Also performing at Festival over 5th & 6th August;
The Damned, The Jam, The Boys, Eddie & The Hot Rods & Dr.Feelgood

...Punk Festival. Around 3,000 people turned up for the two day event

updated 5 Jan 2010 - added Festival Video, Gig Video and Gig Video remastered, a lot of new text, added two stage photos plus Rock n Stock Magazine
updated - added ticket - xmas 2013
updated Dec 2014 - added video details
updated Dec 2014 - better poster & backstage pass
Updated 29 Jan 2017 - added links top bands & bkgrd info
updated 3 April 2020 - huge update

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

Possible from two sources with video sources.

Audio 1 – full gig alt source –
Sound 2.5 / 5 – 1hr 6mins –  low gen? – 21 tracks

Capital Radio (full tape)

Audio 2 – Mont de Marsan LP
Sound 3 – 52mins - low gen? – 19 track
this has a shorter run in to Londons Burning

Audio 3 – Capital Radio (LP)

Audio 4 – Audio from Video
Better versons of Complete Control and Londons Buring circulate possibly from video

Audio 5 –London's Burning (audio from video)

two sources for this gig

There seems to be two sources for this gig, both are very good and re-capturing the sound and atmosphere at the festival. One is the LP, a widely circulated early Clash bootleg, which was later remastered to a limited edition CD.

fullish tape

The other recently circulated recording has almost the complete set, adding White Man in Hammersmith Palais, Police & Thieves and the first 1977, but missing Career Opportunities to a tape switch. The LP/CD source includes a full Career Opportunities.

The second full tape source is better in quality, is complete and more enjoyable than the boot LP/CD. This source is either from the master tape or very low generation and is an excellent audience recording only marred by top end distortion from Joe’s rhythm guitar, which becomes worse during the “loud” sections.

fullish tape

A third and totally complete full tape source exists and has a Frenchman introducing Le Clash before the band quickly fire into London Burnings. This tape is of poor quality but does include every song including Career Opportunities.

overall

The short mp3 file left is Complete Control, one of the more distorted songs. Many of the others are far better, as they are not as loud. Instrumentation is clear particularly lead guitar which is excellent. Bass comes through clearly on songs like White Man and Police & Thieves. Vocals are a little distant but this appears from comments on stage to be due to the PA rather than the recording. Three of the highlights of the set are the three songs missing from the LP/CD.

LP/CD source

The LP/CD source is slightly muddy in sound, with less range but still a very good audience recording. Lead guitar is again very clear and there is much less of the top end distortion, making the preference between the two sources a matter of individual choice. Certainly on the more distorted songs on the tape source, the differences between the sources, in terms of enjoyment, blurs.

sticker

The video has poor audio and there are copies ciculating that hav been dubed with the better sound. Thread on video at Mont De Marsen.

Video - black and white - 1hr 12mins featuring several bands. The Clash are 19mins but songs are edited. - decent sound - b/w video patchy - handheld - better copy possible?

Black & White - Grainy very poor picture (pro shot)/Sound muffled-ok
Various artists
40min London Burning - The Clash
42min Capital Radio - The Clash
44min 1977 - The Clash
45min Complete Control - The Clash
48min Pressure Drop - The Clash
50min Bored with the USA - The Clash
52min White Man in Hammersmith Palais (edit) - The Clash
53min Cheat (edit) - The Clash
55min Hate and War (edit) - The Clash
56min Police & Thieves (edit)- The Clash
57min Slits?

Video - 19mins (above) remastered to 25mins -
original sound dubbed with the 19min of Clash footage using stills inbetween

The Clash - Capitol Radio (Live Mont De Marsan, France 5th August 1977) Punk

Documentary - 'Festival Punk Mont de Marsan France 1976 & 1977'
54.43mins / colour, French

Festival Punk Mont de Marsan France 1976 & 1977 , l'explosion Punk par Fabrice Drouelle France Inter novembre 2017 avec Caroline de Kergariou scénariste et auteur dramatique . Photos de Jean Gaumy 1977.

