Metamatic Forums John Foxx Ultravox Earliest live shows

I'm 25 so evidently never saw Ultravox live (curses!), but I was delighted to find out a little recently about the gig in Scarborough (UK) on September 15th, 1978.

I happened to mention the band to a workmate of mine recently, who, it turned out, attended that gig. She told me what a cramped and dodgy venue the long-defunct Penthouse club was. Apparently, it used to be above Barclays Bank on Westborough (the main shopping street). It was eventually shut down for 'safety' reasons, as the ceiling in the bank was beginning to come down due to all that enthusiastic pogoing!

John and co were 'great' (no surprises there, then!) Not a lot of detail for you, Martin, but I thought you might appreciate the background information on the venue .

I've just answered my own question with this little factoid, thanks to an email from John Bollenberg at progressive.net:

When I looked into my archives, I found an original poster for the Luit festival in Oostende, Belgium as held in August 1977. On Saturday 20th August we got High Life, Tjens Couter (including Arno) and Kayak. On Sunday the bands were Water, Livin Blues, Ultravox and Caravan. Ultravox did not play because this was 1977 and Ultravox was still very much of a punk band rather than the polished Midge Ure band we all know from their worldwide hit "Vienna." The day prior to the festival these punkers had been in a fight and half of the band was taken into casualty.

Okay, Martin and John, we need to know the rest of the story! Who was fighting whom -- outsiders vs the band, or the band vs each other? What was the fight about, who wound up in casualty, and who got in the best punches?!

For my next trick...

Does anyone have stories, memories, evidence of an Ultravoxx gig at Portsmouth Polytechnic in 1977?

I really should get out more, but any info will be dutifully archived.
Thanks

Me again...

Just had an engaging tweet-up with a guy who has described to me his experience of seeing Ultravox at Stokvishal in Arnhem, Netherlands early in 1978.

Beginning of March, I reckon.

Super stuff - does it trigger memories for anyone out there?

When I was 18 back inthe Autumn of 1977 I was bundled into a car in Scunthorpe by my mates and driven to the Outlook Club in Doncaster to see Ultravox!
I was right at the front, wasn't a huge crowd, I could smell John's after shave. I remember the ultra voilet lights, Billy strolling from behind his keyboard with an electric violin (a first for me)and my first screeching guitar of Stevie's. I remember Hiroshima Mon Amour (no soft sax there!)was so loud and pulsating I had to retreat to the toilets and it still scared me. Back then, in my eyes, they could have been from another planet.
I live near Donny now and often walk passed the boarded up place and remember 33 years ago.Changed me.

Thanks for sharing Richard - nice story.
I don't suppose you have a picture of the boarded up Outlook?

I will always regret not seeing Ultravox! in the day

Sure, next time I'm in Doncaster I'll take a picture of the place for you. I saw an old tour poster the other week (might have been an old NME advert) that listed the Priory Hotel in Scunthorpe (Ashby to be accurate)as a gig in 1976.
Incredible if it happened, I worked just 100 yds away in '76 as a shelf stacker. I saw Motorhead there once in '76. Deaf as a post 2 days later. aah if I had a Time Machine!

We have a gig here listed on April 9th 1977 - anything earlier would be new to the archive.

Thanks for sharing. Anything you have on this will be very welcome

Hi Martin. Early Tiger Lily advert:-
http://www.songkick.com/artists/382783-john-foxx/posters?page=6 Lots of tour flyers For Foxx, Ultravox and Ure at songkick. Some great early ads from 77-78.