The Clash

The Clash

Conventional wisdom tells us the Clash had jumped the shark by the time they played Shea in 1982. That October night, the UK punk foursome endured rain and a classic rock crowd eager to see the Who – headlining and claiming the tour to be their last – not to mention personnel conflicts (guitarist Mick Jones quit within months). Happily, the late Joe Strummer never had much use for conventions. In a twist, the leader of a bunch of anti-capitalist snots was enjoying the commercial traction from Combat Rock hits "Rock the Casbah" and "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" (both included here). The live mix is less than stellar, especially when compared to posthumous 1999 live compilation From Here to Eternity, but the band sounds tight and lively at many turns. Especially vibrant are "London Calling" and "The Magnificent Seven" into "Armagideon Time" into "The Magnificent Seven (Return)," as well as "Spanish Bombs," at least when played loud for posterity.