Support Shangoya, a local reggae band.

Updated 7 July 2008 - punters view added
Updated 18 Sept 2012 - punters view added
Updated with full review 4 October 2015
Updated Sept 2021 - added red ticket
updated Juen 2024 added ticket and photos

Audio 1

good sound - incomplete - Sound 4 - 89min - low? - tracks 24
cuts off 5 seconds into Janie Jones

Audio to follow

Sound quality

Only one recording circulates but one that has spawned copies of dubious distinction so beware with this one. The best (3^rd) version captures this memorable performance rather well for an audience recording as well as the great atmosphere inside the Civic Center. It is very enjoyable capturing drums and lead guitar best, vocals a little distant but good, only bass is rather buried.

There is some distortion (inevitable maybe considering the Clash live volume), its generation is not known but the best is surely very close to the master - an update to the master would be really welcome. Sadly it is not complete losing the end of Charlie Don’t Surf, the restart losing most of The Leader and all but the opening drums to Janie Jones. 

Bristol to Red Rocks in 6 days

Just 6 days after the final UK tour date at Bristol The Clash were back on stage at Red Rocks in Colorado; the crazy number of gigs played in 1982 following Joe’s Paris disappearance a major catalyst in worsening the already wide gulf between Joe and Paul with Mick to eventual breaking point a year later. The long second US tour (originally scheduled to end on 8^th September), the huge success of both Combat Rock and its singles in the US charts and the experience of playing stadium gigs supporting The Who (inevitably) took its toll on their individual psyches and left them questioning the future direction of the band and in Terry’s case a decision to quit.

Unfortunately no recording (or photo’s) exist of the open air Red Rocks gig although we do know they started with their backs to the audience spinning round to blast into White Riot. Fortunately a recording does exist of the second gig of the tour at St. Paul, Minnesota and it’s a cracker. Chris Knowles describes this bootleg in his Clash City Showdown book as the “Spiritual cousin to Shibuya Kokhaido - same intensity. Mick’s guitar here is stultifying powerful, Ghetto Defendant is particularly impressive but Car Jamming has to be heard to be believed. Imagine The Clash from 1977 kicking the fuck out of the 1982 Clash and you have a pretty good idea what this tooth gnashing playing of Jamming sounds like”.

This audience recording despite its deficiencies captures the atmosphere, intensity and sheer magnificence of The Clash on surely one of the nights Joe grudgingly accepted (on the Westway to The World interview) that there were a few nights after Topper was sacked when “it still burned”. To anyone who says The Clash were washed up by this second 1982 US tour - play them this recording. The speed and intensity of the performances is indeed like the band were back in 1977; most songs crash into the next with rarely a pause and what is Terry on?! He attacks his kit throughout with manic intensity producing one of his most enjoyable displays (the recording captures the drum sound well) All the band are clearly really fired up, Joe and Mick’s vocal interplay is terrific and Mick’s lead guitar playing is frequently inspired and hugely effective. Bob Dylan was in the audience and had to be impressed!

An essential Clash bootleg; maybe not for those who require hifi sound but certainly for connoisseurs of Clash performances, as this was a vintage night!

Tickets

“Yes some of you are wondering what the hell is going on!"

The recording starts with the end of the usual intro music and then unusually without any greeting from Joe its straight into London Calling, perhaps backs to audience at start the swivel round as at the Red Rocks show the night before? Ironically considering how well this audience recording captures the live Clash sound, Mick’s lead is too far back in the mix to be effective on this first song. It’s a pumped up performance though played fast and tight like the whole performance to come, it ends with the electric atmosphere around the taper audibly very apparent. 

“Thank you ,good evening and welcome, nice to see ya” says Joe warmly and then Mick shouts “1-2-3-4” and the band slam into White Man in Hammersmith Palais. Mick’s guitar clearer now as are his vocals, he unusually sings the final changing their votes verse; Joe and Mick’s vocal interplay tonight is great. Joe adlibs over the extended ending whilst Mick plays some great lead guitar fills, the song ending with a Strummer trademark scream.

