Supported by Black Uhuru

updated 14 July 2008 - added another ticket
update August 2022 added comments
updatd June 2024 added tickets, poster HQ and reviews

Audio

Unknown source - Sound 2.5 - 89min (incomplete) - Tracks 22

Audio to follow

City Limits - before gig interview

Video - at the old Exhibition (Grounds) Stadium - 3 minutes

City Limits' Clash retrospective - Canadian TV from mid eighties. Two minutes of Tommy Gun live at the O'Keefe plus interview [w/ Pennie Smith?] about torn out seating. Also includes 5 Sep 82 car lot interview and April 84 Tour Bus interview.

City Limits

'

Audio source, quality

An audience recording circulates which cuts out at the start of Straight To Hell to fit on a C90. The master would be a good clear audience recording but the circulating tape suffers from wear and analogue copying and distance to stage  'outdoor sound'. It has plenty of character but swirls with dull patches, is slightly distant and has little middle, all highs and lows. 

Much better recordings exist from the next shows at the Orpheum in Boston but there are some fine performances and the sound is far from unlistenable. An upgrade to the master would be  very welcome.

Playing in front of 19,000 people was not necessarily welcomed

A day after Montreal the band played the huge CNE Grandstand in Toronto,  for what was up until  the (now announced) stadium gigs supporting the Who, their biggest North American audience to date.

A memorable gig with an additional encore with White Riot but playing in front of 19,000 people was not necessarily welcomed as Joe comments at their next gig at the Boston Orpreum it was “nice to back in a human kind of situation again”.  

“City Limits” Canadian TV filmed a short but memorable interview with Mick and a wasted looking Joe. Asked about carrying the  weight of the band’s responsibility to its fans , Joe  says “I don’t feel strong enough to carry anything at the moment!” Mick asked about the music business memorably says in classic Jonesy “its no worse than any other prostitution business in America. We think we still have a measure of dignity  or some self respect!”  Joe replies to question “What are you doing with Don Letts (about CoB)”,  “Mostly drinking with him!”  

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Canadian National Exhibition Stadium, Toronto

Canadian National Exhibition Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood on the Exhibition Place grounds, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The grandstand (known as CNE Grandstand) was used extensively throughout the summer months for hosting popular rock acts such as The Who, U2, Springsteen and a host of heavy metal acts. The stadium was constructed in 1948, reconfigured for baseball in 1974 and its  fate was sealed during the 70th Grey Cup in 1982, popularly known as "the Rain Bowl" because it was played in a driving rainstorm that left most of the crowd drenched. It was eventually demolished in 1999.

A Toronto Blue Jays game during the 1977 season

And when the lights when down and it was clear they were finally coming on, the audience lost it

For this Clash concert, it was configured for the Grandstand, utilizing only a third of the full stadium. That was the norm except when hosting a huge act or festival. I found out from research that this gig was in fact the largest non-festival headlining show The Clash played in North America, with a capacity audience of 19,000.

While we had tickets for seats up in the rafters, the CNE was letting people stand in the aisles which is what we did, wandering down as close as we could get. We spent the evening approximately dead centre within the entire audience.

While I was ostensibly thrilled to finally be seeing The Clash live, it wasn’t all about them. With Black Uhuru opening the show, this was one of the very best and most complimentary double bills I have ever seen. As Toronto has long been a stronghold for both British music and reggae, this double bill came with a strong buzz of expectation.

Out of all the first wave of punk groups, The Clash most closely aligned themselves with reggae, so having Black Uhuru open the show made perfect sense. From the perspective of impact, Black Uhuru were in many ways the equivalent within their community. They were on a roll at the time, having released the widely acclaimed Red in 1981, one of that year’s best albums and their finest moment. So while this gig was partly about the Clash City Rock-ers, it was also about Rockers as well, as in that particular type of reggae. 

