Here's some detail of the best, or most memorable, Slade concerts that I attended.

I had just turned 13 and this was my first ever Slade concert in March 1973.

Slade were at the height of their career. "Cum On Feel The Noize" had been sitting on top of the charts. The 10,000 seater venue sold out within hours (I got tickets as my Dad queued up at Wembley on the day they came on sale). An extra performance in the early afternoon was also added.

My memories of the gig are vague, because the gig was such a long time ago. However I remember Slade coming on stage in their famous clobber:- Nod - Red shirt, tartan trousers, red and yellow stripy socks. Dave - Gypsy look. Mirrored headscarf, and round mirrored black jacket, silver leather trousers and silver boots. Jim - his glittery red suit! Don - Black, white and silver striped waistcoat and trousers.

I also recall that the support band, called Home (who were voted the Best British Newcomers) were given a  particularly bad time by the crowd. You could hardly hear Home play over the jeering and slow hand-claps from the crowd!

Slade were presented with a silver cup for Best British Band - and Don was carrying his giant magnum Vodka bottle (filled with water).

The gig was interrupted by stoppages. Slade had to leave the stage several times due to the audience in the stalls standing and pushing forward. Seats were smashed by the surging crowd and kids at the front were getting crushed and pulled by bouncers to safety. DJ Rosko was the master of ceremonies - who worked the crowd up into a frenzy (like in the Flame movie). During the stoppages he kept urging the crowd to move back. He said that if they didn't the show wouldn't be able to continue.

Slade had residency at the Odeon for three nights.  

I went to their second performance on the Friday night and sat on the balcony.

Before the gig the roadies organised the Slade Look Alike contest.

I remember some of the roadies being in the foyer before the show. They stopped some of the crowd, (basically the best looking half a dozen girls who were wearing Nod or Dave type outfits) and asked if they wanted to be in the competition.

 The fans chosen were then paraded on stage and the crowd were asked to cheer for the one they thought was best as each one stepped forward. Haden Donovan stood behind a clapometer (as used in Hughie Green's Opportunity Knocks) - and moved it manually to show the audience reaction. Undoubtedly it was fixed - so that whichever girl the roadies considered the prettiest (or who had the biggest boobs) won! The competition, and show, was introduced by Greg Edwards from Capital Radio (a bizarre choice as he later majored in soul music - and wasn't in to glam at all)!

Nod wore his black and white tartan ensamble with mirrored top hat. Dave had a white cat suit with red glittery shoulder and cuff pads and his famous red $ platform boots, Jim had a blue jacket and cropped trouser suit, with blue platform boots and Don......well I can't remember what Don had on - I couldn't see him too well!

I remember sheer pandamonium being caused by one male fan. He got so caught up in the atmosphere that he decided to dance, unsupported, on the small wall on the balcony. Yes - the wall in front of Row 1 of the balcony. I was thinking for a couple of minutes "He's gonna fall, he's gonna fall" until some bouncers came and dragged him down!

(Remember, the year before (1973) Slade were banned from ever playing the London Palladium again - when fans actually cracked the balcony with their stomping!)

Slade had re-designed the stage. Behind them they created two illuminated staircases that led to an upper raised level. Dave and Jim would go chasing up there - with the roadies following to untangle their guitar leads as they "crossed over".

Also, they built three gangplanks, over the orchestra pit, into the crowd. Nod, Jim and Dave used these to get closer to the audience. The manager of the Odeon was so impressed by this idea that he kept the gangplanks in place for several years later - so that other bands could use them.

I purchased my Slade Crazee Nite Tour brochure on the way out of the gig. I was well impressed with it - was this the first time that Slade had actually produced their own official tour programmes? It was far better than the fake ones that were being sold outside the venue.

I went home on the underground and was amazed at how many mini Noddys had gone to the gig. This was definately the year Slade fans dressed up. 

I went to both Slade shows. This were their farewell gigs before "emigrating" to the States for 2 years. I queued up in person to get my tickets when they came on sale. I arrived at the New Victoria at 8am in the morning and was way down the queue. The best seats that I got was for the Saturday gig - when I was in sixth row. It didn't matter too much - everyone got up from the seats and pushed forward a few numbers in. I had pockets full of glitter and stood in front of Dave at the barrier. As soon as he came close - I showered him in glitter.

