Leave the Capitol / Gramme Friday / Spectre vs Rector / Middlemass / Totally Wired / Prole Art Threat / The N.W.R.A. / Slates, Slags, etc. / An Older Lover / English Scheme / Winter / Container Drivers.
- "Right, this is a time for all you minor groups to get your notebooks out!" [Audience member to bootlegger: "Ooh, he's on fire!"] (before "Middle Mass")
- "This next track mistreats the lie of the Wigan Soul dream." (before "Slates, Slags, etc.")
- "Carry on!" (after "An Older Lover" ends prematurely, forcing a restart)
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Saturday January 17 1981 Sports Center, Bolton
Leave the Capitol / Container Drivers / Muzorewi's Daughter / Impression of J. Temperance / Middle Mass / Totally Wired / An Older Lover / City Hobgoblins / The N.W.R.A. / Prole Art Threat / Slates, Slags, etc. / How I Wrote Elastic Man / English Scheme / Winter
Thanks to Dannyno for the listing printed in City Fun. The date of 17 February on the yellow Wise Moves flyer at the top of this page is wrong.
- "Thank you. This next song is about what happens when you meet a dog with a (...) out of the Teardrop Explodes. Follow it closely." (before "Impression of J. Temperance")
- "Right, this next one is about Joe Totale entering the darts world championship. (...)" (before "The N.W.R.A.")
- Bootlegger: "U2 next week!" (before "How I Wrote Elastic Man")
- "We're a bit (...), so, uh, (...)" (before "English Scheme")
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Saturday, 24 January 1981 Lower Common Room, University of East Anglia, Norwich
Leave the Capitol / Container Drivers / Gramme Friday / Middle Mass / New Face in Hell / Totally Wired / An Older Lover / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Choc-Stock / Prole Art Threat / Winter / How I Wrote Elastic Man / Slates, Slags, etc. / English Scheme / Fiery Jack
Martin: "Remember this show well - support band was the Higsons, PA broke down half way through. I was 21 the day before and had a big party afterwards at 1 Winter Rd attended by Vic Reeves who was a mate of one of the people in the house we shared - probably the first time Charlie Higson met Vic Reeves and they went on to work a lot together in the 90s. The Fall turned up at my party but the bloke on the door (Cleggo, a scouser) was rude to Mark so he legged it. The band Serious Drinking was formed that night, I was the singer, we went to support the Fall at Guildford in 1983 and i remember the skinhead incident described well."
Jem: "Serious party - bannisters used to make sizeable holes in walls (nothing to do with the half dozen bottles of voddie tipped into the plastic "punch" bucket ). Chin (Vic Reeves) was in attendance and Mark was refused entry due to his inability to recall the names of Ray Wilson and George Cohen. I can't remember the question. Such is life. 2 Winter Road, not number 1, which was a TV repair shop . "Winter" from "Hex" obviously inspired by.... Yours voxishly , Jem (erstwhile occupant of 2 Winter Road circa 1981)
Thanks to Warren for the ticket and Dannyno for the review (Final Straw fanzine #2, Feb/Mar 1981, page 5).
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Saturday, 31 January 1981 Leicester Polytechnic
C'n'C-s Mithering / Container Drivers / Cary Grant's Wedding / Prole Art Threat / Impression of J. Temperance / Middle Mass / Totally Wired / Slates, Slags, etc. (twice?) / An Older Lover / City Hobgoblins / Leave the Capitol / How I Wrote Elastic Man / Winter / Pay Your Rates / Fiery Jack / Repetition
According to the NME, support was a band called Performance.
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Wednesday, 4 February 1981 Kent University, Canterbury
No tape exists?
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Thursday, 5 February 1981 Queen Mary's College, Mile End/Stepney Green Tube, London
Your Heart Out / Totally Wired / Leave the Capitol / An Older Lover / New Face in Hell / Middle Mass / C'n'C-s Mithering > Crap Rap #19 / Fiery Jack / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Slates, Slags, etc. / Fit and Working Again / Prole Art Threat / Impression of J. Temperance / Container Drivers
Thanks to John Thorpe for the listing and John Walker for the ticket.
- "Go and look at the (piss stone?) outside, it's a very big one!" (during "Your Heart Out")
- "You must have to stink to be a student here!" (during "Totally Wired")
- "I bet all these fucking students hate them letting the locals in here, but none of the locals fucking stand this." (Middle Mass)
- "In Whitechapel Road, huh? In Whitechapel Road, huh? There's some cream of students here. There's some cream of students here. Do you want to hear about America? Well, students... I can see, I can feel a whole wave of new beatniks brought up on French novels and hooped shirts. Self-analysis drips. Too many (parado?) chips. I can't get away with this any more so the next thing will be Crap Rap 13." (during "C'n'C-s Mithering")
- "'Hello, this is Dave McCullough.' 'Dave? Dave who?' 'Hello Sounds, this is Dave.' 'Oh, hello Dave!' 'Well, I've got this wee band I want to interview.' 'Yeah?' 'Oh yeah, well, uh, yeah.' 'Well, if you can screw the band's mothers for some money for the expenses we could make out what a big deal they are!'" (during "Crap Rap #19")
- "I must apologise for the con trick that was played on you when you first came in, if you did, about the, erm, the hype downstairs. (Prole Art Threat)
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Saturday, 7 February 1981 Cardiff University
No tape exists? local band the Skeleteens supported.
------------------
Friday, 20 February 1981 Technical College, St. Helens
Blob 59 > Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Prole Art Threat / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Middle Mass / Rowche Rumble / An Older Lover / City Hobgoblins / Leave the Capitol / The N.W.R.A. / Gramme Friday / Slates, Slags, etc. / Fit and Working Again / Muzorewi's Daughter
- "Can you turn the monitors up, please?" (before "Jawbone and the Air Rifle")
- "And I've got some (...) if you just turn to your programmes now" (before "Rowche Rumble")
- "It's Friday and it's crap rap!" (before "City Hobgoblins")
- "Right, this is something you town boys would know nothing about." (before "Gramme Friday")
- "Right, we'd like to leave you this night with, um... here's the definitive rant! (etc)" (before "Slates, Slags, etc.")
- "Great atmosphere in here!" (before "Fit and Working Again")
------------------
Saturday, 21 February 1981 Brady's, Liverpool (formerly Eric's)
Blob 59 > Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Totally Wired / An Older Lover / Cary Grant's Wedding / Prole Art Threat / New Face in Hell / (pause to "tune up") / Middle Mass / Container Drivers / Leave the Capitol / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Winter / Slates, Slags, etc. / English Scheme / Fit and Working Again / Fiery Jack
Thanks to Pete Conkerton for the listings.
- "Right, don't let shabby... don't let shabby newspapers come between us." (before "Cary Grant's Wedding")
- "This is about a safe house." (before "Prole Art Threat")
- Marc Riley: "They are crap!" (after "New Face in Hell", referring to the keyboards, which were so out of tune that he gave up playing them halfway through the song and played guitar instead) MES: "Mentally, a (...) break but this is, uh... they're gonna contrive a break but, uh, this is what happens."
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Monday, 23 February 1981 Plaza, Glasgow
Blob 59 > Lie Dream of a Casino Soul > Prole Art Threat > Totally Wired / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / An Older Lover / Printhead / Middle Mass / Winter / City Hobgoblins / Slates, Slags, etc. / English Scheme / Fit and Working Again / Spectre vs. Rector // Leave the Capitol / Container Drivers / C'n'C-S Mithering
Supported by the Scars. Many thanks to Martin McClenaghan for sending in his photos.
- "Yes, it's definitely like the Shining in here. Okay, one thing I've got against you... hey, you false noise!" (before "Printhead")
- "Back again are you, David?" (before "Slates, Slags, etc.", referring to Dave Tucker, clarinetist)
- "There's a strange thing in the country... strange..." (before "Leave the Capitol")
- "You didn't think we were going to go without a bit of misery, ha ha. We went to St. Helens - we were in St. Helens on Friday. There, if you go in a vault and you've had a bath, they think you are a poof. They've just discovered '78 in St. Helens and they all interbreed, anyway." (before "C'n'C-S Mithering")
- "The residents keep wild dogs, and on their parents' bedroom closet top... this is 'Crap 18' but Steve Hanley doesn't know what I mean... he's missed his cue." (during "C'n'C-S Mithering", referring to when the "Stop Mithering" bass line should have started)
- "I guess that goes to show, yeah, it would be a good idea to turn the bloody PA on!"
