Gigography

This list of gigs by Europeans and How We Live has grown substantially since I started it in Summer 2000. I've added more comments and details from Geoff, Steve, Colin and Ferg, plus various reviews and photos. The list here was compiled from tour ads, music magazine classifieds, reviews and various other sources. If you can fill in any more details, then please email me, at t.glasswell@btinternet.com (Geoff Dugmore) "They were all fab in their own way"

1980

Thanks to Nick Atkins (early Europeans sound engineer), I have been able to compile a list of early shows performed by the band:

02/09/80 Rock Garden, Covent Garden, London

01/10/80 Ronnie Scott’s, London

13/10/80 The Bridgehouse, Canning Town, London (support)

16/10/80 Half Moon, Herne Hill (support)

18/10/80 Basildon

20/10/80 Top Rank, Brighton

28/10/80 The Ship, Maidstone

(Steve Martin, fan) I worked at a pub called The Ship, in Maidstone from 1980 to 1982 (actually it was technically a wine bar I think). The pub started having a live band every week, some of which ventured down from London. I can remember the names of a few of them: Alcatraz (local NWBHM band that released a couple of albums), Nicky Moore Band (blues rock singer who later replaced Bruce Dickinson in rock band Samson and is still on the blues circuit I believe), Hotel UK (Liverpool version of Sad Café who released a single) – and the Europeans. It was a long time ago now, and I can’t remember that much. But I do remember how the Europeans stood out. They went down extremely well and had a good following at the pub, and it was very clear what a well-rehearsed tight outfit they were and that they would surely have a future. They got on well with the pub landlord’s family (also Scottish) – the landlady wanted to mother them! After the band had got their kit away and the pub was cleaned and tidied for the night, it would be a drink or two with the band and landlord’s family. I remember Fergus saying he wasn’t sure what his mum would say when she found out he’d bleached his hair! I remember a coach trip being organised at the pub, to go and support the band at a gig somewhere (can’t remember where, London I guess - I missed the coach and the gig). I remember them quite simply as being a bunch of nice guys. On reflection I guess Steve Hogarth was a little different – though this could just have been because he was the newer member and wasn’t a Scot.

01/11/80 Sunderland

07/11/80 Half Moon, Herne Hill, London (support)

08/11/80 ROK rockstore London (support)

11/11/80 The Ship, Maidstone

20/11/80 Peckham, London

23/11/80 The Ship, Maidstone

04/12/80 Dagenham

05/12/80 Newlands Tavern, Peckham, London

08/12/80 Richmond Hotel, Brighton

17/12/80 The Towers, Walthamstow, London

18/12/80 Central Hotel, Gillingham

19/12/80 Porchester Halls, Bayswater, London (supporting Paul Goodman)

20/12/80 Lewisham Odeon (support)

21/12/80 Half Moon, Herne Hill, London

22/12/80 The Ship, Maidstone

1981

31/01/81 Prince of Wales, Gravesend

03/02/81 The Ship, Maidstone

04/02/81 Ashtree, Gillingham

14/02/81 Half Moon, Herne Hill, London

20/02/81 Imperial College, London (supporting John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett)

25/02/81 Snoopies, Richmond

26/02/81 Tramshed, Woolwich

27/02/81 The Greyhound, London

28/02/81 Terminus, Gravesend

01/03/81 Kensington, London

06/03/81 Queen Mary College, London (supporting John Otway)

(Steve Hogarth) “The Europeans were John’s backing band on the ‘All Balls and No Willy Tour’ and we were known as the ‘Band Behind the Curtain.’ We were literally behind a sheet. I was party to a lot of wreckage on that tour but never personally damaged fortunately. I remember one night seeing John take off his shirt and he had the full imprint of his pedals across his back, where he had done a forward roll over his own equipment!”

(John Otway) "I sang in front of a screen and they were featured in silhouette behind me - This was the only way I could get them on the same stage"

(Colin Woore) "Nearing the end of the set, I would drape a towel over my head and then put on a top hat - Wild Willy Barrett magically appearing. We were pretty knackered after a few nights though as we were also the support act and were supplying and moving the PA and all the gear."

(Geoff Dugmore) "I remember that quite well. We rented him our PA system and in return we got to open up for him. So, we opened up for him as the Euros but we had to play for him as well as this 'band behind the curtain. In some respects it was a lot of fun, although when I look back on it I think we were probably being used. I think it was youthful naivety and the desire to succeed ! "

(Steve Hogarth again!) "We were behind a white screen and Otway was in front. We were backlit so the audience could only see our silhouettes. Colin used to wear a tea-towel on his head under a top-hat so they all thought it was Willy Barrett. I guess it was my first real tour. We worked hard but it was a blast. All our friends came to see us. They were mostly Scots. They're all millionaires now"

12/03/81 Shuttleworth College, Biggleswade

18/03/81 The Venue, Victoria, London (supporting John Otway)

13/04/81 The Pits, The Greenman, London (supporting Purple Hearts)

Image from here

15/05/81 Birmingham (supporting Chelsea)

16/05/81 Wolverhampton (supporting Chelsea)

22/05/81 City of London Polytechnic (supporting Chelsea)

05/06/81 Clarendon Hotel, Hammersmith (supporting Chelsea)

06/06/81 Clarendon Hotel, Hammersmith (supporting Chelsea)

07/06/81 The Rock Garden, Covent Garden, London

(Andrew Vimpany-Preston) “The support that night was my band ‘The Signals.’ We were the venue manager Sean’s ‘go-to’, last-minute slot fillers and were just glad of the gig! Although we were only the support, the Europeans were friendly, and allowed time for us to have a decent soundcheck. We were also amazed that the stage monitors were actually switched on for us. The gig was very well attended for a hot summer's Sunday evening. I think the Rock Garden could officially hold around 300 people at most, but it seemed that there were a good many more than that packed in that night. It was a good-natured crowd, a great atmosphere, and both bands were given a couple of encores. I have a couple of pictures taken from the stage entrance, which shows just how small and packed the venue was (and just how much space Europeans keyboards/synths took up at stage left).” 