Documentary - 'Festival Punk 1976 & 1977 Mont de Marsan France (Reportage ARTE octobre 2018)' – 4.41mins / colour, French

Festival Punk 1976 & 1977 Mont de Marsan France avec comme guide, le local André Marc Dubos, l'un des organisateurs de ce mythique festival ! ARTE octobre 2018

News item – Pop News – September 1977 – 5mins 30secs
Reportage de Pop News sur Antenne 2 en septembre 1977
Shots of Festival, Crowd, Town plus some bands. Shots dubbed over with one Clash trackand one Damned track ...

Shows the Clash in the stand

News item – ina-fr – September 1977 – 2mins 08secs

Reportage sur le festival punk de Mont Marsan. Alternance d'images d'un groupe sur scène et de festivaliers dont les tenues sont largement montrées. Images d'archive INA Institut National de l'Audiovisuel http://www.ina.fr

News item – Vie Modene – September 1977 – 2mins 14secs

Video 'Vie Moderne' Hot Cuts from Mont-de-Marsan
Réalisé par : Jean-François Roux
Produit par : Vidéostone Distribution.
Genre : Documentaire
Année : 1977
Date de sortie en salle : 12/10/77
Pays : France

Acteurs; Clash, Damned, Boys, Police, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Shaking Street, Doctor Feelgood

Documentaire musical sur le festival « punk rock » de Mont-de-Marsan. Tourné en vidéo. I’m looking for a French movie about Punk Festival in Mont-De-Marsan on August 5, 1977 called “HOT CUTS FROM MONT DE MARSAN” with Clash and Police footages.
http://www.encyclocine.com/index.shtml?menu=5213&film=19661

News report mostly fan shots, no Clash, Youtube link wanted

Saturday 21 August 1976, noon to three o'clock in the morning, was held for two days the first European festival of the punk movement to the arenas of Mont-de-Marsan, organized by Marc Zermati director of Skydog Records label. Now Playing: Eddie and the Hot Rods (England), Ducks Deluxe, Brinsley Schwartz, Kursaat Flyers, Doctor Feelgood, Pink Fairies, Tyla Gang, Roogalator (England), The Gorillas (Scotland), Railroad (Switzerland), The Damned, Passion Force, Little Bob Story (Le Havre), Bijou, Biarritz and Kalfon It Hot Roc. This first version of the festival will bring together around 600 to 700 people.

5 and 6 August 1977, held the second festival punk of Mont-de-Marsan, including groups with Little Bob Story, The Damned, Bijou, The Clash (a Pirate 33 towers had been recorded for the occasion), The Police, Rings, Maniacs, Lou's, Shakin'Street, Mary and the Boys, Tyla Gang, Boys, Hot Rods, Doctor Feelgood and Asphalt Jungle (led by Patrick Eudeline). It was also noted the passing of Lou Reed, the day after the festival punk. In the end, the festival of 1977 not less than 4000 spectators and it was subject of a documentary film by Jean-François Roux called Hot Cuts From Mont-de-Marsan.

European Punk Festival at Mont De Marsen

The first Mont De marsen festival had taken place a year earlier ( Saturday 21 August 1976). An affair that had lasted from noon to three o'clock in the morning and was the first European two day festival of the punk movement. It was organized by Marc Zermati director of Skydog Records label. Teh line up included: Eddie and the Hot Rods (England), Ducks Deluxe, Brinsley Schwartz, Kursaat Flyers, Doctor Feelgood, Pink Fairies, Tyla Gang, Roogalator (England), The Gorillas (Scotland), Railroad (Switzerland), The Damned, Passion Force, Little Bob Story (Le Havre), Bijou, Biarritz and Kalfon It Hot Roc. Teh 1976v festival atrracted around 600 to 700 people.

