Phenomena 1984

In 1984, Pandora's "phenomena" included a visit from a pseudo Dutch Royal family and a large group of card-playing elderly... The whole setting was transformed into a building site in which the Dutch fifties traditions were recreated. Sounds of pile driving were heard throughout the building, alternated with 30 year old song fragments.


The back of a flyer handed out during the festival listing all (or at least most of) those responsible for the phenomena (thanks to Surfling). It also lists the rather corny new names of the various halls:
- Maasvlakte (previously Large Hall)
- Dwingelose Heide (previously Small Hall)
- Snelweg (previously Garage Box)
- Simpelveld (previously Mini Box)

Ein Abend in Wien

The concept of Pandora's Music Box was resurrected in 1991 for a one-of festival at the same location under the moniker "Ein Abend in Wien". If and when I have time, I'll start uploading any info I have on http://ein-abend-in-wien.blogspot.com

Photo Phenomenon

Stub


Photo information flyer (thanks Surfling)


Front of photo ticket (thanks Surfling)


Back of photo ticket (thanks Surfling)


Glasses provided by Oor magazine (thanks Surfling)


What's this? Pandora's entry. They took a picture of every visitor of the festival. There were rumours that they would launch these photos into space. Guess they didn't. When I asked them for a duel they agreed. (http://www.itlooksdifferent.com/?id=79)


Photo information sheet, detailing the purpose and procedures of the whole photo phenomenon. If and when I have time, I might try to find out what happened to the photos.

Kiem (Klank Improvisatie Elektronische Muziek)

Rotterdams trio opgericht in 1982 uit de resten van Willy Nilly. Meest opvallend is de metalen drumkit van Meurs. Met de single The Moneyman wordt een hit in een aantal Zuid-Europese landen gescoord. (http://www.popinstituut.nl/biografie/kiem.1374.html)
Due to various problems with saxophone player Jos Valster, and the subsequent hassle of having to recruit and train yet another sax player, core members Cees and Huub decided to dismantle Kiem in 1987 (http://www.kiemrotterdam.nl/kiemrotterdam/category/about/)

Scheduled

Saturday, 22 September 1984, "Grote Box", 03:15-04:00

Line up

Cees Meurs – drums; Huub Kentie – keyboards, vocals; Ger van Voorden – saxophone

Set list

01 Soundcheck / Pili pili

02 Intro Ger Sax

03 Request to obtain

04 Metal drums FX (Cees IJzermans)

05 Behind

06 The real it

07 The money man

08 Short memories

09 It's working

Recordings

I have a lossy (mp3, 192kbps) radio recording of the full gig, 48'24" total. Get it here, on the band's website: http://www.kiemrotterdam.nl/kiemrotterdam/kiem-pandoras-music-box-1984-de-doelen-rotterdam-sep-22th-1984/

The gig was also (partially) recorded and broadcast on Dutch NOS television, view "It's working" it here as well as an interview conducted by Dutch legend Hennie Vrienten of Doe Maar fame (http://www.kiemrotterdam.nl/video/html/Pandora1984.html).

Other info
In drie uur tijd wordt het debuutalbum opgenomen. De korte opnametijd zorgt voor het spontane karakter van de muziek, maar de composities zijn wat te eenzijdig en kennen te weinig verschuivingen in ritme en sfeer. De plaat wordt tamelijk enthousiast ontvangen en dat levert de groep een aantal optredens bij opvallende gelegenheden op. Zo staat het drietal eerst op het Tegentonen festival in mei in Paradiso, in de zomer volgt het North Sea Jazz Festival en in september mag de band als afsluiter van het Rotterdamse festival Pandora's Music Box fungeren in een goed gevulde grote zaal van de Doelen. (http://www.popinstituut.nl/biografie/kiem.1374.html)


Article from festival booklet

Pete Shelley

Pete Shelley (born Peter Campbell McNeish, 17 April 1955 in Leigh, Greater Manchester) is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist, best-known as the leader of Buzzcocks. His stage name is a combination of his real first name and the name he would have been given had he been born female. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Shelley)

Scheduled

Saturday 22 September 1984, "Kleine Box", 01:00-01:45

Line up

Unsure, but XL1 was recorded with this line up: Pete Shelley - vocals, guitar; Barry Adamson - bass; Martin Rushent - keyboards; Jim Russell - drums.