25/06/81 The Ship, Maidstone

26/06/81 Aston University, Birmingham (supporting John Otway)

19/07/81 Kensington, London

20/07/81 Clarendon Hotel, Hammersmith, London

21/07/81 The Greyhound, Fulham, London (supporting Spang)

23/07/81 The Ship, Maidstone

25/07/81 The Half Moon, Herne Hill, London

27/07/81 The Rock Garden, Covent Garden, London + ‘Brunel’

22/08/81 The Marquee, London (supporting 'Everest The Hard Way')

I was sent a copy of a ‘bootleg’ cassette made at this 1981 gig by a fan (ZM). He also sent me a copy of the Marquee gig listing leaflet & poster, although there is no mention on the band’s name! Sound quality is average – what you would expect from being taped unofficially at The Marquee! This early Europeans setlist is fascinating. ‘Sanctuary City’ ‘Tokyo’ ‘(Drink) Pink Zinc’ and ‘Trend on Trend’ were Motion Pictures / Scotch numbers. ‘Tunnel Vision’, ‘Going to Work’ & ‘Joining Dots’ were songs that Steve brought with him from The Newtrinos. ‘Uniforms’ ‘American People’ and ‘Someone’s Changing’ were original songs that the Europeans had worked on together in early 1981. ‘Idiots’ is the only track I’m not familiar with here, and is more than a little strange, sounding like an embryonic version of ‘Climb the Wall.’

(ZM) “[I have] vague hazed images. Possibly people dressed in white. We were back to London from Scotland. Used to get around, travelling and seeing concerts. Use to go to see nearly everything at the Marquee. Also saw Budgie, before moving to the Reading festival. The track list is unusually precise. I must have copied it from the setlist.”

23/09/81 Greyhound, Fulham, London (supporting Buzz)

27/09/81 The Ship, Maidstone

28/09/81 The Rock Garden, Covent Garden, London

29/09/81 Starlight Rooms, West Hampstead, London

(Review : Melody Maker, 10th October 1981) "Amazing what a few months can do. An average four-piece club outfit, The Europeans looked straight and sounded straight. That was April. Now they've gone overboard on image and their songs have gone into overdrive. Gone is the casual 'wear-what-you-like' look of old. In are tight white skin piercing trousers, colourful tops, black leggings and bare feet. Still experimental, the new image requires refinement but it's a great improvement. The material's the killer though. Sharper than ever, songs like 'Joining Dots' & 'Tokyo' are blasting, pumping, aggressive slices of punchy pop; a nod to the tougher edge of the Sinceros, while 'Going to Work' (an anthem for the unhappily employed) convinces with its abrasive guitar riff curling through the verse and the power of the song's sentiments. And they've got a lot more up their sleeves as well; definitely a band to keep your eye on.- Paul Strange."

30/10/81 Queen Elizabeth College, Kensington, London

06/11/81 Half Moon, Herne Hill, London

26/11/81 Manchester University

27/11/81 City University, London

28/11/81 Guildford University (supporting John Otway+ Jon Benns)

02/12/81 The Rock Garden, Covent Garden, London +Mxyztplk

04/12/81 Bath College of Technology (support)

05/12/81 Christs College, Liverpool (support)

06/12/81 Kingston Polytechnic

07/12/81 101 Club, Clapham, London

08/12/81 South Dorset Polytechnic

11/12/81 North Staffordshire Polytechnic

12/12/81 Folkestone

18/12/81 The Regal, Hitchin (support)

21/12/81 Oxford

22/12/81 The Ship Inn, Maidstone

??/??/81 Mile End Road (supporting John Otway)

??/??/?? The 100 Club, London

??/??/?? The Hope & Anchor, Islington, London

??/??/?? The Thomas a Beckett, Old Kent Road, London

??/??/?? North East London Polytechnic

1982

08/02/82 The Assembly Rooms (supporting John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett)

13/02/82 City Hall, St Albans (supporting John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett)

17/03/82 Rock Garden, Covent Garden, London + Troops for Tomorrow

30/04/82 City University, Islington, London (supporting Secret Affair)

16/05/82 Starlight Rooms, West Hampstead, London + Vital

Note who was playing the venue only two nights before the band!

03/09/82 Quay Club, Exeter

05/09/82 Maestro’s, Glasgow

06/09/82 Tiffany’s, Newcastle

07/09/82 Mainline, Doncaster

09/09/82 Warehouse Club, Leeds

10/09/82 Sound Cellar, Cambridge

06/09/82 Tiffany’s, Newcastle

24/09/82 BBC Studios, London

Europeans appeared on the flagship BBC live music show ‘The Old Grey Whistle Test’, playing ‘The Animal Song’ and ‘The Spirit of Youth.’

29/09/82 Central London Polytechnic

??/12/82 ‘Peace Party’, Capitol Theatre, Horsham (supporting Scarlet Party)

(David Western, Europeans artist / designer): I first met the band at a benefit gig i helped to organise at the Capitol Theatre in Horsham, West Sussex in December 1982. The addition of the Europeans to the bill really raised the event as we'd been impressed with their single 'Animal Song'. This became the main influence for the screen printed poster. Europeans were featured as headliners and stars of the show [which they certainly were] but at Polydor's insistence they played second on the bill to Scarlet Party, an entirely forgotten mod revival outfit. The poster itself had the desired effect and led to the commission of the LP sleeve.

“Here’s the original screen printed poster for the benefit gig in Horsham, Sussex where i first met the band.  Seems like a good place to begin as Europeans were suitably impressed enough to commission me to design their debut album cover.  Please note that this rather ambitious poster was printed in 6 colours at the last minute on a makeshift printing bed in my mate’s kitchen.  He made a wonderful job of it considering those crude conditions and the mis-registration is part of it's charm.  There may be better copies but this is the only one i have.  It was a fairly small print run with most of them pasted up around town.  So this, as far as i can tell is one of the salvaged copies.  Also note the influence of 'The Animal Song' and Europeans prominent position on the poster.  The spitfire, by the way was drawn by my Dad, Mike Western who worked on many British comics.”

1983

25/05/83 The Venue, Victoria, London (supporting Mink DeVille)

Photos by Per-Ake Warn. Visit his website at http://www.monokrom-photos.com/ to see them full size, plus lots of other great B&W band shots!

