KC and the Sunshine Band UK Tour 1983
I don't think KCSB toured the UK at all between 1975 and 1983. Certainly I don't think there was a tour after "Please Don't Go" was a hit as it was not long after that hit that KC was seriously injured in a car crash.
However, they did tour in 1983 after "Give it Up" became their only UK Number one. Here are the tour dates for that tour (courtesy of a list in "Blues and Soul".
| October 12th | Congress Theatre, Eastbourne |
| October 13th | Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham |
| October 14th | The Regal, Hitchin |
| October 15th | Goldiggers, Chippenham |
| October 16th | Davenport Theatre, Stockport |
| October 17th-22nd | Baileys, Watford |
| October 23rd | City Hall, Newcastle |
| October 24th | The Frontiere, Batley |
| Ocotber 25th | St. David's Hall, Cardiff |
| October 26th | The Venue, Victoria, London |
| October 27th | Winter Gardens, Bournemouth |
| October 28th | The Marine Centre, Great Yarmouth |
| October 30th | USAF Mildenhall Galaxy Club |
| October 31st | Haven Cinema, Boston |
| November 1st | Opera House, Blackpool |
They didn't get a single day off in that schedule! And although the UK is only small there was still a fair amount of darting from one end of the country to the other.
KC and the Sunshine Band in Concert
Wed 26th Octo 1983, The Venue, Victoria, London
I was living and working in London during the early 80's so this was the easiest show to get to. (Even if I had been back home in Oxford I was a big grown up 20 something by then so would still have been able to go to this one!).
I have to confess I don't remember the details of this show nearly as clearly as the one in 1975, possibly because my teenage crush on KC was a thing of the past. It is amazing how clearly I remember something from when I was not quite 15, yet these days have problems remembering what I went upstairs for. I went to this show with Alison, one of my friends at the time. The Venue was another, night club/disco, er.. venue, and I went to a couple of other concerts there at various times as well. Blowed if I remember who now though!
The Venue wasn't too crowded that night so we had plenty of dancing space, and dance is what we did. We started off at the front near the stage, but later in the evening a light bulb fell from one of the lighting rigs and smashed at our feet--- no injuries to anyone but we moved further back after that!
I can't remember how many original Sunshine Band members there still were by this time. Was Rick Finch still with them or was this after the parting of the ways? I know Fermin was, and I have a feeling Robert Johnson and Jerome Smith still were, plus Fire. (On the 75 UK tour Oliver Brown was the percussionist). But while the finer details of the evening (including such vital things as what they all wore!!) has been lost in the mists of time, I do remember how much energy there was on stage, all the dancing and rushing about. I remember having an absolute ball as well, dancing the night away. I was young then and could still dance all night. I loved hearing some of the old hits again, and of course "Give It Up" which I always loved.
Sadly again there were no programmes for this tour (unless I just didn't buy one) and I have no photos. Though I do hope eventually to track down a concert review or two from the music press. So again if anyone does have any photos from this tour which they would be happy for me to use, get in touch.
Page created 26th Apr 2004 by Jackie Hewitt