1975-1983

Live Guide 1975-1983

Although this guide to Micki’s live sets in the early years of her career is as complete as currently possible, I would welcome further contributions and corrections. Feel free to comment or contact me via email. Also see my Live Venue Guide for locations and historical details on the many venues listed here.

The Runaways (1975)

8/12/75-Phast Phreddie’s House, Torrance, CA.
Setlist: (partial): Wild Thing/Come Now [Troggs covers, the latter introduced by Joan as ‘this is a song about fucking!]

Notes: Debut Runaways gig with original Michael/Joan/Sandy lineup.

8/13/75? -The Whiskey, Los Angeles
Note: Referenced by Joan Jett in this interview. http://joanjettbadrep.com/Interviews/fanclub/Vol1Bio.shtml

8/x/75-The Whiskey, Los Angeles
Setlist: Rock N’Roll/Thunder/American Nights/Wild Thing/Secrets
Note: (Currently) the only live recording of the Michael-era Runaways. Could possibly be the 8/13/75 gig.

9/27/75 – Hilltop Theatre, Tijunga

Notes: Opened for the Ratz, and billed as ‘heavy metal schoolgirls’.

9/28/75-The Whisky A Go Go, Los Angeles

Setlist: (partial) Thunder/American Nights/California Paradise/Voodoo/Yesterday’s Kids/Rock Rock Rock/Blackmail/Born To Be Bad

Other Acts: The Stars.

Notes: Contrary to the poster, the Runaways were the headline act. [Evelyn McDonnell, ‘Queens of Noise’.] A bootleg recording of this concert survives and was utilised in Evelyn McDonnell’s 2013 history ‘Queens of Noise’, which also notes that a dance contest was held during the set.

10/13/75 [Monday] The Whisky A Go Go, Los Angeles
Other Acts: Ratz.
Note: Photographed by Heather Harris. Possibly Micki’s last Runaways gig.

10/30/75:  ‘former movie theatre’, Laguna Beach
Notes: May be after Micki’s departure.

Slow Children (1979)

5/26/79 – Madame Wongs, Los Angeles
Other Bands: The Zippers.

9/4/79 – Madame Wong’s, Los Angeles, CA

9/12/79 – Londoner’s, Los Angeles, CA

9/27/79 – Blackie’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Red Shift

10/2/79 – Madame Wong’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Donald

10/5/79 – The Whisky, Los Angeles
Notes: Mentioned in LA Times review (10/5/79):

“Opening-act Slow Children’s problems weren’t quite so grave. A two-man, two-woman group fronted by a ragamuffin rock poet named Pal Shazar, Slow Children unleashed a torrent of stream-of-consciousness rock babble wrapped in cerebral pop riffs. The hero here is obviously Patti Smith and Shazar exudes a similar appealingly child-like gamine quality. Smith casts a big shadow that Shazar will have to work hard to transcend. However, now that rock’s visionary high priestess has become such a parody of herself, perhaps the time is right for someone else to step into those shoes. Shazar seems like she could do the job.”

(Opened for David Werner)

10/21/79 – Whisky A Go Go, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Jules & The Polar Bears
Notes: Jules & The Polar Bears features Jules Shear, later to write ‘If She Knew What She Wants’, and David White, later a close friend and collaborator with Michael on several songs.

10/31/79 – Whisky A Go Go, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Jules & The Polar Bears

12/7/79 – Blackie’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Kingbees

12/9/79 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Sumner

12/17/79 – Bla-Bla Cafe
Other Bands: Hot Lips & Fingertips, John Zambetti, The Lights etc:

12/31/79 – Madame Wong’s West
Other Bands: Jules & The Polar Bears, Sumner.

Elton Duck (1979-1980)

5/13/79 – Club 88, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Scooters, Yarbles

5/29/79 – Doug Weston’s Trobadour, Los Angeles, CA

Setlist: Walk Away Renee/Runaways
Other Bands: Let’s Eat, The Makers

Notes: Super 8 footage exists of this concert, brief snippets of which appeared in the promotion for the 2012 Elton Duck reissue.

6/5/79 – Hong Kong Cafe, Los Angeles
Other Bands: Daily Planet.
Notes: First ‘rock’ gig held at the popular LA venue.

6/12/79 – Bla-Bla Cafe, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Robert Stoddard Band

6/20/79 – Troubadour, Los Angeles
Other Bands: Phil Seymour & The Feel,  Donald

6/22/79 – Club 88, Los Angeles
Other Bands: Daily Planet

6/29/79 – Club 88, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Toasters

7/22/79 – Hong Kong Cafe, Chinatown, CA
Other Bands: Daily Planet, Diana Harris and the Tuff Tones

8/5/79 – Club 88, Los Angeles
Other Bands: Big Wow, Daily Planet, Robert Stoddard Band, Diana Harris and the Tuff Tones, Harold Way, the Model, Gary Myrick and the Figures, Whizzer etc:
Notes: Played as part of a ‘rock marathon at Club 88’, 2 p.m to 2 a.m. Proceeds were used to renovate the club’s stage facilities. [‘Rock Marathon at Club 88’, Los Angeles Times, 20/7/79]

8/30/79 – Troubadour, Los Angeles
Other Bands: The Model,  Catch.

