The official FRIARS Aylesbury compendium
Page last updated 20th October 2008
Maxwell Hall, Civic Centre, Market
Square, Aylesbury
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Thursday August 30th 1979
see also Saturday September 16th 1978 Saturday October 25th 1980
see also (The Cure) Saturday June 30th 1979 Saturday April 18th 1981
Siouxsie Sioux Steve Severin
John Mackay Kenny Morris
The Cure
Playground
Twist, Metal Postcard, Staircase (Mystery), Premature Burial , Switch,
Overground, Placebo Effect, Icon, Regal Zone, Jigsaw Feeling, Fong Kong
Garden, Suburban Relapse, Love in a Void
See below
As below
The webmaster, north Bucks:
"One of my first proper gigs and was blown away by the sheer volume of noise. Quite near the front but Siouxsie clearly had an attitude on her for reasons unknown. This was to promote the Join Hands album which John Peel had played in its entirety the same week they played Friars which was rather handy. I remember the NME review of this gig the week (see below) after which was, to be frank, nasty and mentioned events taking place I swore never happened or I was looking the wrong way. They claimed Siouxsie kicked the PA stack to the extent it swayed and almost toppled onto the audience. If this really happened, I do not believe that Siouxsie would ever have been allowed near Friars again."
Photos courtesy of Gary Leeson
As below - click to enlarge
Thanks to Autumn at the Pictures of You website for allowing use of the poster and the cutting below
This turned out to be one of the last gigs with the original line up as Morris and McKay departed a few days after this gig causing some of the tour to be scrapped whilst new members were very quickly found. The Cure's Robert Smith found himself very busy as he filled in for the rest of the tour playing two sets a night. Morris's drum stool was filled by Budgie from the Slits who later became Sioux's other half. The Banshees went from strength to strength and effortlessly sold out Friars in 1980. The Banshees continued in one form or another for another 20 odd years. During this time Sioux and Budgie teamed up as The Creatures having hit records away from the Banshees. By 2008 Siouxsie was recording and touring as a solo artiste. Some of the punk ethic clearly hasn't deserted her judging by a very hostile interview for Uncut magazine in 2007.
Also still going strong in 2008 are The Cure and still big enough to be playing UK arenas. The line up has been all over the place in 30 years with Robert Smith being the constant factor and other members having more than one stint in the band.
Siouxsie Sioux official site Steve Severin official site
Sights and sounds - Siouxsie and the Banshees - Staircase (Mystery) (1979)
© copyright 2007-2008 www.aylesburyfriars.co.uk