- "Can you turn the monitors ON, please? Grant, can you sort the sound out on stage?"
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Tuesday, 24 February 1981 Coasters, Edinburgh
No tape exists? Thanks to Dannyno for the review (from Edinburgh University's "Student" paper).
The gig was mentioned in Record Mirror (thanks to Dannyno). The Cavendish in West Tollcross was an earlier name for Coasters, and it was Clouds before that, I think. Thanks to Mark Fleming for his photos.
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Wednesday, 25 February 1981 Bungalow Bar, Paisley
Container Drivers / Before the Moon Falls / Winter / English Scheme / Pay Your Rates / Leave the Capitol / How I Wrote Elastic Man / Middle Mass / City Hobgoblins / The N.W.R.A. / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Slates, Slags, etc.
Support by Paisley band, Saigon. Thanks to Rab Crangle for the ticket.
- "Good evening, we are The Fall. We're here to make up for all the silly love bands who (label?) us Mancunians." (before "Container Drivers")
- "Can I have a bit of vocal monitors, please? Audibility... I'm going deaf I think, anyway. This is one we haven't done for two years. But we're gonna do it tonight because it's pretty in vogue now. Haha! It's pretty misery-ass orientated. You get that? Miserable-orientated." (before "Before the Moon Falls")
- "There's a theory that the world... we live in the centre of the world. And therefore the sun is the centre of the world. And the moon falls once every two million years." (during "Before the Moon Falls")
- Audience member: "Rowche Rumble!" MES: "Well, that was the hit section. Wrong thought!" (before "Winter")
- "One... one! I still can't hear meself up here. I think I've got a bit of wax in my ears. Is there any monitors, Grant? Please... thank you. I just want to hear myself." (before "How I Wrote Elastic Man")
- "Right, we're gonna do a long cabaret number now. This is entertainment for you." (before "The N.W.R.A.")
- "We didn't work a set out so what you got tonight was a series of lectures. This is the final one." (before "Slates, Slags, etc.")
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Saturday, 28 February 1981 Lower Refectory, Sheffield University
No tape exists? Thanks to Martin Bedford for the poster and Dannyno for the reviews (from DARTS #473, 19 March 1981 & Record Mirror 14 March 1981).
Dave Tucker (via John Thorpe, thank you!) says the "Live 1981" DVD was probably recorded at this gig, or possibly in Doncaster around this time (Doncaster not listed in gigography).
Tracks on DVD are Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Leave the Capitol / C'N'C-Hassle Schmuck / Slates, Slags etc.
Kay Carroll confirms that the above footage was recorded at this gig. Here it is:
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Tuesday, 17 March 1981 Riley Smith Hall (!), Leeds University
Container Drivers / Hip Priest / Draygo's Guilt / Impression of J. Temperance / Totally Wired / C'n'C-Hassle Schmuck / Middle Mass / English Scheme / Winter / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Slates, Slags etc. / That Man / Before the Moon Falls / Prole Art Threat
Power failure during the last song. Video of this gig released by Cherry Red on the "Perverted by Language: bis" DVD (2003).
- "This is the lecturing part of the concert." (before "Middle Mass")
- "Do 'Winter', eh? Good man, good man." (before "Winter")
- "Welcome to me and Marc's hall. Our fathers founded this." (before "Jawbone and the Air Rifle")
- "... the consequences of their plagiarisation. Plagiarisation - look it up!" (during "Slates, Slags etc.")
- "There's been a power failure. You'd think in this great country of ours they'd have electricity all the time!" (after a truncated "Prole Art Threat")
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Tuesday, 24 March 1981 John Peel Session #4 (broadcast Tuesday, 31 March)
Middle Mass / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Hip Priest / C'n'C-Hassle Schmuk
Mark E. Smith - vocals; Marc Riley - guitar, keyboards; Craig Scanlon - guitar, backing vocals; Steve Hanley - bass; Paul Hanley - drums; Dave Tucker - clarinet. Produced by Dale Griffin, engineered by Martyn Parker, recorded in Langham 1.
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April 1981 : "Slates" 10-inch LP released
Review from Terminal (#5) from Philadelphia.
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ca. May 1981: lineup # 12 (redux) : Mark E. Smith (vocals), Craig Scanlon (guitar), Marc Riley (guitar, keyboards), Steve Hanley (bass), Paul Hanley (drums).
The Netherlands / Belgium / Germany : ca. 7 - 25 May
Thanks to Dannyno for the listings in NL (from Muziekkrant Oor #9, 6 May 1981)
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Thursday, 7 May 1981 Melkweg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
No tape exists? Thanks to Dannyno for the listing.
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Friday, 8 May 1981 Doornroosje, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
No tape exists? Thanks to Dannyno for finding the poster and two MES photos by Fred Maessen here and here, and to Gonnie Castelijns for the setlist.
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Saturday, 9 May 1981 Eksit, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Slates, Slags, etc. / Fit and Working Again / Middle Mass / Impression of J. Temperance / City Hobgoblins / Hip Priest / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Container Drivers / C'n'C > Hassle Schmuck / The N.W.R.A. / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Prole Art Threat
- "This city, uh, this city has been the death of many a good British boy who sought out his fortune. Right, this is about that type of person who is definitely preferable to the middle mass. Which is the next number on your programme." (before "Middle Mass")
- "Right, that was the warm-up. Certainly a lot of docked wages around this place. " (before "Jawbone and the Air Rifle")
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Sunday, 10 May 1981 Gigant, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
No tape exists? Date according to this tribute to M.E.S. (excellent photo is by Roy Tee). Thanks to Thaigar for the poster.
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Wednesday, 13 May 1981 Kijkhuis, Tilburg, The Netherlands
Cash 'n' Carry > Gramme Friday / Leave the Capitol / Hip Priest / English Scheme / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Container Drivers / Slates, Slags, etc. / Middle Mass / Fantastic Life / New Face in Hell // Totally Wired / An Older Lover, etc
- "... Quicksave started there. The Fall started there. Good evening, we are The Fall. [to audience member] You got nice hair." (during "Cash 'n' Carry")
- "Intense, huh?" (during "Hip Priest")
- "This is a loose description of the English class system." (before "English Scheme")
- "Mediocre UK rock act... shitty British rock act go to pieces in the Netherlands, smoke dope on their arse... ex-record company mess. No taste. It's just a mess." (during "Slates, Slags, etc.")
- "The owner of this club is the meanest man in the world! He's a slag of the very worst kind!" (during "Slates, Slags, etc.")
- "This one is a 'tale nightmarey'" (before "New Face in Hell")
- "Right, this is the normal thing to do now that the (...)" (before "Totally Wired")
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Thursday, 14 May 1981 Alcazar,
Koningshooikt, Belgium
Thanks to Danny van Looy for the poster. No tape exists?
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Friday, 15 May 1981 Alcazar,
Koningshooikt, Belgium
Two nights at this club? No tape exists?
Thanks to Manuel Delafortrie for the flyer: "I still remember the police on stage to stop the gig and Mark E Smith continuing and making witty comments about these clueless officers."
Jan: "Support was AA (Belgian new/cold wave group). In the public: an enthusiastic Maurice Engelen, later of Praga Khan fame. Concert stopped by police intervention (too much noise)."
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Sunday, 17 May 1981 Vera, Groningen, The Netherlands
Winter / Totally Wired / Leave the Capitol / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Hip Priest / Fantastic Life / An Older Lover / Fit and Working Again / C'n'C > Hassle Schmuck / Middle Mass / New Face in Hell / Container Drivers / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Slates, Slags, etc. / City Hobgoblins / No Xmas for John Quays / Prole Art Threat / English Scheme
Fit and Working Again, Fantastic Life, and New Face in Hell were apparently broadcast on the radio and the recording circulates under various guises and often with songs from other gigs (e.g. there's one that includes Hip Priest and I'm Into C.B., which are from Glasgow 1 April 1982, not Vera 17 May 1981).
