Company Of Justice Forum

Hello, I saw Play Dead at the Birmingham Tin Can club show (supporting Death Cult?). Anyway the gig was cut short because someone died when they fell through the roof - as a result of a fight (possibly skinheads).

Does anyone else remember this happening - I sure I didn't dream it?

Also, I'm sure I saw Play Dead at the Golden Eagle in Birmingham - was anyone else there too?

Unfortunately your memory is correct, and this subject has arisen in this forum before.

>From what I recall there were quite a few people hanging around on a rooftop which was kind of behind the stage area. People were there through the afternoon just chatting and relaxing before the venue opened for the evening.

I do remember skinheads turning up, but I don't have a clear memory of the fracas they caused.

What I do remember is someone fell through some rooflights on the next building and was found by a guard or something.

The Tin Can was a grotty place, certainly don't miss it.

Well, I remember the band announcing the death then walking off stage in disgust.
They looked upset, which is natural. The Tin Can wasn't the best venue in the world (or even the best venue in Digbeth) but I did see Death Cult, Shakin Pyramids, Roman Holiday, X Mal Deutschland and Alien Sex Fiend there over a period of time. A memorable Balaam & the Angel gig too.

Play Dead's set over the road in Digbeth Civic Hall supporting Killiong Joke was memorable for the right reasons.

Oh I don't deny the Tin Can had quite a throughput of acts.

I think I was there for Zerra One, probably The March Violets, and I can't remember if Spear of Destiny played there or not, but if they did I would quite likely been there.

John, I live in Brighton now and I'm going to see Spear of Destiny (Greatest Hits tour) at the Concorde2 in Brighton on Friday Sept 19th if you want to meet up there for a laugh.

You're fairly close to the venue in Surrey.

Spear of Destiny eh, I used to see Kirk Brandon walkin about alot when I lived in Hove back in the day. I wonder if its his hometown gig

Have a good time, where is the concord 2?

Kirk lives in Lewes now - so almost a hometown gig.

The Concorde2 is easy to find with free parking. Head for the roundabout at the coast in front of the pier (not the knackered burnt one), take the 2nd exit (Marine Drive) - you're now on the sea front at sea level, continue for half a mile and it's on your left opposite a beach volleyball court. Easy.

Yes was there myself and have the bootleg at home where the gig ended due to fighting etc

Jane

Was also there , had hitched down from Keele after the previous nights gig and got to Birmingham early afternoon.Few skinheads in and around the pub near Digbeth Coach Station ( The Anchor ?) and tensions started to build late afternoon ( I'm fairly sure there was some history between the Birmingham skinheads and the Stay Dead lot after a gig supporting Sex Gang at the Golden Eagle ).Things got more and more heated during Chatshow's set and kicked off when Play Dead were on.As I recall a few of us got a lift to New Street in the band's van afterwards and escaped a potential kicking that way ! I remember the word was that someone had died although no one was certain at the time.

Hi Guys.
I remember the Tin Can Gig too well, it was ourselves and chatshow. We had the word earlier in the day that a fairly big group of skinheads had been going to lots of gigs in the area and causing mayhem, we were told we could have a rough time as they were intent on comming to the gig. Odd I never had us pictured as a skinhead band, but it takes all sorts.
Various fights broke out all night, when we asked why the security hadn't got them out we were told that there too many for the bouncers to deal with.
It was chaos from the moment we hit the stage, there seem to be fighting everywhere, at one point we walked off untill it calmed down, as soon as we went on again the fights broke out, we walked off again, at this point we were told that a guy had been thrown off a roof and killed.
We never went back on stage and vowed we would never gig in Birmingham again, we never did.

Steve P.D.

I remember doing Keele too, that might have been the only time I went there.

Blimey, I had forgotten Chatshow were supporting, did they do that whole tour? I am surprised at forgetting so much, I know this is 24 years ago, but I have a pretty good memory of the tours I did, especially those I enjoyed the most.

Hi John.

If I remember rightly it was Chatshow, it was the only tour we did together, there were a couple of odd gigs here and there but that was it. Could be wong my memory has been turned to mush over the years.

Steve.

Even though it was a long time ago i don't think i will ever forget that gig. It was bloody crazy
I remember the glasses being thrown at the stage, doddy diving back stage while some massive skin head tried to hit him with a very large looking stick and, getting a lift to the station in the band's van. (at that time Birmingham train station was below ground level and i remember some of us took it in turns to go back up the staris into the station's entrance hall to see if any skin heads had followed us)
I did not know that some one had died until later on the next day.
What i also remember is that the following gig was in Coventry and turned out to be an excellent night. Everyone just seemed so pleased that the night had not turned into one big punch-up

david donn a.k..alittle dave and i were meant to travel /hitch together on
tis tour but wires got crossed so iwent alone and met up outside venue
awful night...gig never really got going due to stage invasions fights etc

The band's van had to do two trips to New Street I seem to remember. Don't know whether I went first or second but I'm sure I remember we all had to go through some kind of security segregation in the venue to get to the van.

I remember many of us waiting on the roof area backstage. I also remember it had been a really hot day and I was staring at that circular tower/office block with the red neon 'Sanyo' sign thinking 'I really hate Birmingham'. I'd never been before that day and had come down from the leafy campus of Keele University to the urban piss-stained pavements of Digbeth.