Joy Division concert

2nd May 1980: High Hall, Birmingham University Two different tapes of this concert exist Two different tapes of this concert exist
Supported by A Certain Ratio

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Previously unpublished photo: Copyright Mick Emerson
exclusively reproduced here with his permission


Thanks to John W for the poster scan



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Setlist thanks to Schizo-Archives.com and O Eterno





Click for larger image
This photo: Copyright Mick Emerson
reproduced here with his permission



Neil Woodvine tells us: "Due to an error all the posters had the wrong date - 22nd May and, invariably, the first '2' was inked out to show the correct date"

There are two different recordings of this concert: a soundboard recording and an audience tape. See below
 
Songs performed:
01. Ceremony
02. Shadowplay
03. A Means To An End
04. Passover
05. New Dawn Fades
06. Twenty Four Hours
07. Transmission
08. Disorder
09. Isolation
10. Decades *
11. Digital.
Appx. duration: 45 mins. Sound quality: 9/9
 
This concert was recorded officially and included on the
Still double LP featuring all eleven songs, despite Twenty Four Hours not being credited on the sleeve. The original boxed tape issue from ca 1986 also includes Twenty Four Hours, but not the subsequent tape or CD (re)issues.

An error resulted in the beginning of Ceremony being cut on the soundboard (Still) tape. The audience tape is complete

Sound quality about 7-8/9

* High Hall, Birmingham University: soundcheck
Songs performed:
01. Ceremony
02. Decades.
Appx duration: 10 mins. Sound quality: 7-/9

Ceremony and Decades from the soundcheck appear on the following bootleg:

Out Of The room LP



Joy Division used this concert to debut one of their new songs "Ceremony".

* Just following his vocal on the first and last performance of "Decades", but before the song was finished, Ian stumbled off stage with assistance, and the band played on. He was able, however, to return for an encore: "Digital".

This was to be Joy Division's final performance.

 
David Pryke was there:

I went as an 18 year old student from the near by Aston University. Joy Division were known as the coolest band on the circuit but I was only familiar (so I thought) with the single Transmission.

A few memories - they were very very late! We hung around for a long time listening to ACR sound check. A mixed audience of students, punks and rockers (think they call the latter metalers nowadays).

Remember ACR doing a cracking set (I think at the time I enjoyed this more, but it paled rather following the news later in the month). Someone had recorded me a few avant guard numbers the summer before but had not put down the play list. I'd sussed out Crass, Tubeway Army, Magazine and the Shadows! But he'd said there were a couple of special tracks at the end that I hadn't a clue who performed them. I was pretty impressed and played them to mates at the time who were equally impressed.

It wasn't until I heard the first few chords of Shadowplay at High Hall that I realised who the mystery group were. The other track also played on the night and one of my faves was New Dawn Fades - Moby played this at a recent gig at Brixton Academy as homage to Ian Curtis - I was the only member of the (generally young) audience who appreciated it.

The other memory is slam dancing during the faster numbers. Not very cool!