Event: Gig by the English group The Fall; Instrumentation: Marc Riley, guitar and keys; Mark E. Smith, vocals; Steve Hanley, bass; Graic Scanlan [sic- Craig] Scanlon], guitar; Karl Burns, drums. Support act: Aigretjes, Rags. Place: Vera, Groningen. Audience: 300.
The mood at the performance of the English group, The Fall last night in Vera in Groningen, did not falter from the first note. The presence of VARA radio and VPRO television and a receptive audience of "connoisseurs" created an atmosphere that turned out to be very inspiring for the five from Ma[n]chester.
The Fall is the brainchild of poet and singer Mark E. Smith. This enfant terrible of English pop, who outside of music is often arrogantly provocative [the Dutch phrase here, literally apparently meaning “kicking against sore legs” figuratively suggests hitting someone where it already hurts], is also a very striking personality on stage. As an overwrought schoolmaster or rather preacher, he preaches simplicity, honesty and sincerity. The Fall is the last refuge in pop music overflowing with clichés and conventions.
Anti-stars with limited musical baggage, keeping their eyes on the floor while playing one or two chords for minutes on end. Simple, but bursting with energy, dry, raw and above all unpolished and inaccessible. “Refined” is a word The Fall doesn't know. Still, in its own way the band is disciplined and tight. Organized chaos, for which there is no frame of reference, but in which sometimes there is some affinity with the music of Velvet Underground.
The repertoire played during the hour and 45-minute performance was sourced mainly from the six-track EP Slates and the album Grotesque. In addition, there was room for three new songs, two of which had the probable titles: Hip Priest and Fantastic Life. In this last piece, as well as in the encore No Xmas for John Quays, Mark E. Smith shone with hysterical and neurotic guitar.
Smith's vocals were more understandable last night than we are used to from the group's very poorly recorded albums. Nevertheless, they remained completely incomprehensible, partly because the texts had undergone some changes here and there. The Fall offers its audience a jigsaw puzzle, from which Mark E. Smith deliberately omits some pieces. By fitting in those missing pieces yourself, an image is created that is different for everyone, yet equally magnificent.
By MAX PALFENIER
Dan also found an amusing anecdote about The Fall's return to The Netherlands for the Vera gig in this article about the club:
“The English group The Fall, for example, were to perform in Vera. Because this performance did not fit into the Dutch tour, the performance had to take place between the Belgian and the German tour. In England, they had assumed that Groningen was located in Germany, so it hadn’t been accounted for. Keep in mind that extra travel documents had to be requested! To cross the border you need visas, documents with details about the car, owner and chartering.
The result was in any case that The Fall’s equipment was not allowed to enter the Netherlands. When you hear this - as was the case - around noon, it is not easy to arrange something for nine in the evening.
By the way, The Fall gave a perfect concert on borrowed equipment."
------------------
Thanks to Dannyno for the listings
Tuesday, 19 May 1981 Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany
Fortress / Totally Wired / Container Drivers / The N.W.R.A. / Fantastic Life / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Leave the Capitol / Hip Priest / Prole Art Threat / An Older Lover / No Xmas for John Quays / C'n'C > Hassle Schmuck / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / English Scheme / City Hobgoblins
Some circulating copies are missing Jawbone and English Scheme. Still others may be missing Hip Priest and City Hobgoblins. Thanks to Saal 2 for the tiny poster and Gabi for the ticket.
- "We are The Fall, the swinging pantaloons." (during "Fortress")
- "This is where Beatles made it big." (before "Lie Dream of a Casino Soul")
- "Right, this is a nice laid-back one." (before "Hip Priest")
- "This is a brief summary of G.B. hierarchy." (before "Prole Art Threat")
- "Let's see you get the references in this one." (before "Cash 'n' Carry")
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Wednesday, 20 May 1981 Jovel Cinema, Munster, Germany
New Face in Hell / Fortress > Totally Wired / An Older Lover / Container Drivers / Hip Priest / Fantastic Life / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / 2nd Dark Age / C'n'C-s Mithering / Prole Art Threat / City Hobgoblins / The N.W.R.A. / English Scheme / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Leave the Capitol / No Xmas for John Quays
Some circulating recordings may be missing New Face in Hell
- "Can you turn the mikes down a bit? They're a bit sweaty. Turn them off. Nicht." (before "Hip Priest")
- "He is not... [to heckler] shut yer fucking trap!" (during "Hip Priest")
- "(...) This is the cabaret part of the act. We hope you've had your stomachs filled today. Yeah? Yeah? Yeah?" (before "The N.W.R.A.")
- "This ist, uh, der horror story!" (before "Jawbone and the Air Rifle")
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Thursday, 21 May 1981 Mausefalle, Stuttgart, Germany
No tape exists?
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Friday, 22 May 1981 Alter Bahnhof, Hof, Germany
How I Wrote Elastic Man / Fortress / Totally Wired / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / An Older Lover / The N.W.R.A. / Prole Art Threat / Your Heart Out / Hip Priest / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Session Musician
A bootleg tape of the Hof gig surfaced soon afterwards, which included a few songs from the Berlin gig the next day as filler (specifically, No Xmas for John Quays appeared after Your Heart Out on side A, while Leave the Capitol, City Hobgoblins, Slates, Fantastic Life, and C'n'C-Hassle Schmuck appeared after Session Musician on side B. Therefore, I'd guess that most circulating copies of this gig have these tracks stuck in with the Hof gig. To add to the confusion, Voiceprint is releasing this gig in their Live from the Vaults series (2005) with a tracklisting identical to the bootleg tape.
Many thanks to Michael for his guest information, and to Martin for the setlists.
- "We are the Fall. We are swinging Pantaloons."
- "Good evening, we are The Fall. In UK, we spend most times wandering around institutions." (during "Fortress")
- "Yeah, can we have these white lights on the right dimmed please? We've lost enough weight as it is." Audience member (sounds like Kay Carroll?): "Well, stop over-indulging, you wanker!" (before "The N.W.R.A.")
-
"Good evening I am Mister Smith. The "volk ist uns" (?) English consulate." (before Prole Art Threat)
- Audience member 1: "Hiya... alright, Chris? Eh, Chris! Alright?" Audience member 2: "Alright, yeah. Testing... yeah, it's working." (before "Session Musician")
- "Leave it out! Leave it out! Leave it out! Leave it out! We'll have a chorus in a minute!" (during "Session Musician")
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Saturday, 23 May 1981 SO36, Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany
Soundcheck: Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Container Drivers
Gig: Leave the Capitol / Fortress / City Hobgoblins / Slates, Slags etc. / Hip Priest / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Fantastic Life / C'n'C-Hassle Schmuck / Your Heart Out / An Older Lover / Totally Wired / Session Musician / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / No Xmas for John Quays
Some tapes are missing the soundcheck and Fantastic Life / C'n'C-Hassle Schmuck.
- "Spiders (?) know these things, gremlins know these things, happy, healthy.. .these people aren't in the group, by the way, with the lights..."
