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last updated 7 March 2007
Updated 15 Sept 2012
updated July 2022 added yellow orginal poster
updated June 2024 added posters and article

Audio 1

Sound 3.5 - 1hr 30mins - low? - tracks 24

Somebody Got Murdered

Source, quality

One audience recording circulates in differing quality. The best is of unknown generation but must be an analogue copy or two off the master adding a level of flatness. An upgrade to the master would be very welcome as it must be an excellent audience recording as vocals are upfront (taper must have been close to the stage) and all the instrumentation clear.

Unusually for an audience source the bass is too dominant (and distorted). Joe’s guitar is clear but Mick’s lead guitar lacks some impact and would have benefitted from being higher in the mix. There is a degree of stereo separation. Turn up the volume, turn down the bass and it’s an enjoyable sound. 

The 90 mile journey north to Santa Barbara

The day after their residency at the Hollywood Bowl ended the band made the 90 mile journey north to Santa Barbara. On paper the omens were not good for a Clash gig; an open air show in the afternoon daylight at a time when Mick in particular would have been barely awake!

As it was a very decent audience recording captures the band , if certainly not in sparkling form delivering a committed enjoyable show. 

Poster

Flyers

Tickets, passes

Santa Barbara County Bowl

Whether aware or not the Santa Barbara County Bowl owed  its existence  to the type of progressive left field community politics The Clash would have whole heartedly supported. It was built in 1936 with Depression era federal funding from the Works Progress Administration. The WPA was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects. It fed children and redistributed food, clothing, and housing. Almost every community in the United States had a park, bridge or school constructed by the agency.

Santa Barbara benefited from the Bowl, a natural outdoor amphitheatre with a capacity of 4,562. Restored in 2001 it remains a home for the performing arts.

Springsteen,Bob Marley, Dylan are just some of those who’ve performed at the Bowl. See A Bowl Full of Stars at   http://www.independent.com/news/2011/jul/28/bowl-full-stars/

Which includes; ‘ In 1982, the venue locked into punk and New Wave modalities: Elvis Costello, The B-52s, and (Stop Making Sense-era) Talking Heads, culminating with The English Beat, Dave Wakeling, Ranking Roger, and Saxa opening for The Clash (the only band that mattered). Joe Strummer crowed and stalked a stage overhung with camouflage netting; girls in miniskirts with hard black leather jackets, short-haired boys in monogrammed 4H jackets, all skanking like Brixtoners. Maybe it was the end of hippiedom, but it was a liberating end.’

"Any beach people? Which ways Ronnie’s (Reagan) house beach people?!"

The recording starts with a “Good afternoon” from Joe then the band launch into  London Calling; Mick’s lead a little too far back for impact but despite the early start the thin pale white Englishmen in the Californian sun deliver here and throughout the gig committed, tight enjoyable performances. Like most gigs from this tour though it lacks the edge, spontaneity and invention of the best Clash gigs previously. This is not only because of Terry’s limitations compared to Topper but to the conscious decision to make songs shorter ‘punchier’ (in theory), less improvised (than the 1981 period in particular), ‘greatest hits’ sets with few surprises and also due to the relentlessness of the touring schedule (not to mention the growing chasm between Joe and Paul with Mick!).

Spanish Bombs now settled in as second song in the set is followed by Know Your Rights; Joe in good voice with lots of echo on his vocals. Guns of Brixton drops down to a drum and bass section and the song again allows for more invention and thus interest. Train In Vain is as always an audience pleaser but unexceptional.

Hard to imagine it being sung around the camp fire but Joe intros a soulful Bankrobber with “I don’t know if you have the Boy Scouts in America but this is a Boy Scout number!”  Magnificent Seven has a lighter funkier sound than the guitar heavy interpretations previously; the performance benefiting  from the clarity of Paul’s bass lines.  At the bridge Joe screams “Unfortunately for you - guitar! - although there’s little heard (or invention) from Mick. “OK we’re gonna attempt to play it is the Wrong Em Boyo” Mick’s choice of guitar effects are discordant and ineffective but after the “Brakes” the second part of the song is much better with Joe trading vocals with Mick effectively.

Car Jamming is strong; Joe in good voice belting out his lyrics. “Please welcome Mr. Mick Jones” who picks out a ‘straight’ intro to Somebody Got Murdered. Fine performance; the band tight now, Terry adding some touches even, gone is the earlier rustiness after Terry joined at the start of the tour. The first side of the C90 tape ends with a fine Clash City Rockers.

