The Ritz - Manchester

[swiss]

I was at the Twang gig last night at the Ritz... The singer said he was made up to be playing the Ritz as amonst others the Smiths had played there.

Having looked this up on passions just like mine it would appear that they played there first ever gig there.

Just for interest, The setlist was The Hand that rocks the cradle, Handsome Devil, Suffer Little Children and I want a boy for my birthday.

Did anyone on here see them there? Very intimate venue and a nightclub I frequented a few times in the 80's and early 90's, Usually with some success

 

[Sim Tappertit]

Did anyone on here see them there?

Seeing as it was their first gig and nobody had the foggiest who they were at the time then I doubt that very, very, very much.

Maybe try asking on a Blue Rondo A La Turk forum?

 

[Kewpie]

I don't remember user name, but someone posted that he knew Joe Moss, saw Smiths in 1982 some pubs in Manchester / Stockport.

 

[jimone]

That would be me, mate, and to be honest, unless they were supporting someone, The Ritz would be too big a venue for their first gig. I saw them at The Tin Can Club, in Burnley, and a couple of other places, all scout hut size venues. The Ritz is f***ing cavernous by comparison, but who knows, stranger things happen.

 

[Kewpie]

That would be me, mate, and to be honest, unless they were supporting someone, The Ritz would be too big a venue for their first gig. I saw them at The Tin Can Club, in Burnley, and a couple of other places, all scout hut size venues. The Ritz is f***ing cavernous by comparison, but who knows, stranger things happen.

Yes, it's you

 

[Sim Tappertit]

to be honest, unless they were supporting someone, The Ritz would be too big a venue for their first gig... but who knows, stranger things happen.

They were supporting somebody (Blue Rondo) and I think there's some story that they actually played not on the stage but on the dancefloor.

The info will be in many of the books, and on Passions site, but this is absolute fact that the very first Smiths gig was at The Ritz. There ought to be a blue plaque there.

Where's local tour guide Phil Gatenby to verify all this when you need him????

 

[Brel]

Blue Rondo ala Turk was the name of the headline act.

 

[Jukebox Jury]

They were supporting somebody (Blue Rondo) and I think there's some story that they actually played not on the stage but on the dancefloor.

The info will be in many of the books, and on Passions site, but this is absolute fact that the very first Smiths gig was at The Ritz. There ought to be a blue plaque there.

Where's local tour guide Phil Gatenby to verify all this when you need him????

Sat in the library as my computer is broke
Not only was it The Smiths first gig, but Morrissey also played there with The Nosebleeds (their 2nd and final gig) supporting Magazine in 1978.
The Smiths did play on the floor as there wasn't enough space for their kit.
James Maker played maracas - allegedly in high heels (he denied it!) and Dale Hibbert played bass, (not Andy Rourke) for his one and only gig.....
but you all knew that anyway
Brel (and others) is correct about the main act.

I was at The Ritz last week for Echo & The Bunnymen.... the carpet was very sticky

Jukebox Jury

 

[roky]

http://reelaroundmanchester.tripod.com/id2.html
Smiths at the Ritz

 

[macclesfield-town-f-c]

The Twang, Quality band.

 

[jimone]

The Ritz used to be the Tuesday night place to be, and introduced the Stone Roses into the Manc lexicon via their endless playing of the first single, So Young was it called? In the misery dictionary indeed.

 

[swiss]

The Twang, Quality band.

They were pretty good. Got the place bouncing around thats for sure. Funnily enough they did what the Smiths and Morrissey did before they had too much material. They picked the best songs from their 2 albums and played them....No B Sides, No cover versions.

 

[bored]

The Ritz used to be the Tuesday night place to be, and introduced the Stone Roses into the Manc lexicon via their endless playing of the first single, So Young was it called? In the misery dictionary indeed.

I'm asking this out of curiosity to get the history correct, not as a challenge to the validity of your statements...