- "(...) Yeah, so what? Now fuck off!" (during "Leave the Capitol")
- "Right, OK, a Presbetyrian tale." (before "Jawbone and the Air Rifle")
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Monday, 25 May 1981 Rheinterrassen, Bonn, West Germany
English Scheme / Fantastic Life / Deer Park / Totally Wired / Hip Priest / Middle Mass / Container Drivers / Session Musican / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / An Older Lover / Fit and Working Again / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Leave the Capitol / No Xmas for John Quays / Prole Art Threat / Container Drivers
- "Good evening, we are The Fall. As in from... as in a new pair of pantaloons. We can walk round the town." (before "Deer Park")
- "Right, you gonna come and get your guitar (...) Coke can back, come and get your Coke can back, man. We'll be sitting right round it." (before "Middle Mass")
- "This is the cabaret version. It's called 'While Craig takes his time, as usual'." (during the first "Container Drivers")
- "OK Marc, I guess you'll have to improvise!" (during "Container Drivers")
- "OK, this is a tune about our future." [Coughs] "Excuse the throat." (before "Session Musican")
- "Can we have the drums up on stage, please?" (before "Jawbone and the Air Rifle")
- "OK, this is a song we didn't do properly before and it's what tomorrow will be. It's for Oz, Eddie and Dai." [Laughs] "And Griz! And most of all, Griz!" (before the second "Container Drivers")
- "OK Craig, solo! Hurry up!" [Craig does solo] "Craig! Do another one! Do another one! Craig! Do another solo!" [Craig dutifully does another one] (during the second "Container Drivers")
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June - July 1981 : lineup # 15: Mark E. Smith (vocals), Craig Scanlon (guitar), Marc Riley (guitar, keyboards), Steve Hanley (bass), Karl Burns (drums) (U.S. immigration said Paul Hanley was too young to play America's "21 and over" clubs).
USA : 3 June - 16 July
See the last page of Slates and Dates, an eight-page handout included in promo copies of the U.S. release of Grotesque: After the Gramme LP, for a provisional schedule for the U.S. 1981 tour. Several dates were added after this itinerary was put together, and some of the venues had not yet been confirmed. Likewise it's probable that not all gigs on this schedule happened; these unconfirmed dates are noted in the entries below.
Another list of dates on these postcards, thanks to Kenney Garret:
.
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Wednesday, 3 June 1981 The Underground, New York City, New York
Fad Gadget opened. No tape exists?
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Thursday, 4 June 1981 Maxwell's, Hoboken, New Jersey
Cash 'n' Carry > Gramme Friday / Leave the Capitol / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Deer Park > Fortress / An Older Lover / Totally Wired / Prole Art Threat / Hip Priest / Middle Mass / Session Musician // Fantastic Life / City Hobgoblins
Thanks to Steven Rascoe for the flier.
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Friday, 5 June 1981 Peppermint Lounge, New York City, New York
No tape exists? Thanks to Matthew Worley for the NME reviews.
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Saturday, 6 June 1981 Club 57, Irving Plaza, New York City, New York
No tape exists? Many thanks to Clint Conley for the listing.
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Monday, 8 June 1981 The Edge, Toronto, Ontario
Cancelled.
Steve Raizen: "In 1981, I flew to Toronto to see The Fall with my friends the Burgess Brothers, but the club called The Edge (that the band was supposed to play at) closed down and the band stayed in New York. We went by the club and there were some Fall fans hanging about and I remember some red haired dude repeating over and over "New face in Hell". It was a bad trip in all meanings of the phrase. We ended up wandering around downtown Toronto and seeing some band from Philadelphia called "Car Sickness" at the HorseYear and they were as bad as their name. Later I wrote Mark E. Smith and to my surprise and delight he wrote me back."
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Tuesday, 9 June 1981 Bond's, New York, New York
Supporting the Clash during their 17-gig residency at this Times Square club. The Clash set was professionally recorded... no tape exists for The Fall?
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Thursday, 11 June 1981 Spit, Boston, Massachusetts
2nd Dark Age / Deer Park / Fortress / Totally Wired / Hip Priest / Middle Mass / An Older Lover / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Session Musician / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / C'n'C-s Mithering / Prole Art Threat / No Xmas for John Quays / Container Drivers / The N.W.R.A.
Middle Mass and Container Drivers on Sanctuary's expanded edition of "A Part of America Therein." Spit (later "Axis", now demolished) was over the right field seats of Fenway Park.
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Friday, 12 June 1981 City Gardens, Trenton, New Jersey
Impression of J. Temperance / Deer Park / Leave the Capitol / Fortress / Totally Wired / Hip Priest / 2nd Dark Age / Fantastic Life / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Fit and Working Again / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Session Musician // Container Drivers / Middle Mass // Prole Art Threat
- "This is the thought part of the act." (before "Fantastic Life")
- "We'll go off in a minute, don't worry. What's that club like up there, anyway? Right... this is for all the Swiss in the audience." (before "Middle Mass")
- "Everybody hears the hum at 3 a.m.... why are those boys walking around with hats on?" (during "Prole Art Threat")
- "Everybody hears the hum at 3 a.m.... how many security guards do you need on a door, son? How many security guards do you need on a door, anyway?" (during "Prole Art Threat")
This very popular mixing desk recording was thought to be from the Maxwell's, Hoboken 4 June gig, but it's really from City Gardens. Someone who was at the gig and who also has the tape remembers the announcer's comments at the end of the gig. Apparently someone in the Fall entourage gave this guy's girlfriend a tape of the gig.
Also be warned that there's another tape circulating that takes a few of these tracks and mixes up the running order. That recording runs about 45 minutes; the better recording runs about 70 minutes and the beginning of "Impression of J. Temperance" is cut.
------------------
Saturday, 13 June 1981 Interferon Club, New York City, New York
No tape exists?
------------------
Sunday, 14 June 1981 Mudd Club, New York City, New York
Possibly June 15, as listed in Slates and Dates? No tape exists?
------------------
Tuesday, 16 June 1981 Omni, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Leave the Capitol / Totally Wired / Impression of J. Temperance / Deer Park / Fantastic Live / C'n'C-s Mithering / Gramme Friday / Prole Art Threat / Hip Priest
- Kay Carroll: "Come on! Fucking come on!" (before "Totally Wired")
- Kay Carroll (presumably to sound man): "Get the engines dry! Forget about the fucking (...), man! Fucking move! Fucking (...) to forget the fucking (...), you know what I mean? Get Craig's guitar up a bit as well. Don't let Karl intimidate yer, he's a really (...), honestly. If he hits yer again, I'll (dump) him. He's got it with every mixing guy we've ever had, man. He really intimidates (...)" (before "Impression of
J. Temperance")
Thanks to Robert Getz for the flyer.
------------------
Wednesday, 17 June 1981 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
Hip Priest / Deer Park / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Your Heart Out / Leave the Capital / Cash 'n' Carry > Gramme Friday / Totally Wired / Session Musician / Middle Mas / New Face in Hell / 2nd Dark Age
- "Can you turn the... turn the monitors up at stage front?" (before "Your Heart Out")
------------------
Friday, 19 June 1981 688, Atlanta, Georgia
Prole Art Threat / Hip Priest / Deer Park / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / An Older Lover, Etc / Leave the Capitol / Your Heart Out / Winter
Incomplete? Clinton H.: "I remember when they returned to the stage for an encore, Mark E. Smith said 'The dressing room is locked'."
"Like we played Georgia in America last year, y'know, the redneck place, and there was a packed hall when we went on, did about 2 numbers and everybody walked out. So we did the set and there was about 15 fucking people. So we were walking off and this redneck says to me "You dare go back on there boy" so I says "right lads, back on". We did and it was fucking great, we did about another quarter of an hour for about 5 people." - MES, 1982.
------------------
Saturday, 20 June 1981 Antenna, Memphis, Tennessee
Unconfirmed date from Slates and Dates itinerary.
They also played in Memphis at around this time; Winter from the Memphis gig is on "A Part of America Therein," and they visited Graceland.
------------------
Tuesday, 23 June 1981 Jimmy's, New Orleans, Louisiana
Deer Park / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Impression of J. Temperance / Leave the Capitol / Fit and Working Again / Totally Wired / Hip Priest / How I Wrote Elastic Man / Cash 'n' Carry > Gramme Friday / Session Musician / No Xmas for John Quays
Session Musician on Sanctuary's expanded "A Part of America Therein." Photo by Bunny Matthews via Mike Ziegler.
- "Good evening we are the Fall, don't expect any left wing shit because at home we've got enough of it."
