La Stampa 12- September 1984 - number 216 page 19

Clàsh overtaken by the public stop for ten minutes fighting during the concert at the Palasport following an invitation to go on stage

Clàsh passing by the public stop for ten minutes

GENOA - The legendary Clash landed in Genoa, the day before last night, with a rather lively concert, animating this asphyxiated musical September in the city, full of events, but almost devoid of an audience.

After the disappointment of the Ultravox appearances, the political punk of the Clash was brought back! Palasport back to past glories.

Upon the first notes of London Colling and the appearance on the stage of Joe Strummer, the leading voice of the English group, the approximately 4,000 fans thousand were carried away.

Perhaps even in an anachronistic way, in an atmosphere of great style of a1960s meeting , when words such as "revolution", "peace", "love" and "freedom" were still encountered in the slogans and in the lyrics of the songs.

Under a red banner on which was written Sex Style Subversion and with a large photograph of a group of demonstrators in the procession behind it, The Clash hypnotised the audience in a crescendo of applause and whistles of approval.

Strummer, with his now overt influence on the public, was able to unleash all the vitality of the young people who, kidnapped, followed him, punctuating the rhythm of the songs.

Before attacking the notes of the famous Radio Clash the singer, at the height of excitement, in a stunted but sufficiently understandable Italian, invited the fans to go on stage. The message was clear, at least this is how it seemed.

Initiallly the first enterprising fans were pushed back. The stage however was soon overwhelmed by a large group of young people who invaded, pushing the group into rearguard positions.

For about ten minutes the concert went on like this, with the voice of Joe Strummer who seemed to rise from the chaos of arms, legs and punk hair, under the blue and red spotlights.

It was the end of the world, and it was feared that it would end with the intervention of the police and tear gas.

Then, perhaps convinced by the dangerously evolving situation, the Clash left the stage entrusting a "gorilla" and a willing speaker with the task of restoring calm.

The concert was suspended for about ten minutes, time to recapture the crowd of young people who had invaded the field in the audience.

The evening ended without any further incidents (except for a failed attempt to force the doors of the Palasport by a group of fans) and with a hint of disappointment for the fans, hasty, granted at the end.

After the brawl, the spontaneous staging of the Clash also began to reveal some cracks, d. g.

Image: Assault on the stage at the urging of Joe Strummer