Gang of Four in NYC Tues & Weds....

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I'm going Tuesday night....anyone else?

Look for the Killing Joke shirt. That'll be me.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 16 May 2005 17:37 (twenty-one years ago)

how does one get tickets for the tribeca grand show...irving is sold out, right?

― wordyrappington (wordyrappington), Monday, 16 May 2005 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
New York, NY May 13, 2005

Due to Popular demand, and two back to back sold out shows in NYC,
The Gang of Four announce an exclusive late night performance at the Tribeca Grand on Tuesday May 17 after midnight

A very limited amount of tickets will be available for purchase
Tickets can now be purchased exclusively at the Gang of Four website:
Gangoffour.US or Insound.com
For $50.00

2 ticket maximum per person
ID and Credit Card used for purchase must be presented at Will Call
Tickets are NON transferable.
Will Call is located at the:
Tribeca Grand
2 Avenue of the Americas
No Refunds/ All sales Final

DJS for night: Justine D (Motherfucker) DJ JDH (Fixed/Insound)

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 16 May 2005 18:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Seeing them tonight in Boston, yeahhhhhh.

― BlastsOfStatic (BlastsofStatic), Monday, 16 May 2005 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Wednesday for me.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Monday, 16 May 2005 20:09 (twenty-one years ago)

catching both shows tuesday. i'm already tired just thinking about it!

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Monday, 16 May 2005 20:12 (twenty-one years ago)

anyone know who is opening, btw?

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Monday, 16 May 2005 20:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I dunno, I just can't really see the appeal of seeing bands like Gang of Four or the New York Dolls (who are playing in Detroit this week) at this stage in the game. I'm sure both bands will put on good shows, and it's great that younger fans will get a chance to see the innovators rather than the imitators play this music, but it doesn't sound very exciting. About as exciting as seeing the Rolling Stones when they come around again.

― Jeff Sumner (Jeff Sumner), Monday, 16 May 2005 20:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Radio 4 (meh)

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Monday, 16 May 2005 20:20 (twenty-one years ago)

xpost

Jeff, you missed an amazing show! Relentless.
New york Dolls? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

― peepee (peepee), Monday, 16 May 2005 20:47 (twenty-one years ago)

If that midnight show is a couple of hours after an earlier show, I wouldn't go. They (esp. Jon) were wrecked after I saw them. clothes-ripped drenched

― peepee (peepee), Monday, 16 May 2005 21:06 (twenty-one years ago)

it doesn't sound very exciting. About as exciting as seeing the Rolling Stones when they come around again.

YOU ARE SO WRONG

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 16 May 2005 21:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm with JS. I love the early Gang of Four stuff, but I haven't got the slightest interest in seeing them relive their youth onstage. Won't be buying the new record, either.

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Monday, 16 May 2005 21:17 (twenty-one years ago)

$50? Are they out of their fucking minds?

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Monday, 16 May 2005 21:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm just sayin that I've now seen them 6 times (the first 5 were over 20 years ago), and this was the most intense. And I'm not really interested in the new record.

― peepee (peepee), Monday, 16 May 2005 21:22 (twenty-one years ago)

$50? I paid no more than $25 here.

Why do people live in the Northeast again?

― donut debonair (donut), Monday, 16 May 2005 22:42 (twenty-one years ago)

hm, im thinking about going to the tribeca show tuesday nite. maybe i see you there!

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 02:04 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw them for $25 this evening in Beantown - well, actually, for free, because I R special. And HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jon King beating up a microwave! Jon King doing the Jesus Christ pose! Jon King doing THE CRABWALK! And ANDY GILL! Fucking hell.

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 05:25 (twenty-one years ago)

sounds horrible

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 05:43 (twenty-one years ago)

your "HORRIBLE" IS MY GOOD TIME!

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 05:51 (twenty-one years ago)

some people like to go out dancing

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 06:06 (twenty-one years ago)

you can dance to this!

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 06:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Stenc hates the crabwalk.

Donut, we paid $25 for the regular old NYC show here too. It's only those who think you can ROCK OUT at a bloody LUXURY HOTEL who are paying $50!

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 12:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Stence, there were plenty of folks dancing. And if you can't get it on the floor for their killer version of "To Hell With Poverty", you should have your legs broken. Granted, I was bouncing in place, as is my wont, but that didn't stop folks (like that red-haired woman in front of me) from losing their shit when they went into "I Found That Essence Rare".

