Monday, August 16, 2021

The Who and The Clash, 23 October 1982, Oakland Coliseum

In "No Elvis, Beatles Or The Rolling Stones", Rafaël Newman links that line from The Clash's "1977" to the band's 1979 "London Calling" album, with its echo of the cover of Elvis Presley's 1956 debut album and Paul Simonon smashing his bass on stage, "a destructive gesture borrowed from The Who". The only time I ever saw The Who and The Clash live was at Oakland Coliseum on 23 October, 1982, on what was supposed to be The Who's farewell tour. The contrast couldn't have been more extreme: The Who were listless and perfunctory, The Clash explosive and committed, most memorably when "The Magnificent Seven" from "Sandinista!" segued into "Armagideon Time". (Andrew Shields, #111words, 16 August 2021)

 

The Clash, Oakland Coliseum, 23 October 1982, photo by Joel Eisenberg, more here


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