9/07/79 – Troubadour, Los Angeles
Other Bands: Red Sneakers, The Spoilers.

9/29/79 – Troubadour, Los Angeles
Other Bands: Let’s Eat, Naughty Sweeties.

10/14/79 – Troubadour, Los Angeles
Other Bands: The Plimsouls, Bates Motel.

1/27/80 – Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Adapters, Radio Kings

3/12/80 – Club 88, Los Angeles
Other Bands: All Night

6/30/81 – Icehouse, CA

Greg Best (1980-81?)
[Note: Not sure of particular dates MS was in band.]

5/27/80- Londoner, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Exquisites, Street Gang

6/2/80 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: 4 1/2, Who Cares?

4/4/81 – Madame Wong’s Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Beachy and the Beachnuts, Toni & The Movers

4/22/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Kid America

5/19/81 – Troubdadour, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Billie, R.P.M, Ultramonic

5/25/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Doll, Rick Elias

6/8/81 – Dillon’s Dance Palace, Westwood, CA
Other Bands: Hit & Run, Uptown

7/8/81 – Madame Wong’s, Chinatown, CA
Other Bands: Triple Play, Madame X

7/13/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Bleeding Art, Nipper

9/7/81 – Dillon’s Dance Palace, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Lt. Elmo, Glyders

9/8/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: The Extruders, J.D. Drew

9/14/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Shakey Jake, Flame Outs

9/21/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Klaus Erik & The Akt, What Is This

9/28/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Lipstick Killers, Nowhere Fast

10/12/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Miro

10/19/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Lipstick Killers, Jennifer Miro

11/12/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Honest Cartwrights, Risky Shift

11/13/81 – Country Club, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Romantics, The Producers

11/17/81 – Dillon’s Dance Club, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Madame X, Genetics

11/28/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Naughty Sweeties

Toni & The Movers (1980/81)

11/14/79 – Blackie’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: T-Bags, Caroline Peyton

11/19/79 – Bla-Bla Cafe, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Gail Kantor, Berlin
Notes: Billed as ‘Toni Childs & The Movers’

11/28/79 – Londoner, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Pensils

12/8/79 – Pippin’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Berlin

12/23/79 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Dyan Diamond, 88,

12/26/79 – Bla-Bla Cafe
Other Bands: Magic

12/30/79 – Londoner, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Clones, Differentials

1/11/80 – Pippin’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Translators, The Jitters

1/19/80- Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Code Blue

2/2/80 – Village Mews, Los Angeles, CA
Notes: Free concert.

2/3/80 – Starwood, Santa Monica
Other Bands: The Trend, The Bullet Boys

2/16/80- Londoner, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Radio Kings

2/20/80 – Whiskey, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Robert Stoddard

2/26/80 – Flippers, West Hollywood, CA
Other Band: Robert Stoddard

3/6/80 – Whisky a Go Go
Other Bands: Candy Apple, Orchids

3/13/80 – Madame Wong’s Chinatown,

Other Bands: Carolyn Peyton, Teri Mansfield
5/1/80 – Madame Wong’s, CA

Other Bands: Catch, Pencils
5/27/80 – Flipper’s, West Hollywood, CA

Other Bands: Differentials, Neo Paris & The Futures

5/28/80 – Starwood, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: The Boxboys
Note: Same poster lists Joy Division, for a 6/9/80 gig that never happened due to Ian Curtis’s death.

7/3/80 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Toasters, Mick Smiley

7/19/80 – Blackie’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Pencils, Differentials

7/29/80  – Flipper’s, West Hollywood, CA
Other Bands: Roach & The White Boys, X-Streams

8/15/80 – Arena, Culver City
Other Bands: Makers, Differentials

8/23/80 – Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Neo Paris & The Futures, Toasters, The Model

8/26/80 – Flippers, West Hollywood, CA
Other Bands: Falcons, Resistors

9/11/80 – Whiskey A Go Go, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Billy And The Beaters, Roger Romeo

9/28/80-  Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Wet Picnic

9/30/80 – Flippers, Los Angeles [pre-Micki?]
Notes: Played with The Last Wet Picnic

10/16/80 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Orchids, Robbie Rist

10/24/80 – Blackie’s, Los Angeles
Other Bands: Textones

11/18/80 – Flippers, Santa Monica
Other Bands: Blasters

11/21/80 – Blackie’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Toasters, Zippers

12/4/80 – Madame Wong’s, CA
Other Bands: RPM

12/11/80 – Madame Wong’s Chinatown, CA
Other Bands: 24 K, Johnny Coolrock

1/2/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: John Hiatt

1/3/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: John Hiatt

1/17/81 – Madame Wong’s Chinatown, CA
Other Bands: Plimsouls

1/24/81 – Madame Wong’s Chinatown, Los Angeles
Other Bands: The Pop

1/27/81 – Whiskey A Go Go, Los Angeles
Other Bands: Greg Sutton, Tropic of Pico

2/27/81 – Blacky’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Beachy and the Beachnuts

3/4/81-Cathay De Grande, Los Angeles
Setlist: Still Movin’/Shift/The Good Life/Black Into White/Africa > Confessions Of A Love/Losin’ You/Broken Hearts/1980s Man/I Was Wrong/Something’s Burning
Other Bands: Gaea

3/7/81 – Madame Wong’s Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Beachy & The Beachnuts

3/10/81 – Topanga Corral, Topanga, CA
Other Bands: Beach & The Beachnuts
Notes: Opening gig of the venue’s ‘Grand Re-Opening Party Week’ (LA Times, 3/1/81, p.69.)

