Setlist
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London Calling |
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There are several sights that provide setlists but most mirror www.blackmarketclash.co.uk. They are worth checking.
from Setlist FM (cannot be relied on)
from Songkick (cannot be relied on)
... both have lists of people who say they went
& from the newer Concert Database and also Concert Archives
Also useful: Ultimate Music database, All Music, Clash books at DISCOGS
Articles, check 'Rocks Back Pages'
The drama of the Bonds residency
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1 2 3
5 6 7 8 9 10
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The Clash arriving in New York and the build up The remainder of the residency |
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1. Background: The Clash at Bond's
Italy to New York
When The Clash landed at JFK airport in New York on the night of the 25th May 1981 they had no idea that their residency at a Broadway nightclub would create such a furore and nationwide media coverage that it became a pivotal event in their assault on America, helping to propel them into the major league Stateside. As Kosmo Vinyl has succinctly put it, “People who didn’t have straight trousers and short hair suddenly knew who we were. It got out - it was big!”. The Bonds concerts became one of the most enduring aspects of the Clash legend. ... more ...
The remainder of the press coverage once the bad had agreed to ensure all ticket holders got in by adding 8 more dates.
A collection of articles covering the bands arrival into New York including previews of the week. Also includes the WNEW preview broacast with Meg Griffin.
4. Bonds News Reports
Audio and video reports covering the ticket fiasco. Fascinating watching / listening that captures those three days well. Includes notes.
5. Ticket Fiasco
Numerous articles and audio and video reports covering the ticket fiasco.
6. The remainder of the residency
8. Longer history of Bonds plus old photos
9. Posters and adverts
Bits and pieces inclduying all adverts and posters.
10. Badges, FSLN handouts, flyers, Clash press releases ...
11. Clash on Broadway Reels
What was filmed and what happened to it?
13. Photos
Random phonts bundled here.
14. Comments
Comments for those who attended one of the gigs
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ARTICLES, POSTERS, CLIPPINGS ... A collection of A collection of articles, interviews, reviews, posters, tour dates from the Clash's residency at Bonds, New York. Articles cover the period from July through to the end of September.
VIDEO AND AUDIO Video and audio footage from the tour including radio interviews.
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Italy to New York
When The Clash landed at JFK airport in New York on the night of the 25th May 1981 they had no idea that their residency at a Broadway nightclub would create such a furore and nationwide media coverage that it became a pivotal event in their assault on America, helping to propel them into the major league Stateside. As Kosmo Vinyl has succinctly put it, “People who didn’t have straight trousers and short hair suddenly knew who we were. It got out - it was big!”. The Bonds concerts became one of the most enduring aspects of the Clash legend.
WNEW Bonds week
Prior to The Clash's arrival WNEW FM ran a Bonds Week with Meg Griffin. It includes an intro to the Clash at Bonds week with a montage of old interviews and Clash tracks
Listen again here:
Bonds News Reports
28 May - 30 May 81 - updated 5 Jan 2009When the probelms started on the 29th at the venue the news media decsended and there s both audio and video circulating that captures those few hectic days.Audio: 30 mins of TV and Radio interviews, news and commentary.
Video: The Clash - News Reports about Bond's Casino Shows - June 1981
Video - Clash on Broadway Reels -
Clash On Broadway - 19:50
The Clash / Sound System box set
It is not clear which of these comes from which night?London Calling (first night?)
This Is Radio Clash (Tom Snyder show)
The Magnificent Seven (Tom Snyder show)
Guns Of Brixton (first night?)
Safe European Home (first night?)
A good listing of the contents of the The Clash's Sound System box set can be found here.
For a full details on video from the opening shows go to the 28th
For information on the Clash on Broadway reels go here
Private Super8mm film footage of the rucus outside Bonds
Someone had a video camera and has more and better footage from outside.
Press Conference - "See out"
Would like the full press conference.
Video from Bonds
There's a lot of material now floating around all mixed up, here's the older offical stuff
1. Essential Clash DVD
cut down version of CoB from Westway but with unseeen angles and clips. Includes an edited London Calling [audio is unmixed pro recording from 9th].
2. Westway to the World BONUS footage DVD
Includes nearly full tracks of - London Calling [Trick of Treat audio] - Guns of Brixton [dubbed partly] Safe European Home [dubbed with studio single] - Charlie Don't Surf [original sound but from mixing desk] - Radio Clash [original sound but from mixing desk]. Also includes a mash up of a lot of footage from New York and outside Bonds such as the riot.
3. Video - press conference, backstage, 16 Tons play on, London Calling nearly full [probably the same length as Westway? but the sound plays on to a montage of NYC/Clash pictures]. The sound is remixed from [Trick or Treat bootleg] radio broadcast from the 9th June as Westway. 5.38min
4. MTV Rockumentary is same as Westway/Clash on TV/Essential DVD but with only very edited clips of the press conference and London Calling. Nothing new except a couple of comments form Mick and Paul.