31/05/83 Lyceum, The Strand, London (CND Benefit, supporting Midnight Oil)

02/06/83 Maida Vale, London (BBC Radio One session)

According to the book ‘In Session Tonight – the complete Radio 1 recordings’ by Ken Garner, Europeans recorded a session for BBC Radio One at Maida Vale studios in London on this date. It was transmitted on the Kid Jensen Show at 8pm on 15/06/83. The tracks played were: Spirit of Youth, Falling, Going to Work and Innocence.

10/06/83 Central London Polytechnic

11/06/83 Angies, Wokingham

13/06/83 Rock City, Nottingham (supporting Midnight Oil)

16/06/83 Dog & Trumpet, Coventry

17/06/83 JB's, Dudley

18/06/83 Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham

23/06/83 Triffids, London + Honest

24/06/83 Angies, Wokingham

27/06/83 Faces, Birmingham

30/06/83 Newman College, Birmingham

02/07/83 Crystal Palace, London (Concert Bowl Festival)

04/07/83 Faces, Birmingham

05/07/83 Fridge, Brixton, London

09/07/83 Half Moon, Herne Hill, London + Philip Jap

??/07/83 Alexandra Palace, London

‘No 1’ magazine (16 July) reported that ‘a charity gig at Alexandra Palace nearly ended in a brawl because it was too loud for some, and too quiet for others. “The rival factions started on each other, and halfway through our set the stage was full of threatening, red-faced officials” they moaned. “We wouldn’t have minded so much, but it was so embarrassing. The venue holds over 3000 people – but only a couple of hundred turned up.”

19/07/83 Fridge, Brixton, London

(Geoff Dugmore) "Every year A&M had an annual conference in London, and we went to it one time and got so drunk it was unbelievable! I remember waking up the next morning, on my own, in the suite that had been hired by the president of A&M. I don't know how! We had a gig that night at 'The Fridge' in Brixton and we were so hideously hung over it was horrendous, but the gig was good. We did a residency there."

20/07/83 Highgate Lazers, London

22/07/83 Dingwalls, Newcastle

23/07/83 Leadmill, Sheffield

26/07/83 Fridge, Brixton, London

27/07/83 Highgate Lazers, London

30/07/83 Dingwalls, Hull

02/08/83 Embassy Club, London

03/08/83 Highgate Lazers, London

04/08/83 Warehouse, Leeds

10/08/83 Liberty's, Birmingham

11/08/83 Dingwalls, Bristol

12/08/83 Moles Club, Bath

18/08/83 Jungle, West Kensington, London

20/08/83 Tin Can, Birmingham

??/09/83 'LA' Palace, Los Angeles, USA (+ The Ascenders)

(Ferg Harper) "The record company were a little over generous in the 'entertainment' that they were giving us prior to the show. Without saying too much, there were several lagers quaffed, and certain other substances involved, so by the time we hit the stage, we were not in the best condition. It was probably the most pivotal gig of our career, in as much as MTV producers and all the media were there to watch it, and we basically came out and played the whole set at 78rpm instead of 45rpm ! Apparently the front of house sound wasn't the best either, 'cos it was a very echoey venue. I remember at the time, our guitarist Colin was going out with Toni Childs, the American singer, and she was a great champion of our cause. She'd lived with us in London, and come to our gigs. And I just remember when we came off stage she said "What the f*ck happened?" And we were like, 'Oh, was it not good ?' And that was probably the critical point of us not getting the full backing in America that we probably should have.

(Steve Hogarth) "The song 'Better Dreams' (from the 'Ice Cream Genius' album) is about Los Angeles for the first time...how it struck me. I remember getting into an elevator lift and when the doors closed I realised it was just me and Debbie Harry. Then it stopped, she got out and Little Richard stepped in!"

(Review : Billboard Magazine, 24^th September 1983) "What can you say about a show whose high point was when the keyboard player tripped over his own riser and fell spread-eagled on the stage, his microphone hitting the boards with a syncopated ka-thunk! You can wonder why A&M flew Scotland’s Europeans to the US for a limited tour (New Yok and Los Angeles) in support of the new ‘Recognition’ EP. The band had barely 45 minutes of material to present, and played to the smallest house the Palace had seen all season. This despite the fact that the band’s ‘Animal Song’ is on such heavy KROQ rotation that it has become the station’s theme piece. Lead singer Fergus Harper dresses like a Chinese peasant and wears a hairstyle best described as ‘exploding mushroom cap.’ His antics, combined with keyboardist Steve Hogarth’s imitation of a refugee from ‘Adam and the Ants’, attempt to add life and energy to songs that won’t stand up on their own merit. The group perform: Innocence, Recognition, Falling, Television (sic – probably Tunnel Vision) and AEIOU (not to be confused with Ebn Ozn’s ‘AEIOU and Sometimes Y). And they did Animal Song twice. If we missed one, it’s because their songs all sounded pretty much the same. The show was opened by Orange County’s ‘Ascenders’ who had been signed to Boardwalk, poor boys. They played their straightforward pop with frenzied attention, hoping to get yet another once-in-a-lifetime break.” Ethlie Ann Vare.

??/09/83 California, USA

??/09/83 The Ritz, New York City, USA

(Ferg Harper) "I think that was the only gig on the American tour where we really excelled. We got used to being in America. The sound was good, we had a good stage to play, good lighting. I was one of those gigs that just fired off. There were quite a few people there. Billy Idol's guitarist was there and he thought we were fantastic. And 'Flock of Seagulls' were there. They had seen us in Los Angeles, and liked us enough to follow us to New York and watch this gig. And everybody when we came off said 'oh, that was absolutely blinding.' It was shame we hadn't done that gig in the Palace in L.A, but, hey, you can't control these things !"

(Geoff Dugmore) "By the time we got to 'The Ritz' we realised what it was that we were supposed to be doing. We weren't there to have party. It wasn't a holiday. We were actually there to work. A lot of that was down to our manager who guided us unbelievably badly through that whole thing."

