support acts ...
page updated - started July 2020
updated June 2021 added ticket, flyer
No known audio or video
If you know of any recording,
email blackmarketclash
Tour background
Less than 5 months after the last US tour The Clash were back in the USA for a short tour, a blitz of 9 gigs in 10 days in key cities. This reflects acceptance by the band that if they were to be able to break free of the CBS debt shackles they must break the huge American market. Indeed there was no complaint when the unrepresentative but commercial Train In Vain was released as a single in the US on February 12th.
America of course too retained its great fascination to Joe and Mick in particular, and the momentum from the two previous tours was really building by fans through word of mouth, in record sales, and not significantly in media coverage. As even Epic would have to concede the product was moving.
The tour had to end on the 10th to allow Paul to get to Vancouver where he was acting in the film All Washed Up with Steve Jones amongst others.
The band would fly everywhere, hiring stage gear locally, bringing only their instruments. Full support was provided by Mikey Dread, Lee Dorsey and all girl New Wave US band, The B-Girls. Mikey Dread would suffer outright hostility from audiences on the tour, and the inclusion of Lee Dorsey, another R’n’B legend out of fashion and favour was further evidence of The Clash wanting to pay their dues as they saw it.
It was to be the last tour under Jenner & King’s management, the last with Scratchy Barry Myers as DJ and most significantly the last with Johnny Green. The end of a Clash era.
Out of favour with the UK press the NME still sent Pennie Smith to produce a double page photo only spread. The US press articles in contrast were full of superlatives with Rolling Stone and Creem amongst others championing the band.
Of the 9 concerts played 6 recordings circulate, most of high quality. There is a video from the Passaic show and a short documentary of the New York show. The Clash said at the time that their aim was to be the greatest rock’n’roll band in the world. There is ample evidence from this tour that they achieved just that. The spontaneity and unpredictability of the all out chaotic charge of the ‘punk‘ years had been replaced with set pacing, greater musicianship and variety of musical styles. The killer punch was still there but as Joe described it they now chose to use short bursts of the hammer over the constant bang,bang,bang previously.
(copyright) photo courtesy of Larry Hulst.
If you are interested in buying this photo or other Clash photos Larry has contact him here email
Did you go? What do you remember?
Info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome.
Please
email blackmarketclash
the
Warfield Theater in San Francisco is a 2300-capacity theater, built in 1922 at 982 Market Street. Throughout the entire period and right up through today, The Warfield has been a premier music venue in San Francisco, and the list of performers who have played there is like a rock history tutorial.
The Warfield was a premier rock concert venue in San Francisco from late 1979 onwards. It was a beautiful old theater, with wonderful acoustics, and over time more and more rock fans were willing to pay premium prices at the Warfield instead of a lesser price at a giant arena. You could probably write a book about the rock history of the Warfield, and it would be a good overview of late 20th century rock music.
The Warfield was one of the great Market Street movie palaces in San Francisco. It first opened on May 13, 1922. The theater was built by Vaudeville promoter Marcus Loew (1866-1938), and the theater was named after David Warfield, one of his best friends, and an original investor in what would become the MGM-Loews empire (of course, for the complete story, as always, you have to go to JerryGarciasBrokendownPalaces). The Loew's Warfield originally presented Vaudeville along with movies and theatrical productions. There may also have been a speakeasy associated with the theater in the 1930s. When Vaudeville died out, the Warfield mostly showed movies, but live performances returned in the 1940s.
Since there were live performances at the Warfield in the 1940s, they must have hired plenty of musicians.
The Warfield, under various names, continued as a movie palace. By the 1960s, the theater was known as the Fox-Warfield, a name it would keep for some time. The theater went through various owners, and the theater chain National General refurbished the theater in 1969. The theater re-opened in 1970 with a guest appearance by Mae West, promoting her film Sextette.
Throughout the 70s, the film mostly showed second-run fare. National General seems to have sold the Warfield to Mann Theaters, and by the end of the 70s it was owned by one Mike Thomas, who ultimately sold it to Bill Graham.
In 1979, the theater was still known as the Fox-Warfield, and that was what was on the marquee. If you bought a ticket at BASS (a Ticketmaster forerunner), it said "Warfield Theater," but informally the place was called the Fox-Warfield or The Warfield, If you lived in San Francisco or had been to the theater, you called it "Fox-Warfield" to casually indicate that you knew what was on the marquee (a very San Francisco thing).
No known audio or video
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
A collection of articles, interviews, reviews, posters, tour dates covering the period the 16 Tons tour of the US, March 1980.
