1995 major US and UK tours

CHARLESTON WV Mountain Stage

January 22, 1995. Radio broadcast from Mountain Stage. ‘Fifteen minutes; They Don’t know; Caroline; Miss Otis regrets; Still life; Free world; Roll me easy; My affair.’

Kirsty visited Charleston for a radio broadcast live show from Mountain Stage, accompanied by Pete Glenister and occasionally the Mountain Stage house band. Decent tapes of this performance used to be available from Airwaves Concerts in San Diego USA, maybe still. Other acts on the stage that day were Tom Paxton, Baaba Maal and Lucy Kaplansky.

PHILADELPHIA PA Tin Alley

January 25, 1995. “Wasn’t there, but got a tape of that gig too. Class act all the way and gone too soon.” Source: SH

MINNEAPOLIS IL Miravonda Coffee Cafe

January 27, 1995. “Private show for a radio station here in town.” Source: DT

MINNEAPOLIS IL Loring Cafe

January 28, 1995. Source: DT

GLENDALE CA Radio Session at KSCA Music Hall

February 2, 1995.  Surce: BG

Kirsty MacColl KSCA Music Hall 2-2-1995

The Music Hall is the hallway outside the deejay booth at KSCA FM.  Really good recording.

BBC Radio 1, Kevin Greening Show

February 20, 1989. ‘A new England, Caroline, Free world, He’s on the beach’. Pete Glenister (guitar). Later released on ‘What do pretty girls do?’

LONDON Jazz Cafe, Camden

Kirsty with Brian Kennedy
Kirsty with Brian Kennedy

March 7, 1995. A special appearance in Brian Kennedy’s gig.

LONDON Mean Fiddler

March 10, 1995. Special guest: Billy Bragg. (no support). This was a warm up gig for the American tour.

ATLANTA GA The Point

March 13, 1995

PHILADELPHIA PA Theatre of the Living Arts

March 15, 1995. “I Don’t remember going to this gig. However, I got the ticket and I‘ve taped both shows that I was at so I must have been there.’ Source: SH

ALEXANDRIA VA The Birchmere

March 17, 1995 (support: Fossil). Notes from 1993 gig: ‘A very intimate venue – 150+ or so (I‘m guessing). The place was sold out, totally packed. A great gig, one of the best if not the best I‘ve seen. She didn’t perform “I Wanna Be Sedated“ that night (although she did when she returned to the Birchmere on St. Patrick’s day 1995 for the Galore tour – I almost went to NY the next day to see her at Tramps!). ’Source: TH

NEW YORK NY Tramps

March 18, 1995 (support: Ruth Gerson & Fossil). ‘Titanic Days; Caroline; Free World; Mother’s Ruin; Children of the Revolution; Innocence; Miss Otis Regrets; Bad; My Affair; He’s On The Beach; Can’t Stop Killing You; Don’t Come The Cowboy With Me Sonny Jim!; Walking Down Madison; You Just Haven‘t Earned It Yet, Baby; A New England + Perfect Day; They Don’t Know; I Wanna Be Sedated + There’s a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop..’

Tramps poster from New York 1995
Tramps poster from New York 1995

“I thought it was time that I sat down and sent an email recalling the Kirsty MacColl concert at Tramps in NYC March 18, 1995 – this is the one which I sent you the poster from – I‘m glad to see that it made it on to the website. I have been thinking about this show a lot since Kirsty passed. I didn’t realize just how lucky I was to have seen her at the time. I didn’t know that she rarely toured … but something told me I needed to attend.

In addition to Ruth Gerson, Fossil also played as an opening act. They were the ‘special guest‘ listed on the poster. Kirsty did not take the stage until quite late… and the audience was quite drunk. The club was packed and noisy … especially back by the bar. I remember that she asked people several times, between songs, to be quiet. She finally gave up, saying “Well, you paid your money to get in here I guess you can do what you want.“

Some of these people were probably there for one of the opening acts – they seemed to have little knowledge of her songs. ‘Chip Shop’, the final encore, received the most enthusiastic response. There were the devoted fans at the foot of the stage, though. She asked if there were any requests, and mentioned some guy up front who was “Mr. Requesting Obscure B-sides.“

I recall her version of ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’ like it was yesterday – I hope there is a decent recording of Kirsty doing this number somewhere. I recently found the set list I had scrawled on a scrap of paper the next day. There are one or two songs missing – I was still getting to know Kirsty’s music at the time, and didn’t know a couple of titles. I have since forgotten what they were.” Source – BF

BOSTON MA The Paradise

March 19, 1995 (support: Fossil). Guitar: Pete Glenister, Bass: Marcus Williams, Drums: Roger Johns.