The following year (5 and 6 August 1977) there was a second Mont-de-Marsan punk festival. 1977 included groups Little Bob Story, The Damned, Bijou, The Clash (a Pirate 33 towers had been recorded for the occasion), The Police, Rings, Maniacs, Lou's, Shakin'Street, Mary and the Boys, Tyla Gang, Boys, Hot Rods, Doctor Feelgood and Asphalt Jungle (led by Patrick Eudeline). It was also noted the passing of Lou Reed the day after the festival. The festival of 1977 attracted more than 4000 spectators and it was subject of a documentary film by Jean-François Roux called Hot Cuts From Mont-de-Marsan.

This is a terrific performance and a very good recording and an essential bootleg of early clash performances at the second European Punk Festival at Mont De Marsen, a small town in southwest France near the Spanish border.

Alan Jones in the Uncut magazine (UK - Oct 2001) laughs about the riotous atmosphere surrounding the festival, of the drunken mayhem caused by the groups ‘enjoying their holiday in the sun’.

Strained band relationships before, dispitated in the extreme heat. The Damned, previously outcasts for their anti-Punk/Pistols appearance at their first festival and subsequent show of dialoyalty on the Anarchy Tour were forgiven. Though earlier in the day when Captain Sensible set off a stink bomb on the stage, an angry Joe Strummer retorted, “they’re fucking jealous, they can just fuck right off”.

However Paul suggests “and another thing we ain’t got a sense of smell!” calming the situation. The Jam too had had a run in as support act during mays White Riot Tour and pulled out amidst acrimony. Mick noted that ‘all the groups agreed to bury the hatchet by the end of the festival’. This did not stop Captain Sensible maniacally chain whipping a bush, because it looked strange, amphetamine psychosis!

first gig since the White Riot tour

This is the first gig since the White Riot tour at the end of May, a layoff of 2 months in which Mick and Joe had been busy writing new songs which were debuted at Mont de Marsan; White man In Hammersmith Palais, Complete Control, Clash City Rockers, The Prisoner. Complete Control, City of the Dead and Pressure Drop were to be recorded soon after in August with the assistance of Lee Perry (who gets a name check during Police and Thieves).

Even with these new songs the band repeat several songs; 1977, Complete Control and London’s Burning as the set is much longer than the usual 45 minute set, clocking in at 65 minutes. Only 2 of the album songs were not included Deny and 48 hours.

All the songs are performed confidence. The Clash add to this with one of their most raging punk performance's ever.

No doubt all the bands were keen to impress amongst peers, and the Clash enjoying being back on stage after a 2 month break.

A French fans eye view

The festival was organised by Skydog . There lots of English bands who stayed at “Le Sablar” hotel.

The DAMNED were the most exiting. The French local press was frightened by this Punk festival. Sud Ouest Newspaper (06.08.77) quoted “Like wild animals they invaded the arena. The group started playing immediately, transforming the arena into a crater. The decibels and alcohol weren’t strong enough, so, they cut their nostrils and fingers with razors to take rations of cocaine!”

In fact, the festival was very peaceful, calm with few punks. The audience: 2,500 or 3,000 people.

French bands from Paris started: 1984, ASPHALT JUNGLE and The LOU’S. After 8 P.M., MANIACS, POLICE and The BOYS. The sound was very bad.

A journalist spoke to Mick JONES
“This morning I crossed the road and a car run over my feet; God save the queen, I was saved by my creepers. But, why do they drive on the wrong side of the road?”

The DAMNED gave a great concert (see the movie). Later that night, the roadies took the black cover off the LONDON RIOT SCENE. Joe began “LONDON’S BURNING” and it lasted 90 minutes. During the gig, CAPTAIN SENSIBLE stamped on some stink bombs on stage. The rodies threw him out violently. CAPTAIN was injured and taken away in an ambulance. The day after. The DAMNED and The CLASH signed an armistice and drank a bottle of Bordeaux french wine-.