If you know of any articles or references for this particular gig, anything that is missing, please do let us know.
Idol Worship Fanzine - May 1980
-300.jpg)
If you know any please let us know
Search all of facebook
Search all of Twitter
Search for a local library
Search auction site
Search flickr
Search Instagram
Search the internet
Any further info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome.
Submit an article here
We are looking for scans - articles - tickets - posters - flyers - handbills - memorabilia - photos - comments / any information - you might have.
Please like and post on our Facebook page or alternatively email blackmarketclash
You can also follow us on Twitter
We also have a Clash Twitter list of other notable Clash Twitter accounts here
New York 7 March 1980
Lifetimes’ TV documentary -
audio sound quality 4 -
video: poor picture quality - 6.36 mins
Lifetimes TV Documentary
An excellent and very positive 7-minute documentary appeared on US TV on the programme ‘Lifetimes’ with live clips from the Palladium show and interviews with fans outside and the band backstage. A good audio dub circulates but video copies are generally poor which is a shame as the live clips are brilliantly intense.
Capitol Theatre, Passaic New Jersey -
Saturday 8th March 1980
Boston 9 March 1980
Alan McPheely : I shot this March 9, 1980 on silent Super 8mm film. Recently, some thirty years later, I found the audio on the internet and matched it up. alanmcpheely@mac.com
Detroit Punks: We were there to catch them on super 8 ektachrome
at the Motor City Roller on March 10, 1980.
A brief Super 8 colour film and sound from both the Detroit 79 and 80 shows has surfaced.
1) Almost ALL of Safe European Home, camera mainly on Joe, Joe PLAYS to the camera near the end when he dos that spoken word thing. This is from the Jackie Wilson Benefit march 10/80 at Motor City Roller Rink.
2) Mick sings a song I've never really cared for. He sings Bang Bang something. Over 2 minutes of that.
25 Aprtil 1980 - 'Fridays' USTV
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
www.Blackmarketclash.co.uk
Go here for uploads and downloads. It's not a massive space so its on an as and when basis.
Contact your local library here and see if they can help.
If you are searching for articles in the USA - DPLA Find the local US library link here
WorldCat? - find your local library Link
British Newspaper Archive - United Kingdom Link (£££ / trial period)
Newspaper ARCHIVE - USA+ Link ($$$ / trial period)
Historical Newspapers - USA & beyond $$$ Link ($$$ / trial period)
Elephind.com - international Link (free)
New York Times - USA Link ($$$)
Gallica - France - Not very helpful Link (free)
Explore the British Library Link (free to UK users - ask if you find something)
Trove - Australia National Library Link (free)
The Official Clash
Search @theclash & enter search in search box. Place, venue, etc
Clash City Collectors - excellent
Facebook Page - for Clash Collectors to share unusual & interesting items like..Vinyl. Badges, Posters, etc anything by the Clash. Search Clash City Collectors & enter search in search box. Place, venue, etc
Clash on Parole - excellent
Facebook page - The only page that matters
Search Clash on Parole & enter search in the search box. Place, venue, etc
Clash City Snappers
Anything to do with The Clash. Photos inspired by lyrics, song titles, music, artwork, members, attitude, rhetoric,haunts,locations etc, of the greatest and coolest rock 'n' roll band ever.Tributes to Joe especially wanted. Pictures of graffitti, murals, music collections, memorabilia all welcome. No limit to postings. Don't wait to be invited, just join and upload.
Search Flickr / Clash City Snappers
Search Flickr / 'The Clash'
Search Flickr / 'The Clash' ticket
I saw The Clash at Bonds - excellent
Facebook page - The Clash played a series of 17 concerts at Bond's Casino in New York City in May and June of 1981 in support of their album Sandinista!. Due to their wide publicity, the concerts became an important moment in the history of the Clash. Search I Saw The Clash at Bonds & enter search in red box. Place, venue, etc
Loving the Clash
Facebook page - The only Clash page that is totally dedicated to the last gang in town. Search Loving The Clash & enter search in the search box. Place, venue, etc
Blackmarketclash.co.uk
Facebook page - Our very own Facebook page. Search Blackmarketclash.co.uk & enter search in red box. Place, venue, etc
Search all of Twitter
Search Enter as below - Twitter All of these words eg Bonds and in this exact phrase, enter 'The Clash'
www.theclash.com/
Images on the offical Clash site. http://www.theclash.com/gallery
www.theclash.com/ (all images via google).
Images on the offical Clash site. site:http://www.theclash.com/
