LONDON: The Clash Roundhouse concert marked its 50th anniversary on Saturday, recalling the punk band’s fifth live show and a confrontational encounter with hecklers on September 5, 1976.
Rolling Stone revisited the performance, which came only months after The Clash formed. The band appeared at London’s Roundhouse as an unlisted act during a “Sundae Outing” event headlined by the Kursaal Flyers.
The early five-member lineup featured singer Joe Strummer, guitarist Mick Jones, bassist Paul Simonon, drummer Terry Chimes and guitarist Keith Levene.
The Clash played a 15-song set that included early versions of “London’s Burning,” “1977,” “Janie Jones” and “What’s My Name.” Several of those songs later became associated with the group’s early punk catalogue.
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The crowd, largely made up of pub-rock fans, showed little enthusiasm for the new band. Some audience members heckled the musicians while others waited for the venue bar to open.
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Strummer responded directly to the seated crowd during the performance, urging them to stand rather than watch passively. The confrontation became one of the defining details remembered from the early show.
The September 5 performance took place during The Clash’s formative months, before the band became one of the most prominent groups associated with Britain’s punk movement.