According to a review in Het Vrije Volk, Shelley had a four-piece backing band, in which Adamson is certain to have played.

Set list

Unknown

Recordings

Unknown

Other info


Article from festival booklet

Richard Strange

Richard Strange (born January 1951) is a British musician, actor, writer and composer. In 1975 he fronted the protopunk rock band Doctors of Madness. Strange has made films with Tim Burton, Neil Jordan, and Martin Scorsese, and appeared in several episodes of the successful comedy Men Behaving Badly playing the part of Neville the stoned hippy.

In 1981, Strange released the album "The Phenomenal Rise of Richard Strange" on Virgin Records.

In 1986, another song, "Damascus", got first released on 12'' maxi vinyl on both the Belgian Another Side and the German WEA labels.

In 2002, Strange’s autobiography, "Punks and Drunks and Flicks and Kicks" was published. Strange played the role of an Abraham Lincoln impersonator in Harmony Korine's 2008 film, Mister Lonely. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_strange)

Scheduled

Line up

Set list

Unknown

Recordings

Unknown

Strangest thing

Strange visited Cambodia in 2008 but I didn't get to meet him...

Chris Bailey

Chris Bailey is the co-founder and singer of rock band The Saints. He was born in Nanyuki, Kenya in 1959 to Irish parents. Bailey grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland until the age of seven, when his family emigrated to Australia. The Saints were formed in Australia in 1974. Their first hit was in the UK with the classic punk anthem "(I'm) Stranded". The band slowly evolved toward a more sophisticated sound on their next few albums. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Bailey)

Scheduled

Line up

Set list

Unknown

Recordings

Unknown

The Fur Bible

Very short lived project with Kid Congo Powers (his first attempt at singing) and Patricia Morrison after the Gun Club disintegrated. Released only one EP "Plunder the Tombs" in 1985, produced by Jim Thirlwell (aka Clint Ruin aka Foetus).

Scheduled
Saturday 12 October 1985, "Small Hall", 22:45-23:30

Line up
Kid Congo Powers – guitar, vocals; Patricia Morrison – bass; Murray Mitchell – guitar (and saxophone?) ; Desparate (Peter Kablaen)– drums

Set list
01 Unknown

02 Headbolt

03 Unknown

04 Unknown (cut)

Recordings
I have a lossless (flac) radio recording of the above 4 tracks. Unfortunately, it's in mono.

Other info
Morrison and Powers played Pandora’s 1984 with the Gun Club, Desperate joined them shortly after Pandora's 84. Mitchell was an ex-roadie (and occasional guitar player) with Siouxsie & the Banshees who had played Pandora's 83. Gun Club main man Jeffrey Lee Pierce also played Pandora’s as the Jeffrey Lee Pierce Quartet.


Article from festival booklet




Article from Oor (1985-20)

The 77's

The 77s (alternatively spelled The Seventy Sevens or The 77's) are an American rock band. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_77s)

Scheduled

Line up

Michael Roe - vocals, guitar; Mark Tootle - keyboards, guitar; Jan Eric Volz - bass; Aaron Smith - drums

Set list

Unknown

Recordings

Unknown

Other info


Article from festival booklet

The group's video (and future show stopper) Mercy Mercy was aired on MTV. In Europe, where Polygram released the album, the group played festivals and showcases like the Pandora's Music Box festival, and videos aired on Music Box, the continent's equivalent to MTV. (http://www.shoutlife.com/the77s)

Shockheaded Peters

Shockheaded Peters revolves around Karl Blake (born: December 5, 1956; Reading, Berkshire, England), vocalist, bassist, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist most noted for his work with The Lemon Kittens, Danielle Dax, Sol Invictus, Current 93 and Gaë Bolg. Other past projects include Alternative TV, The Underneath, Evil Twin, British Racing Green, Blake Sabbath and solo work. Most of his work can be described as progressive-experimental and sometimes psychedelic. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Blake)

