This Month In Punk Rock History...Conflict and Steve Ignorant's Anarcho-punk concert goes awry 

My recollection of the night 🙂 A van-load of us travelled up from Southampton to London after a day spent doing some animal rights stuff, parked up and went for a couple of pints. We headed off, joined the queue, chatted to various friends, and soon found ourselves inside. We spent a decent amount of time chatting to more mates and looking over stalls, where I picked up a copy of The Apostles’ ‘Mob Violence’ EP (still got it, still regularly played) and a map of places to target if (hah!) it kicked off afterwards. We headed into the hall, and I was blown away by the scale of the whole thing. I’d never experienced an indoor gig on this magnitude! It was called the Gathering Of The 5000 for a good reason (or at least not far off). I mingled for a bit, caught up with more people, then the gig started. First up, Thatcher On Acid, a brilliant start. Upbeat, dancey punk rock was just what was needed to get the evening going. Then it was poetry time with Benjamin Zephaniah, delivering blistering rhymes and sharp humour taking aim at the monarchy, the politicians, the cops, mixed in with uplifting verses about what a vegan eats. He certainly knew how to fire up a crowd! Finally, after a full-on 20 minute build-up of videos and audio clips (like an extended version of the beginning of ‘The Ungovernable Force’ with added riot film!), Conflict hit the stage. The place went mental! It was the band at their absolute best, and the presence of Steve Ignorant on the stage simply added to the immensity of it all. I’ve never been so exhausted and exhilarated, physically and mentally, before or since. Like most Conflict gigs, it ended pretty chaotically. Punks were getting on stage and diving off of ridiculously high speaker stacks, brawls were breaking out in the crowd and the venue sent security on stage, complete with Rottweilers. Outside, lines of riots cops, many with dogs, were waiting. We left the venue sharp and, because we’d dressed fairly straight (like many others), made it through the cops with no problems. It didn’t take long for the rowdier elements to make it out on the street and start giving it to the cops, who were only too pleased to reciprocate. What they hadn’t realised is that loads of us who’d got through had hung around. The cops were pretty surprised when they suddenly got hit from the back too. And I think they’d misjudged just how combative us punks had become as they were battered fairly heavily once a decent crowd had gathered. Before long a mini-riot had spread to Brixton high street, made worse by the cops’ stupid decision to close the Tube station. While a few punks got a bit of a kicking off of the cops, they didn’t have it completely their own way and a few were hospitalised with broken bones. Quite a few corporate targets were hit too, while local shops were left well alone. Eventually we made our way back to the van and home, everyone buzzing and wearing shit-eating grins. Best day ever. (One thing about your video - we knew the cops were in the venue because one of the most senior officers from Brixton station was watching from the circle along with a couple of plain clothes. Loads of us kept shouting at them to jump.)

Nice to see this recorded. I was at this gig and it was me who did the Crisis Point 'zine interview at the time too. I'm glad you found it. It felt important to find out what had actually gone on at the time as everything was just sourced from the rumour mill. I interviewed Colin at Woolwich Poly I think. There was also a riot after their second Surbiton Assembly Rooms gig which was another interesting night too!

I was on the guest list at this gig and was friends with the band. We were all from the same area and knew each other quite well. I can remember this night vividly. I think one of tye biggest problems was Showsec and their Rottweilers. I remember seeing these huge guys with big dogs and they were setting them on people who were quite innocent. One Showsec guy beat the dog punching if in the back of the head to make it angry before setting it on a gang of innocent people who had been standing near the back trying to stay out of trouble. There were people there who just went to cause trouble, but the band did not want this. I remember Colin was so excited about getting to play the academy he wheeled and dealed for months and worked so hard to make it happen. It was so sad when it was spoiled by a few. Jerb never wanted any of it to go down like that and I remember after the gig sitting outside waiting for a bus when he came outside looking for us because he was worried we had been caught up in the riot. He made us come inside and wait in the dressing room with them. They were all angry and dismayed by what had happened, none of it was expected or planned and the events of the evening and subsequent riot left everyone shocked and stunned. We all went home that night wondering what had happened and how, everyone was in shock but the one thing I came away with was It was not Conflicts fault, someone who sought me out, made sure I was safe and then made sure I got home that night was not someone who insights a riot. That was all down to the security a few fans and an over zealous Brixton Police. I was good friends with them for many years after that and could sure tell a tale or two but no one likes someone who tells. Here is a thing for you all though to mull over after not seeing Colin for about 35 years I bumped into him at a local railway station, totally random, and even after all the time that had passed I recognised him and he remembered me.. Epic, what a fantastic guy. Xxx

I'd seen Conflict about 5 months before in November 86 in Swansea and they were superb. There was a bus and ticket meant to be going up from Swansea as seen on the ad at 1.20...for some reason it got pulled so landed up not going, maybe a bit lucky in hindsight!

best gig i ever went to as a young man

Another great collaboration. A pleasure as always Mr Sweet Jimmy.

I remember the security had dobermans at the entrance to the gig, not my favourite Conflict gig, that would of been a Crypt gig or Uxbridge with DOA

Battle of the beanfield is a very important tragic event, hope it's covered too?

You should talk about Riot that happened in La when the exploited played. That was a fun one. Or the show at the Broadway Theater in Santa Ana California where Lost Cause and other bands played in an old movie theater. That was a fun one. Almost every chair in the theater was tore up. I miss the fun we had at the Cuckoo's Nest, the whiskey, Club 88 back in the early 80s, just to name a few of the old clubs. But for Orange County, the Cuckoo's Nest was our home. Or, The Nest, as we used to call it.

Imagine that , anarchists fail to organize something!

For me the best gig ever. First time in london at 18. Wot a mad night.ACWB that night

Love it!!

i was at this gig came down on my own on the train this was way to big a venue for a punk gig but it was packed leftbthe venue alot of cops but didnt see any riot took some photos before the gig outside still have them all the old cars i cant really listen to conflict these days its not great musically shame i never saw flux around that era

Was at this one, had seen conflict shitloads of times back in the 80s, some really good gigs, some including this one, not the best,at this I went with a crew of about 8 or 9 of us, about 20 minutes before the end we all thought it would be a good idea to drop acid, so when we went out at the end we were in no condition to deal with it kicking off,we ended up at an all nighter of punk films at the scala in kings cross,off our nuts, place seemed to be full of strange folks and people who seemed like they just needed somewhere to go,I remember a cat sitting on my lap,and coming out in the morning with everyone going about their business when we were all right on one was an experience to remember, so a good night and good memories of a not so good gig.

There's a whole written article from Colin (Conflict) reflecting upon the day.

Police didn’t like punks back in the day , I been at many riots all started by the police

So there is video of this concert or only bits?

I saw gg allin black rain the denied and huyman sewage 6/27/93 GG's last show

Imagine the stink.....

Punk is definitely Dead in the uk with all these posey so called punk festivals like FARCE fest in Blackpool No Rebellion at rebellion & people treat it like its a band must go see etc Not like a gig that it is its killed uk punk scene how people think & act about gigs etc its full of posures dressing like its still 1982 & Even Conflict went to USA for only 3 gigs this year 3 gigs ffs my mate plays Guitar for Conflict nowadays

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