The Homecoming (Barrowlands ’83) (notes)

"Thinking back, I can't tell you what a euphoric feeling I had that night in Glasgow. We had just got back from an amazing journey through the United States, where we were treated to the real rock star experience. The music we made at that period really struck a chord in the American music lovers conscience. To return to play our first gig back on British soil at The Barras' was the most perfect homecoming. We even had a new song to perform. Wonderland, if my memory serves me right was debuted that night (not a great version I seem to remember)
Pipers were organised to join us on stage at ‘the bells’ to play in the new year. To heighten the emotion of the evening, our then record producer Steve Lillywhite proposed to his then girlfriend, the sadly missed Kirsty MacColl backstage while the pipers played.
The Barrowland Ballroom is a great rock venue. It became our spiritual home. This gig could go down as one of the best moments in my gigging life. Long live the Barras and all who play in her".

Tony Butler 2009

"Like the Pope in the Vatican, the Queen at Buckingham Palace, the President in the White House,
Big Country at Barrowlands. The venue is without doubt, Big Country's spiritual home and for me, the most memorable and exciting shows we ever played. They were special for many reasons.They were an important bench mark in Big Country's growth as a performing developing band.The atmosphere and crowd response was incredible.
Even just before the gig the atmosphere was electric, and just walking on stage can only be described as being at a cup final and scoring the winning goal.
Barrowlands was famous for having a horse hair sprung floor and that meant that if you all jumped up and down at the same time,the whole floor would act as a trampoline.
We were now famous for having a very lively mosh pit and as a result, the entire PA speakers would sway at a dangerous level,so much so that the PA had to be strapped down.
I remember at that gig ,the crowd all pushed forward and the entire stage with full mountain back drop was pushed at least ten feet back.lt was the most unnerving feeling having the entire stage pushed back while playing my drums.
The icing on the cake was the Scottish pipe band who piped in the new year at midnight.
After an amazing US tour, playing at Barrowlands made me feel that we had finally arrived as a band, and that we had a true welcome home".

Mark Brzezicki 2009

Go Now

Like this old guitar that's playing
And the echo on your voice
Just another conversation
Were we the golden boys

And I remember when, we were young
We stood in line
And how they sung with you in the night
We played along

Go now, Like a flower in the desert sand

From the ocean to the mountain
Where the gods look down with rage
Just another cold addiction
From the cradle to the grave
While your dreams came true you stood still

We stood there too
And all the tears you shed we cried too
Like lovers do

Go now, Like a flower in the desert sand

There's another song inside you
Like the woman you should meet
Just another brief encounter
You're only living when you sleep

I don't remember when you got lost
Those days are gone
But the adventure ends and there's always a cost
Forever young

Go now, Like a flower in the desert sand

Between a father and a son
The city and the one
Like a flower in the desert go now

Bruce Watson 2009

STUART ADAMSON Guitar, vocals
MARK BRZEZICKI Drums
TONY BUTLER Bass, vocals
BRUCE WATSON Guitar, vocals

bigcountry.co.uk
myspace.com/bigcountryscotland

1.1000 STARS    
2. ANGLE PARK 
3. CLOSE ACTION            
4. LOST PATROL
5. WONDERLAND            
6. THE STORM   
7. PIPE BAND SEQUENCE*           
8. PORROHMAN              
9. CHANCE         
10. INWARDS    
11. FIELDS OF FIRE          
12. HARVEST HOME       
13. TRACKS OF MY TEARS            
14. IN A BIG COUNTRY  
15. AULD LANG SYNE     
Extra's                 
LIVE AT THE PEPPERMINT LOUNGE (1982)                           
PRESS CLIPPINGS                            
PHOTO GALLERY                            
FAN ROLL CALL                
*The Deysart and Dundonald Pipe Band               

MUSIC PRODUCER STEVE LILLYWHITE PRODUCED BY
AUBREY POWELL DIRECTED BY NIGEL GORDON ALBUM ART RA
DVD PRODUCTION STANLEY PRODUCTIONS LTD
LICENSED FROM UNIVERSAL MUSIC BIG THANKS TO KEVIN PHELAN
www.trackrecords.co.uk
myspace.com/trackrecords
EXEMPT FROM CLASSICICATION
Video Aspect - Ratio 4:3
Main Soundtrack - English, Stereo
Disc Format - Single sided Dual Layer
DVD 9 I Colour
NTSC - All regions
Made In England
TRA 1062
Ⓟ2009 This release Fastune Ltd t/a Track Records  ©Universal Music. All Rights of the producer and copyright owner reserved. Unauthorized copying. re-recording, broadcasting, public performance, hiring or rental of this recording in whatever manner s strictly prohibited. In the UK apply for public performance and broadcast licenses to Phonographic Performance limited, 1 Upper James Street. London W1F 9DE

{ALSO INCLUDED IN TEXT FILE ON DISC}

Barrowland Anecdotes.

“If there was ever a band to be proud to manage, it was this one. Big Country. If there was ever a night (and there were many) to feel grateful, this was most definitely one. Huge thank you to Stuart, Tony, Mark and Bruce for making it all possible in the first place”.

