The Clash play two sets. 9.30pm 00:30 with Rob Harper

Updated October 2020 - added Ray Stevenson photo
updated May 2021 added advert

Please leave any comments, articles, scans here. Thanks.

Photo: Ray Stevenson?

Audio - No known full audio source If you have a three track copy it is probably mislabeled. It is most likey from the Punk Rock Movie (Don Letts), see below.

The Punk Rock Movie 1. White Riot from the 11 Mar 77 Harlesden Roxy; 2. 1977 from the 9 May 77 Rainbow; 3. Garageland from May 77 somewhere on the White Riot Tour

Video documentary - Footage broadcast on the BBC, January 2016 The BBC broadcast a documentary from the Roxy using footage provided by Julian Temple. However the footage is all chopped up into snippets.

Links to BBC Documentary 1. NME: Unseen footage of The Clash’s 1977 New Year’s concert at the Roxy surfaces 2. Dangerous Minds: Previously unseen footage of The Clash on New Years Day 1977 - or archived PDF

1976/77 Julian Temple's early footage 18hrs

Known to contain several concerts including The Roxy 1 Jan 1977 and Harlesden plus Rehearsals footageJulian Temples 1976 footage 18 hours - included Roxy/Anarchy Tour/Harlesden/Rainbow - only the footage that was used in the film eventually got digitised because it was shot on an obscure format that does exist anymore and so it cost a fortune to put onto tape. 

The first night of the famous London punk club, The Roxy and the first Clash gig since the Anarchy Tour. It was also Rob Harper’s last gig as drummer. Joe used a large Gretsch-style guitar and had 1977 daubed on the front of his shirt (see pic). The Roxy was packed to capacity with 400 witnessing two frantic sets at 9-30 and 12-30.

The Clash at the Roxy with Rob Harper on drums Published with permision, copyright Ann Summa www.annsumma.com www.annsummaphoto.com

PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN FOOTAGE OF THE CLASH ON NEW YEAR’S DAY, 1977

01.03.2015

On the liner notes of their first LP Two Sevens Clash, roots reggae band Culture claimed that Marcus Garvey had prophesied that the date July 7, 1977, “when the two sevens clash,” would herald great conflagration. Whether Garvey said it or not (some hold that Culture just made the story up), it’s safe to say that 1977 was a year of great chaos. As the Clash sang around that time, “Danger stranger / You better paint your face / No Elvis, Beatles, or the Rolling Stones / In 1977.” The tumult of that year is amply demonstrated in 1977, a documentary by Julien Temple, director of The Great Rock’n'Roll Swindle and The Filth and the Fury, built around never-before-seen footage he shot of the Clash’s early gig at the Roxy on January 1, 1977, a gig that more or less ushered in both the Roxy and the Clash as punk fixtures, although the band ended up lasting a lot longer than the venue.

Temple’s documentary is a marvelous hodgepodge of footage covering U.K. anarchy in all its forms as the nation ushered in a tense new year. In the first few moments a fellow introduces a TV program in which every single member of the studio audience is named “Smith” by more or less declaring that the economic outlook in 1977 was likely to be lousy. Meanwhile, some other guy, on location at Stonehenge, welcomes in ‘77 by chugging some “champers.” The found footage of random British TV, which has nothing to do with the Clash, the Roxy, or punk, is every bit as fantastic as anything else in the movie.

As January 1, 1977, neared, the newspapers were full of “shocking” stories about punk, particularly the newly famous Sex Pistols. The Pistols and the as-yet-little-known Clash as well as Johnny Thunders’ Heartbreakers were in the midst of the Anarchy Tour, which was most notable for venues pulling out and cancelling gigs for fear of mayhem and adverse publicity. As Jon Savage wrote in England’s Dreaming, The Clash “were the true victors of the Anarchy Tour: benefiting from the publicity but not embroiled in controversy, they were the group to watch. To celebrate, Strummer specially customized a white shirt with a massive ‘1977’ on the front.”

The Roxy had recently been a “cheesy” gay club, to use Temple’s word, called Shaggarama. For the first three months of 1977, before the punk crowd moved on, the list of musical performers who played the Roxy is a veritable Who’s Who of Punk: The Buzzcocks, the Damned, Siouxsie & The Banshees, the Jam, the Stranglers, Sham 69, the Only Ones, Wire, the Adverts, X-Ray Spex, the Slits, XTC, and many more; even the Police played there. As Temple says, “With hindsight, the Roxy has taken on the aura of being vital to the early days of Punk, which may be an exaggeration. ... in fact the Punk crowd soon lost interest in it and moved on. The Roxy got worse and worse and lasted about 100 days.”

