The Clash Live - Dumfermline Kinema Ballroom

Monday 24 October 1977

Dunfermaline
Kinema Ballroom

Support acts Richard Hell & The Voidoids, The Lous, and hometown band, The Skids

updated 5 April 2020
updated fully Jan 2024

INDEX
Recordings in circulation
Background
Tickets, Posters
Other
Venue
Gig Review
News Reports
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Comments
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Photos

Recordings in circulation

No known audio

Other than Tommy Gun & White Riot from Rude Boy. If you know of any recording, please email blackmarketclash

Rude Boy video

Tommy Gun & White Riot

Courtesy of www.kinemagigz.com

Above - The Clash's tour truck outside The Kinema Ballroom (from the film 'Rude Boy') and a ticket for the same night (Thursday 6th July 1978). They were supported by US outfit, Suicide and 'The Coventry Automatics' who later became 'The Special AKA' / 'The Specials' and all for £2! Also a gig review for the earlier gig in 1977 from 'Bruce's' record shop free fanzine 'Cripes' (probably around issue No.80?)

The Clash were perhaps unusual at the time in their exploration of juxtaposed styles though the public would never see past the 'Punks' label. In 1995 Jones & Strummer tuned down $7 million to regroup for Lollapalooza (an American music festival).

They played the ballroom twice. Once on Monday 24th October 1977 as part of ‘Get Out Of Control' tour (Tickets £1.75)(supported by 'Richard Hell & The Voidoids', 'The Skids' & 'The Lous') and on Thursday 6th July 1978 on the ‘On Parole Tour' (Tickets £2.00) supported by 'Suicide' and 'The Coventry Automatics'. The latter date followed the only other Scottish dates, The Apollo, Glasgow and The Music Hall, Aberdeen the two nights before.

The Kinema gig on Thursday 6th July 1978 ended during the encore of 'White Riot' when the stage was invaded and Topper walked-off. The episode was caught on camera and a clip appears in the film 'Rude Boy'. Some footage was also broadcast on Scottish Television (STV) the next day. This episode is described in an article in 'Kingdom Come' fanzine (see above) and corroborated by a friend of mine. The disturbance fell very far short of the near riot reported elsewhere.

The footage of 'White Riot' below is taken from this performance at the Kinema and appears as an extra in the 'Directors Cut' DVD of 'Rude Boy' (1980). The footage of 'Tommy Gun' below is taken from this performance at the Kinema on 'Rude Boy - The Directors Cut'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBm_OQtAky0

In another scene from the film, the western approach to Dunfermline from the Crossford road (from Urquart Cut) can be seen where anoraks like me will spot continuity errors through the window as the van must have been driven both in & out of the town as they filmed! (the Urquhart flats can be seen through both the nearside & offside windows).

Ghoulz (2006/8/9/13/15)

https://www.kinemagigz.com/'c'.htm#The_Clash

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Background

The Clash at the Kinema Ballroom Oct 77

The band was supported by Richard Hell & The Voidoids, The Lous, and hometown band, The Skids. The Skids had to play on a tiny platform normally used by the venue's Saturday night DJ since the main stage was filled with gear for the headliners.

Clash Play Live in Dunfermline Kinema 1978
Big Country - SK Virgin Years

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Tickets, Posters, Adverts

Kinema Poster

Clash City Collectors | Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/

"Out Of Control Tour, supported by Richard Hell + the Lous & the Skids as support. Below we have an original poster from the night, kindly shared by Iain Garvie who was given it by the lighting guy from the gig I believe

Robin Tate - But be careful out there CCC as there are more Fakes than originals around & this is one of the FAKES"

Tickets

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Other

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Venue

Dunfermaline Kinema Ballroom

The Kinema Ballroom in Dunfermline, Scotland, is a historic music venue that has hosted some of the biggest names in music. The venue was first opened on December 23, 1938, by Provost James Hoggan. The original design featured a state-of-the-art sprung dance floor, and the entrance door at Pilmuir Street and exit to Chapel Street Lane still exist today[1]. The venue was built by Daniel Younger, who had previously opened the Kinema moving picture salon in Dunfermline in 1915[1]. The architect of the building was John Fraser, who also designed the Alhambra and Robin's Cinema in East Port[7].

The Kinema Ballroom was initially a dance hall, but it evolved into a live music performance venue over time[2]. It was known for hosting various talent contests and beauty shows alongside its regular dancing[1]. The venue underwent an extension in 1963, which increased its capacity four-fold to more than 1,000 patrons[1]. The venue is now a world buffet restaurant[2].

In 1988, the Kinema was remodelled as Hollywood Boulevard. In 2007, the venue's name changed again to Velocity.