- "This is a horror story." (before "Impression of J. Temperance")
- "I can see, I have dreams. I was in three places at once. I was in three places at once. I was in Hof. I was in Trenton. I was in Hof. I was in Trenton. I am here now. What's it to you? What's it to you? What's it to you?" (during "Cash'n'Carry")
- Audience member: "Rowche!" MES: "Sorry - it looks like you've got all the long ones tonight!" (before "Session Musician")
------------------
Wednesday, 24 June 1981 The Island, Houston, Texas
Hip Priest / Deer Park / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / An Older Lover / Leave the Capitol / Your Heart Out
- "Karl wants my vocals down on his monitor, all right?" (before "Hip Priest")
Incomplete. Deer Park is on "A Part of America Therein." Supported by local band The Recipients.
------------------
Thursday, 25 June 1981 Clubfoot, Austin, Texas
No tape exists?
------------------
Friday, 26 June 1981 Hot Klub, Dallas, Texas
Thanks to Chris Hartstonge for the flyer. No tape exists?
------------------
Saturday, 27 June 1981 Hotklub, Dallas, Texas
According to the listings above, The Fall supported Romeo Void on the 26th then headlined the next night, with NCM supporting.
No tape exists?
------------------
Monday, 29 June 1981 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
New Face in Hell / Deer Park / Middle Mass / An Older Lover / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Leave the Capitol / Cash 'n' Carry > Prole Art Threat / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / off stage / Printhead / Totally Wired / Slags, Slates etc. / Hip Priest / No Xmas For John Quays / Fit and Working Again / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul (again) / How I Wrote Elastic Man
The tape that's been circulating for an age says Oklahoma was on 31 May, which is impossible (no one would start a tour in the middle of the USA, then go to the East Coast, not even The Fall). Fortunately the flier Alan Crider sent in confirms the OKC date as 29 June, which makes more sense, and Steve Hanley's book confirms the tour started in NYC.
- "Good evening, we are The Fall. As (real) collectist, as in on parasthetic." (before "Deer Park")
- "Right, the equipment parts repair. This next one is about soccer via... sort of. It's a pure prophecy as regards to Switzerland. Now, isn't that clear?" (before "Middle Mass")
- "And this band has got away with too much sheer shit until now!" (during "Prole Art Threat")
- "Grant! Can you turn everything up on stage, please?" (before "Lie Dream of a Casino Soul")
- "Right, I think we'll take a break for five minutes. OK? Back in about five, ten minutes." (after the first "Lie Dream of a Casino Soul")
- "Right, we'll do, uh, do 'Slates'. Do 'Slates' now, alright?" (before "Slags, Slates etc.")
- "Let's do 'Elastic Man' instead." (before "How I Wrote Elastic Man")
- "His soul hurts because it's full of shit / His one linear descendent was a (friend) of Mark Smith." (during "How I Wrote Elastic Man")
------------------
Wednesday, 1 July 1981 American Legion Hall, Phoenix, Arizona
Unconfirmed date from Slates and Dates itinerary.
------------------
Thursday, 2 July 1981 The Backstage, Tucson, Arizona
New Face in Hell / 2nd Dark Age / Deer Park / An Older Lover / Leave the Capitol / Totally Wired / Hip Priest / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / C'n'C-s Mithering / Printhead / Container Drivers
May be incomplete. Thanks to Dannyno for the advert. Recording here!
------------------
Friday, 3 July 1981 Los Angeles, California
Unconfirmed date from Slates and Dates itinerary.
------------------
Saturday, 4 July 1981 Al's Bar, Los Angeles, California
Middle Mass / Deer Park / Impression of J Temperance / Totally Wired / Leave the Capitol / Hip Priest / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Slags, Slates, etc / Cash 'n' Carry / Printhead / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / No Xmas for John Quays
Probably incomplete.
------------------
Sunday, 5 July 1981 Los Angeles, California
Unconfirmed date from Slates and Dates itinerary.
------------------
Tuesday, 7 July 1981 Myron's Ballroom, Los Angeles, California
English Scheme / Jawbone & the Air Rifle / Prole Art Threat / The N.W.R.A. / Your Heart Out / No Xmas for John Quays / C'n'C-s Mithering / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Totally Wired / Hip Priest / Leave the Capitol / How I Wrote Elastic Man
Supported by The Flesheaters and Blurt. Many thanks to Skip King for the b&w flyers and Dean Dykestra for the colour.
------------------
Wednesday, 8 July 1981 Keystone, Palo Alto, California
Prole Art Threat / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / The N.W.R.A. / No Xmas for John Quays / Your Heart Out / Hip Priest / Deer Park / 2nd Dark Age / Leave the Capitol / Fit and Working Again / C'n'C-s Mithering / Gramme Friday
- "Good evening, we are The Fall from Manchester. (...) And here's a bit of a cabaret number to cheer everybody up. Full of prophesy, as is normal." (before "The N.W.R.A.")
Your Heart Out on "A Part of America Therein" (deluxe Sanctuary edition, 2004).
According to blackcatjim this gig was broadcast live on KFJC, Los Altos Hills, CA. That FM recording has not surfaced to my knowledge; if you have it please let me know. Many thanks to Dannyno for the Keystone Family listings.
------------------
Friday, 10 July 1981 Keystone, Berkeley, California
Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / An Older Lover / Totally Wired / The N.W.R.A. / Fit and Working Again / Hip Priest / New Face in Hell / Prole Art Threat / Container Drivers / No Xmas for John Quays
- "This is a nice cheerful one." (before "Fit and Working Again")
- "What a surprise - a new face in Hell. I'm not talking about Holland, I'm talking about Hell. Holland is pretty near." (during "New Face in Hell")
- "Can you turn these monitors down (...)? Well, he's got a lot of suntan. (...)" (before "Prole Art Threat")
- "OK... we'll have a break. We'll have a break." [Band stops] "(...) What's the similarity between the British Government and the New Wave Top 40? They both play... they both play the same old songs. This is for
Xmas Eve. A request from the audience! Aaaaaahhhhhhh..." [back into song] (during "No Xmas for John Quays")
Broadcast on KALX Cabinet Tapes (on 17 July), so the above set may be incomplete: the broadcast was 60 minutes. Supported by Blurt and Xmas Eve.
------------------
Saturday, 11 July 1981 The Stone, San Francisco, California
Deer Park / Middle Mass / Winter / Totally Wired / Leave the Capitol / Cash 'n' Carry > Gramme Friday / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Hip Priest / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Container Drivers / New Face in Hell
Deer Park is missing from the soundboard version of this recording.
- "A story." (before "Jawbone and the Air Rifle")
- "Well, that's the end of the programming. And we finished tonight with a song called 'New Face In Hell'. That's it, ladies and gentlemen, and that's 'New Face In Hell'. Hell is, of course, Holland." (during "New Face in Hell")
------------------
Sunday, 12 July 1981 Indian Center, San Francisco, California
The N.W.R.A. / Fortress / Totally Wired / Leave the Capitol / Cash 'n' Carry > Stars on 45 / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Prole Art Threat / Winter / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / English Scheme / Fit and Working Again / 2nd Dark Age
- "OK, this is the cabaret part of the act, featuring Joe Prophesy." (during "The N.W.R.A.")
- "...(Explaining) and not very psychedelic. Sorry, old chaps." (before "Leave the Capitol")
- "This (...) and this one sorts out the wheat from the chaff." (during "Cash'n'Carry")
- "'Cos the secret of my life is... right, I'll tell you about (...).
Now, I never went for this cleaned-up punk rock. I never went for this
cleaned-up punk rock. Grotesque peasants stalk the land. The album
hordes I never went for. Different like all of their comrades. And the
secret of their lives is: chatter! chatter! chatter! M... I... S... E...
R... Y... dead-set alone (...). Put pain on. Put pain on. I have dreams,
I can see.. .I have dreams, I can see... I've not had many lately so
there's a gap is this bit here." [pauses for a few seconds] "I never
went for... I've been brain mushed as energy alternative. I never went
for psychedelic (...) stuff. Teardrop Explodes. Makes me ill. So what?