Partial song list: ‘Haven’t Earned It Yet, Tread Lightly, Can’t Stop Killing You, Mother’s Ruin, A new England, They Don’t Know, Chip Shop, (I Wanna Be) Sedated’.

Ticket from Boston Paradise gig
Ticket from Boston Paradise gig

“I can vouch for this gig having taken place because I was, happily, present. The Paradise is a small club and the house was far from packed that Sunday night after St. Patrick’s Day, but appreciative. The Boston Globe’s Jim Sullivan and I both liked the show very much, and Kirsty’s ‘Sedated’ later made Sullivan’s end-of-year list (and my private one) of great rock ‘n‘ roll moments in Boston.’ Source – WE

PHILADELPHIA PA Theater of the Living Arts

March 20, 1995 (support: Fossil). “I went early — several hours early — in order to meet Kirsty. And I did — we chatted for about a half hour as her people hauled in their gear. She was very friendly. She signed my ‘Titanic Days’ jacket, which is attached to this email, and she also gave me some fun promo material from Galore.

Dedication from the US Tour
Dedication from the US Tour

I was front row, center for the show itself. Fossil opened, and received the typically stoic Philly crowd reception reserved for unknown openers. However, the audience was very excited and enthusiastic for Kirsty. The people in attendance all seemed like die-hard fans. The first half hour had some serious sound problems, which resulted in a rather frustrated yet perky Kirsty stopping the show in-between songs so the sound people could get their act together. To pass the time, she asked me, “So could you hear me at all?“ I said, “Not really. Mostly just bass distortion.“ She then spoke into the mic to the sound people, “There’s a girl in the front row who says she’s going to kill someone if you Don’t turn down the bass.“ She winked at me. Everyone laughed.

‘The rest of the show was fantastic. I wish I could remember the exact setlist — I just know I heard just about everything I wanted to hear and then some. She looked like she was having loads of fun, and was talking to the audience a good bit. I remember she made a Bobbit joke when she introduced ‘Bad’. The audience showered her with love — and she seemed most appreciative. She sang several audience shout-outs, which sent the crowd into rapture. Despite the sound problems, it was a warm show — one of the friendliest concerts I‘ve ever attended. ” Source: Patty

ST. LOUIS MO Mississippi Nights

“March 1995? I just cannot remember the date. She was here — that one time. I think it was around ‘96 [most likely ‘95 since we have no record of any tour dates in ‘96]. It was very folky, musically. I reviewed the show for the Riverfront Times. She was slightly heavier than I imagined her (but still lovely) and had on a long sort of hippie dress. She played an acoustic guitar. I forget the opening band. She signed the CD after the show. She seemed very shy — but sweet.”Source: Jordan

PITTSBURGH PA

March 24, 1995 “7pm show, can’t remember the support act, though. Anyway, it was a terrific show. Rosebud was a rather intimate club space with a bar, tables, dance floor, and a small balcony area. Kirsty and band were wonderful. I can’t remember the set-list. All in all, it was a great show that my wife and I are still so happy we saw. A rare treat, indeed.” JMS

CINCINNATI OH Bogart‘s

March 25, 1995 “I saw Kirsty on Saturday March 25th, 1995 at Bogart’s in Cincinati Ohio. We were walking down the street before the show and saw her in a restaurant with her band. We went in to talk to her and said we were sorry for disturbing her during dinner. So she gave us backstage passes. There were maybe 100 people at the gig. After, we spent about an hour talking to her and Pete backstage. They even gave us a beer. She was very nice, yet very shy. She was as interested in us as we were in her. A great memory.” Source: DC5

CHICAGO IL Double Door

March 27, 1995 (support: Fossil). Guitar: Pete Glenister, Bass: Marcus Williams, Drums: Roger Johns

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nrhPywlljO8/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEXCPYBEIoBSFryq4qpAwkIARUAAIhCGAE=&rs=AOn4CLDGUz26mR0bPsRGRRZojwgnvYKRUA