Ian Grant 2009 (Manager)

"Barrowlands shows were the peak of the Big Country live experience. Nothing came close for audience participation and atmosphere. They knew the songs as well as the band. In fact at times you could not tell where the band ended and the audience began..A really mad show...”

Chris Briggs 2009 (Head of A and R)

“Big Country at Barrowlands on new years eve....one of the most emotional musical experiences of my career. That band had everything, rock, pop, soul, heart and balls... It doesn't come much better”.

John Giddings 2009 (Agent)

“I proposed to Kirsty there. What Tony says sums it up wonderfully. The only other memory I have is going round to Jim Kerrs mums house after the gig and drinking all night. As Briggs said, I think I got really drunk!!”

Steve Liilywhite 2009 (Producer)

“New Year's Eve 1983, the Barrowlands Glasgow, over twenty five ago but surprisingly, even to myself, memories of that whole experience came to the surface without too much effort. A long arduous tour, which had seen the band consolidate its early promise,even exceeding some expectations, was due to wind up with a New Year's Eve gig on home turf. Unsurprisingly, with the band's success, and the fortuitous date and location the Glasgow gig began to look a lot less of a routine gig and more of a major production as the day approached. By the time the crew emerged from their bus very early on that cold and wet Glasgow morning we were faced with putting on two shows instead of one, a simultaneous live TV & radio broadcast of the main gig. If that did not promise a world of organisational crapola then add an entire troop of a Scots military bagpipe band to march through the audience to arrive on stage at precisely midnight to herald in the new year held a myriad of possibilities, most totally unattractive. The venue itself is located in a run down area of the city, an ugly squat building with the gig due to happen on the top floor, never designed for rock and roll. It;s proper name was the Barrowland Dancehall, a popular venue during the 1950's when it acquired an ugly reputation for several battles where the cut throat razor was the weapon of choice for the aptly named 'razor kings'.

To say the whole of the day setting up was a little on the fraught side, would be one hell of an understatement, the Tarquin's and Tristram's of the BBC never quite getting the joke. By the time soundcheck arrived the place still had the appearance of complete mayhem in motion. Somehow our rigger's had managed to secure what looked like a window cleaners cradle from the Barrowlands ceiling to accommodate the camera crew. The look of abject terror on the faces of those fearless BBC TV crew in the cradle as we winched off the ground and into the air has strangely stayed with me to this day. Soundcheck became a drawn out endurance test with not just the band's own crew needing to do their jobs but the TV needing a run through of this ,the radio mobile studio needed another song for their engineer's it was endless. By the time it was over ticket holders for the matinee performance were already getting impatient waiting in the rain for the doors to open.

Performance wise the matinee show worked well enough, the band could never give less than 100 per cent, it was this that had given the TV people some concern. During the matinee show the camera cradle suspended over the heads of the audience had looked anything but stable, i hadn't the heart to tell the shaken camera crew that the main shows audience, imbibed with alcoholic fortitude for the New Year celebration would be lot more rowdier. To be honest the same prospect filled me with not a little alarm. The Barrowlands dancehall floor was of the wooden sprung variety, translated this means it tended to bounce when the audience jumped up and down, not an unusual occurrence at a gig. The whole stage had moved during the matinee, even the scaffold safety barrier had detached itself from the front of the stage at one point. The few hours before doors opened for the main event were frantic with securing stage, barrier, pa stacks,microphones, even Mark's drum kit and Bruce and Stuart's amps had to be secured, nailed or bolted, screwed or taped down. With one anxious last inspection and wondering why on earth I had never learned how to pray, the house lights were lowered a little, a tape played over the pa and with not a little trepidation I gave the house manager the signal for the doors to open.

Run Rig, a Scots folk band opened up the night and did surprisingly well, all the precautions we had taken appeared to be able to cope, i relaxed enough to go eat.

In the years after New Year's Eve 1983 i would travel around the world with Big Country, The USA, Japan and so on, from London's Wembley Stadium to Madison Square Garden in New York. All memorable nights and milestones in the life of the band, but none have really stayed with me as that New Year's Eve at the Glasgow Barrowlands. From the moment i radioed for the houselights to come down and a couple of thousand of well oiled Scots throats took up the chant of 'here we go' the whole place began to shudder. As the band took the stage and Mark kicked that bass drum to count in a '100 stars' we rode the whirlwind,. At one point I had the promoter and house manager using sign language and looks of alarm while indicating that the building itself was buckling under the assault, The floor directly below the gig had large parts of its ceiling plaster removed, and cracks had spread around the support pillars. It was relentless, all the way to the bag pipe band and through to the encores there was no respite,by the time the band had finally left the stage for the last time and the house lights had gone back up you could see that people were actually physically exhausted and spent by the experience.

Now, looking back, I realise it was catching that one moment, when a band is of its exact time, an almighty roar that once heard, even felt, has never left me”.

