Bonds Residency. Three weeks & 17 gigs that shook up New York and America. List of support acts

last updated 18 May 2006

Audio 1 - DAT master

Sound 4 - time 1hr 46mins - tracks 26
distant clear

White Man in Ham Palais

From audience DAT master.

The audience recording is from the DAT master and is not surprisingly very similar to others recorded by this remarkable taper. It is though a little more distant and flatter than most and its worst fault is that the sound quality drops down significantly on the encores.

least essential Bonds bootlegs to seek out

This was the 15th concert of the Bonds residency and inevitably the repetitive nature of playing the same stage in the same city night after night took its toil.

Whilst The Clash over the 17 Bonds shows never delivered less than a professional, powerful and enjoyable performance, there were some nights and this is one, where there is an evident lack of inspiration and real involvement from the band, (despite their equally evident efforts to prevent this). This coupled with the recording being a below average Bonds audience source makes this one of the least essential Bonds bootlegs to seek out.

The recording starts with Joe saying “Good evening and welcome” and the band kick into London Calling. There is very little variation in the set tonight, in fact its identical apart from the encores, to the previous nights. The performances are strong and enjoyable but there is a lack of inspiration; Joe says little and there are few adlibbed moments in the songs. By Safe European Home the very enthusiastic audience are roaring their approval. Mick draws out the start of The Leader toying with the intro and Joe sounds in good voice. There is a cheer of recognition for a fine Train in Vain, the States side audience pleaser.

Joe adlibs over the ending of the always-strong White Man in Hammersmith Palais, “Oh please mister just leave me alone” but the rest is unclear. He adlibs again over the ending of an extended Radio Clash; “…without Tom Snyder, calling Walter Cronkite!”

Spanish Bombs gives Mick another opportunity to demonstrate the proficiency and imagination of his guitar playing. The excellence of Mick’s guitar playing at Bonds is a consistent feature and his contribution on Guns of Brixton is very enjoyable too. The Call Up is fine but unexceptional and the audience clap and sing along to Bankrobber, played faster than the previous night’s slowed down version and with heavy echo added to Joe’s vocals.

An edit restarts presumably as Mick tunes up or changes guitars as Joe (on one of the few occasions tonight) engages with the audience. He says “…We’ve been studying old videos of the Grateful Dead to use in such a situation as this, two members of the band meditate with each other at the side of the stage! After the meditation is over” At which Mick cuts off Joe’s sarcastic story with the opening chords of Complete Control. Mick plays around with his solo and Topper’s powerful drumming stands out on another fine performance at Bonds of this 77 vintage classic. An edit mid song reprises a few seconds. “Strike” shouts Joe and he adlibs at the start of Lightning Strikes to get into the meter of the rhythm ”See you all when the lightning strikes, see you all when the baseball strikes, see you all when the transit strikes!”

Topper takes the spotlight next for Ivan Meets GI Joe which is followed by Charlie Don’t Surf which unusually tonight has less of the improvised Apocalypse Now soundtrack at the start, the band going straight into the melody line which Mick teases enjoyably around with. The live arrangement of Magnificent Seven is always a concert highlight and its another fine performance tonight.. Joe adlibs; “Searching through the city of New York looking for a little of that ole..” but again the sound quality is too distant to make out more.

Joe’s appropriate intro before Broadway is an update on his previous nights comments on the recent heavyweight bout “and now …Larry Holmes won in the third” It’s a fine performance as is Somebody Got Murdered where Mick improvises around the intro. Police and Thieves is fine but apart from an adlibbed “And it sure is hot in Kingston today” there is little other sign of inspiration. Clampdown as always now is a great finale to the main set; Joe’s few adlibs are unclear apart from “If I had a hammer I’d crush em”

An edit takes us in to the first encore but unfortunately the sound quality dips now through to the end. The sound is more distant and murky which is a shame as the encores (are again) some of the best performances of the gig. Mick adds more and more effects on One More Time, which has several tape dropouts. There is then a great adrenalin charge through Brand New Cadillac, Career Opportunities and Janie Jones with Joe in excellent intense vocal form. There are several tape wear dropouts on Janie Jones.

The audience are very enthusiastic and after an edit the band return for a hard, heavy Armagideon Time and a strong Jimmy Jazz but unusually on this song Joe does not come up with an adlibbed section; further sign of his tiredness and lack of inspiration tonight. The concert ends though in intense style as Joe screams New York’s Burning and the band tear through a scorching finale.

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 Trian in Vain White Man in Ham Palais Radio Clash Spanish Bombs Guns of Brixton The Call Up Bankrobber Complete Control Lightning Strikes Ivan Meets GI joe Charlie Dont Surf Magnificent 7 Broadway Somebody Got Murdered Police and Thieves Clampdown One More Time Brand New Cadilac Career Opportunities Janie Jones Armagideon Time Jimmy Jazz New Yorks 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