“I got to meet and talk with Kirsty after this show. I‘d played at the Double Door a few days earlier with my old band, Owen Meany, so my friend Dona and I wrote “We love you Kirsty – Dona & Jackie“ on the ceiling pipe in the dressing room. After Kirsty’s show, we went down to see her and get her autograph, and she‘d seen our message, and knew to spell it “Dona“ with only one “n“. Dona was walking on air for days after that. The message is still up there.” Source: JMS

MINNEAPOLIS MN Fine Line Music Club

March 28, 1995 (originally thought to be the 25th). Bass: Marcus Williams, Drums; Roger Johns, Guitar: Pete Glenister. Set list: ‘ Titanic Days, Caroline, Freeworld, Mother’s Ruin, Bad, Innocence, He’s On The Beach, Tread Lightly, Roll um Easy, Children Of The Revolution, Can’t Stop Killing You, My Affair, 15 Minutes, Sonny Jim, Walking Down Madison, You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby, A New England + Chip Shop, They Don’t Know, I Want To Be Sedated’

MINNEAPOLIS MN Acoustic Set

Minneapolis Small Acoustic Show 1995

Earlier in the day Kirsty performed a small acoustic set with Pete Glenister which was broadcast on local radio: ‘ Fifteen minutes, A new England, Free world, Still life, Miss Otis regrets, Don’t come the cowbo, Caroline, They Don’t know and My Affair.’

World Cafe

Also on this tour, Kirsty made her second appearance on the networked World Cafe radio program hosted by David Dye, performing ‘Caroline’, ‘They Don’t know’ and ‘Roll um easy’ live in the studio. This show was rebroadcast on January 9th, 2001 in a tribute to Kirsty. Source: PK

SEATTLE WA

March 29, 1995 (date unconfirmed)

“I was fortunate enough to see Kirsty and her band at a club in Seattle, Washington a few days before her Los Angeles Troubadour concert. I cannot find the ticket stub for the exact date and name of the club (it has apparently changed names since then). The show was, of course, fantastic and converted me as all I had known before then was that she wrote Tracey Ullman’s hit single. I just wanted to let you know that she played Seattle at about the end of March, 1995 but it is not on your list. The set list was the same, as far as I can remember, as the Minneaplois show, including “I Wanna Be Sedated“ (“an old American folk song“, as she introduced it). Thanks for the great site!”

BOULDER CO Fox Theatre

Boulder ticket
Boulder ticket
Boulder set list

March 30, 1995 ‘Titanic Days; Caroline; Free World; Mother’s Ruin; Bad; Innocence; He’s On The Beach; Tread Lightly; Roll Um Easy; Children of the Revolution; Can’t Stop Killing You; My Affair; [Miss Otis not played]; Fifteen Minutes; Don’t Come The Cowboy With Me Sonny Jim!; Walking Down Madison; You Just Haven‘t Earned It Yet, Baby; A New England + Perfect Day; They Don’t Know; There’s a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop…; I Wanna Be Sedated ’

Scans by Tom Lawrence with thanks

Boulder advert
Boulder advert

ALBUQUERQUE NM El Rey Theater

March 31, 1995 (date unconfirmed)

TEMPE AZ Gibson’s

April 1, 1995 (date unconfirmed)

SCOTTSDALE AZ

April 2, 1995 (date unconfirmed)

“She played in a rather intimate place, which might have held 150 people, tops. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy the performance, but after the show she sat down and signed autographs and chatted with the audience in a one on one setting. It was so easy to see how successful Kirsty was and how polite she was to her fans.” – JS

RENO NV Hacienda del Sol

April 3, 1995 (date unconfirmed)

SAN FRANCISCO CA Great American Music Hall

April 4, 1995

San Francisco ticket stub
San Francisco ticket stub

“I went with my roommate and had a few Mexican beers intermittently, and I stood very near the front. I was more of an ’80s fan of Kirsty’s music (“Electric Landlady”) and less familiar with her latest songs, so her eyebrows seemed to raise conspicuously when I started gyrating wildly to “Children of the Revolution” as it was a song I knew well. I remember it was more of a reggae-type feel than the studio version, perhaps it was the bongos?” – JEL

LOS ANGELES CA Troubadour

April 5, 1995 (capacity 450, tickets $12.50)