There was no crushing in the audience - as in previous years. The crowd was a lot calmer. My pen-pal Ruth Manderson told me that at the Edinburgh gig on this tour it was as wild as ever. Everyone stood on their seats - hers and lots of others smashed. However, the Edinburgh gig didn't quite sell out. The London ones just about did.

The Saturday gig was recorded on Charlie Newnham's mixing desk by Radio One and broadcast the following month on the Insight show (after the Sunday chart countdown).

The band were as hot as ever - I loved the rendition of "How Does It Feel". It was an eerie performance with a glitter ball spotlighted sending reflections around the venue.

I remember seeing Lynsey De Paul at the gig. She was the partner of Chas at the time and was there looking after his young son Steffan. I saw them leaving the gig - and Steffan was dressed as a mini Noddy - wearing a mirrored top hat!

The best ever Slade gig? Maybe.

The Rainbow gig was part of Slade's first UK Tour for two years. They had a great, hard, new image. And a great, hard, new album, "Whatever Happened To Slade?".

In the build up to the tour, Chas had commissioned a grafitti artist to emblazen enormous writings of "Whatever Happened To Slade?" on the bridges around London. (My Dad was horrified that Lambeth Bridge had been "ruined"!)  

I made a trip to see actually check out Rock Street (featured on the album cover). The road is only a two minute walk from the Rainbow. It was exactly the same as on the album cover - with four advertising boards under the "Rock Street" sign. Then I went on to the gig. Many of the crowd had all bought the glowing necklaces that were being sold by the merchants outside - and they looked magic when the lights went down.

The music started, the lights went up and for the first time many saw Dave with his head shaved. He was full of confidence, wearing a leather jacket - with a bald head (a self potrait?) on the back. Nod wore a long blue mac and a wierd hat with a long feather in the side.

What a set. The new album was featured. Great songs that went down a storm:- "Be", "One Eyed Jacks" and "Lightning Never Strikes Twice" were well appreciated and Dave's guitar skills were featured to the full.

The band also chose a mix of the best old numbers - "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", "Gudbuy T'Jane" and "Cum On Feel The Noize" were all played.

To me it was the perfect mix of loads of new songs to keep the old fans happy and plenty of new songs to entertain the regular punters who attended.

A sell out crowd and about five encores. It seemed like the gig would go on for ever. Great stuff.

I found the scrap of paper (below) recently. I remember writing it after Slade's '77 Rainbow show - and it details all 18 songs they performed (but  not in the correct order). The songs marked with "*" indicate encores....

Slade played the Music Machine 7 times:
30 October 1978, 20 October 1979, 13 December 1979, 29 February and 1 March 1980, 20 and 21 June 1980

I loved the Music Machine gigs between 1978 - 1980. However, when I went to the venue for the first time in October 1978 I was very nervous. I'd caught a bus to Camden High Street and asked directions of a few people. Everyone I talked to said the same words "Don't go there - unless you want to get stabbed". The venue had a bad reputation - it had previously been an old style theatre - but was now a punk club. Drugs were offered to you every time that you went in the loss for a pee!

However, when I got into the venue I loved it. It was big - with standing downstairs and a high stage. The were several balconies with seats - you got a good view from everywhere you stood.

Slade packed the place out. A couple of hundred kids were turned away. Slade went down a storm. It was really hot in there. Intimate and packed to the rafters. Slade's guests would stand on their own private balcony to the (right) as you looked at the stage. I liked this spot - but I went to mingle with the fans in "the pit".

At this gig I stood, as usual, in front of Jim on the left side of audience (as you looked at the stage). I'd taken 3 girls from work with me. They were surprised when Jim suddenly noticed them with me in the crowd - he said between songs over the mike "Hi Dave Kemp". Everyone stared at me - and the girls were impressed.

The gigs in 1980 were great too. The only downside was that after one of the shows the band's truck had parked up next to the stage exit in Mornington Crescent. While the roadies loaded the gear Nod's guitar was stolen. It was thought that a roadie had put the guitar down by the door and a passer by just nicked it. Nod was not happy - the whole tone of the after-party drinks changed. (Noddy mentioned this incident again in an article in 2011. He said the thief later became a well know pop star of the 1980's - who admitted to the theft while in rehab. However, Nod wouldn't name the culprit).

When I went to the 1980 shows I would give Don a lift home. Don and some female guests wanted to drink. I introduced Don to a late night restaurant Emmanuelle's, in the Finchley Road at Swiss Cottage. It wasn't far from where we both lived in West Hampstead. They had no late night drink licence - so they served us up two teapots. One was full of wine and the other full of Vodka and tonic. Don was amazed. He stayed for a few hours. Don liked the place so much that we went back there several times after London gigs.