(Steve Hogarth) "I tie these little rags around my fingers.  I've always worn them, since years ago I cut one of my hands very badly, and a year or so later I started wearing bandages round my fingers.  It's become a superstition and whenever I don't, terrible things happen.  Once, at The Ritz in New York, I didn't wear them and the PA blew up.  The bass gear went down, and so did the keyboards.  The band had to go offstage, and we couldn't come back on again for ages because nothing worked!" (Rogues Gallery Interview 1991, Dave Ling)

Wed ??/09/83 Boston, USA + Sister Sledge

(Ferg Harper) "I remember we met Robert Plant at that gig in Boston. He was there for some bizarre reason. I don't know why!"

(Colin Woore) "We were on tour in the US following a lot of airplay on the East and West coasts of the Animal Song and MTV exposure of the video (raw meat edited out by censors of some kind).  The gig in Boston was in a large club that could put on two separate shows on their back-to-back stage on the same night.  The backstage area, as we found out later, was communal. Robert Plant was in Boston and came down to see the show with his girlfriend.  We'd never met him before but new that he was in an old band called "Led" something.  Sister Sledge were performing on the other side of the stage behind us that night, but we hadn't had any contact with them.  After our show, he came backstage to say hello.  We were all really hungry and had barely eaten anything all day, so we all got stuck in to the excellent rider food which we thought had been supplied by the club for us. Just as we were polishing it all off,  Sister Sledge appeared from their last encore, which was " WE ARE FAMILY " or was it  "WE ARE FAMISHED" only to witness the last bits of their food being devoured. That really went down like a Led......something."

Thu ??/09/83 The Living Room, Providence, USA

Fri ??/09/83 Brooklyn, New York City, USA

Sat ??/09/83 Peppermint Lounge, Manhatten, New York City, USA

16/09/83 Dingwalls, Camden, London + Kane Administration'

22/09/83 Halesowen Liberties, Birmingham

24/09/83 Rockathon, Shepton Mallet

27/09/83 Queen Mary's College, London + 'Annabel Lamb'

28/09/83 The Regal, Hitchin + 'Annabel Lamb'

29/09/83 Angies, Wokingham

30/09/83 Crocs, Rayleigh + 'Annabel Lamb'

01/10/83 Porterhouse, Retford + 'Annabel Lamb'

04/10/83 Kings College, London + 'Annabel Lamb'

(Review : Sounds, 22nd October 1983) "...The Europeans are a whole hospital ward of accidents in a musical sense. Virtually each song has a rousing, memorable chorus (even if they all sound a little similar), but the verses tend to ramble incoherently and get lost in the cross-rhythm. Still, they have several saving graces: their infectious enthusiasm, the screeching attack of guitarist Colin and the edgy, pulsating emotion of 'Going to Work', their one truly great song. At the moment, the Europeans are too anxious, too wired for frantic response to get near the heart and soul of an audience... - Johnny Waller"

05/10/83 Sheffield Polytechnic (Freshers Ball)

06/10/83 Warwick University + 'Annabel Lamb' (Freshers Ball)

07/10/83 The System, Liverpool + 'Annabel Lamb'

08/10/83 Bradford University + 'Annabel Lamb' (Freshers Ball)

09/10/83 Bangor University + 'Annabel Lamb' (Freshers Ball)

(Y’ Seren UCNW Student Newspaper 27^th October 1983) “Usually we pull a reaction out of the audience, but tonight the audience pulled a reaction out of us” enthused Steve Hogarth, the keyboard player of the Europeans, after their gig at Bangor Student Union on 9^th October. Their set started off slowly, working up to an explosive finish, in which the crowd was sprayed with a fire extinguisher. This, Steve later exclaimed was a result of natural exuberance.” – read the full article here) “

10/10/83 Lancaster University + 'Annabel Lamb'

11/10/83 Birmingham Polytechnic + 'Annabel Lamb'

12/10/83 Huddersfield Polytechnic + 'Annabel Lamb' (Freshers Ball)

13/10/83 Hatfield Polytechnic + 'Annabel Lamb'

14/10/83 Nottingham Trent Polytechnic + 'Annabel Lamb'

15/10/83 Wolverhampton Polytechnic + 'Annabel Lamb'

17/10/83 Leeds University + 'Annabel Lamb'

(Source: Leeds Student – Independent Leeds Area Student Newspaper – Friday 28^th October)

18/10/83 Fagins (or The Hacienda), Manchester + 'Annabel Lamb'

19/10/83 Leicester Polytechnic + 'Annabel Lamb'

Photos by Thomas Oldfield on Flickr. See all the photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7159476@N04/sets/72157626450337950/with/5599000826/

20/10/83 Bournemouth Academy + 'Annabel Lamb'

21/10/83 London City Polytechnic + 'Annabel Lamb'

22/10/83 London School of Economics + 'Annabel Lamb'

25/10/83 Hammersmith Palais, London + 'JoBoxers' & 'Milkshakes'

27/10/83 De Brak, Venray, Holland

(Poster and clipping thanks to Pieter Bexkens)

28/10/83 Eucalypta, Winterswijk, Holland

Gig Poster from here

29/10/83 The Hague, Holland (AM) & Arena, Rotterdam (PM)

The band played a three-song set at a large CND festival in the Hague and a smaller club gig in the evening. The Melody Maker reported that "lengthy delays, language and technical difficulties, a lack of Dutch co-operation and Geoff Dugmore's heavy bout of 'flu' had prevented them from putting on a decent show." There was a poor turnout for the evening gig (50 people rather than the expected 500!) largely due to the entire Dutch railways system being blocked by the huge crowds from the CND festival, trying to get home!

(Geoff Dugmore) "We played at an open air festival in Holland somewhere in time and I remember having a fever of 104 and feeling crap but in true Europeans style carried on. During the gig I felt great but after got taken to hospital where I remember a nurse sticking a thermometer up my bum ! Not a great way to remember a gig."

