The Ramones - Warwick University 1978

 

The Ramones - Warwick University 1978

By Pete Clemons

Warwick university, already knowing its growing popularity as an entertainment hub, had made huge strides in the development of what became the Arts Centre.

However, until that building came to fruition, what began as a place of merriment for the students, The Workroom, also grew into a performance venue for the greater public. It wasn't exactly the best rock venue in the Midlands. Far from it.

And, at times this became problematic. None more so, it seems, than when the 'punk rock' era peaked. By and large, but not strictly, it appeared that the genre was favoured by run of the mill gig goers rather than students.

And for those of you who saw (or rather paid for and didn't see) the Ramones at the venue would surly agree.

It turned out to be a night the organisers would never forget. The place was absolutely packed and once a few drinks had been drunk no-one cared about making a fool of themselves. All good clean fun. Yet, at the same time, it was an evening that a lot of the fraternity would have liked to forget.

A review of the gig stated that 'For the support band we understandably had to sit down and so, with the floor not being solid, you got the most amazing vibrations up your arse every time the bass drum pedal was kicked.

I won't attempt to review the support, Snips and the Video Kings, since they were without Snips, who must do a lot for the band 'cause without a lead singer they were struggling, to say the least'.

When the minimalisation kings did arrive on stage everyone understandably stood up and anyone further than 5 rows had no chance of seeing them. Even though Joey Ramone was six foot seven he seemed to have a permanent crouch. Maybe he didn't want to hit his head on the ceiling.

For the Warwick gig they went from 'Blitzkrieg Bop' to 'Pinhead' via just about everything; you name it, they did it. Most songs were introduced merely as '1-2-3-4'. The band were fast and competent.

As a friend of mine said he has been waiting for years to see the band and all he saw was the letter 'O' on the backcloth.

If you were in the front five rows you were subjected to an awful lot of young punks, obviously not post grads, being extremely obnoxious and refusing to conform to what was said to them like, 'move back or someone's gonna get injured'.

Apart from all that the gig was well organised. And The Ramones? Well, they weren't actually that bad......just.

Just listen to their first album, Leave Home, Rocket to Russia or the new one if you missed them and you might well have been there.

The following morning you still had The Ramones ringing in your ears. All in all it had been very hot and it had attracted lots of people. What more can you say?

That said, a few years later when The Ramones returned, a bus left Warwick to see them in Birmingham.

Blitzkrieg Bop Ramones

Rocket to Russia Album.