Sat 25th November Pere Ubu
+ the Red Crayola
+ the Soft Boys
Thur 30th November Virgin Records Film Night
an evening of promo films for Virgin acts - may well have included XTC, The Skids, The Motors, Magazine, Penetration, The Human League, Supercharge and Sex Pistols. All of whom played at Eric's. And Public Image.
Photos from Nightmares in Wax' headline show at Eric's February 1980
Uploaded by NIW guitarist Mick Reid
Friday 1st February Gang of Four (members notice)
Friday 1st February The Boys (Sit Down, Listen to This)
+ Red Line
Saturday 2nd February Spizz Energi
+ Frantic Elevators
Monday 4th February The start of Eric's regular Monday night jazz sessions
Inside Out
Jerry & Brenda Kerry recorded and gigged under many guises, including Inside Out, Naffi Sandwich, The Minister of Noise, Sir Freddy Viadukt, Brenda & the Beachballs and Brenda Ray. (Bill Sykes, Sit Down)
member's notice says "from the USA". Southend Punk Rock webpage says Southend band The Heat played Eric's. Here's The Heat's Steve Brooker at the legendary Railway Inn, Southend
EDIT: In a comment Dave Schulps wrote
The Heat from the USA *was* touring the UK in February 1980 and certainly could have played Eric's. I was involved in managing the band, but I don't have a copy of the tour itinerary. I do know they played the University of Warwick on 2/2/80 and the Marquee on 18/2/80 and were touring in between those dates. Oddly, they played a gig at Shrimper's inSouthend at the end of the tour, which may have confused locals there who thought they were getting Steve Hooker and the Heat. I'd be interested if anyone from that band has anything actually showing that they played Eric's on 7th Feb., 'casue I really think it was my band. Just too much of a coincidence that they'd advertise it as From the USA while The Heat was out and about in the country at the time. They were a NY band who played CBGB, Max's, Hurrah a lot and they'd just had a single out in the U.K. that was reviewed in most of the weeklies. I'm also pretty sure that The Jerks were on The Heat tour.
And followed it up later with
FromJeff Formosa, the drummer of The Heat (USA variety): "Yes, we played Liverpool. The Jerks were the opening act to the best of my recollection.
THE HEAT was active as a four piece band on the New York City club scene from 1977 to 1980. By the end of 1977, THE HEAT recorded the independent single "High School Sweater/ Instant Love which was later distributed by EMI in Europe. Members included Dwytt Dyan, Jeff Formosa, Geoff Lee and Tally Taliaferrow. After Dwytt Dyan left the band the remaining members signed to Polydor Records and performed as a trio for about a year ending in 1981.
Friday 8th February Charley Records presents
Splodgenessabounds
+ The Sex Beatles
+ Th' Lone Groover (aka NME cartoonist Tony Benyon)
whatever happened to punk?
Saturday 9th February Wreckless Eric
+ Red Line
Les Glover of Red Line
Monday 11th February Inside Out
Thursday 14th February Nightmares in Wax
+ The Shattered Dolls
+ Think of the Winter (formerly of Dead Trout, later of Revolutionary Army of Jesus Christ)
shout out to Jaki Florek of Shattered Dolls and "Eric's . . . All the best clubs are downstairs"
Friday 15th February Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
+ Neuklon
Neuklon was the band formed by Mike Lloyd, who’s daughter
Claire Welles is now a prominent
musician herself on Merseyside working with the likes of The Charlatans‘ Tim
Burgess.
"I've got a photo of that gig somewhere, where my dad
Lloyd is wearing cling film and black leckie tape. Nuts." says Claire.