Second side  of tape starts with an unedited OK Janie Jones that lacks fire. Then Joe intros a strong Career Opportunities with; “They tell me that Ronnie lives near here, which direction could that be? Come on everybody’s going like this, who’s the real geographers here? Any beach people? Which ways Ronnie’s house beach people?! This one is hopefully going to waft in his bedroom window!” 

“Now any of you got your Arab head dress?” is Joe’s intro to a good Rock The Casbah. Mick adds a strong solo to his Should I Stay or Should I Go and Joe sings along enthusiastically in Strum-ish. Joe’s guitar is very clear on a very good Brand New Cadillac. The main set ends as almost always with Clampdown; a decent start but hardly hair standing on the back of the neck of yore. Joe adlibs a plenty as the band drop it down  “out on Three Mile Island … to the hard deserted city…there’s even music from the fall out .. goes to ticket machine now ..all on computer …human error” Much of Joe’s rant is unclear but its an effective performance.

They reappear (apparently) swiftly, Joe talking to the audience “Yeah we need some of that backstage..,mucho gracias” then with his usual dog howl intro the band kick into Police & Thieves. It’s played straight then drops down to the as by now usual on this tour, drum & bass ‘drop out’ section but almost immediately Joe shouts Armagideon Time and the band segue into it. With a “Rrrrrrrr Roger” from Joe, Ranking Roger makes his by now usual appearance toasting as the band play on. The song continues at length but is largely uninspired.

Energetic performances of Police On My Back and I Fought The Law end the encore; a largely fixed pattern of songs now in the encores.

Straight To Hell is fine except for Mick’s use of effects on his guitar; must have seemed a good idea at the time! The band then slam into Safe European Home and Garageland and with an adios The Clash quit the County Bowl.  

Musical ups and downs

82 06 20 The Dispatch Sun (Missing Michon)
Rolling Stone syndicated article

The Clash fined for excessive noise

I was at many of the clash shows up and down the california coast for most of the early 80’s......The clash came to the santa barbara county bowl after a number of sweaty mosh pit shows at the hollywood palladium......Due to noise ordinances and wealthy neighbors, the english beat was the opening act at 1 in the afternoon on a beautiful sunny afternoon. 

Santa Barbara has always had an affinity for reggae and ganja and the young , hip and healthy crowd were right at home with the english beat, who played a great set. At 2 in the afternoon, the clash took the outdoor stage.....In almost all other venues i was at, a mad rush to the stage ensued....At santa barbara, the crowd rose to their feet and politely danced en masse........Joe strummer stopped and half joked/halfrailed at the crowd “you all look so f*ckin’ healthy!!”....

Indeed, the clash looked like pasty englishmen caught in the midday sun.......Mid setjoe asked the crowd where ronnie lived...(President Reagan had his ranchocielo a few miles north) the entire crowd pointed northward and the clash launched into career opp. At full volume. (I was told later that the fine for excessive noise equaled their pay for the gig) great show, great venue.......

The clash were perfect and played their encore with the English beat

Pinholeguy - So glad to remember that day. The clash were perfect and played their encore with the English Beat,

Scott Perry Was at that show, phenomenal...

Doug-Tracey Hart Was there! English Beat opened!Very cool!

Jimmy Hughes Still have my ticket

Denise Judith Silagyi Went with Chris Silagyi and others.

Phil Heiple Cloudy day, then the sun broke through when they hit the stage.

Goleta History I was there

Tanya Laurabee Briggs Had lawn seats!! Had to spend the night in line when I was 16 to get them haha!

Did you go? Comments, info welcome...

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

Photos

Memories of old SANTA BARBARA, CA

6 April

The Clash 1982 Santa Barbara Bowl @L Paul Mann Lpaulmann.com

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

London Calling Spanish Bombs Know Your Rights The Guns Of Brixton Train In Vain Bankrobber The Magnificent Seven Wrong 'Em Boyo Car Jamming Somebody Got Murdered Clash City Rockers Janie Jones Career Opportunities Rock the Casbah Should I Stay Or Should I Go? Brand New Cadillac Clampdown Police and Thieves Armagideon Time Police On My Back I Fought the Law Straight to Hell Safe European Home Garageland