5. Clash on Broadway Reels
Extensive details here
6. 60minute doc never realeased, various shots
7. Full multi camera shoot of the 13th evening
Never released except two tracks on 6 above.
8. Video shot across various shows
but particulalry full show from the 3rd
9. As 8 above, and Don Letts footage of Mag 7 from the 2nd June
But only partial so patched up with other audio and cut video. Though partial soundboard.
Tom Snyder show NTV
The complete Clash appearance circulates on Clash On TV Vol.1 in very good quality (apart from some ghosting) from a TV rebroadcast (better than the YouTube broadcast below). For many years Clash fans had made do with very poor quality video copies of this important Clash footage.
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Go here for uploads and downloads. It's not a massive space so its on an as and when basis.
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And there are two Joe Strummer sites, official and unnoffical here
Clash City Collectors - excellent
Facebook Page - for Clash Collectors to share unusual & interesting items like..Vinyl. Badges, Posters, etc anything by the Clash. Search Clash City Collectors & enter search in search box. Place, venue, etc
Clash on Parole - excellent
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Anything to do with The Clash. Photos inspired by lyrics, song titles, music, artwork, members, attitude, rhetoric,haunts,locations etc, of the greatest and coolest rock 'n' roll band ever.Tributes to Joe especially wanted. Pictures of graffitti, murals, music collections, memorabilia all welcome. No limit to postings. Don't wait to be invited, just join and upload.
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I saw The Clash at Bonds - excellent
Facebook page - The Clash played a series of 17 concerts at Bond's Casino in New York City in May and June of 1981 in support of their album Sandinista!. Due to their wide publicity, the concerts became an important moment in the history of the Clash. Search I Saw The Clash at Bonds & enter search in red box. Place, venue, etc
Loving the Clash
Facebook page - The only Clash page that is totally dedicated to the last gang in town. Search Loving The Clash & enter search in the search box. Place, venue, etc
Blackmarketclash.co.uk
Facebook page - Our very own Facebook page. Search Blackmarketclash.co.uk & enter search in red box. Place, venue, etc
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Search Enter as below - Twitter All of these words eg Bonds and in this exact phrase, enter 'The Clash'
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Images on the offical Clash site. http://www.theclash.com/gallery
www.theclash.com/ (all images via google).
Images on the offical Clash site. site:http://www.theclash.com/
Bonds Residency - Supported by the Bush Tetras
Three weeks & 17 gigs that shook up New York and America.
last updated 19 Feb 2002
updated Sept 2020
Audio 1 - aud. master
Sound 3.5 - time 1hr 51mins - DAT-master - tracks 28
Lightning Strikes
Sound Quality
The master audience recording in circulation captures the whole 28-song concert. Amazingly the same taper apparently recorded all 17 Bonds shows, providing the only complete record of any of The Clash’s tours or residencies.
The audience recordings therefore are all of similar sound quality as they were recorded on the same equipment but there are some variations presumably dependent on where the taper was standing on each night.
Tonight’s is one of the best of the audience recordings capturing considerable detail and clarity. The deficiencies of the tape equipment and the position of the taper however, result in a lack of range and depth. Vocals and instrumentation (bass is better defined although still low in the mix) come through well but all suffer from distance; a lack of “in your face” immediacy.
The Clash hit top form
There is a view amongst some Clash fans that the band were not at their best during the Bonds residency but a listen to the evidence of this performance surely would dispel that view. On the night of the 1st June (their 4th Bonds show) The Clash hit top form delivering certainly one of their best performances at Bond’s and one to rival the best of the European tour. A very enthusiastic audience clearly helped, the band rewarding them with a rare 3rd encore.
Bush Tetras image courtsey of
Tickets
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BONDS CASINO, NEW YORK Following their appearance at the Palladium in 1980 The Clash had refused to play in New York unless they could play in a venue they thought suitable, i.e. an unseated dance hall. In February, Bernie and Kosmo had come to New York to seek out a suitable venue and agreed on Bonds which seemed ideal; it could hold 4000 with minimal discomfort (fire exits would prove the problem) but it was comparatively intimate and had character (art deco interior.
History Of Bonds - includes write up and old photos It was a former men’s department store with a lino floor and beams and a makeshift stage. Local promoters could not understand why The Clash did not play a couple of nights at Madison Square Garden (16,000 capacity) like everyone else. Indeed Chris Salewicz was asked to write a piece for Soho News “to find the story behind the story!”
an excellent description of the interior of Bonds J. Blocher writing in a fanzine gives an excellent description of the interior of Bonds and the experience of seeing The Clash there: “The doors opened at 8pm, we went up a carpeted spiral staircase surrounded by barbed wire and Mooseheads. We went into a large lobby and bar, with Clash concession stands. Through a large bank of double doors we located the dance floor, strobing lights - stunning glow in the dark things, half inflated silver spacemen hanging through trap doors in the ceiling. The dance floor itself was huge with recessed balconies at 2 sides to handle the large number of techies apparently required to keep all the lights flashing and the mikes feeding back. The facilities at Bonds were dance or drop! There was absolutely no seating anywhere.”