The Marquee gig is fondly remembered by me.

The club in Wardour Street was tiny. I suppose that it held about 400 maximum. Basically, after stepping through the entrance, you walked straight into the club, that was a simple black square box.

The gig obviously sold out for Slade. In fact it was so packed that I would imagine the capacity was broken by an extra 100.

It was hot. God was it hot. It was an intimate performance. The band were on a small stage. They could be touched by the audience. Although it was only March, the packed crowd meant the place was dripping with sweat. This was the hottest Slade gig ever (and I don't mean just the band's performace).

I went to the gig with Don's then girlfriend Carol and some of her female friends (the Hampstead crew). I think they thought they were going to an elite venue where they could sit nicely and have a casual glass of wine. Wrong!

Roy Wood was in the crowd - and with all his hair - he looked overheated too.

As the venue was all on one level, it was difficult for fans to see the band from the back. I remember seeing blond Tony Tabram from Romford and his girlfriend mounting a speaker stack at the side of the stage, so they could see. Sue O'Leary from Oxford and Sharon Timms from Wembley mounted it too. All very precarious.

After the show I'd agreed to give a lift home to Don, Carol and the Hampstead girls. I'd driven to the gig in my clapped out Vauxhall Viva. It was parked in the NCP car park a few doors up from the Marquee. Some fans followed us all to the car - and then chased the beaten up wreck as we drove down the ramps in the car park. I remember catching one of my doors on one of the pillars as we made our way to the exit. But what the heck!

I saw the car park attendant looking in amazement. He couldn't have imagined a pop star being in my old banger!

I really enjoyed the Wolverhampton Fiesta gig in 1981. It followed on from the band's success the previous year at the Reading Festival and was arranged by the local council at the Ladbroke Stadium, Monmore Green.

I travelled to Wolverhampton on the Saturday (the day before the gig) with Don's girlfriend Carol - and we stayed at Don's parent's house. We went with them and Don's brother Derek to the gig.

It was wierd - an outdoor festival in Wolverhampton. There were about 7,000 fans there - so it must rank as Slade's biggest ever gig in their home town. Slade topped the bill and were supported by Diamond Head and The Eric Bell Band.

A young French girl called Laurent Lesage (aged 17) got all the attention at the gig. Whilst I was in Slade's dressing room before the gig - she was ushered in. She had written to the Wolverhampton Council saying what a fan that she was - and that she'd never met the band. The council said that if she arranged travel to the UK - they'd get her to meet the band.

It was an interesting meeting - as she was really shy and couldn't speak a word of English. She was a big Dave Hill fan - and as soon as she was introduced to him she just hugged him tight....and smiled - with seductive French eyes! (Dave always loved that sort of thing!)

The gig was good and tight. All the families and freinds were there. I remember meeting Jim and Louise's big mates Ross and Marg - who I'd heard about, but never actually met. I have no recollection however of where I stood/sat during the gig. However, I do remember being next to Don's mum Dora who, as usual, brought plugs for her ears and put them in before the show started. She offered me some - but I declined!

The after-party was very unusual. The band decided to go against tradition - and didn't have the party in their "local" The Trumpet. Instead they arranged the do at an upmarket wine bar that was in the Brittania Hotel......

What a great gig this was.

I drove up on the Saturday morning with Don's girlfriend Carol and her friend Cathy. I was using my Dad's clapped up blue Vauxhall Viva - which just about made it there. Don had given me a Car Pass for the VIP enclosure - as I was driving him home after the gig. (What style - but typical of Don - he didn't care).

Me, Carol and Cathy parked up and made our way to the VIP enclosure. Each band had their own trailor - that were full of all the Rider items they had ordered - food and drinks. On the way in we were approached by some die hard AC/DC fans - who wanted to get some messages to their idols. I remember that Carol stood and talked as they wrote messages for her to pass over to the band. (Carol was so kind hearted).

It made me laugh that she went over and knocked on their trailor door to deliver them personally to Brian Johnson. Carol really wasn't bothered about meeting him, but wanted to make sure that he actually received them, as she had promised to deliver them.

