Here's another one of those dates and places I would plug into my time machine... if I had one. August 23, 1980. Just outside of Toronto. The Heatwave Festival was rife with issues. The Clash backed out. Promotion wasn't up to snuff. Thousands were ushered in for free during the evening hours while many had forked over 20 bucks. Backers lost big. I don't care about any of that. Rockpile. The B-52's. Pretenders. Talking Heads. Elvis Costello and the Attractions. All in one spot. And this is 1980. Think about it. The B-52's are playing the first album and trying out new music from 'Wild Planet.' Pretenders still have their original lineup. Costello makes his only North American appearance in '80 and on and on. Costello and Co. were given the coveted prime time spot, but can you imagine having to follow Talking Heads? Among my many Costello bootlegs I have a so-so copy of the Heatwave appearance. Here's a sampling. Close your eyes, listen and imagine...
Accidents Will Happen
High Fidelity
Lipstick Vogue
You Belong to Me
Mystery Dance
3 comments:
I remember hearing about that show. Festival shows were (still are) an odd thing to me.
I saw all of those artists, save Costello that summer at either the Central Park Dr. Pepper Music Festival or. in the case of Rockpile, in the winter at The Ritz. The Talking Heads show, to this day, is one of the most amazing things I have ever exprerienced live - a few thousand inside the Wollman Skating Rink and approximately 50,000 outside in the park, dancing in a ritualistic automatic sort of way as the band played their shamanistic best with the expanded live band. When the played Life During Wartime, I Zimbra and Born Under Punches, it was like the entire park was moving in unison.
I hear you, Echorich. Most of the bands we listened to back then were not usually the type to even play outdoors, in the sun (horror!), let alone in front of tens of thousands. Not really my scene either, but I would have made an exception in this case. As usual with you, I'm envious you saw all these bands at their peaks. I wonder how many times I have written that in response to one of your comments. My tastes prove once again I was born about five years too late.
Wow
That’s some line up even without the Clash
Post a Comment