My opinion: nil." (during "Cash'n'Carry")
- "Time stands still in S.F." (before "Prole Art Threat")
- "... all Scottish Prebetyrians on uncharted islands. Rule by iron fist
and the curses that can evoke from trigger happy boys." (before "Jawbone
and the Air Rifle")
- "Thank you. Good afternoon." (after "Jawbone and the Air Rifle")
- "Kay? (...) number for this. Right, Marc." (before "English Scheme")
A 3 p.m. minors' matinee for under 18s only.
------------------
Monday, 13 July 1981 I-Beam, San Francisco, California
The N.W.R.A. / City Hobgoblins / Deer Park / Impression of J. Temperance / Cash n' Carry > Stars on 45 > Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Printhead / Winter / Totally Wired / Prole Art Threat / Session Musician / Leave the Capitol
Photo of attendee Jello Biafra by Stephen Harlow.
- "Good evening, we are the British Royal Navy and this is the (art ass bandit) section." (before "City Hobgoblins")
- "Good evening, we are The Fall. As in swinging pantaloons. As in you need a translator, mate." (before "Deer Park")
- "(Karl B) is a Virgin Records guitarist. He needs one gram of speed to get out of bed. " (during "Deer Park")
- "Dick's bier ist good. Bud ist nicht. Ist scheisse. OK, so that was pretty funny that last song, yeah? So..." (before "Printhead")
- "Ok, this next one is a brief discussion on the British hierarchy." (before "Prole Art Threat")
- "The singer thinks one day he'll be recognised for the great cool prophet that I am... do that again, lad, and you've fucking had it, right?" (during "Session Musician")
- "How do you like the dual guitars? Do you think we could make some money in adverts?" (during "Session Musician")
------------------
Thursday, 16 July 1981 Tut's, Chicago, Illinois
The N.W.R.A. / Fortress / Totally Wired / Jawbone and the Air-Rifle / Hip Priest / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Leave the Capitol / Your Heart Out / Cash 'n' Carry > Prole Art Threat / Middlemass / Printhead / Winter / Container Drivers / No Xmas for John Quays
- "Right, the keyboards have broke down so you're getting something unique. Anyone who wants a fifty cents refund send an Airmail letter to the Outer Hebrides. Good evening, we are The Fall anyway. Right... Craig, come on, it's all right, doesn't matter." [song starts] "This sounds like something (you heard)." (before "Fortress")
- "I am The Fall and I do not need your bile." (during "Fortress")
- "And there's been no war for forty years... and reading Soldier Of Fortune magazine just about does me in... so after eight, I prowl the hills." (during "Jawbone and the Air-Rifle")
- "That usually clears the halls... thank you. This next one is about Wigan." (between "Hip Priest" and "Lie Dream of a Casino Soul")
- "S'alright... go on, go on, do the count in. Right, right, right, right." (before "Your Heart Out")
- "Well, here's a joke to cheer you up... how do you know this? The songs are all about me... well, I'll have to make it pretty general for thee. (End of) joke." (during "Your Heart Out")
- "Just look at these... too much Budweiser B.P.s" (during "Your Heart Out")
- "The residents keep wild dogs. Helicopters circle... helicopters circle over the cast of 'The Untouchables'." (during "Cash'n'Carry")
- MES: "We'll do 'Middle Mass' (...). " Band member: "What?" MES: "Do 'Middle Mass' (...) Right, yeah, right? Do 'Middle Mass' now, right?" (before "Middle Mass")
- "You all right, Karl?" (before "Container Drivers")
- "Yeah, good night. We're (fucked). I can no longer give any secrets away. Nein secrets. So it's all... it's all... put that in for us, Marc. He's got an amp for that? Right, right, right. I'll sort it out. Don't worry." (between "Container Drivers" and "No Xmas for John Quays")
- "Xmas! Xmas! Six foot Eskimo replicas! Well, why do you want to hear about them for, huh? Yeah, and no requests for 'Xmas'. There's too many people like that. No buzz. On Xmas, every day equals no buzz. Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh..." (during one of the breaks in "No Xmas for John Quays")
------------------
Thanks to Warren for sending in this mystery 1981 setlist. I think it's either from the European spring tour or the US summer tour.
------------------
August 1981 : lineup # 12 (redux) : Mark E. Smith (vocals), Craig Scanlon (guitar), Marc Riley (guitar, keyboards), Steve Hanley (bass), Paul Hanley (drums).
Wednesday, 26 August 1981 John Peel Session #5 (broadcast Tuesday, 15 September)
Deer Park / Know Look [sic] / Winter (Hostel Maxi) [sic] / Who Makes the Nazis
Mark E. Smith - vocals; Marc Riley - guitar; Craig Scanlon - guitar, backing vocals; Steve Hanley - bass; Paul Hanley - drums. Produced by Dale Griffin, engineered by Nick Gomm, recorded in Maida Vale 4.
------------------
September 1981 - "77 - Early Years - 79" LP released
Friday, 4 September 1981 Phoenix Hall, Sheffield Polytechnic
Slates, Slags, etc. / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul (soundcheck)
Slates, Slags, etc. / Look, Know / Fortress / Deer Park / Hip Priest / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Fantastic Life / Cash 'n' Carry > Prole Art Threat / Leave the Capitol / Who Makes the Nazis? // Put Away / Winter
- "Right, this is (...)" (before "Look, Know")
- "I don't give a shit what I look like, unlike you, before I go out." (during "Look, Know")
- "Good evening, we are The Fall. (And I still same...) I'm gonna get tired... (it's a tire)." (before "Fortress")
- [To heckler] "Go and form a group then, go on. Are you fucking Siouxsie Banshee or somebody? Eh! It's Siouxsie! It's Siouxsie out of The Banshees!
Oh, lovely! Eh! Fucking eh! Fucking comb yer hair the next time you come
out!" (before "Deer Park")
- "Deer Park connection... two virgin (fodder) on a train to Euston...
publishing... right, OK. This is the audience participation number."
(between "Deer Park" and "Hip Priest")
- "And if the good people like you could know... if they had a brain
operation, they would say... he is not (etc)..." (during "Hip Priest")
- [Screams] "Stars on 45! I'll keep my pockets lined! Stars on 45! I'll
keep my pockets lined! I got caught in a good light, steamy atmosphere
going on strong. OK, Steve..." (during "Cash'n'Carry")
- "(... masses,) Grant, baby." (before "Who Makes the Nazis?")
- MES: "Who Makes the Nazis?" Someone in audience: "Mark E Smith!"
(during "Who Makes the Nazis?")
Mark Broadhurst wrote in: "I was the drummer for Disease and we were supporting the Fall along with Past Seven Days. We were meant to play first on the night, but as we were sat around just after arriving at the venue, I was approached by the Fall's drummer, Paul Hanley (they only had one on the night), who was very chatty - after a brief introduction he asked if he could use my drum kit as he had forgotten to bring his. Past Seven Days used a drum machine, so we were moved to second spot so that my kit could be left on stage for The Fall to use. We were happy to get a better slot and I was chuffed that my kit featured in one of their gigs."
A free gig for the unemployed courtesy of South Yorkshire County Council.
Thanks to Robert Wilkinson for the ticket.
------------------
Wednesday, 9 September 1981 Hotel Borg, Reykjavik, Iceland
No tape exists?
------------------
Thursday, 10 September 1981 Hotel Borg, Reykjavik, Iceland
No tape exists? Support by Q4U and Purkurr Pilnikk.
------------------
Saturday, 12 September 1981 Austerbaejarbio, Reykjavik, Iceland
They played two sets: the ticket above is from the all-ages show in the afternoon. They only played the one show, in the afternoon. Thanks to Gunni for the ticket.
