Other Rock Bands

1982-08-20 Talking Heads

in ,

Paramount Theater

1982-11-5.jpg

Talking Heads were completely happening at this time, and it had already been a few years since sitting down with Fear of Music (and then the earlier albums) for the first time. Remain in Light was the latest Studio Album and in this year they put out an excellent double live album that we just listened to constantly. Its interesting to see how many shows used to start late, this one at 10pm.

1982-10-12 The Clash / The Who

in ,

Shea Stadium

1982-5-3.jpg

The Who. The Clash. Two bands from East London playing in the eastern borough of NYC.

There is a great photo of The Clash all suited up in an open convertible Cadillac driving through Queens, quite classic.

This was the only time I saw either of these bands, and not much can be said in words that can possibly put them in perspective other than words like…Quadrophenia… and London Calling… Wow, what can you say except that this was a big year for concerts.

For many years previous, Shea Stadium was a near and dear place for me, because I started attending Mets games in 1969 at the age of 8 and was in attendance on the evening of September 24, 1969 when, in the words of Newsday “one of the most improbable events in human history occurred”.

At the show we stood toward the back of the field. During the Clash set it seemed like mass hysteria going on near the stage.

Near me, some poor dude couldn’t seem to rid himself of whatever he drank, and his vomiting went on about as long as in the classic Monty Python segment from Meaning of Life. Another dude took control of the situation - first he ordered the vomiting man to leave the vicinity, yelling at him incessantly; next, he pulled out a pocket knife and started to cut the tarp on the Shea field. Without even hesitating, he cut a big square of tarp around the vomit area - he then started rolling up the square of tarp, neatly trapping the vomit inside. Just like that, the vomit was gone and the audience there on the field spread out over the nice swatch of the green grass of Shea just sticking right up through that square hole in the tarp.

1982-11-20 Devo

in ,

The Palladium (NYC)

1982-13-4.jpg
Marcal-2019copies-58.jpg

Above: Devo flyer with an important message on the cover from General Boy, 1980

This show was unique, fantastic and crazy. These guys were pioneers of the rock video concept, but (at least earlier on) their own videos were too subversive and objectionable to be shown by MTV or other big media outlets. During the performance, images of the band playing on video were synchronized with the live performance onstage in an advanced way, for its day (Gerald Casale, in the interview noted below, mentions how they used a click track to keep everything in sync). There is a lot of interesting video material that coordinates with the music and creates humor and various effects.

Toward the end of the show Mark Mothersbaugh ran through the audience and climbed up a rope ladder - without a safety net - into the balcony area, all the while singing into his wireless mic.

There is a video online that shows the main set from this same tour. Its not great quality but interesting to check out. The more important thing is the broader collection of their music videos that was on vhs (We’re All Devo), with classic versions of many songs and a cameo appearance by Timothy Leary. Beginning with its opening sketch with Rod and Donut Rooter, the song Worried Man on that tape remains an all-time classic, and as relevant as ever. You know, it really does take a worried man.

Its been interesting to check out Mothersbaugh’s other work over the years since Devo, and to hear him and Casale discuss various topics in interviews. One I recommend is the Casale interview from 1995, an Oral History of Devo, where among many other things he explains that “De-evolution refuted the idea of linear progress, that people just keep getting better and better and better and more evolved toward some outside idea of perfection… we saw the opposite… ” (or what, at left is referred to as “a major attack of corkscrews in the brain”).

1984-05-17 David Gilmour

in ,

Landmark Theatre

 

As a huge Gilmour fan it was another great opportunity to see him when I lived in Syracuse.

1984-3-2.jpg

Above: an article in Relix Magazine from 1979.

1985-03-30 Prince and The Revolution

in ,

Carrier Dome

1985-4-3.jpg

Still part of Purple Rain Tour, although the album had been out awhile. The show was broadcast to Europe and I recall that for purposes of that broadcast Prince called out at times, mentioning the broadcast, and referring to the location as "New York," ..... never mentioning Syracuse. Amazing to see this show recently released as a special DVD.

1985-04-26 R.E.M.

in ,

SUNY Gymnasium, Binghamton, NY

1985-5.jpg

Travelled down to Binghamton from SU to see this show. The price was less than $10. REM had a sort of cult following and most recently had released their Fables of the Reconstruction album. This is such a small venue that we ordered a dominos pizza to the venue, stepped outside to get it from the delivery guy, and then sat on the floor of the gym eating slices before the show. Although they were barely known at the time, within the space of just a couple of years REM would appear on the cover of the Rolling Stone under the caption "The Greatest Band in America." Michael Sipe wore his trademark overcoat. After the show a friend convinced one of the roadies to give him one of the setlists that was taped up on the stage. The setlist included covers of CCR and Velvet Underground tunes during a 5-song "second encore."

1986-11-19 OMD

in ,

Radio City Music Hall

1986-5-3.jpg

Above: Pages from the Tour program, and the Radio City handbill, for OMD’s Pacific Age 1986 Tour

1987-08-26 New Order

in ,

Concerts on the Pier (Pier 84)

1987-3-2.jpg

New Order was all the rage at this time. A collection like “Substance” shows what a large amount of well-loved material New Order released. I became and remained a big fan of Bernard Sumner’s work in various configurations, including the band Electronic which he formed later with Johnny Marr, but missed a couple of opportunities to see him, after this show.