Heatwave (festival)

Heatwave was a rock festival August 23, 1980, outside of Toronto, Canada at Mosport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario. The slogans used to promote the show were variously the "Punk Woodstock", the "New Wave Woodstock", or "The 1980s Big Beat Rock and Roll Party".

The festival was noteworthy because of the importance of the headliner bands that played and the timing in the evolution of New Wave music, not from the size of the crowd. Tickets were $20 ($25 at the gate), but only 50,000 people attended (of a hoped-for 100,000)http://www.angelfire.com/rock/teenagehead/ShortArticles.htm from "Trouser Press" #56, Nov. 1980.] and the promoters lost a million dollars. [Losses: http://philbrodieband.com/music_trivia-yesterdays_august.htm]

Groups

The groups were:

* Vladymir Rogov (opening artist) with his band ARKITEX (not on poster)
Teenage Head (not on poster)
* Holly and the Italians (not on the poster)
* Rockpile featuring Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe
* The Rumour without Graham Parker (just after he'd gone solo) (not on poster)
* The B-52's
* Talking Heads (at sundown)
* The Pretenders
* Elvis Costello and the Attractions
* The Kings

The Clash were originally booked, and were on the poster, but cancelled [The Clash: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.music.canada/browse_thread/thread/58839384b5ce7c93] or, by another story, were held up at the border due to customs.

A partial order of appearance was: Teenage Head (opened at 11:00 am), The Rumor, Rockpile, Holly and the Italians, Pretenders, B-52's, Talking Heads (sunset), Elvis Costello, and the Kings (midnight). [Partial order: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.elvis-costello/browse_thread/thread/f465d5b3e6222f22]

Teenage Head

The reviewer saw "two scraggly guys playing guitar and bass, and a crop-haired singer in long-tailed livery coat and eyeliner. ... good ol' head-banging ramalama punk rock. A large and vocal following cheers them on, and they play with confidence, as if they belong up front of all those people." A year or so later, Teenage Head's live album had a picture from their Heatwave set on the cover. [http://www.iprong.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=61560 iPod Forums at iProng: Voice of the iPod Generation :: View topic - Did anyone attend either of these 80's music festivals ] ] Their set included "Never Pick a Fight with Popeye" and "Wild One" (from the "Frantic City" album).

The Pretenders set list

The Pretenders played a full set [The Pretenders: [http://db.etree.org/myshows_detail.php?showid=6714671 soundboard cassette recording] ] [The Pretenders: http://zombtracker.the-zomb.com/details.php?id=10685] at Heatwave [http://f.hatena.ne.jp/loanmaker/20061111115444 photo and ticket] .

# Precious
# The Adultress
# Kid
# Space Invader
# Private Life
# Brass in Pocket
# Stop Your Sobbing
# The Wait
# Louie Louie
# Porcelain
# Tattooed Love Boys
# Up the Neck
# Audience
# Mystery Achievement

Talking Heads set list

The band that toured for the "Remain in Light" album, including Adrian Belew, performed for the first time at Heatwave as the sun was setting. Their segment began with the four original members and then as the songs progressed, they added musicians and vocalists, including Nona Hendryx (vocals), Busta Jones, Steve Scales, Dolette McDonald, and Bernie Worrell (keyboards). [Talking Heads: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.elvis-costello/browse_thread/thread/8c9880a55665dfec ]

# Psycho Killer
# Warning Sign
# Stay Hungry
# Cities
# I Zimbra
# Once in a Lifetime
# Houses in Motion
# Born Under Punches
# Crosseyed and Painless
# Life During Wartime
# Take Me to the River [Talking Heads set list: http://www.tradeu2.com/setlistsotherart/talking_heads_heatwave_festival_.htm]

Elvis Costello set list

The Heatwave festival was the only 1980 live concert in North America by Elvis Costello and the Attractions.

# Shot With His Own Gun (sometimes listed as "How does it Feel"), accompanied only by Steve on piano *
# Accidents Will Happen
# The Beat
# Temptation
# (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding
# Mystery Dance
# Green Shirt
# You'll Never Be a Man
# (I Don't want To Go To) Chelsea]
# Secondary Modern
# Pump It Up
# Lover's Walk
# Less Than Zero
# Big Tears
# High Fidelity *
# Lipstick Vogue *
# Radio Radio
# I Can't Stand Up (For Falling Down)
# Alison
# Clubland
# Oliver's Army
# Watching the Detectives
# You Belong to Me *

Recorded and available as a two LP disk album. [Elvis Costello: [http://www.elviscostello.info/disc/bootlegs/h1980.html ECHWC82380] ] [Elvis Costello: [http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Mezzanine/3692/EC800823.html?200626] 74 minutes soundboard recording, also [http://www.geocities.com/l_elvis_cool_j/hfsbd.txt] ] [Elvis Costello: [http://www.geocities.com/l_elvis_cool_j/hf.txt] 74:59 audience recording] [Elvis Costello: [http://www.elvis-costello.info/disc/bootlegs/custom/80/800823.toronto/800823.toronto_back.jpgback cover] ]

* may not be on all albums and order may be different

The Kings

Their set started about midnight, and they played an energetic hour long show including their hits"This Beat Goes On/Switchin' to Glide".

Photographs

Photos of Heatwave at [http://www.compago.net/heatwave/heatwave.html]

References