January 27th, 9.59am and my finger was poised over the keyboard in hope that I would be able to purchase a ticket to see the mighty Killing Joke, my second favourite band of all-time, play at the 350 capacity 100 Club at 100 Oxford Street.
Foremostly this iconic intimate venue was known as a Jazz Club, but it has hosted some of the most famous punk gigs in history, for which sadly I was just too young. 10am came and I got into Gigantic Tickets with minimum fuss and the ticket was in my email inbox by 10.03am. Having heard how other websites crashed leaving prospective gig goers frustrated, I was lucky enough to have no complications in purchasing my ‘surprise’ birthday present. £50 face value + £7.50 booking fee + £1 transaction fee + £1 booking fee, makes me yearn for the days when I would go to a venue and queue up to purchase a ticket from the box office for £5 without any rip off fees. Still this was an opportunity of a lifetime and one I could not pass up.
Even though I had heard them on the radio previously, I really discovered Killing Joke in 1981 when I moved down to London town from the Scottish Borders. Seeing them play live for the first time was a game changer in my musical outlook. Their rawness, energy, and pure noise instantly appealed to me and I found myself attending many Killing Joke gigs with my mates. Not that I keep count but they are definitely up there as one of the bands I have seen play live the most.
Tonight’s intimate gathering though is special and the adrenaline is pumping. I finish work early and get the train up to Charing Cross from Hastings. A brisk walk to Oxford Street and I arrive at the venue 55 minutes before doors open. There are only seven people queueing ahead of me in the drizzle. This does nothing to dampen our spirits as we share our Killing Joke stories. The man behind me has travelled down from Leeds and is only a recent convert having seen them just the once last October when they supported Billy Idol. Check out our review of the London date which occurred six days prior to the Leeds one HERE.
He is also booked to see them at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday. The woman in front has hurt her chest and is struggling to breathe without it hurting but that doesn’t prevent her from attending tonight. She tells me that A&E can wait until tomorrow. This is the effect that Killing Joke has on their followers.
Bassist Youth appears at the 100 Club entrance around 7pm having come out for a smoke. I suddenly switch to fan boy mode and the opportunity for a photo is too strong to resist. As an 18 year old I would regularly go to Portobello Market on a Saturday morning to buy the latest bootleg cassettes and to see Youth hanging out there, exchanging pleasantries when not too starstruck.
Shortly before doors are due to open none other than lead singer Jaz Coleman makes an appearance to thank the crowd for coming. He walks down the line and speaks briefly with those who want to. He stops for photo opportunities along the way. With just three minutes until doors open ‘Leeds man’ encourages me to go and get a photo and he will keep my place in the queue. My selfie attempt, minus my specs for vanity reasons, doesn’t quite go to plan as I have somehow set the timer and Jaz moves before it’s taken. I make my second and final attempt under intense pressure after Jaz utters the dreaded words “you snooze you lose”, but thankfully he was just jesting and sees the timer is set on three seconds so he allows me the privilege of his precious time before disappearing back inside the venue.
I haven’t even walked in the door and already this is set up to be the best Killing Joke gig I have ever attended. On entrance I immediately make my way to the front and secure a place just to the left of centre, from where I have no plan to move for the next three hours.
With 8:30 approaching, drummer Big Paul Ferguson walks onto stage and posits himself behind his drum kit. He limbers up gently as he gets into the right mindset for the gig ahead. It is a few minutes before he is joined onstage by the rest of the band.
Guitarist Kevin ‘Geordie’ Walker, the epitome of cool, positions himself just to my left. How he always seems so laid back when performing such aggressive music is beyond me. He has a distinct style which is well worth reading up on for anyone who is technically minded. His fashion sense also oozes understated style.
As always lead vocalist Jeremy ‘Jaz’ Coleman is made up with warpaint, and is wearing his personalised black boiler suit as he prepares to go to war with the music Gods.
Bass player Martin ‘Youth’ Glover is much more out there, wearing a white jacket and sporting essential indoor wear by way of a sun visor. Apparently these are back in fashion which shows how little I know.
Roi Robertson on keyboards is dressed in gothic attire with hairstyle to match, taking us back to the eighties.
Now it’s time for the real business. They start promptly at 8:30 as there is a live stream being recorded at the cost of £9.99 for this momentous occasion. This is the ultimate Killing Joke setlist that dreams are made of. The first two albums played in their entirety in chronological order along with a stomping four song encore consisting of other essential early material.
Youth is gushing in praise for his fellow band members as he confirms this ‘mini-tour is the first time they have done this in their near 45 year existence. I say tour but these four intimate gigs where KJ go back to their roots are a warm-up for their sell-out concert at the splendour and pomposity of the Royal Albert Hall. I had intended on going to that gig, but on that occasion I snoozed and lost out on getting a standing ticket. If only I had received those aforementioned words of wisdom from Jaz before those tickets went on sale!
There is instant recognition for Roi on keyboards as he leads us into the opening song that is ‘Requiem’, and this crowd is instantly hooked. At times I am standing inches away from Jaz as he wanders around the stage, and although he may be staring threateningly over my head for the most part, he occasionally catches my eye. Normally I would be forlornly trying to outstare Jaz but tonight is a celebration of Killing Joke and I can’t help but find myself smiling for large parts of the set.
