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Tour Madness October 19th to November 4th 1979 - THE 2 TONE TOUR: UK
October 19th BRIGHTON: Top Rank
Line up For This Tour: The Selecter , Madness, The Specials
(Although at some shows the billing is swapped around)
Set
One Step Beyond
Mistakes
Believe Me
My Girl
Swan Lake-Razorblade Alley
Land Of Hope & Glory
In The Middle Of The Night
Bed & Breakfast Man
Tarzan's Nuts
Rockin' In Ab
Nightboat To Cairo
Madness
The Prince
Encore: Shoparound
The '2-Tone' tour marks the biggest adventure so far in the careers of Madness, The Specials and The Selecter. A good 40 shows (including extra dates) are planned, but Madness only stay till the Scottish leg of the tour as America will be their next move. In order to demonstrate that people get value for money, tickets cost 2 50. The '2-Tone' tour starts ( on Woody's 19th birthday in Brighton where Madness upon arrival are welcomed by a group of local skinheads whose leading-man Prince Nutty appears in the video-clip for One Step Beyond. With things running out of schedule and The Specials basically being the deadliness, there's no time for the other two bands to do a proper soundcheck. The crowd don't seem to mind; they're having a good time and that's what counts. Allan Jones reviews the first night for Melody Maker: "The sound of Madness is entertaining in a very kaddish sort of way. Their humour almost forces you to have a good time. A few skins dance around the group. One attempts to snatch Thompson's sax. Madness are playing Swan Lake. Blink! Now they play Razorblade Alley, which goes straight into Land Of Hope & gloat Madness is an inevitable anthem. They close with The Prince and come back for an ill considered version of Shoparound, which is really rather dreadful. "Thanks. You were f***in' wonderfull shouts Suggs at the end, and retreating before another beserk wave of delirious skins'. Suggs returns to watch The Specials on stage. As will be a tradition on the tour, the night ends with an all star performance of Skinhead Moonstomp.
October 20th, 1979: SWINDON: Oasis
Attendance: 2,000 - sellout
Allan Jones writes in Melody Maker 'The evening was an uncomfortable success, the audience reacting with a curiously spineless enthusiasm. The Selecter were benefitting from a better sound, but Madness were afflicted by a hollow balance that seemed to flatten all their attempts to carry the crowd away with them. To dampen the spirits further, we were confronted at the Crest Motel by a manager who refused to serve us all drinks'.
October 21st, 1979: BOURNEMOUTH: Stateside Centre
Set: Same as in Brighton Phil Sutcliffe writes in Sounds: 'Madness weren't so easy. To me they sounded interesting but I didn't warm to them until the last songs and Shoparound. Instrumentals such as One Step Beyond ands Tarzan's Nuts were honking, rough fun all right but the songs had a rueful quality to them which made me wish Suggs was getting me words through to me and giving me more of a feeling for what they're about. I partially caught up with In The Middle Of The Night, a funny tale of a knicker thief. Are they seriously mad or not? Tell me more, I don't need to think about the future of rock'n roll. I don't need The Specials. I need resuscitation'.
October 22nd, 1979: EXETER: University
Octonber 23rd, 1979: PLYMOUTH: Fiesta
October 25th, 1979: NOTTINGHAM: Kimberley Recreational Hall
October 26th, 1979: NORWICH: University Of East Anglia
Madness release their debut album 'One Step Beyond' plus the extracted title-track.
October 27th, 1979: HATFIELD: Polythecnic
Hatfield has a high percentage of National Front supporters, and not surprisingly a lot of neo Nazis turn up with no other purpose than spoiling the evening. Local anti-fascists chase them down but they hurt innocent people as well. Affected by the news that ten youths are hospitalised, Carl decides that he can not perform tonight. The police arrest eleven people while photographer Cameron Mcvey (who shot the 'One Step Beyond' sleeve-picture) has to pay the damage. Tour-manager John Kalinowski (aka Kelloggs) gets sacked for his neglecting, but will be reinstalled after Lee phones him to apologise on behalf of the band. Media-coverage of this incident results in further negative publicity for ska-(associated) bands and Madness in particular.
October 28th, 1979: WOLVERHAMPTON: Civic Hall
Attendance: 2,000 - sellout
Due to financial problems the ticket-price is screwed up.
October 29th, 1979: BIRMINGHAM: Top Rank
October 30th, 1979: BLACKBURN: Golden Palms
October 31st, 1979: HANLEY: Victoria Hall
November 1st, 1979: MANCHESTER: Apollo
Attendance : 1,500 - sellout
Mark Raddcliffe, DJ for BBC Radio, recalls in his biography Showbusiness the first time he saw Madness : "That night at the Apollo, it was all irresistible ska showpieces; The Prince, One Step Beyond, Nightboat To Cairo and Swan Lake during which Tchaikovsky may have been rotating in his tomb, but if he was, he was doing it in a series of rhythmic jerks. The great thing about Madness was that they exuded good humour, like they were just a bunch of mates out for a laugh."
November 2nd 1979: LANCASTER: University
November 4th 1979: SHEFFIELD: Top Rank
November 5th 1979:LEICESTER De Montfort Hall
Attendance: 2,500 - sellout
November 6th 1979: PORTSMOUTH guild hall
Attendance: - sellout
November 7th, 1979: CARDIFF, WALES: Top Rank
Upon their return from the BBC studios in London, Madness (and The Specials, who also appeared on 'Top Of The Pops') find out that the tourbus has been burgled; several clothes and portable televisions are missing.
November 8th 1979: DERBY: King's Hall
Due to police investigation after the burglary in Cardiff, the three bands arrive late in Derby. Although there's no time for a soundcheck, Madness look for a pub where they can watch their 'Top Of The Pops' appearance that was taped the previous day. The search ends at the headquarter of taxi-company Eagle Cars whose employees are rewarded with autographed copies of the One Step beyond single and free entry to the show. A power failure occurs during the first song and after an onstage soundcheck it becomes clear that the bass and organ are not working properly. The other bands come to the rescue by lending their instruments even though time is running out. Madness play a five song set during which Carl plugs Eagle Cars.
November 9th, 1979: NEWCASTLE: Mayfair
Set
Tarzan's Nuts
Mistakes
Believe Me
My Girl
Swan Lake-Razorblade Alley
Land Of Hope & Glory
In The Middle Of The Night
Bed & Breakfast Man
One Step Beyond
Rockin' In Ab
Nightboat To Cairo
Madness
Encore: The Prince
In the afternoon Carl tells Deanne Pearson of New Musical Express what he thinks of nee-Nazis in attendance at the band's concerts. His comments are precisely misinterpreted that it looks like Madness have no trouble with right-wing thugs. The negative publicity only makes matters worse while an as much Innocent Pearson doesn't become the band's favourite person. Meanwhile at the show, Madness decide to change the set. One Step Beyond and Tarzan's Nuts swop places with the latter linked to the ''Hey soul's- intro. Madness ends the main-set after which the band return for a widely-participated version of The Prince. Still that isn't enough as the crowd clamour for more.
November 10th, 1979: STIRLING, SCOTLAND: University
The tour reaches Scotland for five consecutive shows.
November 11th, 1979: GLASGOW SCOTLAND:
November 12th, 1979: EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND: Tiffany's
November 13th, 1979: ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND: Rufles
November 14th, 1979: AIR, SCOTLAND: Pavillion
After 25 dates, Madness play their last gig on the 2 Tone Tour. Following their own set they come back in the nutty train pose to wave goodbye before taking the left-exit. Dexy's Midnight Runners will take their place on the tour as it continues while Madness have their sights set on an American tour, but not before they return to London for some more shows.
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