New York (Venue Unknown) 7th March 1978

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT AN UPDATED POST RELATING TO THIS GIG CAN BE FOUND HERE.

I had not previously paid this recording much attention. Maybe this was because as the venue was unknown I hadn't done any artwork and the disc languished unloved in the pile of to be dealt with later. However, on stumbling across another folder of MeAnIe's artwork and seeing a sleeve for this New York gig, I was prompted to dig it out again and pay some attention too it. 

It is a great gig, pretty good soundwise too for its age. During this period, The Stranglers were perhaps at their most belligerent, especially towards American audiences and in the press few opportunities to rile the American public were passed up.... 'Americans have smaller brains' etc. etc. In New York, interaction with the audience was limited to Hugh telling the audience to 'Shurrup!!' or berating a section of them for remaining seated...'It's good to see that some of you haven't got stickies stuck to your fuckin' arses. What you do, sit there all night, there's no television set up here, Johnny Carson's just killed himself.' 

The only other set interruptions come from the frequent tuning of bass and keyboard, necessitated I guess by the heat levels in the club.

So here we have a blistering set, weeks away from the release of 'Black & White'.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-WIv6kMrnPB

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-zM44i6CgFk