The Clash, having successfully introduced themselves in the Anarchy Tour, understood that they were on the precipice of something big. Their regular drummer, Terry Chimes (Strummer nicknamed him “Tory Crimes”) had gotten tired of the heavy-handed management style of Bernard Rhodes and opted out of the show. The Clash auditioned roughly 20 drummers in Camden Town, finally settling on Rob Harper, who was reportedly “scarred for life by the experience.” At the Roxy gig, they sang a new song, “I’m So Bored with the USA,” which wouldn’t see a studio recording until March.

As you watch the documentary, it becomes clear that Temple’s footage of that important New Year’s Day gig doesn’t really stand up on its own—you can find better Clash footage out there—which partially explains the strategy of buttressing it with huge chunks of highly resonant footage of U.K. during 1977. You see the Clash prepping for the show, you see lots of Malcolm McLaren and Johnny Rotten; Margaret Thatcher gets in there as well, of course. You see riots and reggae and regular Britons being staunch. It’s a great strategy, and the result is a terrifically diverting 75 minutes of punked-out bliss.

Be sure to watch it soon—this premiered on BBC Four just two days ago, and now it’s on YouTube—there’s no telling how long it will stay there.

Link to venue webpage

Google Search The Roxy 1977

The Roxy London Wc2: A Punk History
By Paul Marko

In the end though it would not be the Pistols who played but their nearest rivals to the Punk crown, the rapidly improving Clash who had accompanied them on the ill fated Anarchy Tour. Andy did a deal with Bernie Rhodes, the Clash’s manager.

Andy Czezowski (Roxy Club Partner) Bernie Rhodes and the Clash had come down to see Generation X and the Heartbreakers. I had met Bernie several times before and I said ‘how about playing?’ and they thought great! great! great! and we booked them in for January Ist 1977 which was a Saturday night.

The deal would suit both parties. For the Roxy it needed an act that would guarantee a crowd. For the Clash, like the Heartbreakers who played the Roxy to get some money, there must have been an element of desperation. Unlike the Sex Pistols, they had no record company funding and in effect no publicity as the Anarchy Tour was the Pistol’s show. They were just the support to the Sex Pistols and were frustrated at the reaction to Punk Rock that caused the cancellation of nearly all the gigs on tour. Strummer confided to Caroline Coon the following April that at the time he was broke, hungry and depressed.

Joe Strummer (the Clash) When I got back to London on Christmas Eve I felt awful. I was really destroyed, because after a few days you get used to eating. We were eating Holiday Inn rubbish, but it was two meals a day. And when we got off the coach we had no money and it was just as awful. I felt twice as hungry as I'd felt before. The poster for the gig was designed by Sebastian Conran” and advertised the Clash playing two sets. Caroline Coon, Meoldy Maker 23.4.77

The poster depicted them as a three piece missing out Rob Harper who had le a drummed on the ill-fated Anarchy tour. The poster also detailed Chelsea getting a belated debut at the Roxy as support for the Clash.

Barry Jones (Roxy Club Partner) don’t remember the first Roxy posters I did. I know that the Clash did their own for that opening gig. But I do remember on the day before the New Years eve gig going round the West End at midnight plastering up those freaking flyers with Joe and Mick. We had a bagful and we were all over the town doing it.

The posters attracted the right crowd

Anon. A group of us from round here decided to go to this big do. It was the Clash who were playing, opening up the Roxy. Oh it was excellent. You just got in there and there were all these Punks and freaks. It was a whole new scene and yet you felt really part of it. You felt that you were part of something, you were something different. Peter Everett, You'll Never Be 16 Again, 1986

Taking the stage at 9.30 p.m. the Clash ripped through an energetic set with Strummer playing a semi acoustic Gretsch and a wearing a shirt with an appropniately giant ‘1977’ daubed across the front. To the right, Paul Simonon stands having had his bass, complete with chord letters marked on the frets, tuned by guitarist Mick Jones.

The crowd reacted accordingly.

Andy Blade (Eater) All of a sudden the Roxy erupted into a frenzied blur of pogo dancing, coloured lights and noise. It felt like someone tossed a grenade into the room. Andy Blade, The Secret Life Of A Teenage Punk Rocker, 2005

Other clubgoers recall the crush

Debbie Davis (Roxygoer) It was packed down the front with heaving bodies and the heat was unbelievable. We were jumping up and down, a great big mass of people with sweat pouring off us and the music was relentless and bloody loud.

Meanwhile Andy Blade took advantage to engage in other more tried and tested rock ’n’ roll pursuits.

Andy Blade (Eater) We made our way closer to the front, three giggling schoolgirls in carefully ripped uniforms recognized us from the latest edition of Jackie magazine...I charted to the prettiest one amongst them...She then steered and manoeuvred me out of the room and onto the fire escape stairs, sat me down and undid my belt. Oh well I'd seen the Clash before anyway. Andy Blade, The Secret Life Of A Teenage Punk Rocker, 2005

Meanwhile for Rob Harper of the Clash at the back on drums it was a painful experience.

