1st STRANGLERS GIG

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play it cool
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Re: 1st STRANGLERS GIG

Post by play it cool »

First time for me was their headline slot on the Friday of the 1983 Reading Festival. I recall JJ and HC throwing mock 'rock star' poses - playing their guitars back against back, I think whilst wearing long wigs. I was thrilled when they played 'Genetix' (either last song or penultimate) as it was, and still is, my favourite song of theirs, and I wasn't expecting it. There was a black girl in the crowd I got chatting to; I patronisingly assumed she was there to see Steel Pulse and said it was a shame they'd been bottled-off after one song. She said 'nah - they're crap, I'm here for the Stranglers'! Good girl.
ugly
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Re: 1st STRANGLERS GIG

Post by ugly »

hi im a new forum member ..
my first stranglers gig was 86or7 at the ipswich regent..
fantastic gig, i remember jj and jet black sorting out someone gobbing in the front row...
pure class it was.................
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scotticusnorvegicus
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Re: 1st STRANGLERS GIG

Post by scotticusnorvegicus »

First for me was at the mighty Glasgow Apollo(R.I.P.) in 1978. Travelled from Inverness to see them play.
I remember Skids badges being thrown to the crowd while we were waiting to get in. They were meant to be supporting the Stranglers that night but Bill Simpson the Skids bass player got kicked in by some cunts who hated punks I'm sure this happened when they were playing Bridlington on the same tour.
I remember seeing an advert saying it was the re-opening of the Apollo. As soon as you walked in it was like glitter stars hanging off pillars and walls badly needing paint ! That didn't matter because when you got up those stairs you felt the atmosphere hit you immediately. All punk songs being played before bands came on. Banshees, Ian Dury, Rezillos etc.
There were 2 support bands on that night and one of them was the Cuban Heels, the other I can't remember (Valves ?)
The Cuban Heels played a great gig that night and got the crowd fired up.
The Stranglers came on to a huge roar from the fans. Cornwell told the audience they could do what they want as the Glasgow police were too busy dealing with a road accident ! They opened with "Ugly" and Cornwell had problems with his amp during the song.
A stripper with a mini tartan skirt came on and danced(?)to an extended "Nice N Sleazy" She kept looking back at Cornwell as if to say when are you going to stop playing the song but Cornwell ignored her. His joke of the night was "We've got a stripper here tonight with leprosy, the clothes just fall off her"
A fuckin great gig with Sweden sung in Swedish.
Got the late train(11.30) at Glasgow Queen St. and headed home to Inverness. The train stopped at Perth. Me and my mate had to wait till 4am in Perth before the next train was due for Inverness. Got home knackered but worth it !
We are very excited to be here in A ------me----ri--- ca.
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Re: 1st STRANGLERS GIG

Post by Alias »

Great stuff- nice one! 8)
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Post by LondonBoy777 »

Alias wrote:
DrunkinBlackish wrote:Feline Tour,Glasgow Apollo,think first song was Nuclear Device,in stalls,first gig Jesus Fuck.
Hehe, I was still in the queue for my Feline T shirt when this gig started. Had to get the bootleg tape from the Barras later to finally find out what the first song was! :grin:

Cool memories there grayo 8)
I think that was the time when they started using headphone mics - they began mis-functioning and i recall a bit of a spat between JJ and Hugh. The atmosphere pre-gig was electric tho' when the stage went black the place went mad.
I remember the letters La Folie at the end represented by large letters held up on stage.
Was this when that accapella group sang Only You? lead balloon ...
I'd seen them a few times before this gig - but every gig back then was brilliant it seemed.
Best gig of my life ? Stranglers Loch Rock Festival 1979 - Raven Tour. No contest inc The Skids/UK Subs and Dr.Feelgood! Beat that!
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Post by scotticusnorvegicus »