Les King 2009 (Crew boss 1983)

“The matinee performance was my first BC gig and the start of near quarter century journey of countless live gigs, pogoing, happy memories, tears, highs, lows, laughs, many friendships, some heartbreaks and a 1001 other emotions and occurrences that Big Country gave me. On 31 December 1983 under the infamous glitter ball and the curved ceiling of the iconic venue, the crowd sweated buckets as the lads thundered through a fantastic set of tracks centred around the superb Crossing album. The band rocked, the Barrowlands bounced, it was indeed a Meeting of the Gods”.

Welder 2009 (fan and latter day crew member)

“I was at the matinee concert and it was the first time the band had played Wonderland live. I was not a big fan before but was blown away by the performance and years later still listen to the all the time”.

Allan Kerr 2009 (fan)

“One of the great memories of my life was going to the Matinee show at the Barras 1983. I travelled over from N.Ireland for the gig. Had only seen BC on TV up until then got to shake hands with Stuart. Tony had this permanent smile on his face and Bruce was his usual self not staying still for a minute. And Mark was outstanding.The crowd where in great voice singing along to every song. I remember going back to Paisley on the train still singing as we went could not wait to get back to Ireland to tell my mates about it.That was the start of a great journey with BC. Having moved to London in 85 I was able to see them many times and my last gig was The Waterfront in Belfast on the Final Fling Tour.I now live in Melbourne and still the memory lives on. I still love the band and miss Stuart heaps”.

John Porter 2009 (fan)

“What an amazing experience. I travelled up from Bolton on the coach as there wasn't a train service back home on New Year Day. I had my tickets for both shows and a room booked at the Holiday Inn in Glasgow. I checked in at the hotel and walked to Barrowlands for the Matinee. Excellent show, heard Wonderland live for the first time, couldn't wait for the night show. I hung around the venue and got myself in line to get a spot at the front. I remember Runrig performing and I'd never felt so out of place, an Englishman surrounded by Scots singing Scottish songs that I didn't know. By the time Big Country came on the place was on fire. Packed full of checked shirts, the place was jumping. BC played an unbelievable show, the band were on top form and the crowd were loving it. I couldn't believe there was enough room for the Pipe band to plough through the middle of the crowd and onto the stage. Fantastic night. I had heard about the Scots and Hogmanay, these guys know how to party. I trudged back to the hotel and to top off my trip the band (except Stuart) were in the bar! I sat, drank and chatted with the band (and Mr & Mrs Lillywhite) through the night. I didn't even see my hotel room! I walked to the bus station in the wee hours to come home. It was an amazing experience and one that I will always treasure. Barrowland was indeed Wonderland”.

- Graham Iley 2009 (fan)

It was the crowd that blew me away. A mix of people that you didn't usually see at the same gigs at that time. The band (specifically Stuart) managed to pull all these people together and make them theirs right from the moment the band hit the stage. I was very fortunate to be watching the show from behind the mixing console, so I was about a good head & shoulders above the crowd. There was just a sea of people from front to the back and to the left and right of me,. It seemed like there was no room to move. I can remember the heat, even though I was in a privileged spot I still found it exhausting. Musical highlight for me was "Fields of Fire" at that time that was the song

that set the pace of the gig. It was like full tilt from that point on.The whole evening was a special event, from the support band Runrig to the Pipe Band and Big Country in-between, Glasgow Barrowlands was an incredible place to be, to see out 1983 & a fantastic start to 1984.

Clive Ford 2009 (fan)

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

{GLASGOW BARROWLANDS ONLY / NO ON SCREEN CREDITS FOR PEPPERMINT LOUNGE}

{OPENING CREDITS}

DAVID HOCKMAN
and
MICHAEL KUHN
for
POLYGRAM MUSICVIDEO

in association with
GREEN BACK FILMS
and
GRANT/EDWARDS MANAGEMENT

present

BIG
COUNTRY

IN
CONCERT

BARROWLAND GLASGOW
NEW YEARS EVE

{CLOSING CREDITS}

BIG COUNTRY ARE:
STUART ADAMSON
guitar/vocals

MARK BRZEZICKI
drums

TONY BUTLER
bass/backing vocals

BRUCE WATSON
guitar/backing vocals

CONCERT PROMOTED
by RADIO CLYDE
in association with
HARVEY GOLDSMITH
ENTERPRISES
and REGULAR MUSIC

Stage Lighting:
PETER BARNES
for
CHAMELEON LIGHTS

Stage Sound:
PAUL JACKSON

Outside Broadcast Unit:
TRILION VIDEO

Road Crew:
LES KING
BOB LOPEZ
LITTLE JOHN

Music Producer:
STEVE LILLYWHITE

Special Thanks to:
BRIAN SHEPHERD
CHRIS BRIGGS
JOHN WATSON
TED GREEN
CHIP RACKLIN
LES GARLAND

Production Co-ordinator:
PETER J. OLLIFF

Executive Producer:
LEN R. EPAND

Lighting Cameraman:
PETER CHRISTOPHERSON

Editied by:
DAVE GARDENER

Produced by:
AUBREY POWELL

Directed by:
NIGEL GORDON