I had to have bandages on my fingers,’ recalls Rob. ‘I did myself in, and at the end I thought, “That’s over thank God!” Afarcus Gray, The Clash: Return Of The Last Gang In Town, 2001

However Rob hadn’t noticed the gig poster advertising a second set by the Clash and he had to do it all again! Scheduled to come on at 12.30 a.m. they appeared at midnight.

Marco Pirroni (the Models) I just remember them coming on onstage at the stroke of midnight and them playing ‘1977’ which of course it was.

Shanne Bradley (Nipple Erectors) Yes the night was packed but the sound was bad. I’d seen them before this at the 100 Club etc but never a huge fan. I’d previously seen the 1001 ers (sic) in a pub with the Sex Pistols and Joe Strummer shakin’ all over in a sweaty zoot suit grunting rock ‘n’ roll. I just could not get this image out of my head ever! Sorry Joe RIP you were a great person!

The Clash ran though their second set in an equally spirited fashion and included a new song by Mick Jones called ‘Remote Control,’ written about the troubled Anarchy Tour. The gig was reviewed in the fanzine 48 Thrills by Adrian Thrills.

Adrian Thrills (48 Thrills Fanzine) "You lot can’t have made the fourth form at school’, jeered Joe Strummer at the bunch of apathetic discos who just stood and stared at the Clash during their second set at the Roxy.

The Clash were great despite sound problems and the size of the Roxy (they were too powerful for it with their new PA). Over the last couple of months and with their travels on the world’s most cancelled tour, they’ve been working hard on their set. There are changes and some great new songs, especially Hate & War and Remote Control. They’ve speeded up White Riot and it sounds even better.

Even on the small stage at the Roxy they moved like maniacs in both sets. Joe’s got a flashy new big white guitar which looks great, tho’ I stll prefer the tinnier sound that he got from the rusty old one he used to have.

The Pistols started the scene but right now the Clash are more important to it...the most committed group, the toughest, most frantic, most powerful...right. 48 Thrills #2, 1977

Si Haseldon was a punk fan aged 15 then who had travelled down to the Roxy club from Manchester to see the Clash. Previously, he had caught them at the Electric Circus and bought an impoverished Joe Strummer a drink.

Si Haseldon (Roxygoer) The Clash gig is still one of the best, most exciting pigs I’ve EVER been to. And, at the end of one of the Roxy Clash sets, Joe Strummer came back out, bent down to pick up his guitar, looked me square in the eye and said "Electric Circus two weeks ago - you bought me a drink - Cheers" and gave me his plectrum and a towel, much to the disgust of some halfwit stood next to me who tried to "liberate" them from me. My mate Barney gripped him round the neck and walked him outside shall we say!

The Clash gig at the Roxy was a sell out and the club’s first week’s rent was taken care of. Now they had to keep making money and keep the club going. The Roxy was on its way.

Any info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome. Please email blackmarketclash

Video recording by Julian Temple in a private collection. Snippets used by the BBC in their 'chaotic' documentary.

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see opposite

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

Also useful: Ultimate Music datbase, All Music, Clash books at DISCOGS

A collection of articles, interviews, reviews, posters, tour dates from early 1977 and the mini French Tour. Articles cover the period from January to May.

If you know of any articles or references for this particular gig, anything that is missing, please do let us know.

Stuck on Top - Record Mirror
gig review
They came, they saw, the conquered .. nothing

Moreon Fanzine No.3
Early 1977 -
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3

Guardian 7 July 2006
Snapshot Opening Night of The Roxy Club
by Punk photographer Erica Echenberg

PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN FOOTAGE OF THE CLASH ON NEW YEAR’S DAY, 1977
Dangerous Minds
Online or archived PDF

Google search - The Clash at the Roxy 1977

A short history of the Clash
archived pdf

Remembering 100 nights of Punk at London's Roxy nightclub
Webpage or archived PDF

WHEN THE CLASH OPENED THE ROXY ON NEW YEAR’S DAY
VINCENT CARUSO | December 31, 2016
website or archived PDF

Filth, Fury and Fags - Julien Temple Filmed the Breakout of British Punk
We talked to the great music documentarian about immortalising The Sex Pistols and The Clash on film. archived PDF

The Roxy WC2 - A Punk History
Paul Marko

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A collection of articles, interviews, reviews, posters, tour dates from early 1977 and the mini French Tour. Articles cover the period from January to May.

Blackmarketclash Links
Extensive links page can be found here with links to web, twitter, Facebook, traders etc..

If Music Could Talk
The best Clash messageboard and which also has links to downloads on its megalists

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Go here for uploads and downloads. It's not a massive space so its on an as and when basis.