Bonds Residency The Bloods opened the show f/b The Bush Tetras.
Three weeks & 17 gigs that shook up New York and America.
For more about The Bloods see the bio on the Women in
Punk site:
Audio 1 - aud. master -
Sound 3 - time 1hr 42mins - DAT Master - tracks 25
distant clear -slight distortion -
The Magnificent Seven
From audience DAT master.
Same taper and equipment as the earlier recordings, (all from the audience DAT master) so a pretty similar sound again. First impressions due to the lower volume suggest that this is a weaker sound but there is as much detail and clarity as usual, although a touch flatter with some minor distortion.
An edit just before Washington Bullets brings an improvement in sound; louder, fuller and crisper although the distance limitations remain.
From Annie Toone, member of new wave band The
Bloods.
Thanks for using my piece about Joe 'punk rock
heart' on your site, thanks.
It was one of the high points of my life, sharing the stage (and dressingroom) with The Clash. Also the tetras and us were called punkfunk or no wave cuz of our funky component. That mix and the fact that we were all girl was a big appeal for The Clash.
thanks again for all your great documentation and a great site! -A Toone
There is a school of thought, particularly in the music press, that The Clash were at their peak at Bonds. Thanks to the recordings circulating from all the 17 shows we can draw our own conclusions from the ample evidence available.
Certainly over the first 7 concerts The Clash were able to produce night after night, powerful professional performances that retained much of the passion and fury of their early years but now added greater musicianship, pacing and variety of musical styles. None of these Bonds shows however match the heights reached at Turin and Florence a few weeks earlier or the best of earlier years.
Tonight’s Bonds show is typical with consistently strong and committed performances but Mick’s playing ranges from the inspired to at times lazy and ineffective, and the improvisations always interesting are not always effective.
The heavily bootlegged professionally recorded FM radio sourced show is often wrongly credited with this date. It is in fact from the 9th June concert with the From Here To Eternity concert from the 13th June. These two pro-recordings are often credited as being one and the same but a listen to Bankrobber for example from the circulating FHTE outtakes clearly shows this is not the case.
'I saw the Clash at Bonds' - Facebook page
Popular Facebook group that recounts memories for the Bonds residency. Well worth a read.
See also review from the 4th at Bonds
The recording starts as a fine London Calling is counted in with plenty of ‘controlled feedback’ from Mick. The sound is a little flatter than usual but soon picks up. Next Safe European Home blasts in and Mick plays around interestingly to begin with his guitar parts on the end section but then seems to lose interest.
The band are still in the process of warming up on The Leader but are responding to another very noticeably enthusiastic and noisy Bonds audience.
Train In Vain is brought back again to its 4th position in the set and there is a change in the arrangement (and in later gigs) with an extended instrumental break after “..speak to me”. During this tonight Mick speaks to the audience but his words are unclear. The audience are very appreciative and before a fine White Man In Hammersmith Palais Joe responds with a pleased “Yeah, yeah, yeah…it was like a morgue in here last night - attack, attack, attack!” Joe as usual adlibs over the final section but his words sadly are unclear due to the sound quality limitations.
An extended This Is Radio Clash is followed by the return of Corner Soul and then Guns of Brixton; all fine performances but unexceptional. The Call Up tonight though is inspired. It’s preceded by Joe’s “Any minute now the drums will play” and Mick’s firework sounding effects are prominent but effective. It’s a very fine performance, tighter and more spirited than most of the earlier Bond’s performances of this underrated live Clash song.
It’s straight in then to a fine Bankrobber and then Joe asks the audience, “come on lets have some encouragement” and certainly gets it, the audience going wild for a stunning (at Bonds now recharged and reworked), Complete Control. There is an extra long teased out start, and the band really tear into the song, Mick’s solo verges on the histrionic, and when the song ends abruptly, the audience roar their approval.
An edit begins the 2nd CD with Joe adlibbing over the beginning of Lightning Strikes “lightning strikes at random, random”. Mick adds some great guitar, the band in strong form, and Joe adlibs aplenty (although largely unclear). A fine Ivan Meets GI Joe next and then Charlie Don't Surf with a lengthy intro, “into the darkness”, Mick’s improvised guitar work here though is less effective.
