Party Like It's 1984

Things got a little out of hand on New Year's Eve. If you're a regular reader then you know I spend that festive evening the same way every year... by watching my favorite live show of all time. No, not "Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve." That would just be silly. Who needs to contemplate the future when you can live in the past? I pull out Big Country's Dec. 31, 1983 homecoming concert from Glasgow's Barrowland. Loser? How dare you. Would a loser time the video cassette just right so he could ring in the new year with Stuart and the lads like it was in real time? Don't answer that. And you can quit laughing about VHS, smart guy. I have had it on DVD since it was reissued in 2009.

Anyway, back to the 2013 festivities. The streak is over. For the first time since 1990 I didn't watch that concert. I... are you sitting down? I watched Big Country's Dec. 31, 1984 concert from the Edinburgh Playhouse.

Yes, I'm a wild man.

The show is part of Big Country's 'At the BBC' box. I have been watching and listening to that four-disc set for months now, but I purposely skipped that show so I could see it for the first time on New Year's Eve. I'm really glad I did. Although the atmosphere of the Barrowland show is better, it was really cool to see the band perform songs from 'Steeltown' only a few months after the album was released. Here are three clips... from the beginning, middle and end of the concert. The clock strikes 12 between "Where the Rose Is Sown" and "Come Back to Me." Sadly, the Dundonald & Dysart Pipe Band wasn't part of the celebration this time, but you can see them at the Barrowland show I added below. I hope you have a great 2014!







...And here is the bagpipe brigade from the Dec. 31, 1983 show. They come in after "The Storm" at around the 4:45 mark. Truly, one of the most interesting sights ever at a rock show.