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

i like dancing. i am some people. duh.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 12:40 (twenty-one years ago)

i bought two tix to the tribeca show cuz i totally forgot to buy tix when they went on sale and couldn't get anyone to return my calls about the list. so i bought those tix and swear to god two seconds later i get an email saying i'm on the list with a plus one. so i guess i'll just make it a marathon then!

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 13:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Boston show owned. Very, very intense. Probably the best show I'll see all year. Radio 4 opened, but I suspect after Gang Of Four played, nobody even remembered they were there. They were completely showed up by guys likely twice their age. Gang Of Four is a very vital live act, even at this stage of the game.

― BlastsOfStatic (BlastsofStatic), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 13:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Isn't having Radio 4 open for Gang of Four a little like having Whitsnake open for Zeppellin?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 13:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Or having Pink Flag open for Wire. (I missed Radio 4, but I really didn't, har har har.) (I DID miss snagging an Entertainment tee, tho.)

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 13:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw Radio 4 open for Firewater once. No great shakes, as they say.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 14:00 (twenty-one years ago)

When Pink Flag opened for Wire, it totally worked.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 14:05 (twenty-one years ago)

XLion Tamers opening for Wire was awesome, though!

― peepee (peepee), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 14:06 (twenty-one years ago)

ergg, ExLion Tamers is what I meant!

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 14:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Wasn't Gang of Four staunchly anti-capitalist back in the day? And now they're on board with $50 concert tickets?

― cdwill, Tuesday, 17 May 2005 14:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Erg, Ex-Lion Tamers is what I meant, too!

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 15:01 (twenty-one years ago)

xpost

Man, did those hypocrites put on a great show!

― peepee (peepee), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 16:48 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't wait for this. Report to follow.....and mebbe pics, if I can be arsed to bring my camera.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 22:11 (twenty-one years ago)

godlike!!!!!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 11:20 (twenty-one years ago)

The two non-obvious songs from the set I saw (& perhaps the set Alex saw) ("I Parade Myself" & "Why Theory?") have me wonderin' - really, how bad ARE the post-Free albums?

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 13:03 (twenty-one years ago)

David, are you suggesting that Why Theory? isn't a great song???? (It is pre-Free, btw)

― peepee (peepee), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 13:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Why Theory? is one of my absolute faves.

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 13:48 (twenty-one years ago)

really, how bad ARE the post-Free albums?

The album "I Parade Myself" comes from - Shrinkwrapped, is excellent as well, very underappreciated I think.

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 13:51 (twenty-one years ago)

OH GEEZ DAVE LEARN TO READ TRACK LISTINGS! (re: "Why Theory?") I was actually listening to Solid Gold last night! And I missed it! It was great live, too - JK working maracas AND melodica. Actually, the one complaint I have about the Boston show = NOT ENOUGH MELODICA. I'll trade one crabwalk for that deficiency, tho.

I am REALLY psyched for this "new" album, too - the old recordings actually sound tame in light of what they did on stage.

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 13:52 (twenty-one years ago)

You can compare your notes to mine (from another thread):

Notes about Gang of Four in Detroit, last night:
1/ Took everyone's advise and walked in just to see the last song by Radio 4. Not terrible live may be true, but seemed way too calculated and faux-earnest. Plus, it didn't help to have Ben Stiller fronting the band
2/ Reminded about how many great drum riffs Hugeo had (has)
3/ Shocked at the intensity of the Gang of Four. I've seen them now 6 times, and this may have been the best. Part of that is the minusing of Sara Lee and the addition of Dave Allen, but part was the abandonement of playing near the end of a tour that may be their last, FOREVER. They seemed older, and that sure hampered Jon's gyrating rhythm into the show, but he sure made up with it with sheer relentlessness.
4/ Little hints that there's still difficulty between them, esp. Andy and Jon.
5/ A bit surprised that Dave played with a pick. When I saw him with Shriekback, he was tremendous, and played without a pick. This time around, the bass sound was way too tinny and had little bottom.
6/ I expected there to be more youngsters there.
7/ I became more solid with the idea of reunions. After last night, and seeing Wire a couple of years ago, I imagined how great it'd be if the young wannabeez could sit at desks, watching these two aged bands play, and LEARN HOW TO DO IT RIGHT.
8/ Was surprised to heard something offa Shrinkwrapped.
9/ wtf, He'd Sent In The Army,? That was amazing!