In pictures: Memories of Dunfermline's Kinema Ballroom

Links:
1. Kinema Ballroom - Dunfermline - 2. Dunfermline Wikipedia - 3. Clash Play Live in Dunfermline Kinema 1978 - 4. Big Country - SK Virgin Years - 5. Kinema Gigz - 'C' - 6. Kinema Gigz History - 7. Dunfermline - A Story to Weave - 8. The Clash at Kinema Ballroom 1977 - 9. YouTube - The Clash Live - 10. Pictures and Memories - Dunfermline's Kinema Ballroom - 11. Pecha Kucha Dunfermline - 12. Kinema Gigz 1977 - 13. Wikipedia - The Clash Related Articles - 14. Kinema Gigz Website - 15. St. Margaret's Hall Dunfermline - 16. Kinema Ballroom on 45worlds - 17. Skids Wikipedia - 18. Ghoulz Webz Pix & Vidz - 19. The Clash Setlist at Apollo Theatre 1977 - 20. Ghoulz Webz 'B' - 21. The Clash Concerts Wiki - 22. New Life for Nightspot Cool Turned Beatles - 23. Kinema Gigz 'L' -

A journey through the original entrance to the original Kinema building.

2006

Kinema Gigz

A full detailed history of the venue can be found here.

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The Gig

Going to see the Clash

We were going to see The Clash. Sniff had just bought a Triumph Spitfire for 50 pounds - the idea would be to do it up for his 17th birthday. It was working but needed repaired. We decided to use it to get to the gig in Dunfermline, about 100 odd miles away down motorway. We left school early and proceeded to fill her up with fuel. The first leg of the journey was uneventful, uneventful until we hit Dundee.

He announced that the brakes were failing, were were coming into Dundee via the Arboath road which inevitably meant a downhill journey into the centre of the city. He shouted at me to use the handbrake, it sort of worked. This was fine until at the foot of the hill an articulated lorry stopped a little too suddenly when the lights changed. I had to practically straddle the handbrake to get enough leverage, even then the long bonnet went underneath the rear end of the wagon, and our windscreen tapped the back of its undercarriage, cracking a bit. We were lucky. The rest of the journey we did our best to avoid stopping, and we finally found a place to park in the outskirts of Perth and used some of our precious cash to do the rest of the journey by train.

As we emerged from the train station we proudly walked down the high street. Whereas in the past this would have been dangerous, really dangerous, we got friendly "how's it goin's" from various punks who were clearly in town to do what were were doing. We met up with a few of them who were delighted to meet a couple of guys from another toon. They gave us a can of beer. We eventually made our way round to the Kinema, and went into the pub next door where to our unbridled delight, The Clash were sitting having a pre-gig pint. We went up to speak to them and get their autographs. Topper Headon was especially friendly as was Mick Jones, and Stummer.

It was to be years later when I met strummer face to face again, in West London, when he lived in my neighborhood, round Westbourne Park. That night in Dunfermline, The Clash were supported by Richard Hell and the Voidoids and The Skids. I remember the stark contrast of the Americans, as the bass player, who sported a beard and a kind of unfashionable (to us) corduroy suit. When they hit the stage, the audience spat at them, and since they were kind of the first main act every bodies reserves were at peak. Right to when the lights and music kicked in greeners strung from the guy's beard and bass guitar, they hung and slung below with his movements, he was mortified. Someone from the venues management came on to request "no more spitting, or the gigs off." And Richard Hell, as he returned to the stage while no doubt wanting to win our favour and at the same time assert his own punk credentials contradicted "do what you wanna do".

Wow, that was invitation for another tidal wave of saliva and catarrh. Shit even I was hit due to being near the front "but I don't care!" The Skids' "Albert Tatlock" reminded me of strangely of "lily the pink". I remember seeing others from Arbroath including the Rector's son - he was at Uni now, dropping out no doubt and punk.

That night night we slept in a junk yard in an old car. We were freezing; I only had a plastic jacket and a string vest on. We'd been sweating like hell dancing the night away. It was fitful night, followed by breakfast of rolls and milk stolen from doorsteps and trying to jump the train. Again we got so far, then had to hitch to Perth, pick up the Spitfire then home ... Superb.

From http://dwnicoll.wordpress.com/2010/07/29/formative-years-v/

"I can vividly remember seeing The Clash and Richard Hell and the Voidoids at the Kinema in Dunfermline back in the 70s - I can still feel the globules of spit seeping down my neck!"

Brian Johnstone

1. Kinema Gigz - Memories
2. Blog - Original Web Page (Dwnicoll)

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News Reports

Gig Review Kinema

Link