One off gig to celebrate the anniversary of the Paris 68 riots
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No known audio or video
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Extract from Sounds article 17 June 78 Edition
For the full Sounds interview follow this link for the full text
PARIS
THE BAND’S decision to play Paris was almost as sudden as mine to go. They’d cancelled out of the gig weeks before but the promoter had gone ahead regardless and spattered the city with posters announcing the appearance of le Clash. The replacement band, Subway Sect, also managed by Bernie Rhodes, understandably fearing a riot, refused to play it when they realised there’d be six thousand odd Parisians expecting the Clash.
So, with only twenty-four hours notice, the Clash organisation was at a higher pitch of streamlined efficiency than ever. When I arrived at the meeting point - somewhat delayed by the roadie being forty-five minutes late and Toper having to buy salt tablets, hair-spray and vitamin pills - Bernie had just done a runner on the band, taking with him not only the car but all their pass- ports. Paul had irked him by painting his naked portrait on a blank white wall and then drenching him with a hose. When he returned he explained he’d only gone to get some petrol anyway. Naturally the journey out to Heathrow in the Clash-mobile was rather tense, enlivened only by Paul’s incessant practical jokes at Bernie’s unwitting expense and Mick pointing out the famed Westway tower-block - `That’s where some of our best songs were written’ ` - and the rest of them joining in with gobbledegook choruses of `London’s Burning’.
RUNNING STRICTLY to Clash schedules, they landed in Paris ten minutes before they were supposed to be onstage. Not that they knew that till after they left the stage. The promoter who met them was so out of it that it took him several attempts to find the car he came in. “See, that’s how you’ll end up if you keep on smoking dope’ announced Bernie to no-one in particular. The promoter, his eyes surrounded by heavy layers of silver glitter, grinned wildly and had another go at trying to find his car keys. The gig was the show piece of the last night of a festival celebrating the tenth anniversary of the French uprising in May 1968 . Organised by the largest French Trotskyist organisation, the Ligue Communiste Revolutionaire, it was held in the Hippodrome which is normally used as a circus. The Subway Sect really needn’t have worried about a riot. They would’ve got it anyway.
Just before the band were about to go on, I wandered out to have a look at the crowd. I only had time to notice that rather a large number of people were wearing crash helmets before a Clash roadie pushed me back to the dressing room with a shout of “Ammonia”.
As far as I can makeout, there’s a French political faction, les Autonomes, who consider all forms of political organisation to be intrinsically bourgeois. So they break up everyone else’s meetings. However, as they were heavily outnumbered, they were soon forced out and the rest of the crowd broke into a couple of verses of the Inter- nationale to clear the air and psyche themselves up for a touch of le vrai punk politique. With the odd bottle still flying at the stage and the sound on stage being about as good as a ten quid tranny’s, the show was the Clash at their most disorganised. The highpoint was Topper and Mick’s duet version of `White Riot’ - Paul had dropped his bass and Joe had knocked over his `mike and thrown down his guitar in disgust.
What they couldn’t understand was why the crowd were threatening another riot if they didn’t do an encore. Almost unable to speak for laughing, they told the promoter: “If you can’t get `em to leave, tell `em we’re coming back again.” Only later did they find out that the sound in the hall itself had been excellent and the French hadn’t totally lost their senses when they demanded more. Still, as one of them said: “The way we played tonight, Don Revie . . . he’d transfer us.”
Translated from Rock & Folk Magazine
CLASH Hippodrome de Paris (26/5) The Fête de Rouge was organized by a party, the L.C.R., which publishes the newspaper.
So there was a small chapel with exhibitions, stands, tables, chairs, merguez, beer, a crowd of young sympathizers full of great enthusiasm, orderly service, gentle autonomous people. A big name The Clash under a big tent. But The Clash were clearly more than for that night, because: 1 / a majority of people wanted to see the real ones, the musicians 2 / including a part, the soft self-nomes, free 3 / but the cars - tough names only aimed at making the militants eat the stands 4 / as a result, they brought out the disruptors 5 / and it is with cries of "fascism will not pass" that the last of the Clash strung their guitars. Joe Strummer was ill, Mick Jones ner-wanna, Simonon distant. But The Clash are never bad. And as the sound system returned the harsh vibrations of the evening, they neglected to call for "Complete Control" to embark on an hour of confused brawl between the rockers of the city and their enemies. "Police & Thieves" on Saturday did not need translation. - F.D.
Hippodrome de Pantin was a permanent circus-style tent venue located in the Parc de la Villette near the Porte de Pantin MĂ©tro stop in north-eastern Paris.
It was constructed in 1974 as the Paris home of the Jean Richard Circus, and in that period, was known as the Nouvel Hippodrome de Paris.
The Hippodrome featured a faux neo-classical front and a yellow and blue big-top canopy. It could seat approximately 3,500 people.
In 1980 subsequent to the closing of the nearby Pavillon de Paris, the Hippodrome also hosted numerous musical performances, especially touring rock bands.
In 1982, the Jean Richard Circus ceased operations, and the Hippodrome was demolished in order to be replaced on the same site by a larger, concert-specific space. The new concert venue, ZĂ©nith de Paris, opened in 1983.
More info here
Did you go? What do you remember?
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"The gig was the show piece of the last night of a festival celebrating the tenth anniversary of the French uprising in May 1968 . Organised by the largest French Trotskyist organisation, the Ligue Communiste Revolutionaire, it was held in the Hippodrome which is normally used as a circus." Johnny Green mentions this one off gig p46. Pete Silverton writes about the gig in a June interview with the band. Punter
According to Laurel Stan -Paris Maquis' website the correct date is 27/05/1978 not 20/05/1978.
"27 mai 78 - FÍte de Rouge... Bataille range entre le SO de la Ligue et les zautognÙmes. Un grand classique. Le soir mÍme, en reprÈsailles, le local des trotsks est attaquÈ par l'autonomie prolÈtarienne."
A french novellist is working on a book about this event and he is looking for testimonies, etc. According to a french musician that was at this show the band started with "London's Burning".
Regards, GÈant V <geant.vert.ink[a]gmail.com>
Did you go? What do you remember?
Info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome.
Please email blackmarketclash
No known recording known to exist. If you know of any recording email blackmarketclash
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
Numerous articles, interviews, reviews, posters, tour dates from 'Rock Against Racism' Carnival and the early gigs of 1978
If you know of any articles or references for this particular gig, anything that is missing, please do let us know.
Sounds article (Paris extract) - 17 June 1978
PARIS: THE BAND’S decision to play Paris was almost as sudden as mine to go. They’d cancelled out of the gig weeks before but the promoter had gone ahead regardless and spattered the city with posters announcing the appearance of le Clash. The replacement band, Subway Sect, also managed by Bernie Rhodes, understandably fearing a riot, refused to play it when they realised there’d be six thousand odd Parisians expecting the Clash.
Rock & Folk Magazine – French
A Riot of Our Own * pg56 *
Johnny Green & Garry Barker
BBC Radio 1 'Rock On'
w/John Tobler Mick & Paul
7" single Talking to the Clash
Side A&B
Birmingham - Barbarellas
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1978 TISWAS 1st Appearance UKTV - ITV
....... Wanted ................
OK .....I have a feeling this appearance on Tiswas never aired due to a strike......anybody know anything about it? And that's a great T Shirt Sally James is wearing!...I only know about two other appearances...London Calling and another pre -Rope post first album
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