There is little interaction with the crowd apart from the introduction to ‘Wardance’ when Jaz tells us that “World War Three will not be a war between nations, it will be fought against populations.” Remember those words people. I often enjoy the banter that a band has with its audience, but this is a Killing Joke gig and it really isn’t needed as we are all here to bask in the glory of these musical legends. The music keeps coming at pace. Their first album reached number 39 in the UK charts and in hindsight probably wasn’t as well received as it deserved given the many bands they have influenced.
The ferocity of ‘The Wait’ (is it any wonder that Metallica covered it?) goes down a storm in the now sweatbox that is the 100 Club.
Time is flying by and before I know it I am in 1981 as the band starts on ‘What’s THIS For….!’. This for me is my favourite KJ album, the moment when it all clicked, yet it only reached number 42 in the album chart. The opening track ‘The Fall Of Because’ is probably my favourite song of the night, stirring me into a frenzy, and even surpassing my all-time favourite KJ song which is yet to come. Big Paul takes centre stage on the drums for this number, add the synchronicity of Geordie’s guitar and Youth’s thudding bass, plus the intense vocals of Jaz and you have a masterpiece. At just over five minutes long I honestly wouldn’t have minded if they had played an extended version. In fact it is so good that a band even named themselves after the song.
The rest of the album is performed superbly. I loved seeing Killing Joke back in the eighties with their youthful rawness, but this more elderly unit is so tight and accomplished that it is impossible to find fault, proving that age is just a number. The apocalyptic sound of KJ, and the dark and disturbing lyrics are etched in my psyche, yet despite the doom I feel joy inside. ‘Follow The Leaders’ goes down a treat. It was the only single to be released from their second album and peaked at number 55 back in 1981.
The main set ends with ‘Exit’ and the band exit stage right. I can recall a long wait or two for Killing Joke to return to the stage for an encore in the past, and tonight is no exception as we have to use up what voice we have left to encourage the band to return. It has to be well over five minutes before Big Paul returns to the stage followed by the rest of the band, but boy is it worth it, as they play a further four songs from their early catalogue: 1980 single ‘Change’, two tracks from their 1979 debut EP ‘Are You Receiving?’ and ‘Turn To Red’, with my favourite, and the crowds judging by the mosh pit, song ‘Pssyche’ finishing off proceedings. This has got to be the best ‘B’ side ever. So a perfect night comes to an end after 100 minutes of sweating blood and tears in the mosh pit, which is confirmed when Geordie signals he is off for a drink and a smoke. He and Paul embrace on stage and leave to the adoration of the crowd. I even manage to bag a drumstick just to top off my night.
We are only in March and already I will be in a state of utter disbelief if anything even comes close to surpassing this up close and personal experience with the mighty Killing Joke, as my gig of the year. In a strange way I’m almost glad that I’m not going to the Royal Albert Hall after this wonderful experience.
Afterwards I bump into some of the people I met in the queue and they loved it, and even wished me a safe journey home. A mate and long term KJ fan who emigrated to New Zealand watched the stream and said they were outstanding which is high praise. He also caught a few glimpses of me in the crowd as an added bonus! Oh and not that anyone cared, but there was no support band, just a DJ playing some decent tunes to warm up the crowd.
For one night only the 100 Club became a JAZ Club!
Killing Joke:
Jaz Coleman – vocals
Youth – bass
Geordie Walker – guitar
Paul Ferguson – drums
Roi Robertson – keyboards
Killing Joke setlist:
‘Requiem’ (from 1980 ‘Killing Joke’ album)
‘Wardance’ (from 1980 ‘Killing Joke’ album)
‘Tomorrow’s World’ (from 1980 ‘Killing Joke’ album)
‘Bloodsport’ (from 1980 ‘Killing Joke’ album)
‘The Wait’ (from 1980 ‘Killing Joke’ album)
‘Complications’ (from 1980 ‘Killing Joke’ album)
‘S.O.36’ (from 1980 ‘Killing Joke’ album)
‘Primitive’ (from 1980 ‘Killing Joke’ album)
‘The Fall Of Because’ (from 1981 ‘What’s THIS For…!’ album)
‘Tension’ (from 1981 ‘What’s THIS For…!’ album)
‘Unspeakable’ (from 1981 ‘What’s THIS For…!’ album)
‘Butcher’ (from 1981 ‘What’s THIS For…!’ album)
‘Follow The Leaders’ (from 1981 ‘What’s THIS For…!’ album)
‘Madness’ (from 1981 ‘What’s THIS For…!’ album)
‘Who Told You How?’ (from 1981 ‘What’s THIS For…!’ album)
‘Exit’ (from 1981 ‘What’s THIS For…!’ album)
(encore)
‘Change’ (from 1980 ‘Change’ single)
‘Are You Receiving’ (from 1979 ‘Turn To Red’ EP)
‘Turn To Red’ (from 1979 ‘Turn To Red’ EP)
‘Pssyche’ (from 1980 ‘Wardance’ single)
Read Part Two of our report where Killing Joke play a massive gig at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 12th March 2023 – Find it HERE.