Magnificent Seven tonight is shorter but very tight, powerful and effective; “keep your eyes on front, keep your eyes straight ahead”.
Broadway appropriately gets its live debut at Bonds, with the same arrangement as later performances. Mick’s guitar fills are great and inventive but an abrupt ending shows the arrangement live is not quite worked out yet. “Its time to work” shouts Joe before Somebody Got Murdered, which builds from a very slow intro into a very good performance. Career Opportunities is dropped from the set and replaced by Police and Thieves with a new intro; Topper plays the drum intro but Mick now plays the melody over the top as Topper keeps the drum rolls going before the usual reggae chords kick in. Whether intentional or not its very effective, the band continuing to reinvigorate songs that had been staples in previous live sets.
Mick’s playing is inventive and improvised but as previously at times tonight more interesting than especially memorable. Next Clampdown crashes in with Mick again improvising around his usual guitar intro. Joe’s (and Mick’s) vocals are impassioned and Joe rants powerfully over Topper’s drumming over the suitably climactic finale to the song and the main set.
An edit begins the first encore with as usual One More Time, which has a lengthy Topper intro as presumably the rest of the band return to the stage, and then finally Joe’s rhythm guitar comes in. There’s no Mick guitar sound to begin with so either a sound problem or Mick has not made it back from the dressing room! There is a lengthy instrumental gap mid song but Mick’s crucial contribution to the song is somewhat lacking so it is not a memorable performance.
An edit before Brand New Cadillac brings a better performance and an improvement in sound, fuller bass but distance problems remain. A further edit before Washington Bullets and the sound now is noticeably louder, fuller and clearer, this is the best sound on the recording and continues through to the end. There is lots of cheering mid song as presumably the El Salvador leaflets are released from the ceiling onto the audience. Tonight’s speech from the El Salvadorian is mostly unclear but Mick’s playing here is some of the most inventive and enjoyable tonight. It’s straight into then an impassioned Janie Jones to bring the encore to a close.
An edit before the second encore, which begins with Armagideon Time. Joe adlibs aplenty during a strong performance with Mick’s playing and effects particularly enjoyable. A shorter concert than those previously ends in fine style as Joe screams New York's Burning and the band then tear through London’s Burning.
Did you go? What do you remember?
Info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome.
Please
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I was lucky enough to see the Clash play twice--a great show at NYC's Palladium and one of their famous shows at Bonds. The latter show was a little lackluster, finally catching fire around halfway in--kicked off by a rousing version of Complete Control as I recall. One moment I remember clearly: a crew member put a small TV onstage so Mick Jones could watch the band perform on the Letterman show, pretaped earlier in the day. Joe Strummer was obviously annoyed at this, finally kicking the TV in. - Marlowe
As for greatest live bands well i saw the clash in nyc when they sold too many tickets for bonds in Times Square and were obliged to play something like 2 weeks straight to honour all the tickets sold. This was the sandinista tour but the show covered every period and was quite simplyamazing. Strummer got visibly pissed off when the crowd did not sing along with the obvious anthems but then you can’t expect perfection from a rock audience.Support that night was funkapolitain and the slits which blew my mind as i had no idea they were on the bill. Pearl harbour was the dj between sets.
I've been a Clash fan for a very long time. I had tickets for all 8 of the original Bonds Performances. I was right up front opening night when the club was overpacked by double. Quite a few people passed out and had to lifted and surfed to the stage area to be removed. Bouncers were passing out jugs of water to the front. I LOVE Grandmaster Flash but they were AWFUL. As a matter of fact they were beyond awful. It wasn't racism, it was a matter of an overpacked house and a group that wasn't making music, it was barely noise. What would you call listening to a kick drum for 10 - 15 minutes? Leaving, I literally couldn't stand up straight, there were fire marshalls at every door. SinceI had tickets for the original 8 nights bought at Bonds, my ticket was not valid the following evening. But, I saw 8 shows, and they were all fantastic. I saw them every tour since then, and they remain one of the greatest acts in R&R. One night I was dying of thirst and Mick kept sipping from a large soda cup. So I kept looking at him and motioning for a drink (security would pass water to the crowd). Mick points to his cup and shakes his head no, but finally he gave in and it was RUM and a tiny drop of coke for flavor. I took a sip, passed it on and within a few seconds people were fighting over the cup.
