Residency - third of seven nights

Audio 1

Sound 2.5 - time 123min - unknown gen? - tracks 33

Ghetto Defendent

Unknown taper

As well as Derek Harris another taper recorded most (if not all) of the Lyceum shows. The only circulating tape of this third night of the Lyceum residency is from this unknown taper, as is the widely circulating recording from the 21st.

Sadly, though this taper’s master recordings remain out of circulation. The master recording from this night would have captured a further very powerful and professional performance at the Lyceum in very good sound quality but as it is only a poorly copied tape (of unknown generation) circulates.

Thus with better sounding recordings circulating now from the final 4 nights this is an inessential though still worth having bootleg to seek out.

The circulating tape has either been copied poorly from a master source or more likely is a number of copies off the master which affects significantly its enjoyment as the sound is much flatter and duller than the 1^st generation source heard in the 80’s. It is though complete capturing the whole 2 hour concert. All the instrumentation was captured well by the taper including a decent bass sound. 

Until a lower generation source is brought into circulation we can be grateful that this tape exists, which despite its sound limitations is the only document preserving this fine Clash performance. 

For further background info go to the opening night, the18th

Tickets

the band are again very tight and effective

The recording begins with the end of the air raid sirens intro and then the disgruntled voice by or of the taper says  “same set” as the band start to play Broadway. Joe sounds in good voice and the band are again very tight and effective throughout this 3^rd night of the seven. The band work hard on One More Time but it lacks the improvised inspiration of the best performances of this often overlooked Clash classic song. 

“Welcome to The Clash at the Lyceum stand. Now this is something we’re coming up with. Oi flobber! Do I have to go through this every night? Is anybody here gonna stop those people gobbing on me? Alright, if you see a gob come over turn it round on them! See how they like it or better still if the gobbers want to meet me after I’ll have great fun gobbing on them!” Joe exasperated that the phlegm of 77 was still continuing 4 years later! On Know Your Rights next Joe again mumbles his way through the lyrics he’s not satisfied with (and would later change).

Guns of Brixton and Train in Vain which follow are fine performances but like most tonight are unexceptional with better recorded versions on the later nights of the residency. White Man in Hammersmith Palais is though excellent, fully committed, tight and effective. Joe works very hard too on a fine Magnificent Seven adlibbing about the Central Line but his words are mainly unclear. Joe intro’s Spanish Bombs in Spanish then its straight into “play it like the record”, Clash City Rockers which again at the Lyceum is passionate, pumped up and memorable.

There’s no let up in the pacing with Koka Kola and Ivan Meets Gi Joe before the band slow it down with Junco Partner. There’s a tape drop out at the start and Joe adlibs on a fine performance  “take a walk, down the straight straight narrow, take a walk with me, this song I did not write it myself” Rest unclear.

“Brakes, Wrong Em Boyo please start again please sir!” the song getting its first outing since Bonds. Next there’s another variation on the intro to The Leader, not as effective though as the 19^th but is again drawn out and new for the Lyceum. The band hammer straight into I Fought The Law before slowing down on Ghetto Defendant  “how far is the city?” repeats Joe which again is the full version with the final verse which would be edited out of Combat Rock. 

An edit loses the intro to a fine Somebody Got Murdered followed by London Calling, again a pumped up performance typical of these late 81 ones - benefiting from its inclusion near the end of the set rather than the start. Clampdown, rarely fails to impress and again here is hugely powerful, showcasing Topper’s great drumming and inspiring Joe to rant over the ending.    The first CDR but not the main set ends here, there’s still an impressive Radio Clash, new to their fans still before the band leave the stage.

The first encore scorches through Brand New Cadillac and then Safe European Home before losing the momentum on an OK Washington Bullets which comes to an end but Joe wails and Topper keeps going then it all fizzles out with only the audience clapping along. An edit before Stay Free restarts with no loss and is followed by Armagideon Time both fine if unremarkable.

“Charlie” shouts Joe, calling the shots on stage at least but there’s no sign at the Lyceum shows of the growing divide between Mick and Joe, and on Charlie Don’t Surf they both play off each other vocally very effectively. The six song first encore ends with the usual rules of set/encore pacing turned upside down! - starting with the high energy songs and ending with the lower energy ones.

The seven song second encore begins with a committed vocal from Joe on his Julie’s Been Working For The Drug Squad, not played since June 80. Mick’s brand new Should I Stay or Should I Go is followed by a “wooah” from Joe and Topper beats out a steady drum pattern before the band roll into Police and Thieves. If many of the performances this night are strong but not remarkable then this one is certainly an exception, a definite highlight.

Joe is on great form adlibbing at length (although most is unclear sadly) on a song which in 78/9 he did so regularly, but most 81 performances lack inspiration - the truly great Police & Thieves all have a memorable Strummer rant!  “You” screams Joe “ You, are the next generation, coming in..” Joe starts adlibbing as the song drops down to drum and bass, (“jungle of love” “Hey you there, you boy with the black face”) and finally Topper ends the song and Joe lets out a final scream!

Just as the band and audience are fired up Joe announces “Alright, like to have a lunch break here and bring on the guy who’s been painting at the back, Mr Futura 2000 with his Graffiti Rap, come out here Fut’ch!” Futura’s rap is followed by Street Parade, again shorter than the earlier 81 versions without the build up to a repeated last chorus. With a “1-2-3-4” the band charge through Career Opportunities and then a fine if unremarkable Complete Control closes the concert.

The Clash in presenting a diverse range of musical styles was commendably ground breaking but by ignoring the usual rules of set pacing also, they lost the benefits of the adrenalin rush that had inspired both them and the audience previously - or perhaps at this stage they just as Joe announced wanted a “lunch break”!

Did you go? What do you remember?

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one of the best.

First saw The Clash at the Lyceum, London around this time (1981), being only 14 at the time, it was one of the first gigs I'd ever been to but remains one of the best. Still remember the sheer power of Safe European Home (hairs are standing up back of my neck as I type this), Tommy Gun and London Calling.

Also then saw them several times in Brixton through Sandinista and Combat Rock - Straight to Hell what a song!!! Most bizarrely was The Clash busking on the steps of Leeds University Union (1984?) when they were following The Alarm around (crap band -who incidently I first saw supporting The Farmers Boys and they never should have got any higher up the bill!).

Incidently The Clash also had more than one drummer which is enough of a link to the GB's to legitimise this bit of reminiscing, besides which beats working!

C Gull

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 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Broadway One More Time Know your Rights Guns of Brixton Train in Vain White Man in Ham Palais Magnificent 7 Spanish Bombs Clash City Rockers Koka Kola Ivan Meets Gi Joe Junco Partner Wrong Em Boyo The Leader I Fought the Law Ghetto Defendent Somebody Got Murdered London Calling Clampdown Radio Clash Brand New Cadilac Safe European Home Washington Bullets Stay Free Armagideon Time Charlie Dont Surf Julies been working.. Should I stay or Should i Go Police and Thieves Grafiti Rap (Futura 2000) Street Parade Career Opportunities Complete Control