Scheduled

Line up

Karl Blake - vocals; Simon Moon - guitar; David Cadbury-Knight - guitar; Simon Shearston - bass; Trevor Reidy - drums

Set list

Unknown

Recordings

Unknown

Other info

Article from festival booklet




Article from Oor (1985-20)

24 years ago this month at Pandora's Music Box 1985 - Rotterdam. I was the bassist in "Shockheaded Peters". Got drunk with many of them that weekend - we were all in the same hotel. Met some very nice people in Sonic Youth, The Cult and Nico. A great memory. Anyone remember some of the legends in this line-up? (Escribano, http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=117975&appid=8&p=&mpage=1&key=&tmode=&smode=&s=#118903)

Screaming Blue Messiahs

The Screaming Blue Messiahs were a rock band, formed in 1983 in London by Bill Carter, Chris Thompson and Kenny Harris. The three had played together previously as The Small Brothers, and Thompson and Carter had formed part of Motor Boys Motor, together with Tony Moon on vocals, recording several tracks under that name on 24 August 1981 for John Peel's show on BBC Radio 1. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Screaming_Blue_Messiahs)

Scheduled

Line up

Bill Carter - vocals, guitar; Chris Thompson - bass, vocals; Kenny Harris - drums

Set list

Unknown

Recordings

Unknown

Other info


Article from festival booklet


Billy Carter on stage at Pandora's 85 (http://www.itlooksdifferent.com/index.cfm?id=78)

Yeah, they were great. If I recall, they went on just before us - which helped to warm the place up. (Escribano (bass player with Shockheaded Peters), http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=117975&appid=8&p=&mpage=1&key=&tmode=&smode=&s=#118903)

Theme from Pandora's Music Box 84

Following the vinyl 12" in 1983, Mojo Concerts produced a short film (5 minutes) as the theme to Pandora's Music Box 1984.

The Dutch film database lists it, here: http://nfdb.akris.nl/nfdb/servlet/FrameSetter?lang=nl&cols=2&url=search&target=col1&action=search_simple_film&words=pandora%27s&way=and

"Film-clip naar aanleiding van '1984' van Gerge [sic] Orwell, met als rode draad een invalide meisje, dat samen met Big Brother door een bepaalde sfeer wordt gereden. Komt onder meer terredcht [sic] op een ereslagveld van popartiesten."

According to Eastbird, the music was again performed by the Music Box Orchestra and written by Berry Visser & Michel Waisvisz. The movie has funeral scenes, a lady dancing amongst gravestones, burning crosses for John Lennon, Jesus Christ, Chas Elliot and many more dead pop artists. Eventually the lady turns to drink?

Reviews 1985

Review in German fanzine Bierfront (1985/5) - many thanks to Klaus!

Cover and review in Sounds magazine (26 October 1985).

Paisley Underground

After the Dream Syndicate played Pandora's in 1984, there was special attention in 85 for the Paisley Underground movement which had a number of bands playing at Pandora's: the Rain Parade, Green on Red, the Long Ryders and also the Dutch Fatal Flowers.

The whole Los Angeles "scene" was captured in a family tree documenting the ties between the bands:


Los Angeles Paisley Undergound scene in 1985 (Oor, 1985/20)


Article in festival booklet

Festival booklet 1985

Cover of the official festival booklet

Introduction by Gerard J. Walhof

Soft Verdict

Soft Verdict is the name under which Wim Mertens started his musical career. Soft Verdict is not a band but more a collection of musicians under the direction of Mertens who performed with him. (http://www.discogs.com/artist/Soft+Verdict)

Scheduled
Saturday, 22 September 1984, "Dance Box", 02:00 - 02:45

Line-up

Unknown

Set list

Unknown

Recordings

Unknown

The Adventures

The Adventures were a rock band formed in Belfast in the 1980s who moved to London where they had hits in the UK Singles Chart during the 1980s. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventures)

Scheduled
Saturday, 22 September 1984, "Dance Box", 00:45 - 01:30

Line-up

Terry Sharpe - vocals; Eileen Gribben - vocals; Gerry "Spud" Murphy - guitar, percussion; Pat Gribben - guitar; Tony Ayre - bass; Paul Crowder - drums