Reviewed by Variety Music: “Veteran English singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl’s dramatic and perky pop songs of faith, disenchantment, heartache and hopeful naivete are soothing and uplifting — written with a keen view of the human experience. In concert, though, much of the singer’s appeal is lost because she conveys little of the emotional attachment found on her recordings. ’

Despite her songs‘ involving lyrical nature and the wealth of musical influences she borrows from, many of the tunes played at the near-capacity Troubadour came across as faceless. MacColl swung back and forth between engaging and flat-out shallow. The softer-spoken songs were more effective — namely, a sweet rendition of Little Feat’s “Roll Um Easy” and MacColl’s own “Children of the Revolution.” Others, like opener “Titanic Days,” were surprisingly bland.“

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO CA Coach House

April 6, 1995 (Support: Fossil, Kerry Getz). ‘Titanic days; Caroline; Free world; Mother’s ruin; Bad; Innocence; He’s on the beach; Tread lightly; Roll me easy; Children of the revolution; Can’t stop killing you; Fifteen minutes/ Don’t come the cowboy with me, Sonny Jim!; Walking down Madison; You just haven’t earned it yet baby; A new England; Dancing in limbo; Miss Otis regrets; Chip shop; (I wanna be) Sedated’

The LA Times reported that the band (Glenister, Johns and Williams) “played with fire and precision” with Glenister providing “scorching solo breaks”. Kirsty’s music, while ranging “from jaunty country to rich psychedelia” had a “distinctive touch” throughout. Her set received two standing ovations “from an audience whose enthusiasm far outstripped its size”. Local singer Kerry Getz opened the show, and “with each successive performance she appears to be securing a voice of her own”.Middle billed Fossil hailed from New Jersey and were described as “tuneful” though “unnecessary”. Oh well..

SAN DIEGO Belly Up, Solana Beach

April 7, 1995 (date unconfirmed)

1995 Tour Flyer
1995 Tour Flyer

REDCAR Bowl

May 7, 1995. Start of the May UK tour.

GLASGOW Garage

Glasgow Garage ticket, 8 May 1995
Glasgow Garage ticket, 8 May 1995

May 8, 1995 (support: The Libertines). Using a basic rock lineup of guitars, bass and drums including the former Ruts rhythm section of Dave Ruffy and Vince Seggs and Pete Glenister. Gary Sandford (ex Aztec Camera) was also involved around this time.

Titanic days; Caroline; Free world; Angel; Bad; Innocence; He’s on the beach; They Don’t know; Tread lightly; Mother’s ruin; Roll um easy; Children of the revolution; Can’t stop killing you; My affair; Big boy on a Saturday night; Fifteen minutes; Don’t come the cowboy with me, Sonny Jim!; Walking down Madison; You just haven’t earned it yet baby; A new England; There’s a guy works down the chip shop swears he’s Elvis; Brown eyed handsome man; I wanna be sedated.

“Kirsty only rarely emerged from behind the big rock band sound to play the more subtle arrangements which she provides so well on record. It was also LOUD – I was standing so close to the speaker stack my ears buzzed for a whole week. I remember Kirsty complaining that not enough people were dancing!” Source: HLW

NORWICH University of East Anglia

May 10, 1995.

NORTHAMPTON The Roadmender

May 11, 1995 (support: The Libertines).

Roadmender ticket (11 May 1995)
Roadmender ticket (11 May 1995)

CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange

May 13, 1995.

LEICESTER De Montford University

May 14, 1995.

MANCHESTER University

May 15, 1995. On the same tour as Glasgow, Kirsty played at Manchester Students’ Union. She added ‘Miss Otis regrets’ and the tape misses out ‘Brown eyed handsome man’, ‘Mother’s ruin’ and ‘Big boy on a Saturday night’.

LEEDS Town & Country Club

May 17, 1995.

SHEFFIELD University Octagon Centre

Ticket from Sheffield, 1995 tour
Ticket from Sheffield, 1995 tour

May 18, 1995 (support: The Libertines). “I remember there was quite a big set list and she played for about 1 hr 40mins – did the majority of ‘Galore’: started with ‘Titanic Days’, i think she did ‘perfect day, chipshop, bad, can’t stop killing you, innocence, cowboy, madison, new england, 15 minutes, days, beach, they Don’t know, free world‘ and for the encore (yes there was one!): she did ‘Eleanor Rigby‘! But I know she didn’t do ‘Sedated‘ (unfortunately). Great gig – best £7.50 I ever spent !!” Source – LR

WOLVERHAMPTON Wulfrun Hall

May 19, 1995.

