Unofficial list of bands & solo artists for whom NMA/JS were the opening act...

[8]

Greetings everyone,

Hope you're having a good day / afternoon / evening / night --- wherever you find yourselves, at the moment.


I've been doing quite a bit of backtracking through the hundreds and hundreds of thread topics, on these boards lately, and was rather shocked and surprised to discover that this interesting topic, oddly, appears to have never been covered before.  I know Janek kept incredible track of NMA/JS' setlists and Stephanie keeps wonderful track of NMA/JS' profound lyrics and the cover songs that NMA/JS have ever played live.  But has anyone, ever thought of compiling a list of the various recording artists / bands that NMA/JS have supported, and or ever played on the same bill with, over the course of NMA/JS' long-running musical career?  If so, please, let me know where I can read-up on this information, track down such a list.

It would be terrific to see NMA/JS-loving folk post in this thread their personal favourites.  Please share with the rest of us whatever NMA/JS musical support-slot / gig details that you're willing and able to.  As for me, I'd be overjoyed, happy!  I suspect that so too, would those among us for whom small details such as these, are also regarded as very special.  Contributions to this thread would also prove to be some pretty cool NMA/JS trivia.  What I'm hoping to learn is...

     1.  band / solo artist that NMA/JS were supporting act for
     2.  complete date
     3.  city + country
     4.  concert venue

Please insert whatever information you've been able to correctly recall, source, find.  You don't necessarily have to have attended the concert yourself.  Perhaps you have some old music newspaper clippings, collected a few tour posters OR maybe even have some concert ticket stubs, lying around your place, or something like that.  I'd just be elated / grateful to learn who NMA have opened / supported over the course of the past 40+ years.  Any bit will do, really.  Ok, I'll start...

New Model Army
opened for  David Bowie
in  Berlin, Germany
on David's  Glass Spider Tour
sometime in the mid-to-late  '80s.

Sadly, I do not know anymore than this, as I wasn't actually there.  I've lived my whole life on the wrong side of the earth.  Being too young at the time, I still hadn't heard of NMA.  It would be a few years yet, before that voice would, for better or worse, draw me in hook, line and sinker.


It wasn't until late 1989 that my life would alter forever.  For it was later that year, that I would hear my very first NMA song -- which just so happened to be 'White  Coats'.  The soul-shifting, mesmeric, thought-provoking, emotionally impactful, passionate, exquisitely melodic, yet utterly melancholy NMA tune, had been voted for by the radio station's listeners.  It had been one of the entries in that year's decade's-end countdown, top 100 chart.

Having never been one for watching much television, I naturally, gradually, progressed to radio.  I grew to become a religiously loyal music lover and devout radio listener.  I'd tune-in to all sorts of fascinating (and mostly) late-night radio programs, instead.  It never mattered to me the time of day it was, either.  I fit it into my life.  The very best radio programs were on, after 8pm in the evening.  I was wholeheartedly absorbed and taken in and by music / radio.  I became so heavily inspired, entranced by music and radio, that I enrolled in a radio and television program, at the local arts and communication community college.  That was in the mid-'90s.  I wanted to become part of it all.  I wanted to touch, reach, move, enrich, lift and inspire other people's lives in the very same way that mine had been...

Thank you so much CFNY-FM radio and all of the many, many incredible male and female DJs you guys had enlisted back then.  Every one of them actually took wonderful care, and gave their all to the shows they produced, aired.  You were, through and through, THE true and original, 'Spirit  of  Radio' .  It was a time when radio here, in Canada, was extremely engaging, inclusive, enjoyable, informative, rewarding, educational, entertaining and actually, genuinely worth listening to -- especially, especially for those of us of whom were (and still are) serious music nutters, ourselves.  I utterly loved and adored the modern music of late 1970s right up until the end of the 1990s.  nostalgic sigh... those, were the days.

[Winterwulf]

I've a recollection of seeing mention of them opening for the Sisters of Mercy round about 1984?

[Sydowski]

Hi 8,

NMA was part of the "Concert for Berlin" on 6 June 1987. It was a 3 day festival (6, 7, 8 June) in front of the Reichstag, commemorating Berlin's 750th anniversary. David Bowie, Genesis, Eurythmics, Nina Hagen and others particpated as well. NMA were playing right before Bowie. Setlist (according to Setlist.fm): My Country / Lights Go Out / Notice Me / Master Race / The Price / Running in the Rain / Waiting / Ballad / Lovesongs / The Hunt / Poison Street / Frightened / Young, Gifted and Skint / 51st State
Ricky Warwick was part of the touring band.
Some pics here: https://berlin.museum-digital.de/series/2325

I was not necessarily too young at 15, but for one thing I could not afford the 3 days and for another I did not become an NMA fan until the end of 1987. Bad timing 

Hope this helps.

