The Boston Globe #50
Mon Apr 16 1984

Steve Morse

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Biggest events Centrum DCU Center Worcester over last 40 years

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The Clash & Black Jacks 4/13/84 Worcester MA The Centrum, Clash at the Worcester Centrum, April 13, 1984.  

No. 34 'Radio Clash' meets 'Moving In Stereo' (tie) The Clash April 13, 1984

"The only band that matters," The Clash became one of the few legitimate punk bands popular enough to play the Centrum, and they showed why with their uncompromising mix of high-energy punk and unflinching left-wing politics, with a healthy share of funk, dub and reggae thrown in for good measure.

Even though the band's last album, “Combat Rock,” was two years old and guitarist Mick Jones and drummer Topper Headon had left the group by the time The Clash hit the Centrum, the Worcester arena was three-quarters full. With an arsenal of songs that included killer covers of “Police on My Back” and “I Fought the Law,” as well as crowd-pleasing originals “Armageddon Time,” “Clampdown,” This Is Radio Clash,” “Tommy Gun,” “Rock the Casbah,” “The Magnificent Seven” and “White Riot,” The Clash gave plenty of reason to be in the Centrum.

As The Clash began its second encore with “Career Opportunities,” a rambunctious fan made his way onto the stage to sing alongside Joe Strummer.

A security guard moved in to intercept the stage-crasher but Strummer wasn’t going to have any part of it.

Instead, Strummer (who played his last Massachusetts show at the Palladium with the Mescaleros) gently pushed the security guard aside, which was interpreted as a free-for-all invitation.

Other audience members poured onto the stage, engulfing Strummer until he couldn’t be seen. Strummer became part of the crowd while The Clash continued to play without missing a beat.

Within seconds there are 75 kids on stage

So here’s my “Not the Clash?” story. Saw this lineup in Worcester, Mass, in oh 1983 (correction: April 1984). They were at the big new hockey rink in town. 15,000 rowdy kids, give or take.

The kids were scampering across the stage throughout the night to stage dive and whatnot, and getting roughed up by security if they were caught. Strummer finally addressed the security staff between songs at one point. “It’s just kids letting off some steam, you dont have to beat heads, come on man.”

Security, chastened, stands completely down as the groop launches into Career Opportunities.

Within seconds there are 75 kids on stage, pogoing, slamming, singing harmonies into Strummer’s mic, doing the gorilla, backflips, grabbing a smoke - total mayhem.

One girl jumps on Simonon’s back and stays there for the entire song, at one point apparently cutting off the flow of oxygen to his brain, based on his violent reaction. Joyous, hilarious bedlam, a total spectacle, but clearly not all that fun for the Clash, turns out.

Not exactly sure how or why, but by unspoken consensus between band, fans, and security, the fourth wall is not breached for the rest of the night. I remember thinking, “Welp, there’s the end of...something.”

Brian Goslow was there. Hadn’t seen him since I moved to Hartford - where I also saw this lineup - so that was a nice reunion. I think he greeted me with a karate kick to my ribs.

Got on stage and sang abit of Garageland

Mike Cella I was there to....got on stage and sang abit of garageland with Joe and yes it was Mayhem!!!!!!!

"next thing I hear is my brother singing the line “Do ya wanna make tea at the BBC”

Bob Curley

April 1984 Worcester, Massachusetts. Front Row for the second half of the show. I was 15. My older brother jumped on the stage during Career Opportunities and Strummer leaned the mic over to him.... next thing I hear is my brother singing the line “Do ya wanna make tea at the BBC....” Best show ever for me!!! I’ll be 50 in a couple weeks...

All those TVs around the stage showing clips from Taxi Driver and The Road Warrior

Shaun Ratcliffe 84 Centrum gig the streets in Wormtown were crazy after the show. I have the bootleg of it but the audio is really dodgy.