Container Drivers / Iceland (brief attempt, anyway) / Fortress / Middle Mass / Totally Wired / Hip Priest / Deer Park / Look, Know / Who Makes the Nazis / Leave the Capital / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Slates, Slags etc. / Prole Art Threat
- "Good evening, we are The Fall. (...)" (before "Iceland")
- "We are The Fall. As in from heaven." (during "Iceland")
- "The English abroad. The English abroad. An Englishman goes in a car
abroad for the first time and thinks it is an exception. And round the
corner he will find the same that he saw at home. You can wander about
Oslo. You can wander about Oslo but we are told that outside of England
the rest of the world is a smelly road with holes for latrines, for
urinals." (during "Fortress")
- "Anglo-petty voice rhythms. To get back to football hooliganism...
football hooliganism... there's a song about it called 'Middle Mass'
which I will now perform in my repertoire... repertoire, now." (during
"Fortress")
- "Some volume on stage, Grant, apart from me." (before "Look, Know")
- "Thank you. The next one is 'Lie Dream of a Casino Soul' and is aimed
at Buttock Records." [song starts] "Faster... faster..." (during "Lie
Dream of a Casino Soul")
- "Hey, priest! Hooray! Hooray! Slates are here today! Give us a break!"
(before "Slates, Slags etc.")
- ""Faster... faster..." (during "Slates, Slags etc.")
Many lists have this widely circulated gig as "April 1981," which is incorrect. Supported by Purkurr Pilnikk (with Einar Örn and Bragi of the Sugarcubes) on all three dates.
------------------
30 September 1981 - December 1982 : lineup # 16 : Mark E. Smith (vocals), Craig Scanlon (guitar), Marc Riley (guitar, keyboards), Steve Hanley (bass), Paul Hanley (drums), Karl Burns (drums, occasional bass).
Wednesday, 30 September 1981 Fagin's, Manchester
Fiery Jack / Who Makes the Nazis / Look, Know / Middle Mass Explanation > Middle Mass / Fantastic Life / Hip Priest / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Cash 'n' Carry > Gramme Friday / Fortress > Deer Park / Session Musician // Container Drivers / I'm into CB (medley)
Fiery Jack has a couple of lines from Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire."
- "'Cos I am Jack... and this is The Fall." (during "Fiery Jack")
- Punter (applauding): "Very good... very good. Oh, I see you've got your old... [into microphone] This is a bootleg! It's a counterfeit!" Bootlegger: "[Laughs] (...), would you?" Punter: "Don't buy this, whatever you do!" [conversation about availability of taping equipment ensues] (after "Who Makes the Nazis" and into "Look, Know")
- "S'alright, Paul..." (before "Hip Priest")
- "Look, it's all right. Look, it's all right. No, it's all right, Marc. It's all right. [Getting annoyed] No, it's all right!" (during "Cash'n'Carry")
- "And the secret of the lads' lives... is (shrift), sex, drink, sex. That's a personal point. I shouldn't have raised that. I've probably got back (...)" (during "Cash'n'Carry")
- "OK, Steve." (during "Cash'n'Carry", ushering in "Gramme Friday")
------------------
ca. October 1981 Blackpool
No tape exists?
------------------
UK : ca. 19 October - 6 November
Monday, 19 October 1981 North London Polytechnic
Fiery Jack / Look, Know / Who Makes the Nazis / Draygo's Guilt / Hip Priest / Middle Mass Explanation > Middle Mass / Fantastic Life / Fortress / Deer Park / Winter / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Cash 'n' Carry > Prole Art Threat
"Fiery Jack" contains a couple of lines from "Ring Of Fire".
- "This is called 'Explanation of the Next'. 'Explanation of the Next'." (before "Middle Mass Explanation")
- "And there's a boy down here... his heart is in the right place but
his brain is in his arse. And it's an explanation because this is
Steve... M Mass!" (during "Middle Mass Explanation")
- "Karl... you wanna swap that mic, right? I've got Riley's mic,
alright?" (before "Fantastic Life")
Thanks to Paul Whittington for the poster.
------------------
Wednesday, 21 October 1981 Xtreems, New Regent, Brighton
Blob 59 / 2nd Dark Age / Deer Park / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Session Musician / Look, Know / Who Makes the Nazis / How I Wrote Elastic Man / Winter / Leave the Capitol / Just Step Sideways / Cash 'n' Carry > Prole Art Threat / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Fantastic Life
- "Hey, fuckface! Who makes the Nazis?" (before "Who Makes the Nazis?")
- "As you can see, ladies and gentlemen, we've decided to improve the visual interest of the group, so if you keep your eyes open you can see people walking around profusely." (before "How I Wrote Elastic Man")
- "Quietly as well. Here's a little wee tale for you, laddie." (before "Jawbone and the Air Rifle")
Many thanks to Mark Howard for the flyers.
------------------
Thursday, 22 October 1981 Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury Concorde, Brighton
Peter Wenning from Worthing:
On Thursday October 22 1981 The Fall didn't play at Canterbury but played a second successive night in Brighton. The gig was at The Concorde next to the Dolphinarium (not to be confused with the current day Concorde 2). The previous night they had played the New Regent.
The gig was a classic for the following reasons -
There were (no joke) about 40 people there as it was not advertised. It was announced at the end of the New Regent gig but no one was listening.
The set was almost entirely different to the previous night and brilliant. The band sat around talking to the tiny audience.
At the end of the set the "promoter" got up on stage and grabbed the mike. He said that he would be passing round a hat for us to make a small contribution to cover our losses. Smith then grabbed the mike back and told us not to listen to him as we'd paid enough.
I had a long chat with Marc Riley before the gig and I'm sure he'll verify the above.
------------------
Friday, 23 October 1981 Students Union, Manchester University
Slates, Slags, etc. / Fortress / Middle Mass Explanation > Middle Mass / Fantastic Life / New Face in Hell / Look, Know / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Hip Priest / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Just Step Sideways // Winter / Draygo's Guilt / Who Makes the Nazis?
- "The Beat... Human League... I saw The Human League here. I took the wrong decision that day!" (during "Slates, Slags, etc.")
- "Good evening, freshers. What have you slated up today?" (during
"Slates, Slags, etc.")
- "Look, heckler... look, your heart's in the right place, but your
brain is in your arse. This is Middle Mass Explanation. A Brit hits every bar in Europe and he thinks it's an exception cos syphillis is between shit & sympathy. " (during "Middle Mass Explanation")
- "OK, Steve." (during "Middle Mass Explanation", ushering in "Middle
Mass")
- "Good evening, we are the swinging (skull ...). This is a story
extracted on interrogation by the use of scope. That is Sodium (...). I
don't usually go in for... I don't usually go in for this populist
conspiracy views. But this is something that is (...)." (during "New
Face in Hell")
- "OK freshers, how about this fashion's copy?" (before "Look, Know")
- "Paul! Will you fucking get it together, man, right? Stop fucking
dicking about! It's like a fucking whirlpool.." (before "Jawbone
and the Air Rifle")
- "He is not appreciated... audience participation..." (during "Hip
Priest")
- MES: "Manchester University is like the virus you could get on a tour
of Manchester. Let's face it!" Pissed Liverpudlian punter: "Manchester!
Great! Whhheeeeeeyyyyy!" (before "Just Step Sideways")
- "Well, give us a few tips, eh? How do we get on it? I never knew!
We're too handsome, that's why! Yeah, good looks... good looks have
nothing to do with intelligence, as you lot well know." (before
"Winter")
- [Singing] "That was disgraceful... (the markets...)" (before "Draygo's
Guilt")
- "Do 'Nazis", right? Start 'Nazis' without the... OK?" (before "Who
Makes the Nazis?")
Thanks to the Manchester District Music Archive for the ticket.
------------------
Monday, 26 October 1981 Coasters, Edinburgh
Keith Milne: "I hitched down to Edinburgh from Aberdeen to see the Fall at Coasters on Monday, 26 October 1981, only to be told that it was cancelled due to illness. Tickets were valid to see AuPairs at nearby Valentinos. We'd just seen them the night before in Aberdeen. So that's why there's no info on that gig!"
------------------
Tuesday,27 October 1981 Bierkeller, Waterloo Stret, Newcastle
The N.W.R.A. / Fantastic Life / Look, Know / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Hip Priest / 2nd Dark Age / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Session Musician / Just Step Sideways / Who Makes the Nazis / Container Drivers // Cash 'n' Carry > Prole Art Threat / Deer Park
- "Good evening, we are The Fall. As in blister packed. Date! Stamped!
Date! Stamped! Blister! Packed!" (during "The N.W.R.A.")