I think that was the time when they started using headphone mics - they began mis-functioning and i recall a bit of a spat between JJ and Hugh. The atmosphere pre-gig was electric tho' when the stage went black the place went mad.
I remember the letters La Folie at the end represented by large letters held up on stage.
Was this when that accapella group sang Only You? lead balloon ...
I'd seen them a few times before this gig - but every gig back then was brilliant it seemed.
Best gig of my life ? Stranglers Loch Rock Festival 1979 - Raven Tour. No contest inc The Skids/UK Subs and Dr.Feelgood! Beat that![/quote]

I was at the Loch Lomond festival as well. The Stranglers were great but IMO the Skids stole the show that day. Had to hitch back to Glasgow that night freezing to f**king death.There was no transport to get back. Still remember it to this day. Place was reeking of hash !!! :smt033
We are very excited to be here in A ------me----ri--- ca.
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Re: 1st STRANGLERS GIG

Post by Rattus572 »

My first time was as a 12 year old at Manchester Apollo in late 78. I remember being quite scared until I got in the queue and then the adrenalin took over.The gig ensured a lifetime of devotion as the song goes. However, my major clear memory of the night was my dad dropping me off and making a comment along the lines of "you always moan about wearing a school uniform - look at this lot, all dressed the bleeding same!" :P
Last edited by Rattus572 on 27 Oct 2011, 13:49, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 1st STRANGLERS GIG

Post by Big In Yorkshire »

I too was 12 years old for my first gig - Birmingham Odeon 1980. I'm quite sure that the "under 14's must be accompanied by an adult" rule existed back then but I never had any trouble with passing off as older. I was once refused entry to an under 16's disco at Powerhouse (aged 14) becuase the bouncers said I was too old !

I'm sure many of you remember Birmingham Odeon but it was a seated venue and I had ticket A1. How cool is that - I wish I still had the ticket stub :( . It was my first gig so I didn't really have a clue what to expect. I arrived quite early, looked longingly at the merchandise (coudn't afford anything) and then went to find my seat. There I was sat in seat A1 with a gap of a couple of metres to the stage and a big stack of loudspeakers directly in front of me, there was no barrier in front of the stage. I thought it was really strange to be sat down at a gig, my elder brother had recently been to see The Damned (at Digbeth Civic Hall I think) and sitting down didn't match his description of that. Anyway when the support came on a small number of people congregated at the front in the gap between the seats and the stage but I remained seated - I assumed similar would happen when The Stranglers came on. All I remember about the support band was that a large number of people in the audience shouted abuse, perhaps under the impression that if they did in fact "F*** Off" then The Strangers would be on stage sooner!

When the lights went down I very luckily managed to stand up just at the right time and got carried in a wave of people running to the stage. I got wedged up against the stage with my right shoulder pressed up against the speaker stack. I have read somewhere that some of the crew were worried about how much the speaker stacks were rocking and feared that it may topple!

As you could imagine the sound quality was a bit poor pressed up against the speakers but it didnt really matter to me - the experience was fantastic. I didn't know many of the songs played anyway as I only owned X-Cert at that point. I remember a lad next to me wearing a flourescent fluffy jumper (I used to call them Captain Sensible jumpers). He spent the entire time spitting and shouting for IFLAW. I managed to "suffer" pressed against the stage until the band left the stage for the first time then somehow I made my way back behind the first block of seats. There was a gap between the front and rear stalls. I found a space here, centre stage, to listen to the encores. When it was all over my mum picked me up in the car, just outside the venue in New Street.

What an experience for a 12 year old. I have two daughters (aged 7 and 8 ) and both can't wait to see The Stranglers - don't think they're quite ready for the mosh pit just yet.
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Re: 1st STRANGLERS GIG

Post by Rattus572 »

Big In Yorkshire wrote:I too was 12 years old for my first gig - Birmingham Odeon 1980. I'm quite sure that the "under 14's must be accompanied by an adult" rule existed back then but I never had any trouble with passing off as older. I was once refused entry to an under 16's disco at Powerhouse (aged 14) becuase the bouncers said I was too old !