30/10/83 Paradiso, Amsterdam (supporting The Cocteau Twins + Dead Can Dance)

Gig Poster from here

The band played a radio session before their evening Amsterdam gig:

“Europeans successfully blast the Dutch airwaves with a live 30 minute set of some of their best material. The sound is superb, "American People" chopping past neatly on a salvo of thundering drums, dazzling keyboard runs, eerie, crackling guitar and boisterous bass. The band warm to their task, turning up the heat for "Falling", a bleak "Tunnel Vision", a great new song called "Typical", culminating in a triumphant "The Animal Song." (Paul Strange, Melody Maker - read the full article here)

(Geoff Dugmore) "That was a very weird gig. I actually thought that it was a fantastic show, and I remember coming off stage and feeling very elated. Then we listened to the 'Cocteau Twins' with Liz Fraser singing in floods of tears, and it really took the wind out of my enthusiasm that night. I'd never seen anybody perform with such emotional conviction, bearing their soul so openly on a stage. It had a striking effect for me personally. "

??/11/83 Dingwalls, Camden, London

(Review : NME, 5th November 1983) "The recipe from which Europeans were concocted is a common one : add a dollop of the Associates to a dash of Bryan Ferry, and stir with a far too generous helping of the not so Thin Tanned Duke. It doesn't take an Egon Ronay to see that this mixture doesn't gel. In the studio, the drums / bass / guitar / synth line-up make a somewhat lifeless stab at the white Euro-rhythmic disco beat, as championed by Simple Minds. On stage, The Europeans over compensate for their lack of drive on record resulting in all semblance of melody being lost somewhere between the monotonous bangs and crashes. The Europeans try too hard to appeal to all, and end up pleasing no-one. - Ziyad Georgis."

18/11/83 University of Sussex + The Glass Lemmings

25/11/83 'The Tube' (UK TV)

The band played 'American People', 'Innocence' and 'Tunnel Vision' on this Channel 4 music show. (Ferg Harper) "That was one of the better ones, apart from Steve almost ending someone's life by throwing that fire extinguisher! It knocked the electronic box off the wall and nearly killed one of the stage hands ! And did we care ?"

08/12/83 The Garage, Nottingham

09/12/83 North Staffordshire Polytechnic, Stafford

(Simon Buckmaster, fan): "I knew one of the guys who was big in the Student Union at the time, and he liked the Europeans, so he booked them for the Christmas Ball.  The concert was more polished and less energetic (than their previous gigs at the venue).  I got one of Geoff's well beaten drumsticks at the end of the show, which I kept for many years."

10/12/83 Huddersfield Polytechnic

13/12/83 Dingwalls, Camden, London

14/12/83 Dingwalls, Camden, London

15/12/83 London City University

(Mark Thompson, Manager) “I hired a mobile studio for two days, brought in David Lord (a close friend) and recorded two consecutive nights at London University. David, I and Paul Owen (the band’s live engineer) mixed it over Christmas. By the way, everything was original on the album except the applause, which was dubbed from a Bob Dylan live album!” (Geoff Dugmore) "It was a great night, great crowd and we played our butts off, as I remember." ('Live' Record Sleeve) "Highlight of the entertainment .... was a scintillating set by the Europeans, a band who were so hot on the night you could almost feel the fire slide up your back."

1984

(Steve Hogarth) "The biggest Spinal Tap Moment I ever had was in the Europeans. I once ran off stage and crashed out some exit doors which slammed shut behind me, leaving me out in the street in the snow on a cold winters night, wet through with sweat from head to foot. I had to run round the building to the front doors where security refused to let me back in. I could hear the band back on stage for the encore as I shivered in the street!"

20/01/84 The Chelmer Institute

25/01/84 New University of Ulster, Coleraine (cancelled)

26/01/84 Queens University, Belfast (cancelled)

27/01/84 TV Club, Dublin + Amazulu (cancelled)

According to the NME, the these Irish dates were cancelled “owing to the collapse of Eammon Andrews’ entertainment business”

28/01/84 Golddiggers, Chippenham

The show was filmed for the BBC's 'Sight & Sound' music show, and broadcast live (simultaneously) on BBC2 and Radio One. The set was : (warm-up / sound tests) American People / Going to Work; (broadcast set) Typical  / Spirit Of Youth / American People Innocence / Falling / Joining Dots / A.E.I.O.U. / Animal Song; (non-broadcast songs) Tunnel Vision / Writing for Survival

(Ferg Harper) 'The broadcast faded off as I sang an extraordinary flat note ! Quite a disappointing end to the evening. I thought 'Shit, you did have to sing that flat bit right at the end !'"

(Geoff Dugmore) "We kept getting these great 'In Concert' TV and Radio things and I could never quite understand why, because we didn't seem to sell any records. That was the strange thing about the Euros - we could sell out venues but we could never translate it into album sales. In retrospect, I think we were a 'musicians' musicians' type band as opposed to a 'pop' band. "

29/01/84 Henri Afrikas, Glasgow + Amazulu

30/01/84 Fat Sams, Dundee

The band announced in the national music press that they were looking for local supports for their 1984 UK Tour.  They received 174 tapes, and chose the lucky bands listed below. 

(From ChartBeat Magazine)

(NME? Jan 1984): "The response confirmed the Europeans' belief that agents, social secretaries and bands themselves could do more to provide opportunities for local acts during a tour rather then simply selling off the support slot to groups with major label deals.  A Europeans spokesperson said last week 'It should not be regarded as a privilege for bands to play support slots on decent stages in their home towns, but rather as a right.'"

31/01/84 Edinburgh University + Back at the Front

01/02/84 Huddersfield Polytechnic

02/02/84 The Venue, London + Apocalypse + The Opposition + Ti-Na-Na

(Music Week –18^th February 1984)

03/02/84 Wolverhampton Polytechnic + Wildflowers

04/02/84 Manchester Polytechnic + The Herbs

06/02/84 Clouds, Preston

07/02/84 The Beer Keller, Liverpool + Wildflowers + Ad Astra

08/02/84 Pink Elephant, Luton + Tora Tora

09/02/84 North East London Polytechnic + Junk

10/02/84 The Box, Arnhem, Holland

11/02/84 De Eland, Delft, Holland

(Inge Kuijt, Big Europeans Fan) “I was shopping in town with my friend Ciska, when we walked past our local venue in Delft, Holland, and we saw this very large, very yellow poster of 4 very good-looking blokes. It turned out they were playing a concert there that night and we instantly decided, ‘this we have to see!’. We ran to the nearest record shop and bought a 12-inch single, which we played for the rest of the afternoon, so we would be able to sing along to a few songs at least. The 12-inch was American People, the four ‘pretty boys’ were Europeans. The gig was amazing. My friend Ciska and I were at the front, and after about two songs we got into the grip of the music and we danced and danced until we almost dropped down dead. Europeans had just released their LIVE album the month before and they played all of it. The stage was pretty small, so the band didn’t have a lot of room to move about, but it created a very intimate atmosphere. The sheer energy of the performance was overwhelming. A few times during the concert I looked at Ciska and she looked so happy, so excited and thrilled, as if she was having a most unusual experience. And then I realised I must look the same, because I knew what it was she felt.” See Inge’s own recollections page for the continuation of this story...