- Bootlegger: "He'll have to start eating his greens... dehydrated."
(during "The N.W.R.A.")
- "And I just thought I'd tell you... go on, get on the fucking (...),
yeah?" (during "Fantastic Life")
- Bootlegger: "I've never seen owt like this!" (after a particularly
fearsome "Fantastic Life")
- "Right, this is a little story about (Miss Andreck's) tomb. Tragic
life." (before "Jawbone and the Air Rifle")
- "Can I ask the light people... the lighting people to turn it down a
bit and turn it on between numbers because we're a very active
physically group. We move around. From instrument to instrument I
meant." (before "Hip Priest")
- "I may look a bit (gawpy) but I've got a bit of a cold, you know?"
(before "Second Dark Age")
- "'Cos groups can't change the world... meet Mr Smith and his cronies
who did not." (during "Second Dark Age")
- MES: "I'm now on Riley's microphone." Punter: "Give him it back!"
(before "Session Musician")
- "Turn the monitors up! I want to hear myself! Thank you!" (during
"Session Musician")
- "Who Makes the Nazis? Have a bleeding guess! Have a bleeding guess!"
(during "Who Makes the Nazis?")
- "I'll tell you who likes the Nazis: the mixing boy. The bearded mixing
freak who looks like a (...) fucking shitface." (during "Who Makes the
Nazis?")
- "And the secret of the lads' lives... is Greek beer." (during
"Cash'n'Carry")
- "Right, Craig, 'Deer Park' please." (before "Deer Park")
- Punter: "Hey! These are a really good band, these!" (after "Deer
Park")
Support: The Letters. Thanks to Martin for the poster and Michael Bloomfield for the ticket.
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Wednesday, 28 October 1981 Tower Club, Hull
No tape exists?
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Thursday, 29 October 1981 Limit Club, Sheffield
Printed in DARTS #480, 12 Nov 1981, thanks to Dannyno.
No tape exists?
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Friday, 30 October 1981 Northeast London Polytechnic
Jawbone and the Air Rifle (soundcheck)
Fall Medley > Look, Know / Fortress > Deer Park / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Fantastic Life / The N.W.R.A. / Just Step Sideways / Slates, Slags, etc. / Middle Mass / Winter / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Leave the Capitol
- "This is a story extracted with the use of soap, sodium Pentothal." (before "The N.W.R.A."
- "What? Yeah, I see, yeah. Yeah, these monitors keep going. One! I'll
move this (...). One! One! Yeah, that's great. Right." (before "Just
Step Sideways")
- "Just step outside the world of girl today... faster!" (during "Just
Step Sideways")
- "I'm trying to get a vocal sound. I'm not being intense or anything,
it's just a fucking... it's like shouting against a brick wall." [pause]
"Egomania!" (before "Winter")
- "Right, this is a wee tale from the Hebrides. Not true." (before
"Jawbone and the Air Rifle")
- MES: "Omnipresence is better than mere presence." Punter: "Scanlon!
Give us a solo!" (before "Leave the Capitol")
Introduction by Allan Pellay. With UT and the Nightingales.
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Saturday, 31 October 1981 Totnes Civic Hall
No tape exists? Thanks to Kevin McMahon for the flyer and wisetuna for the poster.
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November 1981 : "Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Fantastic Life" single released
Thanks to Nick Sharp for the poster.
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Sunday, 1 November 1981 Top Rank, Plymouth
I'm into C.B. / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Fantastic Life / Who Makes the Nazis / Just Step Sideways / Fortress / Middle Mass / Look, Know / Fiery Jack / Winter / Put Away / C'n'C-s Mithering / Gramme Friday / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Draygo's Guilt / Leave the Capitol / Session Musician
With Noise Annoys. Fiery Jack has a few lines from Ring of Fire.
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Tuesday, 3 November 1981 Warehouse, Liverpool
No tape exists?
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Wednesday, 4 November 1981 Gaiety Bar, Blackpool
No tape exists? Many thanks to Alastair Herbert for the flyer.
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Thursday, 5 November 1981 The Bierkeller, Leeds
Gramme Friday / I'm into C.B. (medley) > Deer Park / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / The N.W.R.A. / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Just Step Sideways / Who Makes the Nazis / Prole Art Threat / Fantastic Life / Session Musician // Repetition > Middle Mass / Look, Know // Hip Priest
Thanks to Barrie Reilly for the ticket.
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Friday, 6 November 1981 Imperial Cinema, Birmingham
Middle Mass (soundcheck)
Draygo's Guilt (few seconds only) / Container Drivers / I'm into C.B. (medley) / Deer Park / Hip Priest / Fantastic Life / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Just Step Sideways / Who Makes the Nazis? / Prole Art Threat / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Session Musician / Middle Mass
- "Good times was on the way, what?" (before "Jawbone and the Air Rifle")
- "He's fine. What do you mean? What do you mean, he's (crying)? What's the matter with you? Fucking idiot. Come on, then! Come on!" (before "Who Makes the Nazis?")
- "This is the last one of the set." (before "Session Musician")
- "(...) for the (...) so we're gonna do a quick one before (Kraut) comes on." (before "Middle Mass"
"The Fall and Nico co-headline a five-hour concert (7 p.m. - midnight) on 6 November at Birmingham Imperial Cinema. Eric Random and the Bedlamites will be backing Nico as well as playing their own set, and the bill is completed by Dr. Filth. Admission is £2.50."
However, things didn't go according to plan, and Nico closed the night to an emptying hall accompanied by her own harmonium. Thanks to Warren for the ticket and Pete Conkeron for the flyer.
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Monday, 7 December 1981 The Venue, 160-162 Victoria Street, London (or Saturday the 5th?)
I'm Into C.B. / Deer Park / Cash 'n' Carry > Look, Know / An Older Lover / Just Step Sideways / Hip Priest / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Fantastic Life / The Classical / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / Who Makes the Nazis? / Prole Art Threat / Winter / Mere Pseud Mag Ed (or is it from the soundcheck?)
- "It's surprising how many friends you get when you play the Venue." (during "Cash'n'Carry")
- "We've got some good news. We've got some good news - (Hacienda) Records office is dead. But the bad news is that (...) is down in the
hallway waiting for his royalty cheque." (during "Cash'n'Carry")
- "What do you think about the cassette levy? What do you think about
the cassette levy? We've got a G.L.C. (bus) fine's on the spot.
Cassette levy! Cassette levy! Excuse! Excuse!" (before "The
Classical")
- "Winter... right, Craig, now." (before "Winter")
Supporting were The Alarm. £2.50.
In the notes for Hex Enduction Hour Mark writes: "Never knew had so many friends till Venue. In awe. The fans were awed And cowered. Still needing the HEXAN school. Still bowing to: Mythical Thingy, and the fresh stool, at 'Venue' No decision equals 'consultation'. One True Sentence. On Morning Of It: Saw Flabby Wings and Ran cross frosty crusting of Plate glass, from the SKRIKKING KIDS, NOT FIT FOR: HEX END. -- the Big P.) These words refer to this gig. Thanks to Charles Kennedy for pointing this out.
Thanks to Dave Guttridge for the photo and Matthew Worley for the Sounds review..
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Fortress / Totally Wired / Container Drivers / The N.W.R.A. / Fantastic Life / Lie Dream of a Casino Soul / Leave the Capitol / Hip Priest / Prole Art Threat / An Older Lover / No Xmas for John Quays / C'n'C > Hassle Schmuck / Jawbone and the Air Rifle / English Scheme / City Hobgoblins 
A bootleg tape of the Hof gig surfaced soon afterwards, which included a few songs from the Berlin gig the next day as filler (specifically, No Xmas for John Quays appeared after Your Heart Out on side A, while Leave the Capitol, City Hobgoblins, Slates, Fantastic Life, and C'n'C-Hassle Schmuck appeared after Session Musician on side B. Therefore, I'd guess that most circulating copies of this gig have these tracks stuck in with the Hof gig. To add to the confusion, Voiceprint is releasing this gig in their Live from the Vaults series (2005) with a tracklisting identical to the bootleg tape.
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