And what a set it was. Black Uhuru received one of the most enthusiastic receptions for an opening act I’ve ever seen, and the band responded with a mesmerizing performance (name-checking a Toronto street in one of your best and best-known numbers, “Youth of Eglington,” didn’t hurt with this crowd either). With Sly & Robbie driving the musical engine, the three vocalists gave their all, running through much of their best material such as “Eglington,” “Sinsemilla,” and “Sponji Reggae.” I have a memory of the late Puma Jones particularly having the time of her life up there, dancing non-stop and being somewhat of a band cheerleader. The crowd loudly demanded an encore for which Black Uhuru did return, greeted by another ovation. With Black Uhuru’s exit, the countdown to The Clash was on. Between sets, the PA pumped out a great mix of groove-based music — funk, rap, reggae, dance, r&b — that I figured was chosen by Strummer, Jones, & Simonon. 

And when the lights when down and it was clear they were finally coming on, the audience lost it.

After years of my obsessive fandom, here they finally were, a camouflage backdrop behind them and a salty sea of love in front of them. You could feel a massed, quickening pulse as they pile-drove into the opening number, “London Calling,” to everyone’s delight.

If one could have harnessed the energy and excitement saturating that huge crowd, I dare say it could have powered the entire North American Eastern Seaboard for the duration of the concert.

A Clash show was never supposed to be about note-perfect renditions but instead about an engaged visceral experience: passion and spirit over technical perfection. Phoned in this performance was not. I got the genuine sense that they truly loved their audience and were out to give everyone a memorable evening. And they succeeded in spades.

The 24-song set list was not only surprisingly democratic in representing their five albums but also surprising in that so little from Combat Rock was played: “Should I Stay or Should I Go?,” “Rock the Casbah,” “Straight To Hell,” and “Know Your Rights,” which followed “London Calling” as the second song of the evening. The one year and period that was conspicuously absent was 1978, with none of the interim singles and only one track from Give ‘Em Enough Rope (“English Civil War”) included. I was well chuffed when “Janie Jones,” “Train In Vain,” “The Call Up,” and “Clampdown” were all rolled out, but the song from the main set that always stands out most for me is when Paul Simonon stepped up to the plate for “The Guns of Brixton,” a particular favourite and an intense reading.  If memory serves correct, Strummer was on bass on that one, allowing Simonon to simply sing. In keeping with the reggae theme of the night, several other numbers in this vein were played, including “Bankrobber” along with their covers of “Armagideon Time” and “Police and Thieves,” but not, alas, “White Man In Hammersmith Palais.” If I have any complaints, it’s that neither “Palais” nor “Complete Control” appeared that night.

Some less-expected numbers appeared too, such as Sandinista!’s “The Leader” and “Spanish Bombs” from London Calling, another long-time personal favourite. They got funky with “This Is Radio Clash” and “The Magnificent Seven,” and added their fine covers of “I Fought The Law” and “Police On My Back.”

From start to finish, the assembled throngs bounced along as a singular unit of congealed fervor. While the demonstrative audience cheered loudly at every turn from front to back, I did feel envious of those who were down on the floor. I think that the vibe of being part of that not-stop-boppin’ mass would have really been something. However, since we had a good vantage point, not too far away, and this being one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, I can’t complain too much.

A mohicaned Strummer asked that the lights be brought up at one point so that he could survey the vast crowd, enquiring if everyone was alright and enjoying themselves. Affirmative on that one, Joe.

It was a long way from The 100 Club in 1976, yet the band seemed anything but jaded and seemed to truly be recycling, and invigorated by, the adoration. One has to also appreciate the delicious irony of The Clash singing “Career Opportunities” to 19,000 people.

Following the main set, concluding with a powerful “Straight To Hell,” they re-appeared for a richly deserved — and emphatically demanded — encore, returning to their first LP and unleashing the other two songs that I most remember from the evening: speeding, chaotic versions of “I’m So Bored With the U.S.A” and “White Riot.” The frenzy that had been building all night boiled over during this conclusion with the stage finally being stormed in a joyous tumult. I’m getting goosebumps just recalling it.

Full text here https://mylifeinconcert.wordpress.com/2011/08/14/012

“If anyone is chilly move your arse around!"

“Good evening and welcome to everyone, We’re The Clash and we’re from England” ; Joe deeming it necessary to remind the audience at this and later shows too! 