(All Photos by Inge Kuijt)

A video of this concert exists, shot with a single camera from the back of the venue:

12/02/84 Der Melkweg, Amsterdam, Holland

(Inge Kuijt, Super Fan): “The next day the sun was shining, and it was warm outside, so of course nobody was at the hotel when we phoned! We decided to go to Amsterdam early anyway, and found the band having a drink at a pavement café on the Leidseplein. A happy reunion. The gig that night was even better than the previous one in Delft, or was this just because I already had an inkling that they would become ‘my band, for now and forever’?”

(Photos & setlist, once again, by Inge Kuijt)

(Photos from http://seizoensgebonden.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/the-europeans-melkweg-amsterdam.html)

21/02/84 Venue, Derry, Northern Ireland

22/02/84 Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland

23/02/84 Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland

24/02/84 SFX Centre, Dublin, Ireland + Amazulu?

25/02/84 Leisureland, National University of Ireland, Galway (UCG) + Amazulu

The band appeared on RTE TV show ‘Anything Goes’ in the morning and played the University ‘Tramps Ball’ at Leisureland in the evening.

02/03/84 Sheffield Polytechnic

03/03/84 Glasgow College of Technology

04/03/84 Spring Street Theatre, Hull

09/03/84 Brunel University, Uxbridge

10/03/84 Bristol Polytechnic

13/03/84 Town Hall, Bournemouth

15/03/84 Westfield College, London

16/03/84 Dingwalls, Camden, London

17/03/84 Kent University, Canterbury

(Ferg Harper) "I think that was the one where I lost my teeth ! I seem to remember a problem with one of the monitors. I decided to strip a bit of wire with my teeth, and I pulled my two front teeth out ! So what I had to do for the gig was to get a big bit of chewing gum, stick it in and 'shing like thish.' Trying to keep this chewing gum in my mouth so I could pronunciate !"

The BBC website suggests that a session by the band was played on Janice Long’s Radio 1 show at 7.30pm

23/03/84 Valencia, Spain

24/03/84 Madrid, Spain

12/04/84 Les Bain Douche, Paris

13/04/84 Les Bain Douche, Paris

(Geoff Dugmore) "The concerts in Paris in April '84 were at a venue called Les Bain Douche. I remember it well. It was my birthday and we had a fantastic party after the show."

15/04/84 Hammersmith Palais, London 'Gang of Four' farewell concert + 'Abacush'

(Music Week – 28^th April 1984)

??/04/84 Uncle Po’s, Hamburg

(Rock & Folk Magazine #207, April 1984) “Hamburg in winter. It’s freezing. Even in the "hot" streets, it's freezing. Then you can go into pubs. The Europeans were performing at the Uncle Po, some sort of smoky pub smelling beer. A real paradise island for a Scottish band ... And a treat for the freezing rockers: two sets of a nervous rock. Frantic and original, oscillating between harsh guitar and a cool invading keyboard.” (Full article here)

29/04/84 Alabama Halle, Munich + Psychedelic Furs

(Steve Hogarth) "We did a club gig in Munich where we opened for the Psychedelic Furs... Richard Butler was walking through our dressing room on the way to the stage, and he was floating! It was like he was walking on tip-toes, grinning like a Cheshire cat. He seemed like a magical person, it was like he was all full of something... it radiated from him... some kind of peculiar, creative, insane love. I must have been in the room with him for about two-and-a-half minutes and that was enough. I thought, I'm gonna find out all about what this guy does, because he's just got something... one of those things you can't quite put your finger on, but it's very spiritual."

07/05/84 Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany

Setlist: Typical / Spirit Of Youth / American People / Burning Inside You / Love Has Let Me Down / Writing For Survival / Innocence / Listen / Don't Give Your Heart / Falling I / Joining Dots / A.E.I.O.U. / Animal Song / Tunnel Vision / Falling II / Going To Work

Filmed by European Music show Rockpalast. Not all the songs were broadcast. See the Video page for more info.

Photos taken from: https://rockpalastarchiv.de/concert/europeans.html

??/05/84 Norway, Sweden, Finland Denmark (as mentioned in the Euros newsletter)

05/06/84 The Crypt, Hastings

06/06/84 The Venue, London + Opposition

(Ferg Harper) "I had lost my voice and managed to restore it by using every throat sweet and mixture known to man. Amongst the cures I had been gargling with an aspirin solution and drinking neat whiskey during and after the gig. As a result of that I somehow managed to burn right through part of my stomach causing massive internal bleeding in the following days. I was rushed to hospital with only one-fourth of my body blood remaining and was transfused with about eleven pints of blood as the hole gradually sealed itself several days later."

05/10/84 Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone

First night of the ‘Recurring Dreams’ Tour. (Photos & Set List courtesy of Inge Kuijt)

16/10/84 Swansea University

(Ferg Harper) "By that stage, I was playing a little keyboards in between to try and recreate the sound of Recurring Dreams on stage. We had to do a lot of extra stuff to try and make [the show] sound like the album, so I was playing a bit of synthesizer. It actually worked really well, and we all sang harmonies."