There were a ton of opening acts at the Bonds shows, and none were memorable.
Snowman “I had tickets for all 8 of the original Bonds Performances. I was right up front opening night when the club was overpacked by double. Quite a few people passed out and had to lifted and surfed to the stage area to be removed. Bouncers were passing out jugs of water to the front. It was then that the rappers went into a tirade of "The Clash asked us to be here. They wanted us to perform". Though I love GF&TF5 they couldn't be any worse live. To be squeezed into a sardine can, and hear a pounding bass drum and nothing else was more than anyone should bear. I LOVE Grandmaster Flash, and they were AWFUL. As a matter of fact they were beyond awful. It wasn't racism, it was a matter of an over packed house and a group that wasn't making music, it was barely noise. What would you call listening to a kick drum for 10 - 15 minutes? I saw them a few years later on Long Island where the levels were decent and you could understand what they rapped. It was great. Leaving, I literally couldn't stand up straight; there were fire marshals at every door. Since I had tickets for the original 8 nights bought at Bonds, my ticket was not valid the following evening. But, I saw 8 shows, and they were all fantastic.”
David S “Grandmaster Flash did open for the boys at Bonds. I was there and thought it was really closed-minded and small the way the crowd reacted. They wouldn't even give basic courtesy. Grandmaster Flash was right; the Clash did ask him to play, and frankly the reaction of a white crowd to an inner city act like that had to smack of racism.
The New York Nobody Sings- Clash at Bond's reosted from my blog...
Remember When - The Clash Photos at Bonds Casino – 80s Retro Punk Rock So a few years later, when we got to do the printing for the official Clash at the Bonds Casino gig in NY City, we where ecstatic. We printed the shirts, drove them to NY City, sold them in the streets...
They Shoot Actors, Don't They? Bond's Casino
The Clash at Bonds Casino, Times Square, NYC gigs 1-3 of 17.
IT'S ALL THE STREETS YOU CROSSED NOT SO LONG AGO -The Bow-Ties that Bond BOND INTERNATIONAL CASINO--1530 Broadway, on the east side of Broadway between 44th and 45th Streets. (Often referred to as Bond's.) A short-lived discotheque most famous for hosting the "Clash on Broadway" residency in 1981,
Personal memories
RETRO MEMORIES The Clash at Bonds Casino NYC, 1981 The Clash at Bonds Casino, Times Square, NYC gigs 1-3 of 17.
where you there?
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Following their appearance at the Palladium in 1980 The Clash had refused to play in New York unless they could play in a venue they thought suitable, i.e. an unseated dance hall. In February, Bernie and Kosmo had come to New York to seek out a suitable venue and agreed on Bonds which seemed ideal; it could hold 4000 with minimal discomfort (fire exits would prove the problem) but it was comparatively intimate and had character (art deco interior. History Of Bonds - includes write up and old photos It was a former men’s department store with a lino floor and beams and a makeshift stage. Local promoters could not understand why The Clash did not play a couple of nights at Madison Square Garden (16,000 capacity) like everyone else. Indeed Chris Salewicz was asked to write a piece for Soho News “to find the story behind the story!” “The doors opened at 8pm, we went up a carpeted spiral staircase surrounded by barbed wire and Mooseheads. We went into a large lobby and bar, with Clash concession stands. Through a large bank of double doors we located the dance floor, strobing lights - stunning glow in the dark things, half inflated silver spacemen hanging through trap doors in the ceiling. The dance floor itself was huge with recessed balconies at 2 sides to handle the large number of techies apparently required to keep all the lights flashing and the mikes feeding back. The facilities at Bonds were dance or drop! There was absolutely no seating anywhere.” In the photo below Bonds is the low building on the right.
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London Calling |
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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
To read all the news reports from Bonds including video and audio chronologically in one thread.
1. Background
3. The Clash arriving in New York
and the build up
4. News Reports video and audio
6. The remainder of the residency
7. History of Bonds
longer history of Bonds & images
9. Badges, FSLN hadouts, flyers, Clash
press release ...
