The opening guest band was KHMER ROUGE

updated June 2024 added photos (The Poly)

Audio 1

good sound - Sound 4 - 89min - 4th gen - tracks 23

Sound quality

A pretty good sound on this one. Everything is clear and up front. Slight flaws are the slight lack of pro fiddelity, some noise and a sound which edges slightly towards the top, eliminating some bass, which is there but slighly low in the mix.

R.P.I. Fieldhouse , Troy NY

Brings "Combat Rock" To Field House

By Joe Salo - from the college rag

What other group would request (demand, that is) that a security retaining wall, placed in front of the stage to prevent people from rushing the stage and possibly climbing up, be moved so a dance floor could be created for anybody inclined to use it? Which one group could move a Vietnam veteran to state that he felt uncomfortable, like he was back in the war-zone? Can you name one group that would replace a member because of his reported drug use? Is there any other band which allows access to its dressing room for dozens of people?

The only group that answers all these questions - and the only group, period, for many people - is the Clash. The one name that has managed to survive the Punk movement virtually unscathed and with ever-increasing success, the band that has managed to take the top spot (or close to it) of Rolling Stone magazine's music poll and the Village Voice's jazz and pop poll with consistency, played the Field House on Sunday. They brought with them a warm-up act called Khmer Rouge, a disappointing sound system, and an unpredictability that should have been, well, predictable.

Flat opening

Khmer Rouge opened the evening with a half-hour set that started out well, but turned into a series of the same song, with new words but the same crunching sounds. These guys could have made a kazoo sound like Kennedy airport at turbine time. Their obscurity (they've never been on MTV now, so they must be nobodies, right?) didn't hamper typical pre-attraction enthusiasm, though, and the thirty minutes were well received.

Kurtis Blow - yes, that's his real name - a New York City DJ reported to be one of the fastest talking "rap artists" in the world, was scheduled to appear next, in a more individual warm-up capacity. Blow cancelled at the ]ast minute due to a previously scheduled benefit engagement, and was replaced by Sir Walford, the reggae DJ of WRPI-FM. Walford's reggae tunes were quickly followed by The Clash, who began with "London Calling", their doom theme.

Poor sound system

It was apparent frorn the beginning that the sound system was lacking, with screeching from the electric guitars emphasized, to the point where it was overpowering the bass (How can you overpower a bass?) This disappointing occurrence continued through even "Rock the Casbah", a difficult tune to spoil when done with the Clash's usual abandon. Things finally cleared up during "Train in Vain" with most of the crowd that was still sitting finally standing and jumping in appreciation. The onslaught that ran to the stage immediately as the show started (and was held under control commendably by student security) began to use the stage area for a dance floor, as the group had hoped.

Much of the Clash's music has a basis in reggae, although that part was somewhat downplayed, with songs concerning war and nuclear annihilation featured more so. This group is one that knows how to play to the proper audience. In accompanymnent to the music was a slide show, focused entirely upon bleak images of oppression, violence in the streets, and unflattering views ol' Eng]and's conservative (evil, in Clash-speak) Prime minister Margaret Thatcher. If a group like Air Supply could be considered a love-tap, the Clash is a knock-out, roundhouse blow.

Most of the band's well known material, which is decidedly more melodic and polished than their average tune, was trotted out, including "Should I Stay or Shouid I Go", "I Fought the Law and the Law Won", "Brand New Cadillac", and a superb version of "Radio Clash". During their contracted 60 minutes, the group played over a dozen songs in non-stop machine gun style, keeping the post-piece palilver to one sub-minute period. Then, in response to the highly appreciative crowd, the band returned for a rousing 30 minute double encore. Nobody could complain about not getting their money's worth, which is true of Clash albums as well as concerts.

The show proved that the Clash are one of the premiere live bands touring today. They present a striking parallel to a group like Jethro Tull, not in musical style, but in the fact that although they don't market double platinum albuns, they do have an incredibly strong and loyal following no matter where they go, and they do have the ability to win over in concert those who are otherwise unimpressed.

This tour has seen the return of drummer Terry Chimes, an original band member, who left after the group started to catch fire in England, frightened by the violence he saw springing from the crowds at their concerts. Those were the bad-boys who inspired the group into its anaichistic, revolutionary, kick 'em while they're high up focus, moving lead singer Joe Strummer to sport a mohawk thatched head and the group into wearing fatigues for this "Combat Rock" tour.

Couldn't Hear

Sunday's concert had one Field House constant - the vocals were impossible to hear, which is unfortunate because they are the force behind Clash music. The instrumentation was handled well, with all the discordant punk chords hit properly, and Chimes' drum work was nothing short of perfect. Strummer`s vocals were weak at first, although the sound system could once again be blamed. As far as the music was concerned, this raw, sometimes simplistic thundercrash was in the hands of masters, l'm glad the lyrics were unintelliglble, though, with the group`s anti-everything image being more ingrating than ingratiating. If someone has a topical message, they're better off hitting you over the head with a sing, not a song. Music, like art, is better off subtle, which doesn't mean it can't be loud and energetlc. It just shouldn`t leave you wlth preset answers.

Gil Scott Heron was right, the Revolution will not be televised tonight. It was braught to you, live, courtesy of the Concert Board

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Photos

The Poly, Wednesday 13 October 1982

Setlist

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23	London Calling Car Jamming Safe European Home One More Time The Guns Of Brixton Stay Free Rock the Casbah Call Up Know Your Rights Junco Partner Train In Vain This Is Radio Clash English Civil War Brand New Cadillac Police On My Back Clampdown I Fought the Law Straight to Hell Should I Stay or Should I Go? Tommy Gun Bankrobber London’s Burning Complete Control