Bonds Residency, Support The Treacherous Three
Three weeks & 17 gigs that shook New York and America.

page updated - Sept 2020

Audio 1

Sound 3.5 - time 1hr 49mins - DAT master - tracks 26
distant clear

Charlie Don't Surf

Sound Quality

The complete audience DAT master recording in circulation is very similar to all the previous ones at Bonds, same taper, same sound. Thus there is good clarity, and detail but distance from the taper to the stage results in a lack of “in your face” immediacy (particularly with the vocals) which reduces the enjoyability of the sound.

Still it is fantastic that good recordings exist of all the Bonds shows and if you can ignore their limitations these are very valuable and enjoyable records of The Clash during one of the most significant times in their history.

Video

Rumour of a video recording from the 3rd.

“It was like a morgue in here last night”

The night after this sixth Bonds gig Joe said “It was like a morgue in here last night” but from the evidence of the audience recording of the concert the audience were far from passive and The Clash delivered another strong and committed performance.

Joe’s comment does though further demonstrate the qualities that stand The Clash apart from almost all other bands. For The Clash it was rarely acceptable to deliver just good professional concerts. In order to conjure up the illusive alchemy required to produce those nights when as Joe put it the music “burned” The Clash would berate, cajole and harangue both themselves and the their audiences. Perhaps being aware that after 6 nights at the same venue there was a danger of their performances turning stale, the band particularly Joe tries repeatedly tonight to whip up an already enthusiastic audience in order to inspire and push themselves further.

That largely they fail to reach their ultra-high standards is clearly from the recording not for want of effort and at times particularly on the first encore they do deliver close to their very best. If you are reading this you know that The Clash even when not at their very best were a hugely enjoyable and stunning live band and this recording certainly bears this out.

Poster

Tickets

A powerful performance

The recording starts as London Calling is counted in and the set is very similar to the night before except for the return of Spanish Bombs. Joe is in great form again tonight shouting encouragement during Safe European Home to the band, “swing it brothers” and to the audience too, and adds an adlibbed joke about “we went on standby!” A powerful performance which ends appropriately with one member of the audience next to the taper shouting in wonder ”Ooh, ooh The Clash!”

“Who you gonna vote for?” asks Joe before The Leader, and Joe always trying tonight to whip up the audience and the band shouts “actung, actung” at the end before Mick obliges with the intro to a fine Somebody Got Murdered.

Next its audience participation time with what sounds a very lively and enthusiastic audience, Joe says; “Now we’ve just got time for a bit of a quiz, shout yeah if you want an album by Aerosmith? [boos largely] Come on come on, out of the cupboard! Just checking numbers” Mick plays some appropriate metal guitar lick then Joe adds “So we’re gonna do Toys in the Attic, but can’t play that one”. Mick then screams “1-2, 1-2-3-4” and then the band tear into White Man In Hammersmith Palais. Joe adlibs over the ending, including a cryptic “What’s the matter baby, please don’t cry”

Paul’s Guns Of Brixton follows next and then there is an edit during This Is Radio Clash that loses a few seconds only. Joe is the human beat box at the start of The Call Up adlibbing mid-song but despite the obvious efforts of the band it again at Bonds does not fully succeed.

By contrast Complete Control at Bonds is reinvigorated into an epic with the slow teased out intro building and building, the band clearly are really into playing the song again and are accentuating all the drama in the song. It’s a song that that has evolved (like the band) since its punk days and although it’s not necessarily better in 81 it’s certainly different. An edit at the end of the song restarts with Joe saying to the audience almost as a challenge after such a performance “If you’ve anything to say, say it now”

A fine if unexceptional Junco Partner is followed by an extended improvised Lightning Strikes, with Joe again in fine form adlibbing lyrics. An interesting performance if a little ramshackle, and there are some tape dropouts.

Ivan Meets GI Joe begins the second CDR. Charlie Don't Surf is again very strong and is followed by Bankrobber with adlibs near the end. Each song follows quickly after the other the band working to maintain and build momentum.

Magnificent Seven is the longest performance yet; a full 8 and a half minutes, largely as a result of a mid song lengthy amusing stream of consciousness go at the audience (which certainly does not sound justified). Joe say “1725 in the house shush shush, as I was saying 17,200 (?!) people in the house, not a whisper was heard except for snoring and their dreaming, somebody whistle, what Yes! A few people wake up! 20 people, 22 people 25, 27!” and then Topper brings it back up to the bridge. Joe continues adlibbing trying to whip up the crowd or more realistically the band but although the effort is there true magnificence is allusive tonight.

A fine Wrong 'Em Boyo is followed by Train In Vain but Mick’s playing at times tonight is ineffective and his playing at the end of the song is weak. It’s the charge through to the end of the set next with a fine Career Opportunities followed by an intense, if unexceptional Clampdown with Joe adlibbing about Geiger Counters but the rest is unclear.

The first encore begins after an edit with a powerful One More Time; Topper’s solo intro starts it off, then Paul’s bass line comes in followed Mick’s crashing guitar and then Joe comes in with that great line “Must I get a witness for all this misery…”

The excellent first encore continues with a segue into a literally screaming version of Brand New Cadillac, the band in overdrive. The audience love it shouting their appreciation. Washington Bullets next and Joe seems to forget the imminent entrance of the representative from the Democratic Revolutionary Front of El Salvador, just having time to shout a quick El Salvador before the guy starts his speech “…fighting to stay alive, Reagan sending guns to kill my people…”. The guy is still going as the band tear into Janie Jones shouting over the top “the people united will never be defeated!”

The second encore after an edit is not so strong, on Armagideon Time the band sound uninspired by a song they have been playing almost every night for 2 years and Mick’s guitar work sounds lazy. Joe maybe knows this and at the end shouts “Spanish..wait” bringing Spanish Bombs, one of his favourites back into the set. Mick responds playing some fine lead guitar and adding backing vocals. London’s Burning or rather New York’s Burning brings a fine and enjoyable, if not exceptional concert to an end.

Did you go? What do you remember?

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Setlist

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

London Calling Safe European Home The Leader Somebody Got Murdered White Man In Ham Palais The Guns Of Brixton This Is Radio Clash The Call Up Complete Control Junco Partner Lightning Strikes Ivan Meets GI Joe Charlie Don't Surf Bankrobber The Magnificent Seven Wrong 'Em Boyo Train In Vain Career Opportunities Clampdown One More Time Brand New Cadillac Washington Bullets Janie Jones Armagideon Time Spanish Bombs Londons Burning

The drama of the Bonds residency

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12	Background Bonds Residency The Clash arriving in New York and the build up News Reports video and audio The Ticket Fiasco The remainder of the residency History of Bonds Longer history of Bonds Posters and adverts Badges, FSLN handouts, flyers, Clash press release ... Clash on Broadway Reels List of Support Acts

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 ...

2. Residency

The remainder of the press coverage once the bad had agreed to ensure all ticket holders got in by adding 8 more dates.

3. Arrival

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

7. History of Bonds

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?

12. List of Support Acts

13. Photos
Random phonts bundled here.

14. Comments
Comments for those who attended one of the gigs