10. Photos various - PDF 48mb
If you know of any articles or references for this particular gig, anything that is missing, please do let us know.
Review from the 4th at Bonds
Italy to New York
When The Clash landed at JFK airport in New York on the night of the 25th May 1981 they had no idea that their residency at a Broadway nightclub would create such a furore and nationwide media coverage that it became a pivotal event in their assault on America, helping to propel them into the major league Stateside. As Kosmo Vinyl has succinctly put it, “People who didn’t have straight trousers and short hair suddenly knew who we were. It got out - it was big!”. The Bonds concerts became one of the most enduring aspects of the Clash legend. ... more ...
Arrival
A collection of articles covering the bands arrival into New York including previews of the week. Also includes the WNEW preview broacast with Meg Griffin.
Ticket Fiasco
Numerous articles and audio and video reports covering the ticket fiasco.
Bonds News Reports
Audio and video reports covering the ticket fiasco. Fascinating watching / listening that captures those three days well. Includes notes.
Residency
The remainder of the press coverage once the bad had agreed to ensure all ticket holders got in by adding 8 more dates.
Photos - PDF 42mb
All randon phonts bundled here.
Adverts, posters and sundry
Bits and pieces inclduying all adverts and posters.
Comments
Comments for those who attended one of the gigs
Italy to New York
When The Clash landed at JFK airport in New York on the night of the 25th May 1981 they had no idea that their residency at a Broadway nightclub would create such a furore and nationwide media coverage that it became a pivotal event in their assault on America, helping to propel them into the major league Stateside. As Kosmo Vinyl has succinctly put it, “People who didn’t have straight trousers and short hair suddenly knew who we were. It got out - it was big!”. The Bonds concerts became one of the most enduring aspects of the Clash legend
WNEW Bonds week
Prior to The Clash's arrival WNEW FM ran a Bonds Week with Meg Griffin. It includes an intro to the Clash at Bonds week with a montage of old interviews and Clash tracks
Listen again here:
Bonds News Reports
28 May - 30 May 81 - updated 5 Jan 2009When the probelms started on the 29th at the venue the news media decsended and there s both audio and video circulating that captures those few hectic days.Audio: 30 mins of TV and Radio interviews, news and commentary.
Video: The Clash - News Reports about Bond's Casino Shows - June 1981
Video - Clash on Broadway Reels -
"all the original reels have been found and are now with Sony. UPDATE1 The footage the footage that was found is very expensive to transfer. Don hasn't yet ID'd the film boxes (03/2015). UPDATE2 On the Facebook page dedicated to the summer 1981 Nyc residence, from one Kevin Bud Jones that was hired by Don Letts to help shout ing The Clash on Broadway docufilm:"We shot one complete show with multiple cameras and a 24 track mobile recorder. We also shot most of every show with one camera and in house 8 track recording. The band wore the same gear every night and Topper was such a consistent drummer - and the band well rehearsed - that we were able to build edits from different nights with no trouble at all." (03/2015)"There are around 36 tapes in all, each of which would cost at least £500 per tape to transfer (the prohibitive cost is why the filmakers didn't have this material transferred at the time) - it's on a rare early video format called EIAJ. Sam
Facebook The same guy who posted that also wrote this in the comments (bold emphasis mine):
"We shot one complete show with multiple cameras and a 24 track mobile recorder. We also shot most of every show with one camera and in house 8 track recording. The band wore the same gear every night and Topper was such a consistent drummer - and the band well rehearsed - that we were able to build edits from different nights with no trouble at all." "Sadly - we never shot the opening acts. We started the gig with the intention of doing a six song DVD EP - not a full scale documentary. Shooting expanded as the story expanded and the shows stretched on."
"We were not making a concert movie per se - and my part in the post production ended when the material left the US after doing the Combat Rock video which John shot in Texas." All of this makes me wonder where all that footage is and why they haven't done a long form concert video or if they will at some point. I mean, a whole show in multi-camera, 24 track?! I can't imagine that kind of thing just inadvertently gets lost.