Poster and Photo thanks to John Breakwell

17/10/84 Rayleigh Pink Toothbrush

18/10/84 Town Hall, Fulham, London

19/10/84 Colchester Woods Leisure Centre

20/10/84 City of London Polytechnic

21/10/84 Limit Club, Sheffield

22/10/84 Warehouse, Leeds

24/10/84 Huddersfield Polytechnic

(Rob Davies, fan): “I was a third year student at Huddersfield, studying Electrical & Electronic Engineering. It was an excellent gig and the first I’d ever taken a camera to. Though I was into all kinds of 80’s music, I went there not really knowing what to expect.  I’d seen them a while back on Whistle Test I think, and my mate had just seen them on The Tube, but other than that we knew little about them.  The Student Union Hall at Huddersfield Poly was quite small, and I just remember it being packed out that night… hot, sweaty and really bouncing by the end. Got well soaked with beer during ‘Animal Song' as I recall.  I confess though that it was ‘Acid Rain’ though that stayed in my head when I left the gig, and I went out and bought the ‘Recurring Dreams’ album that weekend.  The song is as relevant today as it was back then and became a lifetime favourite of mine. I picked up the ‘Live’ album a few months later and still play it today and remember that night. Happy days.”

25/10/84 Kiesas, Leicester

27/10/84 Baths Hall, Scunthorpe

29/10/84 Manchester Free Trade Hall

02/11/84 Mid Kent College, Maidstone

03/11/84 London School of Economics + The Blow Monkeys + Hoorah Boys Hoorah

(Ferg Harper) "The place was packed. I remember the whole crowd jumping up and down, really lapping it up. Everybody was singing the songs, and it was just one of those magic evenings where everything clicked so well. The lights were great, the sound was great, we were performing right on the pinnacle, we had everything absolutely down tacked. It was a totally professional, fabulous show. And we knew it. We came off feeling absolutely electrified by it. There was an incredible buzz when it all went right like that."

(Photo by Ullis Wesley)

07/11/84 Lorre, Delft (cancelled)

08/11/84 Tivoli, Utrecht (cancelled)

09/11/84 Arena, Rotterdam (cancelled)

10/11/84 Paradiso, Amsterdam (cancelled)

12/11/84 Mascotte, Zurich

13/11/84 New Morning, Geneva

14/11/84 Atlantis, Basle

15/11/84 Atlantis, Basle

(Geoff Dugmore) "The unity left us at 'The Atlantis' in Basle, in 1984. I have a very strong recollection of sitting in a bar and suddenly being very aware that two 'camps' had evolved. There wasn't the same 'four people against the rest of the world' thing that we had before. It had all changed."

17/11/84 Szene, Vienna

19/11/84 Maxims, Stuttgart

I recently got my hands on an audience recording of this show. More info soon.

The Set : Innocence / Writing For Survival / Typical / You Don’t Want Me In Your Life / 1001 Arguments / Love Has Let Me Down / Hometown / American People / Acid Rain / Don’t Give Your Hear To Anybody / AEIOU / Tunnel Vision / Falling // Freedom / The Animal Song (again)

20/11/84 Domicil, Munich

21/11/84 Batschkapp, Frankfurt

(Photos from German Newspaper 11/84)

22/11/84 Hunky Dory, Detmold

23/11/84 Odeon, Munster

24/11/84 Jugendzentrum, Nordhorn

25/11/84 Zeche, Bochum

26/11/84 Luxor, Cologne

Live & Backstage photos by Inge Kuijt. Thanks Inge!

27/11/84 Schauberg, Bremen

28/11/84 Fabrique, Hamburg

29/11/84 Outpost, Eindbeck

30/11/84 Metropole, Berlin

(Steve Hogarth) "I did the occasional gig at The Metropole with the euros, and we had some wild times. It just seemed like everybody was so conscious of the fact that they were entirely encircled by this oppression and bleakness, that they were partying to spite it. There was this sense of nobody knowing when it was gonna end, and it was like 'it could be tonight, so let's get out and have a good time. So there was that edge, and that determination to be outrageous, and to do everything that wasn't allowed, just to cross the wall."

(Ferg Harper) "There's a film of us doing 'You Don't Want Me (In Your Life)' at the Metropole in Berlin. Geoff's got a copy of that. There was an interview as well, and we were absolutely shot. We really looked like we'd been on tour for like a month, drinking heavily. We all looked slightly shocked, because we were sleeping in the van."

01/12/84 Metropole, Berlin (?)

02/12/84 Alexandra Palace, London

03/12/84 France (?)

04/12/84 Lyon (?)

05/12/84 Rouen (?)

06/12/84 Montpelier (?)

07/12/84 El Dorado, Paris (?)

08/12/84 Nantes (?)

16/12/84 Marquee, London+ DJ Jerry Floyd

(Ticket stub from Inge Kuijt)

17/12/84 Marquee, London+ DJ Jerry Floyd

(Ferg Harper) "I remember the Marquee dates as always clicking together. I remember the guy who managed the Marquee at the time, said that we were the best band he'd seen since The Police had played there."

(Geoff Dugmore) "By that time we were so anxious, and aware of the fact that it was all slipping away from us. We were more pre-occupied with that than we were with doing the shows. The whole thing was drifting apart. We were clutching at straws rather than being a unit anymore."

21/12/84 Dingwalls, Camden, London + Kalimba + 'Compared to What'

(Melody Maker, Dec 1984): "A much under-rated A&M pop act, Europeans have recently dropped their wacky image and have drastically changed their material.  Straight looking and highly melodic in their latest LP Recurring Dreams (totally ignored by the music press and radio deejays) is a strong statement of poignant, purposeful pop.  Highly recommended."

(Ticket stub from Inge Kuijt)

1985

24/02/85 Shaw Theatre, Euston, London

A benefit gig (with 'The Soul Windows' & 'The Hank Wangford Band') for the 'Medical Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons. This was the last ever concert by Europeans.

(Ferg Harper) "The Shaw Theatre was the last one. I don't quite know why, It was a one off date near the end, but it was very good. We didn't know that it was our last gig."

(Geoff Dugmore) "I don't really recollect too much about it. I remember finishing playing and thinking 'Is the last time we are ever going to do this ?'... which it was!"

