Fairmount Hall’s punk pioneers
While doing research for the blog, I came across this account from Scott McDonald in a 1981 edition of Flipside. This scene report (on Page 3 of the PDF) describes Fairmount Hall’s debut as a punk venue:
“Recently, a very successful show was produced at Fairmount Hall. This was the first gig at this location, and it features San Diego’s four best bands: thing was set up and arranged by Tim, Violent Crimes manager, with monetary help from whoever was willing and could afford it.
“Tim deserves a pat on the back for being the first one to go out and find a new location since the old Lion’s Club closed. Anyway all the bands played good sets, with plenty of energy being expended by both the bands and the people on the dance floor.
“Another good point: security was arranged by Tim and Terry Marine, using people from the scene, so no rockheads got to beat anyone over the head with ‘flashlights.’ There was only minimal harrassment by the Slow Death Police Force as well. It worked out so well that several more shows ar e scheduled for July and August featuring the Chiefs and D.O.A. with Diegobands. Hopefully, this location won’t get shafted because of police harrassment. Everything looks good so far.”
According to the San Diego Concert Archive, the Chiefs show happened July 17, 1981, with the Nutrons, Violent Crime and Anti Trust. And (according to flyers from Jason Seibert’s collection) D.O.A. was August 1 and included Hated, No Age Limit, Moral Majority and the “last show” by a band called V-5.
The article raises lots of questions: Who played that first event, and when? (It looks like the Flipside editors chopped out that line of the story accidentally!) Which Tim managed Violent Crime? How long was the North Park Lions Club closed to punk bands that year? Please chime in!
Tags: Anti Trust, D.O.A., Fairmount Hall, Jason Seibert, Moral Majority, No Age Limit, North Park Lions Club, San Diego Concert Archive, San Diego punk, Scott McDonald, The Chiefs, the Nutrons, V-5, Violent Crime
December 1st, 2009 at 11:52 am
I almost got a broken neck there one night due to an over zealous stage diver . Landed on my head and knocked me out cold . I woke up in the back with a bunch of friends looking down at me wondering if I was alive . I think it was a stretch marks , or gorilla biscuits show , I can’t remember clearly . . .
There were some awfully good shows at Fairmount Hall .
December 1st, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Were the punks the first to stake out the “Halls”? When I look at resources like the San Diego Concert Archive, I don’t see NPLC, Fairmount Hall, Wabash Hall or any of the others being used for gigs before 1979.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:21 pm
The “comeback” show at NPLC, put on by Dead or Alive Presents, was on 3/12/1982.
http://cheunderground.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/rude10003.JPG
December 1st, 2009 at 1:27 pm
> Were the punks the first to stake out the “Halls”?
On an ongoing basis, probably. I know that we were the first to book NPLC that way. The difficulty was that you needed to get another permit for each and every show, and it took a dedicated punk like Marc Rude (and, later, real promoters like Gene King and Tim Mays) to put up with the ordeal.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:50 pm
A colleague just went last night to a talk by David Byrne about how different kinds of music were influenced by the architecture in which they were performed.
Having been onstage and in the audience, I’d definitely say playing some of those big, spaces was different from a club. I wonder how much of SoCal hardcore’s volume and assault was influenced by moving into those kind of spaces?
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:56 pm
I have a vivid memory of condensation running down the walls of Farimount Hall – it was so stinkin’ hot in there. Remember seeing Dead Kennedys there, back then it was like seeing – I don’t know – Michael Jackson? Rolling Stones? I was totally starstruck. It was awesome. I have some old fliers, one of these days I’ll dig through them and let you know what i find!
January 26th, 2010 at 2:18 am
I love it when people take credit for work that other people do. Seriously. Nothing like seeing a flyer I made for a show I promoted along with an article that has other people taking credit for it. Swell.
We (Dead or Alive) went to Fairmont after getting the boot from NPLC. V-5 was Violation 5 – it included Chuck Cole. Condensation was just half of it – the day before one show they painted the hall. When it got steamed up the paint started to bubble, and people were peeling off the paint. That cost a few bucks.
569-7417 was the Boy’s Club number – I lived there with Pete V, Jeff, Chuck and George Nutron (at various times.)
Getting a permit was a PITA but Marc and I didn’t do it – that was something that Cheri did for each gig. Marc new the bands, I had the money and negotiated with the hall (and made crappy flyers) and Cheri got permits from the cops and was an adult.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:42 am
>>I love it when people take credit for work that other people do. Seriously. Nothing like seeing a flyer I made for a show I promoted along with an article that has other people taking credit for it. Swell.
Hey, Mickey! Good to have you … I don’t think anybody assigned credit for that flyer, ’cause that info was lost in the mists of time. I’m glad we can give you the nod.
And thanks for shedding light on the early days of the Fairmount Hall shows … Working from 30-year-old fragments tends to be — well, fragmentary! We’d be grateful for any other blanks you can fill in.
Welcome!