“If anyone is chilly move your arse around!  Intro’s Know Your Rights; good performances but  much better recordings from this leg of the tour, notably Boston. 

 Rock The Casbak gets a Strum/Spanish introduction; Joe pumped up in fine voice. Instrumental drop down on Police On My Back again very effective. “This is one of our few English hits” intros Bankrovbber. Magnificent Seven; Joe  adlibs about the size of the massive audience  “some kind of noise from 17000 people eating loudly on sandwiches … go crunch ,crunch, crunch!”. Radio Clash with plenty of Mick’s effects ends side 1 of the C90.

Lights up - “Hows the astroturf, is it comfy?!” . “The British national anthem”  - The Leader. Clampdown  Mick shouts urgent 123 but his guitar sound is flat and weak some adlibs but unexceptional. Into I Fought The Law to close main set but  taper continues through to Armagideon Time capturing the enthusiasm of the audience.  Armagideon Time is a highlight full of Joe’s vocal whoops and cries and Mick’s effects mostly effective here.

Should I Stay or Should I Go; Joe and Mick pumped up; audience very enthusiastic in US for Mick’s song (more so than UK). Police & Thieves is another highlight; Mick experimenting on his lead fills working more effectively here . Band tight. End 1st encore 

Straight to Hell cuts out before end  as C90 runs out unfortunately with Mick playing fast and loose with his playing.

One of the greatest shows I've ever attended

Cartman68 - One of the greatest shows I've ever attended. The energy was through the roof, and they played their guts out. Janie Jones gave me goosebumps!

What a night that was

VE5MDH - I met my Wife the night before (I only had ONE ticket to this concert!). I was heading to the bathroom during a break and was about to take a hit of acid, when someone bumped me and the hit hit the ground! Was on my hands and knees searching about for it (totally stoned at this point), when I glance over at these shinny tall boots... Look Up, Way UP... Just like the Friendly Giant... It was one of Toronto's Finest looking down at me! I pointed to my eye and said my contact lens popped out and I was looking for it! Within 30 seconds, there were 6 Police on their hands and knees hunting for my contact lens (even though I never wore glasses nor lenses!!!)...

What a night that was.. Black Uhuru was the back up band.

the old grandstand was full

rjb54 - Corn dogs and The Clash, Oh yeah....and the old grandstand was full.

Akhera - Yes Black Uhuru opened

Wickorama - Did Black Uhuru open for the Clash? Kinda recall this.

Clash City Rockers: The Clash with Black Uhuru, CNE Grandstand,

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Sunday September 5, 1982
012. (EP 18)

One for the ages.

It was one of the best and most exciting concerts I have ever seen. After five years of obsessing over my favourite band in the world, I finally get to see The Clash as part of a huge, passionate, and excited audience at the CNE Grandstand.Black Uhuru also delivered a stunning and memorable opening set. It was also one of the best double bills of my lifetime.To say that this visit to CNE Stadium was a far better experience than the 1982 Police Picnic just three weeks earlier is an understatement.Special Guests not only drops by once again with his memories of the band and the show, but also reveals his real name!Stay tuned for a spirited performance, stage invasions, getting “The Message,” and The Story of Lady Bump.Note: Apologies for occasional distortion during the Skype interview portion of the podcast.

We were still getting versed on the rules of gig-going and unfortunately didn’t buy tickets fast enough to get floor passes. Regardless, I was elated when I found myself clutching three tix in my hand for the show.

I was supposed to have seen The Clash in 1980 as they had been scheduled to headline the Heatwave festival just outside of Toronto — I could have swore I saw Mick Jones and Ellen Foley wandering through the crowd that day — but pulled out for reasons that have never been clear. In terms of where the group was in 1982, I was bummed to learn that drummer Topper Headon had been fired just prior to the tour, temporarily replaced by original skinsman Terry Chimes.

We had been here at the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) Stadium only three weeks earlier for the disaster that was the second annual Police Picnic, a day of lousy sound, bad vibes, worse drugs and assorted other problems, being worthy due to one of my other big obsessions of the era, the great Talking Heads. For this Clash concert, it was configured for the Grandstand, utilizing only a third of the full stadium. That was the norm except when hosting a huge act or festival. I found out from research that this gig was in fact the largest non-festival headlining show The Clash played in North America, with a capacity audience of 19,000.

