(EP28, no.21) Marianne Faithfull: Dangerous Acquaintances, Fryfogle’s, London, Ontario, Canada, August 15, 1983

Ten days after the final Police Picnic in Toronto at the massive CNE Exhibition Stadium, I took in a more intimate, but hotly anticipated, show by the legendary Marianne Faithfull. The by-then gravel-voiced ‘60s pop icon and former Jagger paramour was in the final throes of a triumphant, early ‘80s comeback.  

She was undertaking her first-ever tour of Canada, where her records had performed very well, conveniently beginning her tour at my local watering hole here in the Forest City.  

The episode also features a four-minute interview that I did with Marianne six years after this gig, in 1989. 

Tune in for thigh-slappin’ rhythms, shitfaced patrons, contented smiles and … dangerous acquaintances.

Next On Stage –> This is the big one! THE ultimate! The single most anticipated show I ever attended, when I—along with my co-hort Miss Bennies—and 60,000 other fans, all of whom going Absolutely Freakin’ Bananas, moseyed on down to a packed CNE Exhibition Stadium on the Sunday night of a swelting Labour Day weekend in 1983, for DAVID BOWIE, on his Serious Moonlight tour for his worldwide smash hit album, Let’s Dance, with the great ROUGH TRADE opening the show and warming up the troops. 

On the exact same weekend a year earlier, I had seen The Clash, and in the podcast for the show, Episode 18 and the blog entry as concert no. 12, I discuss how seeing them made for the most-anticipated gig I had attended up until that time.  

Well, this David Bowie concert one year later—at the same venue but utilizing the full stadium—left that prior show’s sense of anticipation in the dust as I finally got to see the performer who had long occupied the No. 1 spot on my “Must See” list. 
 

Bowie and his seventies output made a seismic and enduring impact on my life, and in this next episode I will discuss this along with looking at the actual show, on that gorgeous Labour Day weekend in 1983, ending one of the most memorable summers of my young life with an unforgettable climax. 

Also, the great Rough Trade, another act I love and made an impact on me in the 70s and 80s, was the opening act, and I will be talking about them as well. 

Tune in next time for life-changing radio Oddities, bamboo steamers among the Bowie masses, and the most exciting show of my life with Episode 29, Concert no. 22, Let’s Dance: David Bowie with Rough Trade, CNE Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Saturday September 3, 1983 

You can also read the initial blog entry at mylifeinconcert.com, broken down into two blogs: 022a. Changes: Bowie, The 70s, & Me; and 022b. Let’s Dance: David Bowie with Rough Trade, CNE Stadium Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Saturday September 3, 1983.

https://mylifeinconcert.com/