobber 7" single released
Aug 23		Toronto - Heatwave Festival, Mosport Park
Aug		Recording Spirit of St. Louis tracks
		Mid-Late Summer Studio - Wessex Don’t Follow Me, I’m Lost Too Line Up: Pearl - vocals/percussion, Nigel Dixon (Whirlwind) - guitar/vocals, Steve Neu (New) (Rich Kids) - guitar, Mick Jones - guitar, Wilko Johnson (Dr. Feelgood) - guitar, Paul Simonon - bass, Barry Payne - bass, Topper Headon - drums, Steve Goulding - drums, Otis Watkins - piano/vocals, Gary Barnacle - sax, B.J. Cole - pedal steel guitar. Engineer - Jeremy (Jerry) green. Producer - Mickey Gallagher. Source discogs.com
Aug		Recording Sandinista
		Mid August – Mid September Studio – Wessex Crooked Beat Living In Fame One More Time If Music Could Talk The Equaliser Corner Soul One More Dub Version Pardner Somebody Got Murdered Up In Heaven (Not Only Here) Kingston Advice Sound of Sinners Ivan Meets GI Joe Stop the World (vocals) Something About England Rebel Waltz Washington Bullets Line Up: Joe Strummer – vocals, guitar, Mick Jones – guitar, vocals, Paul Simonon – bass, vocals, Topper Headon – drums, lead vocals on “Ivan Meets GI Joe”, backing vocals on “Sound of Sinners”, Mikey Dread – vocals on “Living In Fame”, Ellen Foley – backing vocals on “Corner Soul”. Tymon Dogg - violin on “Equaliser”, “Mensforth Hill’, and “Something About England”, keyboards on “Sound of Sinners”, Den Hegarty – vocals on “Sound of Sinners”. Gary Barnacle, Bill Barnacle, David Yates - horns on “Something About England”. Producer – Mikey Dread. Engineer – Bill Price, Jeremy Green. Source – Passion Is a Fashion (page 278-279), Clash on Broadway, Clash FAQ (page 237)
Oct		Blackmarketclash 10" US released
Nov 8		The Call Up 7" single released
1980		BBCR1 Radio Interview ....
		Duncan Gibbons 11mins
1980		UK Radio Hallam [Notts] Interview ....
		47mins - 2 seperate interviews
1980		BRMB Radio Interview 18mins ....
Dec 12		Sandinista 3x triple album released
Dec 12		If Music Could Talk LP released