The Smiths - Free Trade Hall 1986 - Placard?

[dynamiccoins]

Hi,

First post so take it easy on me

I'm on a bit of a nostalgia trip and I was checking out some old footage of The Smiths when a memory popped into my mind about the Free Trade Hall gig in 86 and I wondered if anyone could confirm something for me.

So...I was there and here's the story....

So leading up to the Free Trade Hall gig me and my mates didn't have tickets. I was desperate to go as I'd not seen them live before, so I kept trying to convince someone to come and stand outside the venue with me on the night of the gig on the off chance we could bag a ticket - we lived in Cheshire (just south of Manchester) so it was a little bit of a trek into town. I was a student at the time so was strapped for cash (as were my mates) and I couldn't convince anyone to go. In the end I thought sod it Ill chance my arm. I borrowed my mums car (black Renault Fuego - my god they look dated now), drove in and parked up in a side street near the Free Trade Hall and went and stood outside. I remember to this day I had about £12 on me (all the money I had in the world) and the touts were asking for £30.

I was stood there on my own as everyone was going in thinking this is a complete waste of time when out of nowhere this guy comes up to me and say..."are you after a ticket?" I thought he was a tout or someone who would ask for a load more cash than I had so "yes" I sighed. "Cool" says this guy "my mate cant come and I don't want to sell it to a tout - give me a tenner and its yours". I couldn't believe it! It was a great seat to, near the front in the stalls dead centre. I remember sitting there on the back of the seat, blown away by the whole thing. After the gig I got back home and no one could believe what a lucky git I had been

Now the bit I'm trying to confirm.....I am sure Morrissey came on carrying a placard which read "Two pints of lager" - the reason this stuck with me is there was a tune from back in the day by Splodgenessabounds - Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps Please - great tune check it out I seem to remember someone saying it was because he had come on at another gig with the placard saying "The Queen is Dead" and he had been hit by something thrown from the crowd.

I have checked passionsjustlikemine but there is no mention of this.

So I wondered if anyone knew if I am right and if I am if there's a photo from the gig which might prove one way or another....or if all those days spent in the Hacienda later on have caused a memory failure

Sods law there is no footage from that gig.

Oh and I kept the ticket stub for years at my folks house....they moved and threw it out with the rest of my stuff!

Thanks for reading
Take it easy

 

[MORRIZSEY]

Hi,

He held this placard on stage during that tour, but I think it was at the Brixton Academy gig at the end of 1986

Hi,

First post so take it easy on me

I'm on a bit of a nostalgia trip and I was checking out some old footage of The Smiths when a memory popped into my mind about the Free Trade Hall gig in 86 and I wondered if anyone could confirm something for me.

So...I was there and here's the story....

So leading up to the Free Trade Hall gig me and my mates didn't have tickets. I was desperate to go as I'd not seen them live before, so I kept trying to convince someone to come and stand outside the venue with me on the night of the gig on the off chance we could bag a ticket - we lived in Cheshire (just south of Manchester) so it was a little bit of a trek into town. I was a student at the time so was strapped for cash (as were my mates) and I couldn't convince anyone to go. In the end I thought sod it Ill chance my arm. I borrowed my mums car (black Renault Fuego - my god they look dated now), drove in and parked up in a side street near the Free Trade Hall and went and stood outside. I remember to this day I had about £12 on me (all the money I had in the world) and the touts were asking for £30.

I was stood there on my own as everyone was going in thinking this is a complete waste of time when out of nowhere this guy comes up to me and say..."are you after a ticket?" I thought he was a tout or someone who would ask for a load more cash than I had so "yes" I sighed. "Cool" says this guy "my mate cant come and I don't want to sell it to a tout - give me a tenner and its yours". I couldn't believe it! It was a great seat to, near the front in the stalls dead centre. I remember sitting there on the back of the seat, blown away by the whole thing. After the gig I got back home and no one could believe what a lucky git I had been

Now the bit I'm trying to confirm.....I am sure Morrissey came on carrying a placard which read "Two pints of lager" - the reason this stuck with me is there was a tune from back in the day by Splodgenessabounds - Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps Please - great tune check it out I seem to remember someone saying it was because he had come on at another gig with the placard saying "The Queen is Dead" and he had been hit by something thrown from the crowd.

