(EP 27, no.19) Police Picnic ’83 featuring The Police, Peter Tosh, James Brown, King Sunny Adé, Blue Peter, and The Fixx: Walking on the Moon CNE Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Friday August 5, 1983

It’s the third and final Police Picnic on August 5, 1983, once again at CNE stadium as well as the 4th and final consecutive summer of attending a huge, open air festival.

This time around the fest featured James Brown, Peter Tosh, King Sunny Adé, Blue Peter, and The Fixx along with the titular hosts.

While the first fest ran overlong but otherwise smoothly, the 1982 edition was the worst concert experience of my lifetime, even if the music was good.

As was also the case with 1982, this 1983 excursion came complete with a drug misadventure .... wait, scratch that last bit. What’s the opposite of “misadventure”?

For this episode, not only will Special Guests aka Phil Robinson be re-joining in looking back on this event, his pal from back in the day, Noelle, also joins us in this episode. The two of them went to festival along with a group of people and reconnect live for the first time since the 80s, and help each other piece together their experiences from that day.

So, it’s a first for the podcast, with a 3-way interview and reminiscence. We not only recall the show but also touch on late-night speakeasys, mammaried Police enthusiasts, how lucky we were to have The New Music, import 45s, and where did Simple Minds play here in London in the early 80s?

Tune in dear listeners for a euphoric day of great music, accidently taking narcotics, being trapped in a revolving door, smashed porcelain smokers on Queen Street West, and a goodbye to the tea-drinking Police, who were in Synchronicity with the world at that moment.

Click here to read the original 2011 blog entry.

Next on Stage -->: Join me next time as I recall one of my Top Three best shows I have ever seen here in my hometown of London, Ontario, Canada, when the one, the only, the legendary & the regal Marianne Faithfull grants us an audience on a packed-to-the-rafters Fryfogles on a steamy, August night.

This hotly anticipated show was a distinctly more intimate experience than the Police Picnic. By this point in time, the former Jagger paramour and ‘60s pop icon was in the final throes of a triumphant, early ‘80s comeback, triggered by her late 1979 LP Broken English, one of the true all-time classics. At this point in ’83, she was touring her third Island disc, A Child’s Adventure.

Conveniently, she began her tour at my local watering hole.

Indeed, this date kicked off her first-ever Canadian tour, with London lucking into hosting this debut performance.

Join me next time for thigh-slappin’ rhythms, backstage gossip, contented smiles and ... dangerous acquaintances.

021. (EP 28) Dangerous Acquaintances: Marianne Faithfull, Fryfogle’s, London, Ontario, August 15, 1983

Click here to read the original 2011 blog entry.

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