Leeds,
Queens Hall, UK
September 8th, 1979
Futurama
Sci-Fi Festival
John Lydon
Keith Levene: Guitar
Jah Wobble: Bass
Richard Dudanski: Drums
Set List:
Chant / Annalisa / Memories / Low Life /
Public Image / Attack / Death Disco / Another
/ No Birds Do Sing
Notes:
PiL headline 'Futurama 79: The Worlds First Science Fiction Music
Festival'. Promoter John Keenan comments, "It may be odd
to connect PiL with Sci-Fi but it isn't really, because the sci-fi
idea was only something of a joke, the main aim is encourage progressive
bands, which PiL are, and raise money for a local record label."
Also on the same bill are Joy Division and OMD. PiL don't take
the stage until 1am and by this time the natives are decidedly restless.
Lydon spends the majority of the set with his back to the audience. He
later claims he was trying to get Richard Dudanski to keep time, and
comments, "We did a shit gig,
to a shit audience in a shit place. We all had a horrible time". This
gig was later cited by Keith Levene as the reason PiL decided to play (even)
less live shows…
The entire PiL performance is bootlegged on an album called 'Sci-Fi'.
Audio bootleg recorded
Gig Review #1
review by David Gould,
June 2008
© 2008 Fodderstompf.com / David Gould
I saw this gig, God can it really be nearly 30 years ago? I motored up from Nottingham with a couple of mates in a Hillman Imp.
PiL were on right at the end of a very long list (I think the first band was on at teatime - this was about 10 hours later). Everyone was tired and drunk. Queens Hall was an uncomfortable echoing hall with a cold concrete floor and was patrolled by coppers! Perhaps unfortunately they were preceded by Joy Division who did a very excellent set indeed. From the audience's point of view this was a hard act to follow (not that PiL would have given a damn).
Johnny did spend most of the gig with his back to the audience. I also think he had a cold because he kept blowing his nose -- without a hanky. I was really impressed as he was able to propel the snot very neatly right out of one nostril straight onto the stage. The sound quality was very bad and the 'Metal Box' tracks (which had not been heard before) were I recall completely bewildering, quite indecipherable. The Old Skool punks in the audience, and there were many, must have been disappointed. The gig was short and there was no encore, in fact I seem to remember after prolonged applause, whistling etc the lights went up and the announcement came over the PA "Public Image have left the building" - yes, really.
DG
Gig Review #2
review by Dave H, June 2008© 2008 Fodderstompf.com / Dave H
A damn good gig on the whole, quite surreal due to surroundings and lack of sleep
I remember I wanted to see/hear the PiL set, but was thirsty and sat at the side (well there wasn't so much a side but generally out of line of the stuff people were throwing at Lydon on stage) I sat in the doorway of a cafe and watched, enjoying PiL having moved on from the Pistols who I'd seen in Newport Shropshire less than 2 years before.
PiL's sound was new, slightly rough but powerful and ready for the future. I was sad that the throwers kept up annoying John. He kept coming back but one shot got him on the head and that did it. He sat in a chair at the back facing the back of the smelly set (the entertainers toilets overflowed, it was rumoured) and that was it. Minds blurry - but worth it for just seeing PiL and all the other bands, Joy Division were on friendlier terms with the crowd, another great band...
I think Leeds people thought the aliens had landed.
Dave
n/a