[Johnz]

They opened for The Cure in Roskilde on May 1, 1989 (this was a Cure show and not the Roskilde Festival).

[PhilK]

The Huddersfield Town Hall gig was Sisters of Mercy and New Model Army on 14th October 1984 - we travelled up from Loughborogh and it was my first New Model Army gig! 

Setlist avaialble here:
NMA - https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/new-model-army/1984/huddersfield-town-hall-huddersfield-england-bc7c1be.html
Sisters - https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-sisters-of-mercy/1984/huddersfield-town-hall-huddersfield-england-33c69039.html

[8]

I've a recollection of seeing mention of them opening for the Sisters of Mercy round about 1984?

The Huddersfield Town Hall gig was
Sisters of Mercy and New Model Army on 14th October 1984
- we travelled up from Loughborogh and it was my first New Model Army gig!

Setlist available here:
NMA - https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/new-model-army/1984/huddersfield-town-hall-huddersfield-england-bc7c1be.html
Sisters - https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-sisters-of-mercy/1984/huddersfield-town-hall-huddersfield-england-33c69039.html

Greetings Winterwulf! , PhilK!

Thank you both!  I had no idea that NMA opened for The Sisters of Mercy!  Fantastic!!  I would've loved to have been there to see/hear that concert, love both bands' works.  Just had a look at the setlists for that show and am pleasantly surprised to learn that both NMA & The Sisters played roughly the same length of time, with NMA playing 100% original material, while The Sisters chose to toss a few covers into their set.  That gig took place 38 years ago, to the day!  (As I type, it's still October 14th here in North America.)  Ooh!  Ooh!  Ooh!  Just found an ad for it, online.  Cheers! 



New Model Army's set
14.10.84 Huddersfield gig...

 1.  Frightened
 2.  No Man's Land
 3.  The Price
 4.  A Liberal Education
 5.  Bittersweet
 6.  No Greater Love
 7.  The Attack
 8.  Vengeance
 9.  Sex (The Black Angel)
10. 1984
11. Grandmother's Footsteps
12. Young, Gifted and Skint
13. Spirit of the Falklands
14. Smalltown England
15. Christian Militia

The Sisters of Mercy's set
14.10.84 Huddersfield gig...
  1.  Burn
  2.  Heartland
  3.  Marian
  4.  Walk Away
  5.  No Time to Cry
  6.  Anaconda
  7.  Emma (Hot Chocolate cover)
  8.  A Rock and a Hard Place
  9.  Train
10.  Floorshow
11.  Alice
12.  Body Electric
13.  Gimme Shelter (Rolling Stones cover)
14.  Adrenochrome
15.  Sister Ray (Velvet Underground cover)

They opened for The Cure in Roskilde on May 1, 1989
(this was a Cure show and not the Roskilde Festival).

Hello Johnz!

Whoa!  Didn't know NMA opened up for The Cure either!!  Love The Cure!!  Cheers!

New Model Army May 1st, 1989
Darupvej, Roskilde, Denmark set...

  1.  Christian Militia
  2.  225
  3.  Stupid Questions
  4.  White Coats
  5.  Vagabonds
  6.  125 Mph
  7.  Family Life
  8.  Green and Grey
  9.  I Love the World
10.  51st State
11.  Smalltown England
12.  Poison Street
13.  Betcha

The Cure's May 1st, 1989 set at
Darupvej, Roskilde, Denmark...
  1.  Plainsong
  2.  Pictures of You
  3.  Closedown
  4.  Kyoto Song
  5.  A Night Like This
  6.  Just Like Heaven
  7.  Last Dance
  8.  Fascination Street
  9.  Cold
10.  Charlotte Sometimes
11.  The Walk
12.  A Forest
13.  In Between Days
14.  The Same Deep Water as You
15.  Prayers for Rain
16.  Disintegration
Encore:
17.  Lullaby
18.  Close to Me
19.  Let's Go to Bed
20.  Why Can't I Be You?
Encore 2:
21.  Homesick
22.  Untitled

NMA was part of the "Concert for Berlin" on 6 June 1987.  It was a 3 day festival (6, 7, 8 June) in front of the Reichstag, commemorating Berlin's 750th anniversary.  David Bowie, Genesis, Eurythmics, Nina Hagen and others participated as well.  NMA were playing right before Bowie.

Hi Sydowski!