Are you saying there are gigs they played not listed here:

http://www.passionsjustlikemine.com/gigs/smiths-gi82.htm

???

 

[Kewpie]

I'm asking this out of curiosity to get the history correct, not as a challenge to the validity of your statements...

Are you saying there are gigs they played not listed here:

http://www.passionsjustlikemine.com/gigs/smiths-gi82.htm

???

There must be.

Smiths became successful, people started trying to find out their early days.
As a result of enthusiastic fans' effort, many live details are compiled, but there're some more to be uncovered.

 

[Stephane]

I think it's very very very unlikely that the list is incomplete. If anything it's probably the other way around. Some early concerts for which we don't have the setlist or any information might not have happened. They are listed on PJLM because they were advertised, but no information about them has ever made it to us.

Stephane

 

[Dave2006]

I remember that, when reading The Severed Alliance, I got very excited about the Smiths playing in my home town of Huddersfield as it was listed in the gigography of the book, I was also disappointed that no bootleg of it existed.

Then, years later, I heard an interview where one of the band (Johnny, I think) said that they were due to play Huddersfield, but had to cancel it because of an appearance on Top of the Pops.

Solid and dependable as ever, PJLM lists this http://www.passionsjustlikemine.com/gigs/smiths-gi8311.htm and http://www.passionsjustlikemine.com/live/smiths-g831123.htm

Keep up the good work, Stephane.

Dave

I think it's very very very unlikely that the list is incomplete. If anything it's probably the other way around. Some early concerts for which we don't have the setlist or any information might not have happened. They are listed on PJLM because they were advertised, but no information about them has ever made it to us.

Stephane

 

[Jukebox Jury]

I think it's very very very unlikely that the list is incomplete. If anything it's probably the other way around. Some early concerts for which we don't have the setlist or any information might not have happened. They are listed on PJLM because they were advertised, but no information about them has ever made it to us.

Stephane

I agree with Stephane - the chances of the gig listings having dates missing would be as slim as my good self
I imagine all members of the band have looked at the listings in 'Severed Alliance' and Mike & Johnny helped with 'Songs That Saved Your Life' and would have picked up on any dates incorrect / missing - or fans would have contacted Rogan / Goddard or posted on this site saying ''I was at the gig in (such a town) on this date'' etc.

Jukebox Jury

 

[sistasheila]

well someone could ask joe moss or johnny or andy about it-the latter both do quite some radio shows-and seems to be quite open to discuss the past-i do think though the memory of a gig that long ago might not be remembered now by them concerning the concert list-well as systematic rogans research was he could have missed out one one gig.
and maybe the burnley gig was after the ritz not before as there is some space between the first in 1982 and second gig the next year-so its likely there was another gig before the manhattan

 

[Jukebox Jury]

well someone could ask joe moss or johnny or andy about it-the latter both do quite some radio shows-and seems to be quite open to discuss the past-i do think though the memory of a gig that long ago might not be remembered now by them concerning the concert list-well as systematic rogans research was he could have missed out one one gig.
and maybe the burnley gig was after the ritz not before as there is some space between the first in 1982 and second gig the next year-so its likely there was another gig before the manhattan

One small fact to consider:
Dale Hibbert played one gig - at The Ritz.
Andy Rourke's first gig was The Manhattan.
So if there was a gig in between those two gigs, who played bass?
Andy and Mike's DVD captures the early days perfectly, if there were other gigs, they would have been included.

Jukebox Jury

 

[sistasheila]

One small fact to consider:
Dale Hibbert played one gig - at The Ritz.
Andy Rourke's first gig was The Manhattan.
So if there was a gig in between those two gigs, who played bass?
Andy and Mike's DVD captures the early days perfectly, if there were other gigs, they would have been included.

Jukebox Jury

oh-i didnt consider that indeed-i stand corrected -what about the possibilty of the burnley gig happening after rourkes join in then? well i dont know-just a guess *shrugs*