At 2 A.M., The RINGS finished the first day. 

The second day was more rock’n’roll. A lot of French bands: SHAKIN’ STREET,LOU’S (encore), MARIE ET LES GARCONS. At night, TYLA GANG, LITTLE BOB STORY (French star in ‘77), HOT RODS, Dr FEELGOOD and BUOU (another French celebrity);

The JAM couldn’t play cos FEELGOOD don’t wanna play after midnight. Just after the end of the show, a big storm broke out. The day after, LOU REED played at the same place (different organisation) with 5,000 people. 

1. London’s Burning
Performance starts with a shouted London’s Burning , then the band crash in for a great fast version . The quality and intensity of performance continues in the same vein throughout. There are vocal problems in the mix, with Joe & Mick asking for them to be turned up. Vocal levels improve at first chorus.

2. Capital Radio

3. 1977

4. Complete Control
“Listen, I can’t speak French, so listen, can you hear the vocals?, un nouveau chanson!” No I don’t trust you etc, or controlled in the mind etc lyrics yet.

5. “A new song” The Prisoner

6. I’m So Bored with the USA Some lyric changes.

7. White Man In Hammersmith Palais
“We’re now gonna play some UK pop reggae”. Song addressed to “punk rockers of Europe”, with instead of the later Burton suit’s lyrics which would have not gone down well with Weller and Co present (but totaly pisssed - they jumped in then town centre fountains to sober up!) in the audience, “hippies of the USA, millions of Yen down Japan way”. Not the great climax to the song yet but still excellent performance.

8. Cheat

9. Hate and War “the only thing you’ve got today”

10. Police & Thieves
Bass comes over clearly, very good performance, lead guitar crystal clear “johnny be good &, johnny too bad , John Perry & Lee Perry” One short tape drop out on one channel.

11. Clash City Rockers

12. Remote Control

13. Career Opportunities

14. Janie Jones

15. White Riot

16. Garageland

17. 1977 Almost as good as the first but Joe mistakenly repeats the first verse & catches up only on the final “1984 “!

18. What’s My Name

19. Complete Control

20. Protex Blue The weakest song and performance

21. Mont de Marsan’s Burning “ Look we don’t know when to go”

Dominique Laboubée (Dogs guitarist)

"There were two Mont-de-Marsan festivals. One in 1976 and another in 1977. The 1976 festival was more pub rock than punk with bands like the Tyla Gang and the Hammersmith Gorillas. The only real punk band was the Damned. They were great, really young and wild, destroying everything on stage. The 1977 festival was more punk, and there were many more people, with bands like the Clash, the Damned, the Police (with the first line-up), Chelsea, the Jam (who refused to play for reasons of timing!) At both festivals, there were a lot of French bands and they were awful, except Little Bob and Bijou."

Did you go? What do you remember?
Any info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome.
Please

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22	Londons Burning Capital Radio 1977* Complete Control Presure Drop The Prisoner I’m So Bored with the USA White Man in Ham Palais* Cheat Hate and War Police and Thieves* Clash City Rockers Remote Control Career Opportunities* Janie Jones White Riot Garageland 1977 What’s My Name Complete Control Protex Blue Londons Burning bold = video (see below)

Black & White - poorish picture breaks up with stills to fill in though it's pro shot.

Sound is dubbed from audio source.
19mins footage.

The Clash only section

00min Intro
01min London Burning (edit)
02min Capital Radio
04min 1977
05min Complete Control
08min Pressure Drop (edit)
09min The Prisoner
11min Bored with the USA
12min White Man (edit)
14min Cheat (edit)
15min Hate and War (edit)
16min Police & Thieves (edit)

Video ends with dubbed audio and remaining audio from Clash

BW footage exists of other bands plus a 2 x 5mins colour documentrary with fans

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 European Summer Dates. Articles cover the month of June to September 1977.

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