April 23, 1976 - Nashville Rooms, London
Trt - 41:45
Number of Songs - 12 (incomplete?)
Format - cassette
Sound Quality - slight distortion from a hot recording
Rating - 7
Official/Semi Official Release - Nashville Fight Night LP
REVIEW
This in some ways is one of the most important gigs in the history of the band as it is “The Night of the Fight”, that is the Vivienne Westwood fight that members of the band reportedly left the stage to join in and you can actually hear it happening during “Pretty Vacant”. Which is good because they were actually crucifying the song. The violence that occurred this night was never again to leave the reputation of the Pistols and in some ways could have influenced future punks who attended Pistols gigs. The playing is great and the tape sounds pretty good but is a little hot sonically, most noticeably Johnny’s vocals. Most copies of this tape that circulate are mislabeled as the April 3rd gig and include two tracks actually from that gig tacked on at the end. The easiest way to spot this tape is go straight to “Pretty Vacant” and listen for the fight. The song falls apart, there is screaming and what sounds like Glen saying “Leave it out, don’t do that” and then the song starts up again and they finish. Brilliant! Unfortunately that is the last song so either the club didn’t allow them to play anymore or the tapes are incomplete. Does anybody who was there remember if they played more after “Pretty Vacant”?
To make sure your is not the April 3rd gig check the setlists as they are different, most noticeably is the position of “Steppin Stone” and the omission of “Whatcha Gonna Do About It” which actually could have been played since there is a slight cut after “Seventeen” which could have just been due to the tuning. Hard to tell.
DRAWBACKS
Obviously the slight distortion on the tape and the fact that it is usually mislabeled and the possibility that it is incomplete. The cuts, one on the opening song “Did You No Wrong” has the beginning cut off and the one in between “Seventeen” & “Steppin Stone” and then again after “Problems” before “Satellite”. Nothing sounds inserted however.
SETLIST
Did You No Wrong
No Lip
Seventeen
Stepping Stone
No Feelings
New York
No Fun
Submission
Substitute
Problems
Satellite
Pretty Vacant