OT: Starz On Demand US Festival 1983

[animal]

Starz On Demand has in it's current listing the US Festival 1983.

Not The Police 1982 appearance...

But acts from the first day...

INXS
Wall of Voodoo - Stan Ridgway's last appearance with Wall of Voodoo
Oingo Boingo
The English Beat
A Flock of Seagulls
Stray Cats
Men at Work
The Clash - Mick Jones' last appearance with The Clash.

[TheEqualizer]

This is interesting. At one point, Mark Goodman calls Men at Work the poor man's Police. Other than both bands playing in the 80s, what similarities do they really have?

[thedaner]

I've heard that about Men At Work. I think it's because of the high voice and the "Eeeyo" in "Who Can It Be Now". Other than that, I never saw any similarities.

Great lineup in that US Festival. I think that was the show that really broke INXS as a great live act.

Would love to see that concert.

[Rusty James]

I have a DVD copy of The Clash's performance from this festival.
I'm not sure who the drummer is (definitely not Topper Headon or Terry Chimes) but whomever it is, he damn near stole the show.

[Throb]

Interesting.
I wonder if they will ever do anything with ’82. There was footage of the first night of The Police on YouTube briefly. I guess it must have been from one of the cameras, it had burned time code. Included One World in which Ranking Roger came out and joined them. It was one of the last performances of the original Beat. But it was taken down pretty quickly.
As I have mentioned before here I was there for night #1. I thought I was going to die in the desert but that was OK because I as long as I saw the Police it would be OK to die!

[P-LOVE]

I may be opening a can of worms here, but I have a VHS copy of day 1 1982 from A&M records back in the day. My buddy's older brother worked for Miles at IRS at the time and one day he came home after raiding the vault for me so I could watch and (secretly) make copies of A&M Police material. The tape has the entire Police set, a decent amount of the Heads and a few songs from the Beat's set. The down side of the tape is that it has the time running in the center of the screen and is filmed from the scaffolding and was clearly a label recording of an historic day. The tape is definitely watchable. It has been ages since I have watched and only hope the tape quality has held up. As I type, I think I should go and get it transfered to DVD. If I can ramble, I also ended up w/ one of my most treasured police posessions: a b/w photo Miles blew up to 4'x6' of the band descending the stairs after the show with towels in hand. Miles had it done and decided he didn't like it and fortunately my contact knew I was a Police freak and was able to bring it home.

On a side note, I was at the show and Sting was obviously very intoxicated after a long day in the sun. I know there are audio recordings and you can hear his loose tongue. Very funny to watch the Perfectionist in a rare moment.

Ahhh, the good 'ol days.

[Krokodyle]

Yes, you've opened up a HUGE can of worms! If you do have what you claim, a great many people will be interested in it.

The US Festival Police set (most of it) has been available for a while on the intarwebs, but it has a time code overlaid over the entire video. If yours is indeed complete and/or without timecode, you've got a real treasure there that I'm sure everyone would like to see/obtain.

[Krokodyle]

If you need advice on the best way to transfer your VHS, please do not hesitate to ask. There are a few people who are familiar with DVD encoding (myself included) and who can offer advice, or steer you in the right direction, to get the best encoding job done.

The LAST thing us fans need is for a gem like this to become yet another "exclusive" item, and only in the hands of elite collectors.

[P-LOVE]

Yes, my copy has the burned in timecode. There is a place in my area that does transfers and I am going to inquire.

Thanks for your offer of help and once I have something to share I will let you know. I have no problem w/ sharing.

[Krokodyle]

[quote="P-LOVE"]Yes, my copy has the burned in timecode. There is a place in my area that does transfers and I am going to inquire.

Thanks for your offer of help and once I have something to share I will let you know. I have no problem w/ sharing.[/quote]

Thanks

If your video begins with it cutting in during "Hungry For You", then it sounds like the same tape that's been circulating for a while now, which is missing the first four songs of the show (along with the Voices intro and band introductions). However, if yours is 2nd or low generation (and it sounds like it may be), at the very least it may be an improvement on the quality. If it has the first four songs intact, then you've uncovered a new treasure

[Throb]

I remember when Sting indroduced HFY, "This next song is about fucking, sorry Mum".

And we always wondered why Andy was kinda dressed up with the 80's sports jacket and that scarf thing around the neck. And his hair was cut short, shorter than I had ever seen it previously. Never saw it that short again.

I would flip if I saw the whole set. My memory of the concert is a bit "hazy", shall we say. probably was not the best idea to (a)get no sleep due to taking all night until early morning to get through the traffic and into the massive dirt lot (b)start drinking at 6am day of the Festival.

It was so crazy, there was literally the stage, the lighting rig and practically nothing else, just a massive dirt space under intense heat of the sun.

[giovanni]

These bands were all on IRS, or am I wrong?

Wall of Voodoo - Stan Ridgway's last appearance with Wall of Voodoo
Oingo Boingo
The English Beat
A Flock of Seagulls

Buy the way, I talked with Stewart about that show and he said that it wasn't a great show, they talked the whole day with many people, were a little tired and then went on stage; he didn't have great memories of that show.
Anyway, the copy with the timecodes in the middle was around between collectors some years ago, but is incomplete (it's dark for the first tracks) while the copy WITHOUT the timecodes reached Stewart hands (see some extracts on Everyone Stares).

[Throb]

The English beat were on Sire.
That footage on Everyone Stares is pretty cool.
It may have been so so in Stewart’s eyes but for five or six teenage boys, and one sixteen year old in particular it was the most amazing show. I’ll never forget I think we all piled into some old van we got ala Fast Times At Ridgemont High and made this pilmagrage into the desert to see the one band we all loved, no arguments no questions. You can tell Stewart I have great memories of that show, the first time I saw them and I will never forget(even through the haze of the long 100 degree + day heat). I remember in the middle of the day at some point my friend tried to get me to a first aid station. He asked some worker where is the first aid station? They pointed to a spec way up on the hillside. He said let’s get you there. I was like Screw it, I am going to see the Police and then I will die, I am not leaving our spot.

[P-LOVE]

Sounds like you and I were in the same car that day. You have to be 16 to get through a day like that. Remember the B-52's? Incredible dust cloud from all the dancing and was the biggest surpriseof the day.

My video has the entire set starting w/ Voices and has the numbers burned in. I recall it is dark for a short moment, but need to punch it in the ol' VCR this weekend to check.

I will let you know once I check the beginning to be sure my memory serves me and when I ever get around to making a copy on a disc.

[TheEqualizer]

[quote="P-LOVE"]Sounds like you and I were in the same car that day. You have to be 16 to get through a day like that. Remember the B-52's? Incredible dust cloud from all the dancing and was the biggest surpriseof the day.

My video has the entire set starting w/ Voices and has the numbers burned in. I recall it is dark for a short moment, but need to punch it in the ol' VCR this weekend to check.

I will let you know once I check the beginning to be sure my memory serves me and when I ever get around to making a copy on a disc.[/quote]

Ooh! Looks like a different source than the one that I've seen circulating!