Anyway, Slade were in good spirits before and after the gig. Not so Blue Oyster Cult. They had taken to the stage after Slade and had bombed. (The audience were on a high after Slade - and BOC found it impossible to maintain the atmosphere). Each band member were presented with a framed metal plaque for appearing. Blue Oyster Cult destroyed theirs on the grass area between the caravans. What a laugh we had watching them from behind our caravan curtains! I picked up one of the trashed plaques and bought it home as a souvenir.

Another thing that made me chuckle was that Slade were only allowed a certain number of guests to stand at the side of the stage during their performance. Carol and Cathy weren't bothered, so they said they would go and stand in the crowd at the front of the stage. (I remained at the side of the stage and helped the roadies throw out the customary bog-rolls into the audience at the end).

I could see the girls from the stage. It had started to rain and with them being girlies - they put up their travel umbrellas. Because they were obscuring the crowd's view - they got canned! The girls had half drunken beer cans chucked at them. It wasn't a good gig for Carol.(You can just about see Carol and Cathy's umbrellas aloft on the cover to the "Ruby Red" single which used a photo of the crowd).

Anyway as I drove Don home he said that he had no need for his "Monsters of Rock" commemorative plaque - so he gave me his. It has his name written on the back - and I still have it to this day. It proudly sits on my spare bedroom wall.

Don had been staying in London the night before the Oxford New Theatre gig. Jim, Nod and Dave were all in the Midlands.

I'd agreed to drive Don to and from the gig in Oxford. The journey wasn't too far - about an hour and a half from West Hampstead, using the M40. I was using one again the clapped out old car that my Dad had bought me - a ten year old Vauxhall Viva (that included matching dents on either wing).

Don wasn't fussed as to my car being a shabby relic. He wasn't snobby and had no desire to travel in limos.

We set out on our journey early afternoon. It started to rain, heavily. Disaster. After about 10 minutes my windscreen wipers broke when we were on the M40. I couldn't see anything through the front windscreen. I had no RAC cover and Don needed to get to the soundcheck. So what did I do?

Answer - I carried on driving. I travelled at about 5 mph - with Don hanging out the window directing me through the rain.

It was a dreadful journey - but eventually we got to Oxford and found our way to the Apollo. I went for a stiff drink, to calm my shattered nerves, while Don completed the soundcheck.

The gig went fine for the band. I don't have too many memories of it. I just spent the whole time worrying how we would drive home if it was still raining - and dark.

Luckily the poor weather had cleared and we sailed home.

I interviewed the band at this gig for the Fan Club. It was great as the lads had just hit the charts with "We'll Bring The House Down" and the place was packed and rocking.

Afterwards I was staying at Slade's hotel (the Marriott), along with the band and all the roadies. Slade had hired a coach for the tour and I sat in the back with Jim chatting the show through and discussing songs that were in the pipeline.

A few miles out of Bournemouth a Mini kept chasing and overtaking the coach. Flashing it's lights. Eventually the coach pulled over. It was two buxom girls who had been in the audience. They asked if the band and everyone wanted to come to a party. The band agreed and the massive Slade coach followed them down tight lanes and roads to a little terraced house.

Party? Well there was no party. The girls were creating it there and then. They poured everyone drinks before disappearing upstairs with two band members for an hour or so.........We all eventually got to the hotel hours late!

In someways I wished that I had been born a year earlier.

I started going to Slade concerts in 1973 (when I saw them at the Empire Pool, Wembley) - and saw the band on virtually every UK Tour that they undertook for years after.

However, 1972 was a great year for Slade concerts in London.

Early in the year they played the North London Poly (14 Jan) and the London University (25 February). They played the Rainbow in Finsbury Park three times (29 July and 10&11 November) together with their first appearance at the Wembley Empire Pool (28 October).

Additionally, they played a gig at the Mile End Sundown on 7 September - that was quite close to home for me. I was just a bit too young to go to this gig. If I'd have been slightly older I would have gone to all the other London concerts that year as well!

The First Leisure Corporation bought three London concert venues in 1972. They branded them with the name "Sundown Theatre". The locations were; Mile End, Edmonton and Brixton.

The Mile End Sundown was the first to open and they wanted a major headliner to launch the chain. Slade were signed up!  However, the concert almost didn't go ahead. Slade were busy in the late summer cracking America. They didn't want to break the US Tour to return home for just one gig. The Head of FLC got into a legal debate with Chas Chandler - and the band were "forced" to do the gig! It was a storming show - and I missed it...

I found recently a list I had started to compile years ago of all the Slade gigs I attended.

