Bonds Residency Bad Brains and the Slits opened. Three weeks & 17 gigs that shook up New York and America. List of support acts

last updated 19 Feb 02

Audio 1

Sound 2.5 - 1hr 52mins - unknown generation - 26 tracks
tape faults

Somebody Got Murdered

Audio 2 - DAT master

Sound 3.5 - 1hr 47mins - DAT master - 26 tracks

Somebody Got Murdered

From audience DAT master.

The majority of the Bonds audience recordings have a very similar sound, not surprisingly as they come from the same taper and equipment, and are sourced from the master tapes via DAT transfer.

Two recordings from the 2nd June concert are circulating. The best is a typical Bonds audience recording (there are a few that are poorer and some better); plenty of detail and crispness from the master mono source but distance from the stage, affecting vocals in particular, detracts from the enjoyment of what is other wise a very decent sound.

The second recording is from a different source but because it is an unknown number of generations off the master has a poorer sound; it runs significantly slow and suffers from a number of tape blurs and faults. Anyone have an upgrade to the master?

Both recordings are complete with all 26 songs from the almost 2 hour concert.

Video Mag 7 remastered

5th night, Joe in great form

The 5th night into the Bonds residency and with Joe in great form, The Clash deliver another very strong performance, although maybe not quite as good as the previous 2 shows.

The amazing fact that recordings from all 17 shows circulate in decent quality allows for detailed analysis of the Bonds marathon residency. Despite the similarity of recording quality and similar set lists all the recordings are enjoyable and of interest particularly because the band were improvising on many of the songs, making for different performances each night. Tonight they even manage to improvise on Brand New Cadillac!

It has been suggested that the live footage from the Clash on Broadway film on Westway To The World DVD is from tonight’s concert. That though is incorrect it is actually from the 9th June concert (check out Radio Clash and compare Joe’s scream at the start and his great “woooooah” as he careers across the stage microphone in hand before “before hands of law…”!

Poster

Tickets

“Has everybody got plenty of room? Yeah, Bring the other 1700 people in from the lobby!..

The lesser recording begins with most of the Morricone intro music but the concert proper and the better recording starts with a fired up Joe shouting “Are we all ready” before London Calling kicks in. The now fixed start of the concert attack leads then through Safe European Home and The Leader with Joe barking out the lyrics in classic Strummer style.

Somebody Got Murdered is fine but not as memorable as the previous night’s performance. "Singing starting now, we're gonna do .... White Man in Hammersmith Palais" Joe’s adlibs over the ending are sadly unclear as are most tonight because of the distance problems of the recording.

The guitar swops are getting quicker and a fine Guns of Brixton follows quickly. Joe gets in a little dig at the authorities next; “Has everybody got plenty of room? Yeah, Bring the other 1700 people in from the lobby!.. This is Radio Clash” An extended performance with Joe’s funk rhythm guitar playing complimenting Mick’s lead guitar work and Topper’s drumming sounds here and throughout the concert sounds very tight and impressive to these ears.

Topper beats out a steady rhythm as the band begin a spirited but a little ragged The Call Up, the band not really nailing the song at Bonds so far. Complete Control in contrast is hugely impressive, with the FHTE intro again played (after its absence the night before), the band deliver a scorching version, with Joe screaming out the lyrics and every dramatic point in the song accentuated. The very enthusiastic and noisy audience crowd loved it.

Junco Partner gets a stripped down start and is followed by a heavily improvised and thus unusual Lightning Strikes with Joe adlibbing on an extended performance. The better recording stops abruptly at the end of the song losing part of Joe’s intro to Ivan Meets GI Joe that is heard on the lesser source; “Presenting at great expense and no further charge the Third World War!”

Topper plays a long intro before Mick picks out the melody of Charlie Don’t Surf, Paul’s bass line coming through OK, and the band improvises around the mid-section. The audience are very lively and during Bankrobber the taper’s microphone gets a heavy knock.

Another highlight tonight is an extended 8 minute Magnificent Seven on which Joe goes off on a stream of consciousness adlib, something he would often do increasingly on later performances of this song. Again there is plenty of improvisation musically but it its all very effective, Joe screams “Magnificent” repeatedly as the band build magnificently to the bridge, improvise around an instrumental section before Joe comes back in; the song finally coming to a fairly abrupt ending. These improvisations from the band, evidence of course of their now greater musicianship, make these performances memorable, as even when the changes do not quite work its far more interesting than 17 repeated performances of the same arrangements that many bands would have produced night after night.

Wrong 'Em Boyo next with Joe clearly enjoying himself is followed by a strong Train In Vain. A short gap and then Mick screams “1-2-3-4” and the band explode into Career Opportunities. With the energy levels still peeking its straight into

Clampdown with Joe ranting over the beginning. Another powerful performance of this Clash classic song with Joe adlibbing a plenty, the words sadly largely unclear but the effect very impressive!

The first encore begins after an edit with Topper beating out the intro to One More Time before the rest of the band come in. Joe whoops and screams impressively over Mick’s effects and Topper’s terrific drum fills. Then its straight into Brand New Cadillac with an instrumental extra first verse before Joe comes in and Mick plays some great guitar fills, the band even managing to improvise on this song!

One of the best Washington Bullets follows. the performance very tight and effective. Mick plays some great guitar and sings one verse. Joe shouts “El Salvador” repeatedly and again the same voice of the representative of the Democratic Revolutionary Front of El Salvador is heard saying as the band play on; “I’m from El Salvador where the people are fighting to stay alive, your Government (?) is sending millions of dollars to kill my people…” The rest of his words are unclear but he continues at length perhaps inspired from hearing Joe’s ranting technique! An abrupt edit at the end of the song restarts almost at the end of the song, repeating a few bars. An energised Janie Jones with adlibs from Joe brings the first encore to an end and a “Thank you, goodnight”.

After an edit the second encore begins with Topper beating out repeated drum rolls and then the audience cheer as the rest of the band come back on stage. Then the guitars kick in and the band launch into an excellent Police and Thieves; the band very tight, improvising around the mid section, just missing an inspired Joe rant to make it exceptional! Straight into Armagideon Time next with again plenty of band improvisation and then Joe screams

New Yorks Burning and the band deliver a storming ending to a very fine concert.

Did you go? Comments, info welcome...

Info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome.
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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

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 Police and Thieves Armagideon Time New Yorks Burning

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