Set list

Unknown

Recordings

Unknown

Tickets 1985

Used ticket for Friday night (thanks Surfling)


Unused Press and Guests ticket for Friday night

And another unused Press and Guest ticket for Friday Night

Used ticket for Saturday night (thanks Surfling)


Unused ticket for Saturday night

Festival booklet 1984

Front cover of the official 1984 festival booklet


Introduction by Joost Niemöller

Fiat Lux

Fiat Lux was an english synthpop band formed in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England, in 1982, by Steve Wright (vocals) and Dave Crickmore (guitars, bass, keyboards). Ian Nelson (sax, keyboards), younger brother of Be Bop Deluxe guitarist and lead vocalist Bill Nelson, joined shortly afterwards, complementing the classic line-up of the band, who remained until the mid 1980s, when Crickmore departed. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Lux_(band))

Scheduled
Saturday, 22 September 1984, "Kleine Box", 22:30 - 23:15

Line-up
Steve Wright – vocals; David P Crickmore – keyboard, guitar; Ian Nelson – sax, keyboards, clarinet; a tape recorder...?

Set list
01 Photography
02 No more proud
03 The moments
04 Boundary
05 Comfortable life
06 Secrets

Recordings
I have a lossless (flac) recording of tracks 01 - 06 (total time 21'06"), taken from a radio broadcast

Other info
Ian Nelson joined the Sound (also on Pandora's 84) on saxophone for the tour to support their Heads & Hearts album a few months later, from March 1985.


Article from festival booklet

The March Violets

The March Violets were an English goth rock band in the 1980s, incorporating singers of both sexes, drum machine rhythms and echoey electric guitar, much in the way of scene mates The Sisters of Mercy, who also originated from the city of Leeds. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_March_Violets)

Scheduled
Saturday, 22 September 1984, "Dance Box", 22:15 - 23:00
Last minute addition to the program, may have replaced Belfegore who do not appear on the timetable published in Oor.

Line-up
Simon Denbigh – vocals; Cleo Murray – vocals; Tom Ashton – guitars; Laurence Elliott – bass; Travis – drums

Set list
01 Lights go out

02 Snake dance

03 Deep

04 Electric shades

05 Love in a nightmare

06 Don't take it lightly

07 Face of the dragonfly

08 Big soul kiss

09 Walk into the sun

10 Rich city

Recordings
An audience recording exists (http://www.marchviolets.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=9)

Other info

Replaced Belfegore who were cancelled.

Johnny Thunders

Johnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr (July 15, 1952 - April 23, 1991), was a rock and roll guitarist and singer, first with the New York Dolls, the proto-punk glam rockers of the early '70s. During the late '70s, he was a familiar figure on the New York punk scene, both with The Heartbreakers and as a solo artist. His screeching, penetrating guitar sound is distinctive and highly influential in punk rock music. Thunders tangled with the demons of fame along with alcohol and drug addiction. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Thunders)

Scheduled

The final timetable, handed out during the festival, shows Johnny Thunders twice: Friday, 21 September 1984, "Grote Box", 03:00 - 04:00 Saturday, 22 September 1984, "Mini Box", 21:45 - 22:30

Line-up

Saturday's show was a solo performance. The Friday show lineup is uncertain. Up to September 16th, Johnny has played shows in Scandinavia with Billy Rath on bass and Jerry Nolan on drums; in October he forms a new band with Dick Trueman on guitar, Keith Yon on bass and Terry Chimes on drums. It's unclear what the situation was at Pandora's Music Box: they could have both been solo performances. (http://johnnythundersinfo.blogspot.com/)

Set list

01 The wizard

02 Play with fire

03 Ask me no questions

04 She's so strange

05 It's not enough

Recordings

I have a lossless (flac) recording of the above 5 tracks, recorded on Saturday evening, taken from a radio broadcast.