CARDIFF St. David’s Hall

May 21, 1995.

PORTSMOUTH Pyramids Centre

May 22, 1995. “As elswhere on the tour Libertines sounds familiar as the support group. Can’t remember the full set list but do recall there was an encore during which a guitar string snapped and so we were given the treat of Kirsty’s solo version of ‘Lydia‘ (“Oh Lydia, oh Lydia That Encyclopedia. Oh Lydia the Tattoed Lady“). A great night out.” Source – RM

LONDON Forum

May 23, 1995. Verified by GT, who was there.

LONDON Fleadh (Finsbury Park)

June 10, 1995. ‘Tread lightly; Caroline; They Don’t Know; Innocence; Free World; Miss Otis regrets; My affair; Don’t Come The Cowboy…; Walking Down Madison; A New England; I Wanna be Sedated’

“Other acts featured included Sinead O‘Connor, Courtney Love, the Beautiful South, Saw Doctors, Shane MacGowan, the Frames, the Dubliners, Dervish, Van Morrison, Capercaillie, Christie Hennessy, Big Geraniums, Big Country, John Martyn, Brian Kennedy, Boyzone and non-Celtic headliners the Beautiful South. The Fleadh, now in its fifth consecutive year, is a festival dedicated to Celtic music and its diaspora. ’

The line-up illustrated well not only the geographical dispersal of Celts, but their cross-cultural influences as well. Irish traditionalists like the Dubliners, Christy Moore and Mary Couglan were counterbalanced by D:Ream’s progressive house music, Blink’s neo-punk and the soft rock of New Zealand’s Crowded House. The 35,000 revellers were blessed on Saturday with the weather of an early summer‘s day. The crack, as well as the beer, was flowing.

‘The one shadow was cast by Shane MacGowan, a character who could illustrate the tortuous tie between muse and booze. The ex-Pogues‘ gravelly voice seemed badly fractured; Pogues‘ songs like ‘Streams of Whisky‘, ‘Sally McLennane‘ and a version of ‘Whisky in the Jar ‘which followed Thin Lizzy’s arrangement, were delivered in a hoarse rasp. The Popes, MacGowan’s supple new five-piece band, seemed undermined by the singer’s between-song rambles. Kirsty MacColl made a guest appearance to duet on ‘Fairytale of New York ‘and to waltz slowly with MacGowan. With its themes of bitterness, booze and the loss of love, MacGowan’s song was chilled by his evident decline and the overall effect was one of immense sadness. [later] Kirsty MacColl rolled out her impeccable, velvet-trimmed back catalogue.” Source: LG

This show was broadcast by BBC Radio.

releasedJune 1995
‘Perfect Day’ single released on Virgin.

LONDON The Grand, Clapham

July 21, 1995.

“The only time I saw Kirsty play live. There with my closest friend, who still is. After the show the place became a nightclub!” – PC2

STOKE-ON-TRENT The Wheatsheaf

July 22, 1995.

“One hell of a hot day as i remember and even hotter in the pub! This gig was like a dream come true for me, made all the more special being on the eve of my 35th birthday,and kirsty played an absolute blinder. Had my photo taken with kirsty (still holds pride of place on my living room wall)and while signing my c.d sleeves she politely told me off because i hadn’t got a copy of ‘titanic days‘ !! With that cheeky grin she wished me a happy birthday (it had gone 12 o‘clock by now) and that was it, and pardon the pun but for me it was a ‘perfect day”. DS

LEEDS Roundhay Park (Heineken Festival)

July 23, 1995. “I also remember seeing her at Leeds Town & Country Club in 1995. As well as doing her own set at the Heineken Festival, she also joined Shane MacGowan & The Popes for ‘Fairytale‘..” – MH

WARRINGTON Parr Hall

July 24, 1995 (support: Tansads). “I recall it being a very good gig, but also very uncomfortable,due to it being a really humid july evening.” – WC

releasedJuly 1995
‘Days’ single re-released on Virgin as TV advert tie-in.

released1995
‘As Long as You Hold Me’ recorded for ‘Mad Love’ film soundtrack.