“Yes some of you are wondering what the hell is going on! That’s what’s called an English folk song! I know we’re here in Minnesota but some of you don’t know where we come from. We’re from west London, you should all visit there one day, the best baked beans on toast in the world! OK this is entitled this is a public service announcement…  with guitars!” A really remarkable Know Your Rights follows played really fast; the tape probably runs a little fast (not obviously so though) but nevertheless there is something about the band tonight, Terry batters his drums with amazing energy, Mick’s solo clear and effective and Mick and Joe are really into it. Mick laying down barbed lead guitar fills, then the band drop it down to just drum and bass before it takes off again. A breathless, memorable Know Your Rights 1977 style! It’s played significantly faster than the previous recording at Bristol, surely a conscious band decision to speed up with Terry possessed tonight!

Joe introduces Spanish Bombs in Strumerespanol and the band clearly on a mission tonight steam through at pace with Mick and Joe sharing lead vocals. No let up on Guns of Brixton with Mick providing layers of great jarring lead guitar over Terry’s driving hard as nails beat. “Dub wise I say” says Paul and band go into a great instrumental section with Mick’s guitar playing, as throughout the gig, a delight.

“And now Mr Mick Jones”  Joe sounds elated, “Murder” he screams as Mick’s intro, urgent from start, just builds and builds to the climax; the sound for all its deficiencies seems to capture the brilliance of The Clash live attack this night, crank it up and it’s hugely enjoy able. When Joe’s vocal comes in the intensity goes to another level, “murder” screams joe repeatedly as Mick continues laying down great inventive lead guitar over Terry’s fast beat. 

Strummer;“OK Pushing and shoving huh? Yeah, I know a lot about the subject myself. I hear in America in Los Angeles  the punks down there just slam dancing right except one difference, they wear full American football pads, helmets, body guards, jock straps-protect the vital area! This song is called Rocka the Casbah” Mick’s shredding guitar to the fore, a really intense and fast performance with Mick and Joe belting out the lyrics makes for a very memorable punk Casbah. 

Any growing animosity between the band completely non evident here, band super tight and on fire. Joe with a measured “One, Two, Three, Four” intro the pace drops but not the intensity on an inspired Ghetto Defendant, Joe’s vocals defiant and strong, bass lines clear, guitar imaginative; “exchange for birth right”  growls Joe magnificently. An exceptional performance. Magnificent Seven next is fast hard and guitar drenched (as it should be!); Terry drives it along at a relentless pace, Mick’s guitar playing is inspired and Joe’s in great vocal form adlibbing at the bridge about St Paul. 

“Some of you might not have been here last time we came here  so let’s tell you what’s new with us, we’ve been in the Far East , we’ve rocked in Bangkok , played too long in Hong Kong  and since then we’ve got Mr Terry Chimes  on the drums  here, he’s a bit of an alcoholic  but he’s alright!” Mick and band then blast out a loud, fast and intense Police on My Back which drops down to drum and bass overlaid with slabs of barbed guitar. Screams of applause then into Charlie Don’t Surf which sounds great until the taper runs out of his C90 tape and it stops suddenly, losing the last third of the song. 

The second CD restarts near the end of The Leader. Car Jamming next is a song that live struggles often particularly with poorer audience recordings but as Chris has described, here it is exceptional, intense fast and raw. Previously a set standard, Train in Vain gets an impressive outing and Mick plays fast and loose literally with his solo over the final coda. “Whoop! whoop!, whoop!” repeats Joe’s impersonation of an air raid klaxon at start of The Call Up. Joe responds in kind to Mick’s intense vocals and the band deliver an intense performance - another highlight. The “Hup 2-3-4”’s at the end of The Call Up segues into English Civil War, which is that good even Terry sounds great! “Last one up is Garageland” an intense passionate performance with Mick and Joe’s vocal interplay again great, the main set ending on a high, “Merci beaucoup” says Joe as the band leave the stage.

The recording continues uncut for 2 minutes capturing the atmosphere as the audience  clap, cheer and scream for more. Then a “Woooh wooooah!” wail from Joe and the band crash into Police & Thieves. Mick’s solo is played more or less straight compared to the invention previously tonight, but the performance sounds great. Joe’s in fine voice then into the drum and bass section with Mick’s  jagged chords, Paul’s bass lines very clear, the band building back up the intensity until Terry’s drum pattern ends it and without a pause joe instructs “Armagideon Time” Joe adlibs over ending, the band clearly enjoying themselves “play it now, by the left! The band are again steaming  and with barely a second for applause go into an intense Should I Stay or Should I Go, which gets an audible reaction from the audience of approval. Joe and Mick sharing the vocals almost equally as Joe adds his Strumspanish. Terry still maniacally batters his kit over the breathless fast finale.