Because of this thread, I'd expected greatness, and got it.

― peepee (peepee), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 13:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm going tonight. What time did they go on? I'm coming from Jersey and don't have much interest in Radio 4.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 14:15 (twenty-one years ago)

The Boston show had an official start time of 8 PM. Gang of Four hit the stage around 9:30 PM. I don't know what showtime practices are like outside of the Commonwealth, tho.

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 14:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Amazing show. Full report to follow, but am being Mr.Mom today, so getting to the computer for long spells is not easy. Anyway, I'd imagine the reason they didn't play anything from the later albums is because Dave and Hugo weren't on them. Pretty simple, really.

In any case, they completely cooked. Jon danced like a loon. Andy scowled throughout, giving his guitar some serious fucking abuse (though I felt their rendition of "What We All Want" was a bit too restrained). Amazing otherwise. Everything I wanted. Fuckin' packed to the rafters. Lots of aging rock critics in attendance, and I think I spotted Anthony "Kitchen Confidential" Bourdain among the faithful.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 14:38 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm seeding my recording of the excellent Boston show on dimeadozen - hope other shows surface soon. http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=42310

That "Hugeo" above wasn't a typo! He should cut down on the clam chowder.

Stefan

― -Stefan, Wednesday, 18 May 2005 15:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Hugo is indeed a very big boy now, but he can still smack the snots out of those drums like God's Own Metronome.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 15:50 (twenty-one years ago)

So you could hear the drums then? In Chicago, i thought the drums were mixed down way too low. OK elsewhere?

― diedre mousedropping and a quarter (Dave225), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 15:55 (twenty-one years ago)

The drums were fine from where I was standing. I'd have liked a bit more bass, actually.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 16:59 (twenty-one years ago)

It's somewhat likely my friends will have an extra for tonight at Irving Plaza; alas, I will be gone in 15 minutes. Show up at 9:15 and take your chances.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 20:06 (twenty-one years ago)

My only real regret is that they didn't play "Cheeseburger".

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 22:18 (twenty-one years ago)

What about the microwave bashing? Are they still doing this?

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 22:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Plus, it didn't help to have Ben Stiller fronting the band

Hahahaha.

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 22:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I am going tonight. If Radio 4 are opening I can just stay home a little longer.

NY Dolls live are actually still very good. I teared up when DJ sang "you can't put your arms around Johnny."

― h0t h0t h0rsey (Carey), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 22:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Purty damn good for geezers. Second only to the MoBurma reunion.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 19 May 2005 12:32 (twenty-one years ago)

They weren't messing around.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Thursday, 19 May 2005 12:45 (twenty-one years ago)

When I saw MoB play @ Avalon (in Beantown) during their initial INEXPLICABLE tour, Hugo B came out during the first encore and played 2nd drums on "All World Cowboy Romance". I was kinda hoping for some reciprocation during the Go4 show I saw this week - maybe Clint C and Peter P on fire extinguisher or something during "Cheeseburger".

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 19 May 2005 13:00 (twenty-one years ago)

(This has nothing to do with GO4, but Daver, did you get my email?)

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 19 May 2005 13:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Um, far be it from me to piss all over Gang Of Four Revival 2005, but is there any reason to listen to Hard, Mall, and/or Shrinkwrapped or are they truly as cringe-inducing as conventional wisdom maintains? I suspect the latter, but I only listened to Hard once and never heard the other two at all. My tastes have expanded a bit since 1983 and I might now be willing to give latter-day Gill/King product half a chance, though its near-total absence from the current tour doesn't bode well even with the obvious lineup-reversion and marketing-savvy reasons for its omission, and a title like "F[uck]M[e] U.S.A." (from Shrinkwrapped) is worrying at best.

― box of socks, Thursday, 19 May 2005 21:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm kinda pissed that they're going to re-record Songs Of The Free as opposed to re-release it.

― donut debonair (donut), Thursday, 19 May 2005 22:24 (twenty-one years ago)

i heard shrinkwrapped for the first time a few days before that show and thought it was really good. Mall is terrible though.

