Oh Manchester, so much to answer for

More missing memories fail to reveal themselves and so we reach my last year at Manchester University with a fairly lacklustre bunch of gigs. There must have been more, though I was working a little harder on coursework so maybe not so many as I would have liked.

Elti Fits and The Diagram Brothers at Manchester University 2nd February 1980
 
The John Peel Roadshow hits town. Despite playing great music he was never much of a 'DJ' on the radio and live he wasn't much cop either especially when there were serious problems with the sound or the equipment and his roadshowing had to be abandoned halfway through. I passed him a request for his radio programme but as I was elsewhere the following Monday, I don't know if he played it.

Echo & The Bunnymen at Manchester University October 4th 1980

On tour promoting 'Crocodiles' supported by The Sound. An excellent gig all round, I was amazed that they could reproduce the music from the album so well live.

Loudon Wainwright III at Manchester Free Trade Hall October 24th 1980

It'll have been Tim's idea that we go to this but I wouldn't have needed my arm twisting. A great writer and performer. Listen to 'A Live One' if you can.

Mike Harding at Manchester Free Trade Hall December 9th 1980

A folky christmas show.

Shakedown 1979

I went to a lot of gigs in 1979, I seem to remember being out at least twice a week but as I've written before I haven't got a definitive list as it was a long time ago and I don't have all the ticket stubs any more. So here are a few more that I went to that I haven't blogged about already. 

The Jam at Salford University May 8th 1979

They were supported by The Records, a band I had seen twice in 1978 on the Be Stiff Tour. That's three times too many that I've seen them. 

The Pop Group at Manchester University May 19th 1979

Whilst I may no longer have the ticket for this gig, I at least have a momento. Over 20 years later whilst browsing in a second hand record shop in Greenwich I came across the 'Vibing Up The Senile World' EP by The Good Missionaries who were one of the support bands that night. It's not that great actually. 

UK Subs at Manchester University October 10th 1979

I think I've probably still got a badge from this one somewhere.

The Inmates at Manchester University October 20th 1979

The Specials at Manchester Apollo November 1st 1979

Not just The Specials, this was the 2-tone tour with Madness and The Selecter. It was as good as you'd expect it to be except for the power failure halfway through The Selecter's 'On My Radio'. The crowd sang on gamely after it all went quiet on stage but there are only so many times you can sing 'It's just the same old show on my radio' before you realise the irony and fatigue sets in.

Alberto Y Los Trios Paranoias at Manchester University Squat November 2nd 1979

Never Mind The Bullocks - A farce by CP Lee & John Dowie. If I could be bothered to go into the loft and dig out my University box, I could search out the programme for this. But why would I?

The Cure at Manchester University November 21st 1979

They're very big now but they weren't then. They were very good though.

XTC at Manchester University November 28th 1979

It was all about Nigel that night.

John Otway at Manchester University December 5th 1979

I've got the ticket but I don't really remember the gig except for Tony buying a 'Cor Baby That's Really Free' badge. I've seen him countless times since and always try to fit him in at Glastonbury festival.

The Revillos at Manchester University December 13th 1979

They weren't The Rezillos any more which I guess must have been a contractual thing because they didn't look or sound any different.

Disharmony In My Head

Following on from what was the greatest gig I ever went to - a sentiment echoed by Andy Kershaw in his recent autobiography, except he saw The Clash a couple of days earlier than me in Leeds - I thought I'd deal with one of the greatest disappointments I ever went to. Given the number of gigs I've been to over the years there are bound to have been a few duff ones, one or two have been so bad I've left early, but I didn't have such high expectations of those as I did of this one.

It's October 27th 1979 in Manchester and on the back of a host of 'hit' singles, The Buzzcocks are playing a hometown gig at The Apollo. Not only that though, supporting them they have Joy Division who have recently released 'Unknown Pleasures' to great critical acclaim. It should have been at the very least, the gig of the year. But it wasn't. The sound was a complete and utter mess and it completely ruined what should have been a fantastic night out. In fact they played two nights and I went to the first. People I knew went to the second night and it was great apparently as by then they'd sorted out the sound problems.

Since then, if a band is playing multiple nights at the same venue, I would never plump for the first over subsequent nights unless there were other factors to be taken into account. Sound(!) advice I thought until many years later a friend pointed out that if you went to the first and it was fantastic, then with any luck you'd be able to get a ticket to go again the following night.