I remember all those TVs around the stage showing clips from Taxi Driver and The Road Warrior? I loved Strummers diatribe about driving a thousand miles and going to the same exact Denny’s. I still think about that when I travel and see an exact replica of Rt 9 in Framingham in another state.

That gig was on April 13th 1984. I was there, too! I wish I had seen the previous lineups when they played Boston, Cape Cod, and Clark U, but sadly, no... got on stage and sang abit of garageland with Joe

Only chances to see The Clash

Mark Adrian Morris I was there as a 14 year old, this show and Providence, RI on the same tour we’re my only chances to see The Clash. I knew it wasn’t the same, but what can you do. Blessed to have seen Mick in BAD 10 times and with Carbon Silicon in Cambridge MA at TT the Bears in front of 100 people. 4 Strummer and Mescaleros gigs as well. Imagine if they Joe hadn’t passed and they rehearsed for RnR HOF induction? What should have been....

a lot of energy and was fun

Dan Rubin Great description! I was at that show too. It had a lot of energy and was fun- but definitely felt a bit weird to see them without MJ and with the 2 new recruits.

Paul Kavanagh Word on the street is that NQHS had a strong presence at that show ...even got a mention on WBCN

I saw more of my classmates at the show than i did at school

Mick Moriarty On this day, Friday the 13th of April 1984 The Clash played Worcester Centrum. I think i saw more of my classmates at the show than i did at school.

Dan Mulkern: Saw them on 4/13/84 in Worcester MA

Best concert I ever attended

Bill Corbett | @dadofccx3 | Mar 30

Worcester MA, April 1984

The Clash
Worcester MA
April 1984 pic.twitter.com/xeIfvQaTCi

— Bill Corbett (@dadofccx3) March 30, 2024

my ears rang for 3 days.

MaRk StEvens

I was there! Worcester 84 was a natural match for the Clash. But my ears rang for 3 days.

Within seconds there are 75 kids on stage

The Clash Official | Facebook - Pat Daly

So here’s my “Not the Clash?” story. Saw this lineup in Worcester, Mass, in oh 1983 (correction: April 1984). They were at the big new hockey rink in town. 15,000 rowdy kids, give or take. The kids were scampering across the stage throughout the night to stage dive and whatnot, and getting roughed up by security if they were caught.

Strummer finally addressed the security staff between songs at one point. “It’s just kids letting off some steam, you dont have to beat heads, come on man.” Security, chastened, stands completely down as the groop launches into Career Opportunities.

Within seconds there are 75 kids on stage, pogoing, slamming, singing harmonies into Strummer’s mic, doing the gorilla, backflips, grabbing a smoke - total mayhem.

One girl jumps on Simonon’s back and stays there for the entire song, at one point apparently cutting off the flow of oxygen to his brain, based on his violent reaction.

Joyous, hilarious bedlam, a total spectacle, but clearly not all that fun for the Clash, turns out. Not exactly sure how or why, but by unspoken consensus between band, fans, and security, the fourth wall is not breached for the rest of the night.

I remember thinking, “Welp, there’s the end of...something.” Brian Goslow was there. Hadn’t seen him since I moved to Hartford - where I also saw this lineup - so that was a nice reunion. I think he greeted me with a karate kick to my ribs.

All those TVs around the stage showing clips from Taxi Driver and The Road Warrior

Shaun Ratcliffe - That gig was on April 13th 1984. I was there, too! I wish I had seen the previous lineups when they played Boston, Cape Cod, and Clark U, but sadly, no... Remember all those TVs around the stage showing clips from Taxi Driver and The Road Warrior

Strummers diatribe about driving a thousand miles

Doug Geer -  I loved Strummers diatribe about driving a thousand miles and going to the same exact Denny’s. I still think about that when I travel and see an exact replica of Rt 9 in Framingham in another state.