I'm sure many of you remember Birmingham Odeon but it was a seated venue and I had ticket A1. How cool is that - I wish I still had the ticket stub :( . It was my first gig so I didn't really have a clue what to expect. I arrived quite early, looked longingly at the merchandise (coudn't afford anything) and then went to find my seat. There I was sat in seat A1 with a gap of a couple of metres to the stage and a big stack of loudspeakers directly in front of me, there was no barrier in front of the stage. I thought it was really strange to be sat down at a gig, my elder brother had recently been to see The Damned (at Digbeth Civic Hall I think) and sitting down didn't match his description of that. Anyway when the support came on a small number of people congregated at the front in the gap between the seats and the stage but I remained seated - I assumed similar would happen when The Stranglers came on. All I remember about the support band was that a large number of people in the audience shouted abuse, perhaps under the impression that if they did in fact "F*** Off" then The Strangers would be on stage sooner!

When the lights went down I very luckily managed to stand up just at the right time and got carried in a wave of people running to the stage. I got wedged up against the stage with my right shoulder pressed up against the speaker stack. I have read somewhere that some of the crew were worried about how much the speaker stacks were rocking and feared that it may to

As you could imagine the sound quality was a bit poor pressed up against the speakers but it didnt really matter to me - the experience was fantastic. I didn't know many of the songs played anyway as I only owned X-Cert at that point. I remember a lad next to me wearing a flourescent fluffy jumper (I used to call them Captain Sensible jumpers). He spent the entire time spitting and shouting for IFLAW. I managed to "suffer" pressed against the stage until the band left the stage for the first time then somehow I made my way back behind the first block of seats. There was a gap between the front and rear stalls. I found a space here, centre stage, to listen to the encores. When it was all over my mum picked me up in the car, just outside the venue in New Street.

What an experience for a 12 year old. I have two daughters (aged 7 and 8 ) and both can't wait to see The Stranglers - don't think they quite ready for the mosh pit just yet.
12 is obviously the age to loose one's Stranglers virginity. I have two sons 10 and 6 -who are both serenading me with Swine, Swine, Swine. They know quality when they hear it 8)
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Re: 1st STRANGLERS GIG

Post by Alexinblack »

I was 3 first time i saw them
Two great reviews there.
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Re: 1st STRANGLERS GIG

Post by Debaser »

First Stranglers gig was Lincoln Drill Hall September something or other 1978.

The main thing I recall was having to put up with The Skids (Ahoy bloody Ahoy) and the letchy bigger boys from school :roll: What is it about being stuck in the centre of a throng which gives ugly, greasy lowlifes the idea then can cop a feel? It's a phenomenom that I discovered was not only limited to Stranglers gigs :lol: But it helped me develop my 'elbow aim' - a swift delivery to the solar plexus which usually did the trick.

many other Stranglers gigs after that until Hugh left

The last one I attended was the Holmfirth one in 2009ish (what a great ticket huh?) mainly because it was Holmfirth and my mate lived up the road. We decanted ourselves in the little pub over the road and, to our shame, hogged the karaoke machine (may I just point out that it was the first and ONLY time I have ever participated in such an event.) Our mate Beastig doing an excellent version of 'Grip' whilst myself and Big Clive could only muster up a passable 'Don't You Want me Baby'

Did anyone else at the latter gig find the 'magic bar' round the back of the stage? It's since been shut off :(
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Re: 1st STRANGLERS GIG

Post by meanie »

First gig for me was Victoria Hall Hanley, La Folie. I remember JJ giving me a can of Kestrel Lager part way through the gig, eating some chicks hair because I was stupid enough to be chewing gum in the mosh pit and some dipstick getting a kick up the arse from Hugh and JJ for spitting at them..... one of the best nights of my life. :grin:
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