threespires
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Prior to the.10th Summer at GMEx there was another mass gathering of top artists in the form of the Red Wedge tour.
Aimed at attracting younger people to take an interest in politics and specifically Labour, it was organised or at least fronted by Billy Bragg and Paul Weller. It was seen as much too socialist lite for some bands like the Redskins but was really aimed at getting bigger names to participate. Alongside Bragg , The Style Council, and The Communards an eclectic mix of people joined them including the likes of Elvis Costello, Madness, Heaven 17, Jerry Dammers, The Beat, Sade, Lloyd Cole, Prefab Sprout etc. Each performing a small set. Who joined each night varied including on one brilliant night in Newcastle which I was lucky enough to be at, where to everyones amazement out sauntered The Smiths at which point the place went absolutely apeshit. No one had any idea they would be playing and apparently it was a sufficiently impromptu decision that they ended up using the Style Council's gear. Might only have been four songs but it was proper light the blue touch paper stuff.
Alongside the big names there were less obvious acts, Junior Giscombe of Mama Used To Say fame turned out to be a red under the bed. There was also huge scepticism when Gary Kemp walked out, with more than a few 'what's the tosser from Spandau Ballet doing here' type comments. He sat down with an acoustic guitar and said he was going to play a new song he'd been working on. After he finished he got a really warm reception. It was an embryonic and stripped down version of what was later released as Through The Barricades and it was much better than the eventual SB single.
The gigs were generally a bit chaotic but great fun and typically finished with a rousing rendition of Stand Down Margaret. If only she'd listened.
Aimed at attracting younger people to take an interest in politics and specifically Labour, it was organised or at least fronted by Billy Bragg and Paul Weller. It was seen as much too socialist lite for some bands like the Redskins but was really aimed at getting bigger names to participate. Alongside Bragg , The Style Council, and The Communards an eclectic mix of people joined them including the likes of Elvis Costello, Madness, Heaven 17, Jerry Dammers, The Beat, Sade, Lloyd Cole, Prefab Sprout etc. Each performing a small set. Who joined each night varied including on one brilliant night in Newcastle which I was lucky enough to be at, where to everyones amazement out sauntered The Smiths at which point the place went absolutely apeshit. No one had any idea they would be playing and apparently it was a sufficiently impromptu decision that they ended up using the Style Council's gear. Might only have been four songs but it was proper light the blue touch paper stuff.
Alongside the big names there were less obvious acts, Junior Giscombe of Mama Used To Say fame turned out to be a red under the bed. There was also huge scepticism when Gary Kemp walked out, with more than a few 'what's the tosser from Spandau Ballet doing here' type comments. He sat down with an acoustic guitar and said he was going to play a new song he'd been working on. After he finished he got a really warm reception. It was an embryonic and stripped down version of what was later released as Through The Barricades and it was much better than the eventual SB single.
The gigs were generally a bit chaotic but great fun and typically finished with a rousing rendition of Stand Down Margaret. If only she'd listened.