I'm sure there is way more about this that is known that I am not aware of. I think I've read that lots of footage has been lost but I don't know any details about that. Concert movies have been constructed from way less (The Doors Hollywood Bowl for one, I expect there are more).Found in London garage 2006 - handed to SonyThere are around 36 tapes in all, each of which would cost at least £500 per tape to transfer (the prohibitive cost is why we didn't have this material transferred at the time) - it's on a rare early video format called EIAJ.
From - I saw the Clash at Bonds play at Bonds - Facebook page
My partner John Hazard and I were fortunate enough to be hired by Don Letts and The Clash to produce and shoot the documentary of Bonds and beyond that is the Clash on Broadway film featured at the end of Westway to the World. What started out as a one week shoot to get six songs live in the can became a year of our lives. The video for This Is Radio Clash was a lift from the 10 minute trailer for the unfinished film that we shot on 16mm and went all the way to a 35mm blowup to show potential distributors. Needless to say - the project was never completed as the band disassembled after Combat Rock. Clash on Broadway is the rough cut we had finished by the time to project was wrapped and went back to the UK.
We shot one complete show with multiple cameras and a 24 track mobile recorder. We also shot most of every show with one camera and in house 8 track recording. The band wore the same gear every night and Topper was such a consistent drummer - and the band well rehearsed - that we were able to build edits from different nights with no trouble at all.Sadly - we never shot the opening acts. We started the gig with the intention of doing a six song DVD EP - not a full scale documentary. Shooting expanded as the story expanded and the shows stretched on.Q. How come we've never seen the release of the entire show?
We were not making a concert movie per se - and my part in the post production ended when the material left the US after doing the Combat Rock video which John shot in Texas.
For all video, it is presumed that significant footage comes from the first night but it is also highly likely it came from other nights.
Clash On Broadway - 19:50
The Clash / Sound System box setIt is not clear which of these comes from which night?London Calling (first night?)
This Is Radio Clash (Tom Snyder show)
The Magnificent Seven (Tom Snyder show)
Guns Of Brixton (first night?)
Safe European Home (first night?)
A good listing of the contents of the The Clash's Sound System box set can be found here.
WNEW Bonds week
Prior to The Clash's arrival, WNEW FM ran a Bonds Week with Meg Griffin. It includes an intro to the Clash at Bonds week with a montage of old interviews and Clash tracks
Listen again here:
Bonds News Reports - 28 May - 30 May 81 - updated 5 Jan 2009
When the problems started on the 29th at the venue the news media decsended and there s both audio and video circulating that captures those few hectic days.Audio: 30 mins of TV and Radio interviews, news and commentary.
For full listing go here
Video: The Clash - News Reports about Bond's Casino Shows - June 1981
Video - Clash on Broadway Reels -
For a full details on video from the opening shows go to the 28th
For information on the Clash on Broadway reels go here
Private Super8mm film footage of the rucus outside Bonds
Someone had a video camera aand has more and better footage from outside.
Press Conference - "See out"
Would like the full press conference.
Video from Bonds
1. Essential Clash DVD
cut down version of CoB from Westway but with unseeen angles and clips. Includes an edited London Calling [audio is unmixed pro recording from 9th].
2. Westway to the World BONUS footage DVD
Includes nearly full tracks of - London Calling [Trick of Treat audio] - Guns of Brixton [dubbed partly] Safe European Home [dubbed with studio single] - Charlie Don't Surf [original sound but from mixing desk] - Radio Clash [original sound but from mixing desk]. Also includes a mash up of a lot of footage from New York and outside Bonds such as the riot.
3. video - press conference, backstage, 16 Tons play on, London Calling nearly full [probably the same length as Westway? but the sound plays on to a montage of NYC/Clash pictures]. The sound is remixed from [Trick or Treat bootleg] radio broadcast from the 9th June as Westway. 5.38min
4. MTV Rockumentary is same as Westway/Clash on TV/Essential DVD but with only very edited clips of the press conference and London Calling. Nothing new except a couple of comments form Mick and Paul.
Tom Snyder show NTV
The complete Clash appearance circulates on Clash On TV Vol.1 in very good quality (apart from some ghosting) from a TV rebroadcast (better than the YouTube broadcast below). For many years Clash fans had made do with very poor quality video copies of this important Clash footage.
If you know any please let us know
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