1986

19/06/86 Angies, Wokingham

(Raine Shine, keyboard player) "Had a good rehearsal and generally hung out in the sun until it was time to get ready. People started arriving - Next thing I knew, Steve was on stage singing 'Promises' so we all whooped and Colin got on to do 'Working Town'. Next thing, me and Andrew were on to do 'Acid Rain' and then we were into 'India' and it didn't really dawn on me that I was on stage until 'Beat in the Heart' 'cos I was enjoying myself too much to get freaked out! Made a few bummers but nothing too major except bringing on the elephants too soon in 'Wrap me in the Flag' - Got off stage and the audience were demanding an encore so we went back and did 'Freedom' which I jumped on keyboards on - and the first gig was over." (Raine Shine's exclusive How We Live Tour Diary is now online) 

23/06/86 Dingwalls, Camden, London + Love Thy Train

05/07/86 Dudley

11/07/86 Angies, Wokingham

25/07/86 Tunnel Club, Greenwich, London

28/07/86 Rock Garden, Covent Garden, London

03/08/86 Marquee, London + 1000 Mexicans + Martin Ball / Nick Henbry

07/08/86 Half-Moon, Herne Hill, London + Cut the Wire

08/08/86 Angies, Wokingham

13/08/86 Dingwalls, Camden, London + 1000 Mexicans

14/08/86 Moles Club, Bath

Photo courtesy by Ronnie Roberts, via Mark McCormac, confirmed by Steve Hogarth to be Moles club (maybe!)

15/08/86 Tropic Club, Bristol

22/08/86 Red Lion, Gravesend

11/09/86 Colliseum, St Austell (first night supporting Chris de Burgh on his ‘Into the Light’ Tour)

12/09/86 Colliseum, St Austell

14/09/86 N.E.C, Birmingham

15/09/86 Edinburgh Playhouse

16/09/86 Edinburgh Playhouse

(Steve Hogarth) "I had been eating certain substances which are normally smoked in cigarettes. I wouldn't advise you to do this. I ended up completely forgetting everything - my immediate past as well as my distant past and I had to go on stage at Edinburgh Playhouse (sold out) with no idea of how any of the songs went, or any of the words. Two minutes before stage time I was being heartily sick into the car park at the rear of the theatre. I was still outside on my hands and knees when I heard the band strike up. Walking to centre stage with the band already playing and no idea what I would do when I got to the mic. It's one of the outstanding nightmares of my life."

17/09/86 Newcastle City Hall

18/09/86 Newcastle City Hall

(Judith Mitchell, fan) "I remember How We Live more than most support acts. Hogarth wore a long black duster-type coat and sat a piano, with, I think a keyboard on top. I do remember him sitting and even standing on top of the piano at one stage!  'All the time in the world' was getting a bit of airplay on Gary Davies' Radio One lunchtime show, and when I heard the 'How We Live' tape, I recalled the catchy chorus straight away. This had me very perplexed as I knew I'd seen them somewhere, and a trawl through my tickets of past gigs had me wondering. I finally managed to figure out it was Chris De Burgh I'd seen with 'How We Live' - much to Hogarth's embarrassment! In 1991, I was backstage at the 'Holidays in Eden' show in Bradford, and asked Hogarth to sign a few tickets. I'd put the Chris De Burgh one in between, and when it turned up he went as white as his shirt!"

20/09/86 Bingley Hall, Stafford

21/09/86 Liverpool Empire

22/09/86 Manchester Apollo

23/09/86 Manchester Apollo

24/09/86 The Marquee, London + Monty Zero

(Music Week 25^th October 1986)

A night off from the Chris de Burgh tour! Support came from

(Review: Sounds, 18th October 1986) "Usually it's easy to tell what type of band are about to play by the dress sense and hairstyles of the crowd. But if you walked in to the Marquee tonight, you'd have found it bloody impossible. The audience, you see comprised of coloured, spikey hairstyles, a girl wearing jackboots, arty farties, pessimistic housewives and cravat-wearing tourists - a pretty mixed bunch huh? Either How We Live can't be categorised, or their recent tour with Chris De Burgh has attracted a highly diverse following. Their music is breezy, middle of the road, cool calypso, plus both smoochey and lively rock - although listening to their recent single 'All the Time in the World', you'd never guess that this band could offer such a mixture. Elfin frontman Steve Hogarth draws the crowd in. He sings loud yet effortlessly, and springs, crouches and writhes, energised by the sounds around him. He plays piano and the notes tipple like a waterfall with cymbals making metallic splashes among the guitar lathered waves. Each song is markedly different and there's hardly a break between each finger clicking number. How We Live know how to live. It seems that life is there to be enjoyed rather than merely endured, and they do their best to loosen up the unwilling. - Kez Owen"

26/09/86 Wembley Arena, London

27/09/86 Wembley Arena, London

28/09/86 Wembley Arena, London

29/09/86 Wembley Arena, London

01/10/86 King's Hall, Belfast

02/10/86 King's Hall, Belfast

03/10/86 King's Hall, Belfast

06/10/86 Brighton Arena

07/10/86 Brighton Arena (Last night of the Chris de Burgh tour)

08/10/86 Dingwalls, Camden, London

1987

26/03/87 Mannheim (first night of German mini-tour supporting Chris De Burgh + others)

27/03/87 Offenbach

20/06/87 Oldenburg, Weser-ems-Halle

24/06/87 Hannover, Messehalle

25/06/87 Berlin, Waldbuhne

Photos Here:

Colin Woore (li ) und Steve Hogarth (How We Live) in Berlin (imago-images.com)

(Colin Woore) "The Berlin gig took place in a stadium that was a natural amphitheatre in the middle of some woods where Hitler made a lot of his speeches.  We had to enter the stage through Hitler's secret tunnel, which you entered through a hole in the ground in the woods behind the stage area, through a concrete bunker, bringing you onto the stage through a pair of huge metal doors at the back of the stage.  Apparently he used this for theatrical effect - the big doors would open and out he would come.   It was eerie."

27/06/87 Munchen, Galopprennbahn

28/06/87 Munchen, Galopprennbahn

(Colin Woore) "The Munich date was the biggest audience we ever played to - 102,000.  It was a whole day thing, with Tina Turner, Eurythmics, Chris de Burgh, and a couple of others. We were first on.  I started it with the 'Dry Land' guitar riff."

20/08/87 Dingwalls, Camden, London + The Flaming Mussolini’s

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