3/13/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, California
Other Bands: John Hiatt

3/14/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, California
Other Bands: John Hiatt

3/16/81 – Starwood, Santa Monica, California
Other Bands: Sumner

3/21/81 – Madame Wong’s Chinatown
Other Bands: Beachy & The Beachnuts

3/28/81 – Blacky’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Beachy & The Beachnuts

4/10/81 – Blacky’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Sights, Robert Stoddard

4/17/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, California
Other bands: Rubber City Rebels, Moon Martin

4/17/81 – Blackie’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Billy Sheet’s
Notes: One of the above two gigs may not have been played.

4/18/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Los Angeles, California
Other Bands: Rubber City Rebels, Moon Martin

3/16/81 – Starwood, Los Angeles (8151 Boulevard.)
Notes: KLOS NIGHT, played with Sumner. On Monday the venue offered ‘Phast Phreddie’s Rock Dancing’ and on Tuesdays/Wednesdays ‘Rodney Bingenheimer’s New Wave Disco’.

4/24/81 – Blackie’s, Los Angeles
Other Bands: Benders, Little Itch

5/x/81-Madame Wong’s West, Los Angeles
Setlist: Still Movin’/Shift/Something’s Burning/The Good Life/Africa > Confessions Of A Love/Losin’ You/Broken Hearts/1980s Man/Bitches & Bastards/I Was Wrong

5/8/81 – Blackie’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Robert Stoddard Band, Badcats
Random Note: Split Enz plays the same night at the Golden Bear across town. MS plays ‘I Got You’ with Crowded House just under seven years later. [4/11/87]

5/15/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: John Hiatt

5/16/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: John Hiatt

5/23/81 – Blackie’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Willys, Combonation

5/29/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Tommy Tutone, Daniel Webster   [Note: Listed in 5/24/81 LA Times as being Toni & The Movers + Radio Music.]

5/30/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Tommy Tutone, Daniel Webster

6/x/81 – Soundstage, Valencia, CA
Setlist: Something’s Burning/Africa
Notes: Filmed for New Wave Theater. Only known footage of Toni & The Movers, and only Something’s Burning has surfaced thus far. Footage of Africa exists but is presently unsurfaced.

6/5/81 – Blackie’s, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: The View, Radio Music
Notes: Radio Music includes Mark Buchholtz and Steve Schiff, soon to play as part of Nadia Kapiche.

6/7/81 – Dillon’s Dance Palace, Westwood, CA
Other Bands: Twisters
[Note: Greg Best plays same venue on 6/8/81.]

Nadia Kapiche (1981)

6/15/81-Cathay De Grande, Los Angeles

Toni & The Movers (continued)

6/19/81 – Blackie’s, Los Angeles
Other Bands: Beachie & The Beachnuts,  Sgt. Rock Storm & The Hurricane Band

7/3/81-Madame Wong’s West, Los Angeles
Setlist: Still Movin’/Shift/The Good Life/Africa > Confessions Of A Love/Losin’ You/Broken Hearts/1980s Man/Jam A/I Was Wrong

7/4/81-Madame Wong’s West, Los Angeles
Setlist: Still Movin’/Shift/The Good Life/Africa > Confessions Of A Love/Jam A/Losin’ You/Broken Hearts/1980s Man/Bitches & Bastards/I Was Wrong

7/10/81-Madame Wong’s West, Los Angeles

7/11/81-Madame Wong’s West, Los Angeles

7/17/81 – Madame Wong’s Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Falcon

7/17/81 – Madame Wong’s Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Falcon.
Notes: Final Movers gig.

 

Nadia Kapiche

7/21/81: Madame Wong’s West, Los Angeles

7/22/81 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, Los Angeles
Other Bands: Speed Limit, Twisters
Notes: Listed as ‘Nadie Kapiche’
Setlist:

Snakefinger (1982)

Note: George B.George’s last Snakefinger gigs in May 1982. Michael joins (and departs) Snakefinger prior to beginning of his History of the Blues tour.

Apaches of Paris (1983)

4/23/83-Elk’s Club, Monrovia, CA
Setlist (partial): Be My Squeeze/Cinderella Au Go-Go/I’ll Never Lose This Feeling/Sometimes/Til The End of The Day
Notes: Opened by Tiger Lily. Til The End Of The Day is a Kinks cover sung by Michael.

5/15/83 – Madame Wong’s West, Santa Monica, CA
Other Bands: Second Language, Kagney & The Dirty Rats, Foreign Language, Split Image, The Groceries