While we had tickets for seats up in the rafters, the CNE was letting people stand in the aisles which is what we did, wandering down as close as we could get. We spent the evening approximately dead centre within the entire audience.

While I was ostensibly thrilled to finally be seeing The Clash live, it wasn’t all about them. With Black Uhuru opening the show, this was one of the very best and most complimentary double bills I have ever seen. As Toronto has long been a stronghold for both British music and reggae, this double bill came with a strong buzz of expectation.

After years of my obsessive fandom, here they finally were, a camouflage backdrop behind them and a salty sea of love in front of them. You could feel a massed, quickening pulse as they pile-drove into the opening number, “London Calling,” to everyone’s delight.

If one could have harnessed the energy and excitement saturating that huge crowd, I dare say it could have powered the entire North American Eastern Seaboard for the duration of the concert.

A Clash show was never supposed to be about note-perfect renditions but instead about an engaged visceral experience: passion and spirit over technical perfection. Phoned in this performance was not. I got the genuine sense that they truly loved their audience and were out to give everyone a memorable evening. And they succeeded in spades.

The 24-song set list was not only surprisingly democratic in representing their five albums but also surprising in that so little from Combat Rock was played: “Should I Stay or Should I Go?,” “Rock the Casbah,” “Straight To Hell,” and “Know Your Rights,” which followed “London Calling” as the second song of the evening. The one year and period that was conspicuously absent was 1978, with none of the interim singles and only one track from Give ‘Em Enough Rope (“English Civil War”) included.

I was well chuffed when “Janie Jones,” “Train In Vain,” “The Call Up,” and “Clampdown” were all rolled out, but the song from the main set that always stands out most for me is when Paul Simonon stepped up to the plate for “The Guns of Brixton,” a particular favourite and an intense reading. If memory serves correct, Strummer was on bass on that one, allowing Simonon to simply sing. In keeping with the reggae theme of the night, several other numbers in this vein were played, including “Bankrobber” along with their covers of “Armagideon Time” and “Police and Thieves,” but not, alas, “White Man In Hammersmith Palais.” If I have any complaints, it’s that neither “Palais” nor “Complete Control” appeared that night.

Some less-expected numbers appeared too, such as Sandinista!’s “The Leader” and “Spanish Bombs” from London Calling, another long-time personal favourite. They got funky with “This Is Radio Clash” and “The Magnificent Seven,” and added their fine covers of “I Fought The Law” and “Police On My Back.”

From start to finish, the assembled throngs bounced along as a singular unit of congealed fervor. While the demonstrative audience cheered loudly at every turn from front to back, I did feel envious of those who were down on the floor. I think that the vibe of being part of that not-stop-boppin’ mass would have really been something. However, since we had a good vantage point, not too far away, and this being one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, I can’t complain too much.

A mohicaned Strummer asked that the lights be brought up at one point so that he could survey the vast crowd, enquiring if everyone was alright and enjoying themselves. Affirmative on that one, Joe.

It was a long way from The 100 Club in 1976, yet the band seemed anything but jaded and seemed to truly be recycling, and invigorated by, the adoration. One has to also appreciate the delicious irony of The Clash singing “Career Opportunities” to 19,000 people.

Following the main set, concluding with a powerful “Straight To Hell,” they re-appeared for a richly deserved — and emphatically demanded — encore, returning to their first LP and unleashing the other two songs that I most remember from the evening: speeding, chaotic versions of “I’m So Bored With the U.S.A” and “White Riot.” The frenzy that had been building all night boiled over during this conclusion with the stage finally being stormed in a joyous tumult. I’m getting goosebumps just recalling it. PDF

Review of Toronto Show - 1982

By Wilder Penfield III

"You must be revolutionary too -- can I take you home?"

I'm sure the lass I overheard was kidding. Or almost sure. At a concert by The Clash, some radical stances are serious.

