The Distractions were frequent touring mates of Joy Division during the all-too-brief careers of these two great Manchester groups. For example, towards the end of 1979, The Distractions helped Joy Division kick-off and finish a national tour, with time to help them play a 'Factory in London' gig midway through. They supported Joy Division at the Nashville Rooms in London on 22nd September 1979. Steve Perrin counts this as his most memorable gig, "when Joy Division were at the height of their powers. Most people would probably disagree with me but I don't think any of their records captured how intense they could be live." Following a home fixture at Factory at the Russell Club supported by Teardrop Explodes (Paul Simpson had just left to form the Wild Swans), Joy Division embarked on a national tour supporting Buzzcocks. Before a double date at the Apollo in Manchester, Joy Division, The Distractions and A Certain Ratio went down to London to play the Electric Ballroom on 26th October 1979, and both distinctive lead singers were snapped for posterity. The year finished with an invite-only New Years Eve performance at a first floor warehouse somewhere along Oldham Street in Manchester, Joy Division supported by The Distractions and other Factory artists.
Mike Finney, Electric Ballroom, 26th October 1979. (c) Rock Photos.
Joy Division's gigs from that period in 1979 [1]:
28 Sep - Factory at the Russell Club, Manchester (supported by Teardrop Explodes & Foreign Press)
2 Oct - Mountford Hall, Liverpool (supporting Buzzcocks)
3 Oct - Leeds University (supporting Buzzcocks)
4 Oct - City Hall, Newcastle (supporting Buzzcocks)
5 Oct - Apollo, Glasgow (supporting Buzzcocks)
6 Oct - Odeon, Edinburgh (supporting Buzzcocks)
7 Oct - Capitol, Aberdeen (supporting Buzzcocks)
8 Oct - Caird Hall, Dundee (supporting Buzzcocks)
16 Oct - Plan K, Brussells
18 Oct - Bangor University (supporting Buzzcocks)
20 Oct - Loughborough University (supporting Buzzcocks)
21 Oct - Top Rank, Sheffield (supporting Buzzcocks)
22 Oct - Assembly Rooms, Derby (supporting Buzzcocks)
23 Oct - King George's Hall, Blackburn (supporting Buzzcocks)
24 Oct - The Odeon, Birmingham (supporting Buzzcocks)
25 Oct - St George's Hall, Bradford (supporting Buzzcocks)
26 Oct - Electric Ballroom, London (supported by The Distractions & ACR)
27-28 Oct - Apollo, Manchester (supporting Buzzcocks)
29 Oct - De Montford Hall, Leicester (supporting Buzzcocks)
30 Oct - New Theatre, Oxford (supporting Buzzcocks)
1 Nov - Civic Hall, Guilford (supporting Buzzcocks)
2 Nov - Winter Gardens, Bournemouth (supporting Buzzcocks)
3 Nov - Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (supporting Buzzcocks)
4 Nov - Colston Hall, Bristol (supporting Buzzcocks)
5 Nov - Pavilion, Hemel Hempsted (supporting Buzzcocks)
7 Nov - Pavilion, West Runton (supporting Buzzcocks)
9-10 Nov - Rainbow Theatre, London (supporting Buzzcocks)
15 Dec - Eric's, Liverpool (supported by Section 25, two gigs in one day)
18 Dec - Les Bains Douches, Paris
31 Dec - warehouse in Oldham Street, Manchester (with The Distractions & others)
1. Curtis, D. (1995). Touching From A Distance: Ian Curtis & Joy Division. London: Faber & Faber.
No comments:
Post a Comment