Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Hammersmith Odeon, 1979.

Much has been said and written about Ian Dury and come to that, about his band The Blockheads. Indeed Ian Dury and The Blockheads live in concert were one cohesive unit that took the recorded material and rather than just replicate the songs seemed to breathe additional life and dimensions into everything.

Ian Dury had a stage presence that was affected in part by his disability caused by polio as a youngster, but more because of his humour, artistic capabilities, and connection with the audience. The Blockheads added with skilled musicianship that seemed to be effortlessly delivered and yet so powerful and uplifting. OK it is obvious I was a fan of Mr Dury and have great respect for the Blockheads, not only because of what I have mentioned so far, but as an aside in an earlier form as The Loving Awareness Band, the Blockheads had very strong links with Radio Caroline.

This is probably one of the most circulated bootlegs of the band and a fine reminder of just how good they were in concert. This then is Ian Dury and The Blockheads live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London back on the 8th August 1989.

Source: FM Broadcast

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@160kbps.

Genre: Rock and roll, punk rock, new wave.

Set: Broadcast element of concert.

Set List:

01 Clever Trevor
02 Inbetweenies
03 Don't Ask Me
04 Reasons To Be Cheerful, Part 3
05 Sink My Boats
06 Waiting For Your Taxi
07 This Is What We Find
08 Mischief
09 What A Waste!
10 Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
11 Sweet Gene Vincent

Links: Official site HERE.

Comments:

From Ian Dury's official web biography regarding the time around this concert: In October 1977, Ian Dury signed up for the Stiff Live Stiffs Tour, alongside Elvis Costello And The Attractions, Nick Lowe, Wreckless Eric and Larry Wallis. Dury's new combo, now augmented by guitarist John Turnbull and pianist Mickey Gallagher, was christened Ian Dury And The Blockheads and the group became the surprise hit of the tour.

To capitalise on this, Stiff Records launched a concerted Ian Dury marketing campaign, resulting in the Top Ten hit WHAT A WASTE. NEW BOOTS AND PANTIES continued to sell in greater quantities and in November of that year, Dury released the memorable HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK, a UK Number One. Dury was now a bona fide pop star and, with The Blockheads, toured to great acclaim, conquering a number of European territories.

Whilst NEW BOOTS AND PANTIES headed towards its remarkable 90 week chart run, the group commenced work on the follow up, to be entitled DO IT YOURSELF. Another Top Ten single, REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL, kept Dury in the public eye during this arduous period of recording. The album was eventually released in June 1979 in a Barney Bubbles-designed sleeve of which there were over a dozen variations, all based on samples from the Crown wallpaper catalogue.

Reloaded August 2015 see comments.