For it wasn't top-40 brainwashing that drew 19,000 plus -- The Clash's biggest-ever audience in North America -- to the Grandstand Sunday night, but a lot of other things, some of them radical-political. (Some of them social.)

And if there exist a lot of free-floating longers for commitment (pick an issue, any issue), why shouldn't The Clash cater to them too?

England's best-known rock politicians have established an enviable reputation for integrity and for seriousness of purpose. It allows them absolution in advance for being too naive for their audience (or too sophisticated), or for not being much fun (or being too much fun). "You know, people ask me all the time if we're still punk" says bassist Paul Simonon in the current Musician (highly recommended), "and I always say,'Yeeh, we're punk.' because punk means not having to stick to anybody else's rules. Then you look around and see all those bands that are afraid to break the rules of what they think punk is. We're punk because we still have our own version of what it means. That's what it is: an attitude. And we'll stay punk as long as we can keep the blindfolds off."

Says Joe Strummer: "I know nuclear doom is prophesied for the world, but I don't think you should give up fighting until the flesh burns off your face,"

Their standards are their own. So what if Strummer's vocals are as vague as guitarist Mick Jones' concept of in-tune? So what if many of the melodies were banal and the Iyrics inaudible? The Clash operated like crack hit-men, with original drummer Terry Chimes driving them through a punk-paced set, and they played the songs that people knew they stood for, and any other songs people were sure to know, and they didn't flinch when the people (once again) breached the stage during the second srt of encores -- they were hot, and the intensity is what counts, and we believed in the intensity and fed on it.

I found it strange to be at a rebellion party, to be dancing -- everybody was dancing -- in front of photos of undernouriahed third-world children.

But if The Clash want to spread the word big, they have to play in the big leagues, and that means reaching people, and that requires showmanship.

More power to them.

In Black Uhuru they had an uncommonly compatible opening act. Black Uhuru is -- of all things -- a kick-ass reggae band, and with the help of some of best rhythm players in the business, it eamed an uncommonly effusive encore demand. (The Clash know they are not the only band that matters.)

The Clash themselves will soon be opening a series dates for The Who. Not everybody in The Clash organization is pleased with the decision-- said one defector after Sunday's show, "I don't work with oldies bands." But The Who could hardly make a braver gesture than involving their heirs apparent in their final tour of duty.

Did you go? Comments, info welcome...

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

memorable night

"I saw that concert in Toronto [1979] -memorable night - however, I do not remember Bo Diddley being there - there were three bands - first up was "The B-Girls" - awful local band, if Bo Diddley was there he was up next -seem to remember The Undertones, but that may have been their next tour (I saw The Clash so many times, is hard to remember every band).. Definitely, definitely, The B-Girls were first band up,they were eventually booed off the stage."

"Best supporting band I ever saw with them was on Rock the Casbah tour when Black Uhuru opened for them at Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in Toronto. Terry Chimes had just replaced Topper Headon on drums."

My friend climb up on the stage for this encore

"Due to the frenzied nature of the audience Joe had the band launch into an impromptu additional encore of "White Riot" and "Bored with The USA". I vividly remember seeing my friend climb up on the stage for this encore amongst many others who poured onto the stage. A fitting end to a really great show. Black Uruhu opened the show.... GA"

At the end of the show, the audience, myself included, stormed the stage

The Clash played Toronto on Sept. 5, at the CNE grandstand at the old Expo grounds--I travelled there by Greyhound bus to see it. There were numerous equipment problems during the show, including both Mick and Joe alternately having amp problems during "Clampdown". At the end of the show, the audience, myself included, stormed the stage, some 10 feet high. I still have some of the camouflauge... Robert

Photos

A live photo from the gig by Jeremy Gilbert is on Flikr

Setlist

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22	London Calling Know Your Rights Spanish Bombs Rock the Casbah Guns of Brixton Police on my Back Bankrobber Magnificent Seven Janie Jones Train in Vain Radio Clash English Civil War Call Up Somebody Got Murdered The Leader Career Opportunities Clampdown I Fought the Law Armagideon Time Should I Stay or Should I Go Police & Thieves Straight to Hell Impromtu 2nd encore Bored with the USA White Riot