1978-10-06 London - City of London Polytechnic (England)
Due to problems with the car they were using, The Cure arrived late for the concert, which is why their performance as support act for Wire had to be cancelled.
Day of the week: Friday
Tour: -
Tour: -
thanks to Petr H.
from the book 'Cured - The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys' (Lol Tolhurst)
We were due to support Wire again at the next gig they had in London. We decided we should go in something else rather than the murderous Crow-mobile and got another friend to drive us to London. Unfortunately, his van broke down and we missed playing the gig entirely.Parry was furious, and told us in no uncertain terms, "You have to be more professional."
from unknown source
Smith, Tolhurst and Dempsey were so startled by the Wire experience, in fact, that they almost crashed their van on the way home from the show - money being so short at this stage, they were required to drive home after most shows, a risky endeavour that would shorten Dempsey's term in The Cure. The next night they went one worse - they didn't even show up for the gig. But the cause of their no-show was out of their hands. They were relying on a Horley local, a man with a van named Phil, to get them to the show at the London Polytechnic. But his motor broke down on the trip north and by the time they reached the venue, Wire was already on stage. The Cure's offer to play after the headliner was firmly, politely refused. Backstage, Chris Parry was fuming at the trio's amateurish approach. If the band was that casual in the future, he shouted, "You'll never get another booking again." Having vented his anger, Parry and the band adjourned to a pub, where Smith, Tolhurst and Dempsey - showing more than a little spunk, given the night's calamity and their label head's mood - floated the idea of "turning professional".
Support | The Cure
Headliner | Wire
Headliner | Wire
The Cure arrived too late and did not play.
Venue address:
102, 105 Whitechapel High StLondon E1 7RA
Venue related links:
Venue trivia:
- The upper floors, known after the war as Fairholt House, housed shipping and freight agencies, though by 1970 the former drapers' assistants' floors had become the students' union of City of London Polytechnic;
The Cure appearances at this venue:
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