I have checked passionsjustlikemine but there is no mention of this.

So I wondered if anyone knew if I am right and if I am if there's a photo from the gig which might prove one way or another....or if all those days spent in the Hacienda later on have caused a memory failure

Sods law there is no footage from that gig.

Oh and I kept the ticket stub for years at my folks house....they moved and threw it out with the rest of my stuff!

Thanks for reading
Take it easy

 

[Anonymous]

Wow now that is amazing....i cant thank you enough. It must have been the same one. So I wasn't quite right but not bad seeing as though it was so many years ago - must have been Splodgenessabounds putting me slightly off track

Can I ask where you got the photo from?

As a way of thanks I'll tell you my (only) other Smiths story....

There used to be (it might still be there?) a guitar shop on Oxford Street in Manchester called A1. Me and a friend were in there one day must have been in and around 1984/5, as he played bass and he wanted to check out some stuff. It was quiet but there were two other guys in there, one of which was messing about on a guitar - it was Morrissey and johnny Marr ! We stood watching in awe for the next while as Jonny Marr tried a few different guitars playing around with them!

As they left we said hello and had a chat with the two of them and to this day I wish I'd got them to sign something - no chance of a photo it was back in the day and we didn't have a camera - no mobile phones etc back then!

Thank alot for the help.

 

[dynamiccoins]

Wow thanks a lot - I can only think it was the same one at the Free Trade Hall....and I blame Splodgenessabounds for putting me slightly off track

Can I ask where you got the imagine from?

 

[NIPPON]

http://www.morrisseyscans.com/post/5769330011/feature-mojo-april-2001

There's a picture here of both placards used in TQID tour.

Hope this helps.

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.morrisseyscans.com/post/5769330011/feature-mojo-april-2001

There's a picture here of both placards used in TQID tour.

Hope this helps.

It was a single placard, double sided. I remember Morrissey turning it around.

 

[dynamiccoins]

Hi,

Thanks to all of you - really appreciate the replies

 

[Cornflakes]

I've never heard the theory that this was a request aimed at missile throwers, but it maybe makes sense. I thought it was meant as a bar order.

 

[Anonymous]

Wow now that is amazing....i cant thank you enough. It must have been the same one. So I wasn't quite right but not bad seeing as though it was so many years ago - must have been Splodgenessabounds putting me slightly off track

Can I ask where you got the photo from?

As a way of thanks I'll tell you my (only) other Smiths story....

There used to be (it might still be there?) a guitar shop on Oxford Street in Manchester called A1. Me and a friend were in there one day must have been in and around 1984/5, as he played bass and he wanted to check out some stuff. It was quiet but there were two other guys in there, one of which was messing about on a guitar - it was Morrissey and johnny Marr ! We stood watching in awe for the next while as Jonny Marr tried a few different guitars playing around with them!

As they left we said hello and had a chat with the two of them and to this day I wish I'd got them to sign something - no chance of a photo it was back in the day and we didn't have a camera - no mobile phones etc back then!

Thank alot for the help.

A1 was like heaven back then. To the outside world it was a tiny guitar shop, but to those in the know it was Mr Ben. A secret world existed beyond that doorway behind the counter. Rooms and rooms of guitars, amps, drums etc. I've seen quite a few musicians, many at the top of their game, happily spend hours in those back rooms. The staff were so laid back, it was like having the keys to the sweet shop.

Then they opened up the side entrance on New Wakefield St, and the secret was out.

 

[DavidA]

Hi,

He held this placard on stage during that tour, but I think it was at the Brixton Academy gig at the end of 1986

Also found at Johnny's Glastonbury set this year.