Thank you SO much for jumping in here with all of the fascinating (to me) NMA details / trivia and those sizzlin' links!!

Setlist (according to Setlist.fm):
  1.  My Country
  2.  Lights Go Out
  3.  Notice Me
  4.  Master Race
  5.  The Price
  6.  Running in the Rain
  7.  Waiting
  8.  Ballad
  9.  Lovesongs
10.  The Hunt
11.  Poison Street
12.  Frightened
13.  Young, Gifted and Skint
14.  51st State

Thanks to you, I found this little gem!!   Apparently, the audio portion of NMA's set was captured.  For those who haven't heard it yet, folk can LISTEN to NMA's entire set HERE!

Ricky Warwick was part of the touring band.

I don't know much about this period.  Thanks for cluing me in, Sydowski.

Some pics here:  https://berlin.museum-digital.de/series/2325

Whoa!!   Must say, that is some smokin' photo link you shared there, Sydowski!!

Would the gentleman pictured below be Mr. Warwick, then?   I wouldn't know, as I'm not too familiar with pre-2005 incarnations of NMA.   Still learning.

Such fantastic rock pics!   Thank you Petra Gall!

I was not necessarily too young at 15, but for one thing I could not afford the 3 days and for another I did not become an NMA fan until the end of 1987.  Bad timing.   Hope this helps.

It sure has, Sydowski!

I was still an adolescent at the time, but man am I ever grateful kind folk such as yourself, still float around these here parts, enough to occasionally pop in and enlighten those of us of whom were too young or living on the wrong side of the Atlantic.  It might not seem like much to most people here -- the sharing of all of these details and bits of NMA's past -- but for me they're true, real treasure!  I wasn't around during those earlier years.  At least now, I can get a feel for, imagine and dream about what it must've been like back then, following NMA.  It's certainly not the same as living and witnessing all of these NMA-related highlights or moments firsthand, but still, it's been extremely fascinating and interesting enough for me, nonetheless.
 
Huge THANKS to Winterwulf, PhilK, Johnz and Sydowski for taking the time to post... it genuinely made my day!


Stumbled across a few other bands/solo artists that NMA have supported gig-wise over the years.  According to Mr. Alleyne-Johnson's wikipedia page, aside from the afore mentioned bands / solo artists, NMA have also opened for:

Bob Dylan
Midnight Oil
Simple Minds
Faith No More

Hoping to learn more about these particular shows.  Especially, especially about the one NMA played supporting Bob Dylan!  Wow!!  Like how fcukin' awesome is that!!  When the heck was that gig anyway, and where?  US?  UK?  Somewhere else?  Was it a festival thing like the concert supporting David Bowie?  Anyone know?

So cool, all of this.  Very much looking forward to coming across other amazing support-slot gig details and NMA surprises!

Cheers!
.

[jjp666]

the first time I saw them,

https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/the-alarm-new-model-army-geschlecht-akt

[8]

the first time I saw them,

https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/the-alarm-new-model-army-geschlecht-akt

Man, I'm starting to believe that NMA have never opened for a crap solo artist or band!!
That's fcukin' awesome!  Great bill / line-up here, too.  Cheers for posting, jjp666!

[8]

Was just checking out one of mysterious Kimmo-Finland's old NMA photo-montaged clips on YT, the one for NMA's song entitled "I Wish".  In the comments section of that particular clip, and roughly at about the 3 minute mark of the video, there appears to pop up an old photo of Moose and JS with a guy that I could swear is Little Steven from Bruce Springsteen's backing band, the E Street Band.  If curious, check it out.

Does this mean that NMA supported the Boss (=Springsteen) at some point during the late 80s /early 90s, too?  Can anyone reading this post, either confirm or deny?

Mr. Harris, are you somewhere in here?  Or anyone else here, able to shed some light on this finding... details as to where and when, etc. that gig took place?

It'd be really cool to find out, if it is really Steven Van Zandt to Mr. Sullivan's and Mr. Harris' left, in that picture.  Thanks.

[mooseharris]

Yes, It's the guy from The Sopranos. Some festival in Holland, possibly Park Pop, maybe 88 or 89. Little Steven was appearing solo, but got up with us for a guest spot. He's in the extras on the History VHS release.

We also played a Swedish festival with Nils Lofgren (among others), but never the Boss himself.

Justin was always a massive Springsteen fan. As with so many things, I didn't really get it at the time, but I'm older now.

[Guillaume]

NMA also opened for The Who, if i remember well, at the time of the HIGH release, in 2007.

And yes, NMA opened in July 1991 for Simple Minds, two concerts in France then Spain.