I've now had a chance to review it - here's the finite list:-

• 25 March 1973 - Empire Pool, Wembley, London
• 17 May 1974 - Hammersmith Odeon, London
• 25 April 1975 - New Victoria Theatre, London
• 26 April 1975 - New Victoria Theatre, London
• 12 May 1977 - Rainbow Theatre, London
• 21 March 1978 - Birmingham Town Hall
• 4 April 1978 - Royalty, Southgate, London
• 15 April 1978 - Hammersmith Odeon, London 
• 19 May 1978 - Birmingham, Aston University
• 24 May 1978 - Wolverhampton Civic Hall
• 23 September 1978 - Chatham Central Hall
• 24 September 1978 - Watford Baileys
• 25 September 1978 - Watford Baileys
• 26 September 1978 - Watford Baileys
• 27 September 1978 - Watford Baileys
• 28 September 1978 - Watford Baileys
• 29 September 1978 - Watford Baileys
• 30 September 1978 - Watford Baileys
• 21 October 1978 - Nottingham University
• 26 October 1978 - Reading University
• 27 October 1978 - Guildford University 
• 28 October 1978 - Bradford University
• 30 October 1978 - Music Machine, Camden, London
• 28 November 1978 - Cromwells, Norwich
• 29 November 1978 - Great British Music Festival, Wembley Empire Pool, London
• 16 February 1979 - Blackburn Cavendish (Baileys)
• 17 February 1979 - Blackburn Cavendish (Baileys)
• 21 February 1979 - Leicester Baileys
• 22 February 1979 - Leicester Baileys
• 23 February 1979 - Leicester Baileys
• 25 February 1979 - Watford Baileys
• 26 February 1979 - Watford Baileys
• 28 February 1979 - Watford Baileys
• 1 March 1979 - Watford Baileys
• 2 March 1979 - Watford Baileys
• 3 March 1979 - Watford Baileys
• 7 March 1979 - Bradford University
• 10 March 1979 - Birmingham Barbarellas
• 24 May 1979 - Coventry City Centre Club
• 25 May 1979 - Cirencester Agricultural College
• 2 June 1979 - West Runton Pavilion
• 4 October 1979 - Wolverhampton Civic Hall
• 6 October 1979 - Norwich University of East Anglia
• 12 October 1979 - London City University, Northampton Square, London EC1
• 13 October 1979 - Nottingham University, Portland Building
• 20 October 1979 - Music Machine, Camden, London
• 21 October 1979 - Dunstable Queensway Hall
• 22 October 1979 - Sheffield Top Rank
• 28 October 1979 - Bradford University
• 8 December 1979 - Goldsmiths College, London
• 13 December 1979 - Music Machine, Camden, London
• 28 February 1980 - Watford Town Hall
• 29 February 1980 - Music Machine, Camden, London
• 1 March 1980 - Music Machine, Camden, London
• 7 March 1980 - Reading University, Charles Hall
• 11 March 1980 - The Marquee Club, London
• 20 June 1980 - Music Machine, Camden, London
• 21 June 1980 - Music Machine, Camden, London
• 23 June 1980 - The Marquee Club, London
• 28 June 1980 - West Runton Pavilion, Cromer
• 24 August 1980 - Reading Festival
• 26 September 1980 - Central London Polytechnic
• 29 November 1980 - Thames Polytechnic, Woolwich
• 1 December 1980 - Bournemouth Winter Gardens
• 3 December 1980 - Brunel University, Uxbridge 
• 7 December 1980 - Wolverhampton Civic Hall
• 20 December 1980 - Birmingham Odeon
• 21 December 1980 - Dunstable Queensway Hall
• 16 January 1981 - Guildford University
• 17 January 1981 - Ipswich Gaumont
• 24 January 1981 - Aylesbury Friars
• 26 January 1981 - Hammersmith Odeon, London
• 25 May 1981- New Theatre, Oxford
• 31 May 1981 - Wolverhampton Fiesta, Monmore Green Stadium, Wolverhampton
• 22 August 1981 - Monsters of Rock Festival, Castle Donington
• 12 December 1981 - Reading Top Rank
• 15 December 1981 - Bournemouth Winter Gardens
• 20 December 1981 - Hammersmith Odeon, London
• 19 March 1982 - Oxford Apollo
• 21 March 1982 - Ipswich Gaumont
• 4 December 1982 - Oxford Polytechnic 
• 17 December 1982 - Hammersmith Odeon, London
• 18 December 1982 - Hammersmith Odeon, London