Setlist

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

London Calling Safe European Home The Leader Somebody Got Murdered White Man In Ham Palais The Guns Of Brixton This Is Radio Clash The Call Up Complete Control Junco Partner Lightning Strikes Ivan Meets GI Joe Charlie Don't Surf Bankrobber The Magnificent Seven Wrong 'Em Boyo Train In Vain Career Opportunities Clampdown One More Time Brand New Cadillac Washington Bullets Janie Jones Street Parade Armagideon Time Jimmy Jazz Londons Burning Police and Thieves

The drama of the Bonds residency

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12	Background Bonds Residency The Clash arriving in New York and the build up News Reports video and audio The Ticket Fiasco The remainder of the residency History of Bonds Longer history of Bonds Posters and adverts Badges, FSLN handouts, flyers, Clash press release ... Clash on Broadway Reels List of Support Acts

1. Background: The Clash at Bond's

Italy to New York
When The Clash landed at JFK airport in New York on the night of the 25th May 1981 they had no idea that their residency at a Broadway nightclub would create such a furore and nationwide media coverage that it became a pivotal event in their assault on America, helping to propel them into the major league Stateside. As Kosmo Vinyl has succinctly put it, “People who didn’t have straight trousers and short hair suddenly knew who we were. It got out - it was big!”. The Bonds concerts became one of the most enduring aspects of the Clash legend. ... more ...

2. Residency

The remainder of the press coverage once the bad had agreed to ensure all ticket holders got in by adding 8 more dates.

3. Arrival

A collection of articles covering the bands arrival into New York including previews of the week. Also includes the WNEW preview broacast with Meg Griffin.

4. Bonds News Reports
Audio and video reports covering the ticket fiasco. Fascinating watching / listening that captures those three days well. Includes notes.

5. Ticket Fiasco
Numerous articles and audio and video reports covering the ticket fiasco.

6. The remainder of the residency

7. History of Bonds

8. Longer history of Bonds plus old photos

9. Posters and adverts
Bits and pieces inclduying all adverts and posters.

10. Badges, FSLN handouts, flyers, Clash press releases ...

11. Clash on Broadway Reels
What was filmed and what happened to it?

12. List of Support Acts

13. Photos
Random phonts bundled here.

14. Comments
Comments for those who attended one of the gigs

Bonds Residency - Supported by the Bush Tetras
Three weeks & 17 gigs that shook up New York and America.

List of support acts

last updated 19 Feb 2002
updated Sept 2020

Audio 1 - aud. master

Sound 3.5 - time 1hr 51mins - DAT-master - tracks 28

Lightning Strikes

Sound Quality

The master audience recording in circulation captures the whole 28-song concert. Amazingly the same taper apparently recorded all 17 Bonds shows, providing the only complete record of any of The Clash’s tours or residencies.

The audience recordings therefore are all of similar sound quality as they were recorded on the same equipment but there are some variations presumably dependent on where the taper was standing on each night.

Tonight’s is one of the best of the audience recordings capturing considerable detail and clarity. The deficiencies of the tape equipment and the position of the taper however, result in a lack of range and depth. Vocals and instrumentation (bass is better defined although still low in the mix) come through well but all suffer from distance; a lack of “in your face” immediacy.

The Clash hit top form

There is a view amongst some Clash fans that the band were not at their best during the Bonds residency but a listen to the evidence of this performance surely would dispel that view. On the night of the 1st June (their 4th Bonds show) The Clash hit top form delivering certainly one of their best performances at Bond’s and one to rival the best of the European tour. A very enthusiastic audience clearly helped, the band rewarding them with a rare 3rd encore.

Bush Tetras image courtsey of

Tickets

The recording begins as Topper counts in London Calling. The sound is a little flatter at the start but soon improves. Joe is pumped up and Mick is on top form too tonight, his solo clear in the mix. Following a “Good evening, welcome” from Joe, Safe European Home thunders in, followed by The Leader.

