The Vortex was the snotty cousin of the Roxy opening under the stewardship of Andy Czezowski when his Roxy closed. Located in Wardour Street in the heart of London's Soho, the Vortex played host many bands who went on to greater success, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Ants and Sham 69 to name three.
Jimmy Pursey and Sham 69 got 1978 underway with a gig at the Vortex on 3rd January. It sounds like a pretty edgy gig with fights breaking out sporadically as Pursey once again tried to control the situation, with little success. He is very vocal in his frustration that no matter what he does every gig his band plays is marred by violence.
This is a great sounding recording that gives the listener a good idea of what a Sham 69 gig was like as 1977 rolled into 1978. It's a great set for sure, but I'm not sure that I would have wanted to be at the front... or even the back for that matter!
Sham 69 are forever strongly associated with the Vortex. On 23rd September 1977 Sham played at the opening of the Vortex Cafe in nearby Hanway Street. The other bands on the bill, The Models, Mean Street, Neo and The Outsiders, played in the Cafe itself whilst Sham 69 opted to play on the roof of the venue. The volume quickly caught the attention of the Metropolitan Police, who promptly pulled the plug on the gig and arrested Pursey, or Jimmy Sham as he went by at the time.
The story was picked up by the New Musical Express and run in their 1st October issue. A bit of a debarcle it would appear from the report.
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