Other info

Correctly listed twice in Thunders' gigography: 09/21 Pandoras Box, Rotterdam, Netherlands (Nomads, Gun Club) 09/22 De Doelen Rotterdam, Netherlands (http://www.bunbun.ne.jp/~take-4/JTGigographyLeft.html)

Thunders on stage at Pandora's 84 (Spex 1984/11)

The Legendary Pink Dots

The Legendary Pink Dots (LPD) are an Anglo-Dutch experimental rock band formed in London in August 1980. Although far outside the mainstream (in terms of their music and career path), LPD have released more than 40 albums, have a devoted worldwide following, and tour frequently. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legendary_Pink_Dots)

Scheduled
Friday, 11 October 1985, "Small Hall", 22:25 - 23:10

Line-up
Edward Ka-Spel – vocals, keyboards; The Silverman (Phil Knight) – keyboards; rest unknown

Set list

01 The heretic

02 Mmmmmmmm

03 City ghosts

04 Femme mirage (feat. Julia Niblock)

05 I am the way, the truth, the light

06 (early cut)

(http://people.zeelandnet.nl/sveingold/boots/)

Recordings
A recording exists. I've seen it being listed twice, possibly because of late start:
10/11/85: Rotterdam / De Doelen
10/12/85: Rotterdam / Pandora's Club

Other info

Article from festival booklet

The Rain Parade

The Rain Parade were a band active in the Paisley Underground scene in Los Angeles in the 1980s. Its founding members were Matt Piucci (guitar) and brothers David Roback (guitar) and Stephen Roback (bass guitar),who had been in a band called The Unconscious with Susanna Hoffs (who went on to lead the most famous of the Paisley Underground bands, The Bangles.) The band soon added Will Glenn (keyboards and violin) and later Eddie Kalwa (drums). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain_Parade)

Scheduled
Saturday, 12 October 1985, "Small Hall", 03:10 - 04:10

Line-up
Matt Piucci - guitar; David Roback - guitar; Stephen Roback - bass guitar; Will Glenn - keyboards, violin; Eddie Kalwa - drums
Maybe David had left already to join Opal with Kendra Smith (ex-Dream Syndicate).

Set list
Unknown. They are joined on stage by Green on Red for the finale of their set.

Recordings
It's unknown whether any audio recordings exist.


Fragment of the Rain Parade together with Green on Red at Pandora's 85 as uploaded to YouTube by waaghalsrecords.

Other info


Article from festival booklet

Article from Oor (1985/20)

Me & the Heat

Scheduled
Saturday, 22 September 1984, "Kleine Box", 23:45 - 00:15

Line-up
Tom Meger (aka Tom Mega) – vocals; Bernd Krämer – guitar, trumpet; Nico Hesselbach – keyboards; Reinhard Falk – bass; A.G. (Achim Grebien) – drums, sax; Blaine L. Reininger – guest vocals on “What use?”

Set list
01 Old cultures dying
02 New clear reality
03 Naked bodies shouting
04 What use? (Tuxedomoon cover)
05 Where has my love gone

Recordings
I have a lossless (flac) radio recording of tracks 01 - 05, total time 27'44". According to the timetable, Me & the Heat were allocated only 30 minutes, possibly making this the complete show.

Other info
Ik heb ze destijds (midden jaren 80) gezien op het Pandora festival in Rotterdam en maakte ook op mij diepe indruk. – Brolin (http://www.musicmeter.nl/album/24107)


Article from festival booklet




Article from Vinyl Magazine (1984/12) discussing Me & the Heat at Pandora's

Blaine L. Reininger

Multi-instrumentalists Blaine Reininger and Steven Brown, then two students of electronic music at San Francisco City College, formed Tuxedomoon in 1977. In 1983 Reininger left the group in order to pursue a solo career.

Scheduled
Saturday, 22 September 1984, "Mini Box", 00:45 - 01:45

Line-up
Unknown, but Mr. Reininger has his violin with him and the drum machine is working

Set list
01 Night air
02 Paris au temps
03 Ash and bone
04 Mistery and confusion
05 Broken fingers

Recordings
I have a lossless (flac) recording of tracks 01 - 05 (total time 23'01"), taken from a radio broadcast. Should be complete broadcast, surely incomplete concert.

Other info
Blaine guested on vocals during What Use? (written by him) during the Me & the Heat show earlier that evening.