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 19 May 2005 22:42 (twenty-one years ago)

ED! I totally forgot to check my quoteidiom account! I'm in! And I might contribute more than once every other month, too!

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 19 May 2005 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

xpost
Hmm -- "really good"? Describe!

They're redoing Songs of the Free in its entirety too? I thought only material from the first two albums was getting the treatment; same as those, SOTF was and is just fine on its own. I'm skeptical about the re-recording, and kind of dread the remixes by others. As with those later Gang of Four albums, I'd gladly change my mind given good reason, and I don't think there's any other group I'd rather see make some serious $ 25 years down the road, but "HELLO, WE WILL NOW SIMPLY REDO OUR ENTIRE PRE-SUCKAGE CAREER"? (Their barely-diminished ability to bring the hardcore post-marxist disco-funk live notwithstanding for the moment.)

― box of socks, Thursday, 19 May 2005 23:13 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG songs for the free sells for so much money used, apparently. I had no idea. I think I picked it up for $4 a few years ago.

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 20 May 2005 00:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Stefan, Thanks for that torrent. (A couple songs mislabeled by the way in the info file. No big deal..)

Hard isn't all bad... as long as you don't think of it as Gang of Four.

― diedre mousedropping and a quarter (Dave225), Friday, 20 May 2005 01:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, I wished that instead of I Love a Man in Uniform (in Chicago) they would have played Call Me Up, if they had to choose a second from that record. The outtake of that from The Palace LP is great.

― diedre mousedropping and a quarter (Dave225), Friday, 20 May 2005 01:06 (twenty-one years ago)

"I Love a Man in Uniform"! Sheeit, we didn't get that here.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Friday, 20 May 2005 12:50 (twenty-one years ago)

This was the best show I have seen this calender year.

― h0t h0t h0rsey (Carey), Friday, 20 May 2005 13:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Kyle, plz define "so much money" for those of us w/ gambling debts.

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 20 May 2005 13:05 (twenty-one years ago)

In D.C. tonight...

― steve-k, Friday, 20 May 2005 14:03 (twenty-one years ago)

They did "We Live as We Dream, Alone" at the Seattle show and no "I Love A Man In Uniform".. so maybe they're just alternating their token Songs Of The Free track?

― donut debonair (donut), Friday, 20 May 2005 16:19 (twenty-one years ago)

like $30 a ticket

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 20 May 2005 16:21 (twenty-one years ago)

$30 a ticket

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 20 May 2005 16:26 (twenty-one years ago)

The D.C. show was real good. They wowed me when I saw 'em back in 80 or 81, and years later did not dissapoint (well except for that 'I Parade Myself" song which sounded like "I berate myself" and they should be berated for that one). They closed with a loose, relaxed version of "Sweet Jane", after being pretty intense throughout. You could hear the rhythm section pretty well. Under the spotlight, Gill with his mussed up hair looked like a crazed scientist. They did "We Live As We Dream, Alone" in DC also, and Jon smashed the hell out of a microwave.

Found out after the show, I missed a showing earlier in the week at the Library of Congress of that 'Urgh, a Music War' film doc that came out on I.R.S. Records years ago and I think has a live GO4 song. I don't think it's on dvd.

― Steve K (Steve K), Saturday, 21 May 2005 05:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Jon's voice did sound a little scratchy, but the renditions of tracks from Entertainment and Solid Gold were still powerful.

― Steve K (Steve K), Saturday, 21 May 2005 05:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Wait, did anyone hear go to the Tribeca Grand after-show show? Curious how that went down.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 21 May 2005 06:04 (twenty-one years ago)

did anyone here....

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 21 May 2005 06:13 (twenty-one years ago)

xxxpost
Urgh! A Music War is unofficially available on DVD. The site lists "He'd Send In the Army," though after seeing it once years ago I remembered it as being "At Home He's A Tourist" for some reason (and soon found it necessary to spray-paint AT HOME HE IS A TOURIST in 96000-pt italics on the streetside wall of the downtown Holiday Inn parking lot. Good times).

I just ordered a DVD of dubious provenance called The History Of Damaged Goods, with parts of two 1980 U.S. shows and several 1982-83 European appeareances, as well as "He'd Send In the Army" from Urgh! Anyone seen this?

― box of socks, Saturday, 21 May 2005 17:23 (twenty-one years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.