Steve Morse (Boston Globe):

Most of the reviews were written by Steve Morse, the long time rock critic for the Boston Globe and clearly a fan of the clash (he traveled to NY, NJ and Wash DC to review the band). As a native of Boston and a 25+ year fan of the Clash I have always enjoyed and agreed with his reviews. That can't be said for Jim Sullivan who wrote the Sept. 7, 1982 review. I was at that show and I have never had such a disagreement with a review and to this day, I can't hear (or write!) the words Jim Sullivan with out thinking about how far off the mark that review was (call me obsessed!), other's radio DJs at the time agreed. I thought it was a great show. I have included Sullivan's review just for the historical record. If you post it I may send my own memories of the show at a later date.

Boston Globe Review

REVIEWS | MUSIC
THE PLUCKY CLASH PERSISTENT AS EVER
THE CLASH - IN CONCERT AT THE WORCESTER CENTRUM ON FRIDAY.

Author(s): Steve Morse Globe Staff
Date: April 16, 1984
Page: ????? Section: ARTS/ FILMS

As the Clash's music roared along and destroyed inhibitions, kids from all sides started jumping on stage. Up to a dozen were up there at one time, trying to hug the musicians or raise a fist, blurt a lyric into a mike or beam triumphantly at their friends in the crowd. It was all just euphoric madness until a member of the Clash's road crew blew his cool by using excessive force to shove a youth off stage.

That's all it took to ignite singer Joe Strummer, who spotted the incident and screamed, "Human beings are going to be treated like human beings, even in this fascist country

The road crew culprit was later "reprimanded severely," according to a source backstage. But the point of the incident was clear: The Clash have never felt superior to their fans, and they won't tolerate any of them being harmed.

Although they have three new members, the Clash conclusively proved they are as plucky and persistent as ever. As the noblest remnants of the British punk movement, they have a lot to live up to, but they lived up to all of it with a scorching show in front of 9400 revved-up fans on Friday.

They played at nearly earbleeding level, but most ears were willingly sacrificed to the band's supersonic thrust. Though now minus charter guitarist Mick Jones, who was kicked out of the Clash because of "laziness" according to Strummer, the band has rebounded beautifully with two eager, hungry 24-year- old axmen, Vince White and Nick Sheppard. Where Jones favored a looser, fatter sound, White and Sheppard play through Marshall amps for a steely, knife-edged sound that has given the Clash a more jarring rock feel than ever before.

The night's adrenaline-charged rush began quickly with "London Calling," as the recommitted Strummer, stalking the stage in a fearsome mohawk haircut, erupted into a series of primal screams. From then on - from older punk anthems like "Safe European Home" and "White Riot," to new songs like the provocative "Are You Ready for War?" and "Sex-Mad World" - Strummer lifted off to another dimension.

Like a deranged showman, he waved the mike stand overhead and occasionally banged it into drummer Pete Howard's crash cymbals. He also jumped into the crowd on "Rock the Casbah" (played as high-velocity rock minus the disco sheen of the original), and barked out so many defiant political raps that a few fans muttered he should be renamed Chairman Joe.

It was plain that despite personnel changes, Strummer sought to show the Clash have retained their revolutionary impulses. "There's a need for The New Human Being' - anti-racist and anti-sexist!" he screamed at one point. "Are we going to turn into our parents or what? Look what happened to them!" he then shrieked before belting out "Working for the Clampdown."

The theme of working-class revolt was reinforced by a stark grey-black stage set designed to be an abstract representation of a factory. Ten TV screens were interspersed throughout, and though they couldn't be seen by most fans in the arena, they were used in place of one giant screen because the Clash refused to employ anything that could not be in the normal worker's home, manager Bernie Rhodes said later.

Some of the videos were entertaining, such as old performing shots of Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry. But others were violent, including newsreels of street fights during bassist Paul Simonon's blaring "Guns of Brixton," and various scenes from martial arts movies, Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns and James Bond's "Goldfinger."

It's a violent world, the Clash continually suggested, while reasserting the power of rock 'n' roll to cut through the numbness before it's too late.

Photos suposedly form Worcester AND Providence but it looks like they are all from Worcester?

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