Remembering Joe's 5 night stand at St Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn.

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Blackmarketclash
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Remembering Joe's 5 night stand at St Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn.

Post by Blackmarketclash »

It's hard to go back in time and recall just what a great time the sequence of shows was. I went over with Ant Davie and a few others. Manchester Kev and Nial. Ant had a pass and with an opportunity to go backstage too.

I recall so fondly going over Brooklyn Bridge and back under it to some old run down red warehouses. One was St Ann's. All industrial and a reminder of New Yorks rich past. There was a bar a few doors up on the corner. Long, wooden with a long bar to the right. Mid afternoon it looked a quiet place looking for whatever passing trade it could get. So many fans went ion there before, I presume most. Afterwards it was packed and think had some sort of after hours. Joe did come in and had a small room downstairs smoking pot.

St Ann's itself had a high ceiling roof with some black curtains. Behind them was standing area in front of the stage, Off by the entrance upstairs was backstage where amongst many familiar Clash faces notably Mr Pink (Steve Buscemi) was. It's a small world sometimes and certainly with Joe. His was the world. Having said that Martin Slattery lived a few doors from me in a village called Baxenden. His mate, Ged Lynch lived across the road where he drummed in the garage. Weird as prior to the Mescalero's I didn't know Martin. Mind you, post Clash insipid music outside of Britpop had nothing to hold to the Clash.

Most of all I recall the atmosphere. It's strange knowing on the fist night there incredibly another four in succession. It was a residence where there last night had as much about it as the first. The excitement was bounding. To this day I cannot play Take a Walk on Wild Side from New York without getting all nostalgic.

It was also were I met some other member of the ether world. Names and monikers from message boards. Notably Cylia's. I made great friendship with a New Yorker who's days went back to the Clash. I came over early and went to stay in New Jersey at Dans who did most of the recordings, audio and video along with a little recorder I had. This was not long after 9/11 and there were Stars and Stripes in every New Jersey garden. Big flags. White picket fences and generous gardens with those wooden homes with veranda that are so popular over there.

I also met Joanne and we have met for many years, occasionally, since. At Joes funeral and then in Washington when I was over there.The USA is a great country with by and large great people. Those five nights amongst New Yorkers, and those who had come in to town, was so memorable. I wish it could all happen again. Sadly we are left with fading memories and thanks to Dan and others some great recordings that capture a week that was a week to always remember.

Wolter
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Re: Remembering Joe's 5 night stand at St Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn.

Post by Wolter »

This was a lovely reminiscence.
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Sparky
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Re: Remembering Joe's 5 night stand at St Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn.

Post by Sparky »

I'm with Wolter, great read, thanks for sharing your memories with all of us.
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Low Down Low
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Re: Remembering Joe's 5 night stand at St Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn.

Post by Low Down Low »

Great read, thanks for sharing. Recall reading about the shows and apres shows at the time and being mad jealous not to be there.

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Re: Remembering Joe's 5 night stand at St Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn.

Post by Heston »

Thanks, nice words.
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coffeepotman
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Re: Remembering Joe's 5 night stand at St Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn.

Post by coffeepotman »

There was definitely something in the air during that run, it was like hanging out with old friends and Joe and the band were so "on", they were totally in tune with the audience, it's hard to explain. The recordings don't do it justice.

I remember my wife asking if all old Clash fans became university professors and knew each other.

I saw 2 of the shows and I wish I had gone to all of them. So good, better than any other Joe show I have ever been to.

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Re: Remembering Joe's 5 night stand at St Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn.

Post by Flex »

Great reminsince, thank you for sharing!
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JennyB
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Re: Remembering Joe's 5 night stand at St Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn.

Post by JennyB »

Thank you for this. It was lovely.
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Re: Remembering Joe's 5 night stand at St Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn.

Post by dave202 »

I had those shows but lost them years ago on a hard disc crash. I lost a lot of other stuff too, but those are the shows I haven't managed to replace. Great story about the visit, it adds depth to what little I knew of the series of gigs.

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Re: Remembering Joe's 5 night stand at St Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn.

Post by sonnyburnit »

I was lucky enough to be there for one of the nights, April 5th and it was amazing. There definitely was a buzz in the air and it was the best I ever saw the band. the couple of years together in that incarnation of the lineup was firing on all cylinders and the vibe was all love. We stayed for a bit after the show at the bar near the venue and talked with Martin who was giving us some updates on the new album… he sounded so excited about it and said it was really rocking hard. If I knew it was the last time I was going to see Joe I would have stayed all night and hopefully got a chance to thank him in person. I’m thankful I did get to meet & talk with him, albeit briefly, at a couple previous gigs but this one was different. We all know how much Joe loved NY and it didn’t feel like a curtain call, it felt like a celebration of old friends & new who were excited to see where this merry band of Mescaleros was going to go. The party ended way too soon but for those few years between 99-02 we were all treated to some amazing nights and memories that, although will fade over time, will put a smile on our faces anytime we revisit them.

coffeepotman
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Re: Remembering Joe's 5 night stand at St Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn.

Post by coffeepotman »

I was just going back and listening to some of the recordings, they are all low bit rate, 128-192, guess that's what we had back then. Anybody have 320 or FLACS?

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