In the photo below Bonds is the low building on the right.
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We may have gone through a few problems to get here
The recording begins as Topper counts in London Calling. The sound is a little flatter at the start but soon improves. Joe is pumped up and Mick is on top form too tonight, his solo clear in the mix. Following a “Good evening, welcome” from Joe, Safe European Home thunders in, followed by The Leader.
Joe says “Thank you and good evening. We may have gone through a few problems to get here, now we are here, Mr Jones…” and then Mick plays the intro to Somebody Got Murdered, the first exceptional performance tonight. The band play with real passion and power, the recording capturing enough of the detail in the instrumentation to make it a very enjoyable listen.
Joe says “How many people here tonight 1725, you make [points at the audience] 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 shussssh!” Mick then screams “1-2 a 1-2-3-4” and the band slam into an excellent White Man In Hammersmith Palais with Joe adlibbing over Mick’s solo “what you ask so shall you see” and also over the ending but his words are not clear. The Boston Rock article dates this stage announcement to the 31st May concert but other reviews suggest this is probably from the 1st June.
Time next for Joe and Paul to swop guitars for Guns Of Brixton, another fine performance. “OK got something new here to try out on you This is Radio Clash” is followed by The Call Up a good if not great performance of this underrated live Clash classic. “Alright lets have some control” is the cue for Topper to beat out the bass drum intro to Complete Control, played ‘straight’ tonight without the now usual building crescendo intro as per the FHTE recording. A fine Junco Partner follows with some adlibs from Joe. “Let the lightning strike” shouts Joe and Mick’s playing on Lightning Strikes is inventive and very effective, Joe’s really up for it tonight, adlibbing over the improvised extended ending.
The second CD restarts straight into Ivan Meets GI Joe. Next Mick plays a chopper sound on his guitar as a very fine Charlie Don’t Surf begins. Topper beats out a rhythm and Mick plays some great melodic lines over the top as Paul’s bass line plays the melody. There is no adlibbed intro from Joe, but when Mick cuts loose with a solo Joe responds with an adlibbed verse. Joe introduces Bankrobber intriguingly with “Here’s a song that we wrote in the black flag roach motel”. Joe is enjoying himself, the band in top form.
“Well I say you and I say twice, don’t you ever stop” as the band crash into a The Magnificent Seven, a shorter version than some of the earlier Bonds 7 minute plus versions but just as intense; Joe rages over the sonic assault whipped up by the band. Mick and the band improvise around the now usual extended intro to Wrong Em Boyo, This recording is very enjoyable because the performance is so good and there is enough detail and clarity in the audience recording to make it so.
Mick talks to the audience during an extended Train In Vain. The audience tonight are very lively and appreciative. Joe says, “Thank you - I think we need the encouragement”. Mick then screams out “1-2-3-4” and band now on fire and burn through an intense Career Opportunities. It is just as intense as any 1977 performance; Topper’s drumming terrific always tonight is really tremendous here. The main set as always now ends with a super-tight and effective Clampdown with Mick’s playing a delight.
The first encore begins after an almost unnoticeable edit with One More Time.
A hard as nails performance featuring Mick’s effects and some great drumming mid-song from Topper. There is no evidence here of his supposedly then worsening drug problems. It’s straight in to Brand New Cadillac, which tears along before the pace, and mood changes with Washington Bullets. Joe shouts “El Salvador” repeatedly as Mick improvises around the melody drowning out largely the now regular mid-song announcements of the representative of the Democratic Revolutionary Front of El Salvador. Energy levels peak again on a passionate Janie Jones. The first encore would normally end here but tonight the band revisit Street Parade, Joe enjoying himself but having not played the song for a while the performance is a bit rusty; Joe wanting to play it straight but Mick wanting to stretch out and improvise.
An edit restarts with the second encore and a strong performance of Armagideon Time with a lengthy instrumental break before Joe comes back in. Jimmy Jazz returns for its first Bonds show, there’s little adlibbing from Joe but Mick’s plays with a different guitar sound to the 1980 shows. The encore ends in classic style with an intense London’s Burning or rather New York’s Burning with Joe ranting and screaming over the ending.
Due to a combination of a very enthusiastic audience and the band clearly enjoying themselves, The Clash return to play a rare third encore of Police and Thieves. Its played straight and true, full of energy and passion with little improvisation. Mick shares the vocals, “drum and bass” screams Joe as Mick eventually stops playing and the music drops to drum and bass. There’s plenty of great extended guitar playing from Mick but no adlibbed rant from Joe.
'I saw the Clash at Bonds' - Facebook page
Popular Facebook group that recounts memories for the Bonds residency. Well worth a read.
Photos
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