16 Tons Tour
Supported by Mikey Dread
"on these two birmingham dates they were supported by spizz energy the one night and ian dury on the second ,who i seem to remember singing janie jones with the clash"
last updated 18 April 2003
Last updated 7 July 2008 - support acts added
updated 5 Jan 2010 - added punters comments & flyer
Audio 1 -
unknown gen- 26 tracks - 85.30 mins - Sound 2
Keys to Your Heart
The sound is very flat and too many copies off of what is no doubt a decent master recording. Bass sounds dominate as a result, with little top end; vocals are OK but guitars distant and drums dull.
Most of the song intros can be made out but not the song improves. The sound is not awful holding some clarity, keyboards come across well but overall an unengaging sound.
Back to the Birmingham Top Rank again, one of The Clash’s least favourite venues, according to the comments in Pennie Smith’s book, (the photos in the dressing room are from this gig) but at least it was their last visit.
This is another typically poor recording from this first leg of the 16 Tons UK Tour but it can boast another rare Keys To Your Heart, completeness and the earliest circulating live Rockers Galore.
A by now pretty standard set list and a tour weary Clash struggle at times to find inspiration. Keys To Your Heart, Joe’s first major song writing credit (follows Mick’s first Protex Blue) and although sound is better on the tape labelled the 5th, it’s an interesting performance with Mick singing the choruses with Joe and adding his own guitar licks to the song.
Train In Vain is off the set list for a few nights (not one of Joe or Johnnies favourites) becoming a set staple only after its US Top 40 single success.
The first Spanish Bombs of the tour gets a tired sounding vocal from Joe but Mick’s playing is inventive and light.
Capital Radio gets yet another brand new intro and improves from Joe (new with every live outing, no tired stage routines with Joe Strummer!); “This is 3.9 on the medium wave band, got the request line open now, you can dial 015129437, the telephone’s over by Gluggo there!” His improves in the song are sadly unclear.
Wrong ‘Em Boyo has an edit after Joe’s intro “Down the casualty department of the hospital” which restarts at the ska intro, and then suffers a further small edit.
Joes shouts and cries over the intro to Police & Thieves are heavy with echo and it’s a fine performance but his improves are lost in the muddy sound.
An impassioned Janie Jones and Complete Control with Topper adding a mini drum solo intro to the latter, bring the main set to an end.
Mikey Dread joins Joe as usual now on Armagideon Time, which segues into English Civil War. A passionate Garageland leaves the audience shouting for a second encore.
A tired band return, Joe “OK now you’ve asked for it, now gonna try and give it”. Bankrobber now very much a reggae song following Mikey’s influence who returns after Topper by mistake plays the ‘machine gun’ intro to Tommy Gun, to toast Rockers Galore over the Bankrobber music.
Then it really is Tommy Gun with a fired up Birmingham’s Burning a fitting climax to a long 26-song concert.
Did you go? What do you remember?
Info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome.
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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 January, February 1980 covering the period the 16 Tons tour of the UK.
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Unknown Interview with Joe followed by John Tobler 'Rock On' interview with Mick and Paul
John Tobler 'Rock On' interview with Mick and Paul
Radio Interview with Duncan-Gibbons
BBC Roundtable
The Clash on TISWAS (UK-ITV) on 5th January 1980, promoting London Calling
THE CLASH - RARE INTERVIEW - LONDON WEEKEND TV - 6 JANUARY 1979 - HD
Archive footage when - the clash - appeared on the saturday morning show on 6 january 1979. The official music video of tommy gun was played - this is now available on vevo - and cannot be uploaded here. Joe strummer - paul simonon - topper headon - were live in the studio and were interviewed by elvis payne. It was tx on lwt in london area only - rest of country watched tiswas.
Saturday morning show was introduced by steve jones and elvis payne. The saturday morning show - tx in london area only - ran for 16 shows eventually replaced by the itv networked show - tiswas - with chris tarrant from atv in the midlands
Punk & Its After Shocks
Aylesbury 5 Jan 1980
BBC Nationwide documentary
- 12.39mins - Sound 3
Dundee 18 Jan 1980
Edinburgh 19 Jan 1980
Edinburgh 20 Jan 1980
The live footage probably comes from the two Edinburgh gigs from Jan 19/20th 1980, and not from the 18th Dundee gig. Last 30 secs Londons Burning in nationwide clip does sound a lot like the Londons burning from 20th. It looks like Joe's wearing the same clothes in the van ( nationwide interview) and the soundcheck pictures from the 20th.
Essential Clash DVD
Lewisham 18 Feb 1980
8 mins - 5 sound -
Clampdown & Train In Vain
Source for various officlal single track video and audio sources - 2 videos plus 4 audio tracks. A good listing of the contents of the The Clash's Sound System box set can be found here.
Paris 27 Feb 1980
Quality /sound 5 - 41mins - 13 tracks - excellent
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