Screams of applause are swiftly interrupted as Terry goes for the drum crescendo intro to I Fought The Law and tonight pulls it off! He and Mick in particular pulverising the audience with a delivery that’s hard as nails. It’s like turning the clock back 5 years to 1977; songs played at breakneck speed and intensity with no breaks BUT now with virtuosity and range of musical styles and variation. 

Again the tape continues to run through to the next encore before Terry thumps out his long bass drum intro to Straight To Hell. Joe intones his powerfully poetic lyrics over Terry’s powerhouse drumming and Mick’s understated but very effective lead guitar lines. “This song belongs to Toots Hibbert from Jamaica”;Pressure Drop continuing from Bristol as an encore number. Maybe played better at Bristol on the 3^rd but certainly this is as intense, Micks soloing effectively and Terry again pummelling the kit with distinction. Sadly this very enjoyable recording cuts out at the start of Janie Jones, anyone knows the final song/s? 

Clash concert comes off awkwardly

82 08 13 Star Tribune Fri (St Paul)

Did you go? Comments, info welcome...

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I managed to scrape the $9.50 together to go see my hero’s

Patrick Weaver: "I was at the gig in st. paul. in aug 82. the warm up band was a local reggae group called Shangoya and my brother swears that he was standing by bob dylan throughout the show."

"About the "background info" for the Aug 11, 1982 Clash show: According to the Dylan biography by Clinton Heylin, Dylan was in Minnesota all that summer and he attended many concerts, including Elvis Costello, X, Squeeze, and Stray Cats. Also, Dylan had seen The Clash in Los Angeles earlier that year. So it seems likely that Dylan was at the St Paul Civic Center show. I was there, too. I didn't see Dylan, but I don't doubt that this guy's brother did!"

I'm sort of ripping this off from another poster on Satch's. He said that 23 years ago today he saw the Clash live.  And I had to stop and think for a second and I realized that this poster and I were at the same concert !!!! (St Paul Civic Center) 

I'm feeling all sentimental about it.  I was only 20 yrs old, just lost my job, but I managed to scrape the $9.50 together to go see my hero’s.  I ate canned beans for dinner for a week after that, never ever regretted it one second.  What a show!   What an experience!

 I was overcome with pure joy, and in between songs, I had to scream a few times "I LOVE YOU JOE!"    And I am definitely NOT the type to do something like that.  LOL! - NotLucinda

Bob Dylan was there

Hi, I found your excellent website because I was trying to recall who opened for The Clash at the Aug. 11th show in St. Paul, MN. Forgettable act, but I can most definitely confirm that Bob Dylan was there. I turned around and saw him †standing right behind me. I did a double take and blurted "Bob!" he looked at me and I really hadn't thought through what I was going to say next. Then an over-aggressive mosher was trying to extend the pit to where we were all standing and Dylan's body guards whisked him away. Great show, great memory. Thanks for the info! Patrick Weaver

Warm up band was a local reggae group

the warm up band was a local reggae group called shangoya and my brother swears that he was standing by bob dylan throughout the show.

Photos

ORIGINAL PHOTOS

1982 St Paul Civic center Minnesota

The Clash Official | Facebook

Photos

You are buying one photo of The Clash in Saint Paul, Minnesota in August 1982 on the Combat Rock Tour. It features the band at their commercial peak after the hit singles from that record. See my store for more shots from this show, as well as shots from the 1979 tour at the same venue.

It is an original print, made at a professional photo lab. It is not a mass-produced item. It was originally shot on 35mm film, and contains grain inherent in the medium. Cropping will vary depending on the size ordered.

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 White Man In Ham Palais Know Your Rights Spanish Bombs The Guns Of Brixton Somebody Got Murdered Rock the Casbah Ghetto Defendent The Magnificent Seven Police On My Back Charlie Don't Surf The Leader Car Jamming Train In Vain The Call Up English Civil War Garageland Police and Thieves Armagideon Time Should I Stay or Should I Go? I Fought the Law Straight to Hell Pressure Drop Janie Jones (5 secs only)