The Clash Live - Santa Monica CA - Civic Auditorium - Friday 9th February 1979

Pearl Harbour Tour supported by Bo Diddley & The Dils

Audio 1 -
upgrade wanted - Sound 1.5 - 57min - unknown gen? - 17 tracks

Tommy Gun

The only recording in circulation is sadly a poor one.

It has slight speed problems, running a fraction slow. You can make out the vocals and just about what is said, as well as the lead guitar and drums, much else is distorted. Most of the sound is at the bottom end as well. Its from a well copied version.

"The 79 shows, Santa Monica Civic, Palladium and Kezar in the city (sf) were spit drenched, poseur, stage hopping affairs.....Vicious crowds. (Although the Santa Monica Civic has a place in my heart, as it was close to our home and we saw countless shows there including a wild Joe Strummer with Xander Schloss on lead concert in the late 80’s that was something special)

The punk thing was just happening in 79 and la was more orange county punk (black flag, circle jerks, germs etc etc) than san francisco. (Dead Kennedy’s etc). Which was more “authentic” punk than LA

The two cities hate each other, (still do) culturally, sport teams, you name it.. It must have been mind blowing for the clash to step into what is basically another world, California. A lot of anger from The Clash, it must have been hard to play with people spitting on you and jumping on the stage just to show off.

Still the energy, humor and wit of joe are what i remember best. For better or worse, all venues had no seating anywhere near the floor, so it was general crush down front. No mercy was shown to the weak."

Hank Williams features regularly in Joe’s sarky song intro’s on this tour, “well case you were wondering what that was, a little song Hank Williams wrote for us before he took too many drugs and kicked the bucket”. Continuing in a non-pc vein Joe intros Tommy Gun with “this is Topper Headon with a spastic wrist!”.

Tommy Gun uniquely whether by design or accident has a short musical and lyrical break not heard either live or recorded previously, just before the “9 o’clock news” section. Mick’s guitar work sounds great throughout but Joe sounds hoarse, labouring the intensity somewhat, maybe nervous in front of such a large audience and first gig in LA area.

There is an edit after Safe European Home when the sounds drops a touch poorer. English Civil War and Guns On The Roof are great performances as is Police & Thieves but the sound is very poor after an edit which loses a section of the song.

Complete Control stops near the end, for fighting or instrument problems is not clear and then restarts from mid song. Capital Radio is not as extended with ad libs here but Joe explains one of the reasons for the slow intro “listen to the gentle music, may it soothe the savage breast in you!

Because you’re going to have to hear it, because we recorded it off your local radio, its what they play 24 hours a day….1-2-3-4”. There is an edit at the end of Radio which probably loses one or more of Janie Jones, Garageland and Julie. The recording restarts with London’s Burning and ends abruptly with the last chord of White Riot.

Anyone have an upgrade nearer the master?

Did you go? What do you remember?
Info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome.
Please email blackmarketclash

The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, see photo, a concrete barn by the ocean according to Johnny Green, had sold out all 3000 tickets (seating removed in the main area). The Clash famously snubbed Epic executives after the gig to the despair of Caroline Coon, the then manager.

Help for the cause did come from the influential Robert Hilburn reviewing the gig in the LA Times; “For sheer energy The Clash’s local debut… was one of the most exhilarating rock shows in years” but then went on to qualify this by “but rock’s not built on energy alone and The Clash’s failure to touch on a wider range of emotions, leaves it short at this point of across the board impact”

He described how fans near the front of the stage went wild and accurately noted “Joe Strummer, the band’s strongest visual lure on stage, spits out the lyrics with such alarming intensity that a life insurance salesman would think twice about writing him a policy. After he collapsed after one song it didn’t look solely theatrical”.

The band did not think the gig went well and Sylvia Simmonds Tour Notes for Sounds thought them good not great as at the San Francisco benefit.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17	I'm so Bored with USA Drug Stabbing Time Jail Guitar Doors Tommy Gun Hate and War Clash City Rockers White Man In Ham Palais Safe European Home Stay Free English Civil War Guns On the Roof Police and Thieves Complete Control Complete Control Capital Radio London's Burning White Riot

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 the Clash's first US Tour covering the period of the Pearl Harbour Tour.

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

The Clash assault on the USA
Record Mirror? (poor quality)

Don Snowden, L.A. Weekly, 23 February 1979

THE ARRIVAL in LA of The Clash, the hot English rock band, had been eagerly anticipated by local hard-core rockers ever since the release of the band's debut album almost two years ago.

Coming here at the end of a particularly slack period of concert action only served to fan the flames higher. The level of expectancy in the lobby before the set was the highest I ?ve ever witnessed at a rock show. And The Clash more than lived up to expectations.

Clash Crests on new Punk Wave
SM The Los Angeles Times
Sat Jan 20 1979 - Robert Hilburn

Active or Pasive: Two rock voices
The Los Angeles Times - Sun 4 Feb 1979

Clash specializes in high energy
The Los Angeles Times - Sun 12 Feb 1979

text version

Clash Crests on New Wave
The Los Angeles Times - Sat 20 Jan 1978

page 8 required

A Riot of Our Own pg138

A collection of articles, interviews, reviews, posters, tour dates from the Clash's first US Tour covering the period of the Pearl Harbour Tour.

Toronto Interview 2-20-79 Paul Topper Canada
part 1 - (5mins)

part 20 - (5mins)

Candian Radio Interview (20mins)

Toronto - 20 February 1979

The Clash 1979 Canadian TV backstage interview

Complete interview segment of the Clash backstage at the O'Keefe Centre in Toronto, Canada with the Undertones which was originally broadcast on CITY TV's New Music Program in 1979.

The New Music was hosted by J.D. Roberts (aka CNN's John Roberts) and Jeanne Bekker (later host of Fashion Television). This clip includes the infamous concert aftermath with Cosmo Vinyl counting the ripped out seats at the venue.

This rare interview was shown/re-broadcast during the Joe Strummer death coverage.

Bo Diddley talks about his experiences opening for the Clash on their 1979 US Tour. This interview took place in November 2002 at the Rock Nightclub in Maplewood, Minnesota.

Bo Diddley opening for the Clash At Ontario Theatre, Washington DC

If you know any please let us know

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