Joe says “Thank you and good evening. We may have gone through a few problems to get here, now we are here, Mr Jones…” and then Mick plays the intro to Somebody Got Murdered, the first exceptional performance tonight. The band play with real passion and power, the recording capturing enough of the detail in the instrumentation to make it a very enjoyable listen.

Joe says “How many people here tonight 1725, you make [points at the audience] 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 shussssh!” Mick then screams “1-2 a 1-2-3-4” and the band slam into an excellent White Man In Hammersmith Palais with Joe adlibbing over Mick’s solo “what you ask so shall you see” and also over the ending but his words are not clear. The Boston Rock article dates this stage announcement to the 31st May concert but other reviews suggest this is probably from the 1st June.

Time next for Joe and Paul to swop guitars for Guns Of Brixton, another fine performance. “OK got something new here to try out on you This is Radio Clash” is followed by The Call Up a good if not great performance of this underrated live Clash classic. “Alright lets have some control” is the cue for Topper to beat out the bass drum intro to Complete Control, played ‘straight’ tonight without the now usual building crescendo intro as per the FHTE recording. A fine Junco Partner follows with some adlibs from Joe. “Let the lightning strike” shouts Joe and Mick’s playing on Lightning Strikes is inventive and very effective, Joe’s really up for it tonight, adlibbing over the improvised extended ending.

The second CD restarts straight into Ivan Meets GI Joe. Next Mick plays a chopper sound on his guitar as a very fine Charlie Don’t Surf begins. Topper beats out a rhythm and Mick plays some great melodic lines over the top as Paul’s bass line plays the melody. There is no adlibbed intro from Joe, but when Mick cuts loose with a solo Joe responds with an adlibbed verse. Joe introduces Bankrobber intriguingly with “Here’s a song that we wrote in the black flag roach motel”. Joe is enjoying himself, the band in top form.

“Well I say you and I say twice, don’t you ever stop” as the band crash into a The Magnificent Seven, a shorter version than some of the earlier Bonds 7 minute plus versions but just as intense; Joe rages over the sonic assault whipped up by the band. Mick and the band improvise around the now usual extended intro to Wrong Em Boyo, This recording is very enjoyable because the performance is so good and there is enough detail and clarity in the audience recording to make it so.

Mick talks to the audience during an extended Train In Vain. The audience tonight are very lively and appreciative. Joe says, “Thank you - I think we need the encouragement”. Mick then screams out “1-2-3-4” and band now on fire and burn through an intense Career Opportunities. It is just as intense as any 1977 performance; Topper’s drumming terrific always tonight is really tremendous here. The main set as always now ends with a super-tight and effective Clampdown with Mick’s playing a delight.

The first encore begins after an almost unnoticeable edit with One More Time.

A hard as nails performance featuring Mick’s effects and some great drumming mid-song from Topper. There is no evidence here of his supposedly then worsening drug problems. It’s straight in to Brand New Cadillac, which tears along before the pace, and mood changes with Washington Bullets. Joe shouts “El Salvador” repeatedly as Mick improvises around the melody drowning out largely the now regular mid-song announcements of the representative of the Democratic Revolutionary Front of El Salvador. Energy levels peak again on a passionate Janie Jones. The first encore would normally end here but tonight the band revisit Street Parade, Joe enjoying himself but having not played the song for a while the performance is a bit rusty; Joe wanting to play it straight but Mick wanting to stretch out and improvise.

An edit restarts with the second encore and a strong performance of Armagideon Time with a lengthy instrumental break before Joe comes back in. Jimmy Jazz returns for its first Bonds show, there’s little adlibbing from Joe but Mick’s plays with a different guitar sound to the 1980 shows. The encore ends in classic style with an intense London’s Burning or rather New York’s Burning with Joe ranting and screaming over the ending.

Due to a combination of a very enthusiastic audience and the band clearly enjoying themselves, The Clash return to play a rare third encore of Police and Thieves. Its played straight and true, full of energy and passion with little improvisation. Mick shares the vocals, “drum and bass” screams Joe as Mick eventually stops playing and the music drops to drum and bass. There’s plenty of great extended guitar playing from Mick but no adlibbed rant from Joe.

Photos