13th Anniversary Shows

UNCLE WILLIE'S HIGHLY OPINIONATED GUIDE TO THE RESIDENTS

At the tender age of 19, Rich Shupe convinced The Residents to tour the U.S.A. He even convinced them to let him be the tour manager for the tour. Here are some of his memories.
- Uncle Willie

As early as my first adult teeth came in, I began asking Ralph Records when The Residents would tour. Yeah, sure, there were eventually some Mole Show performances in California, but since I was just an East Coast punk kid, and since high school didn’t pay very well, I couldn’t really afford the round-trip airfare to see these exclusive shows.
And yeah, sure, after the California Mole Shows, the BlinklessOnes toured Europe, but not the U.S.! What the hell kind of patriotism is that? Too broke to see them in my own country, I certainly couldn’t produce the fiscal resources required to see them in a foreign land, far across the Atlantic. Who did they think they were, Michael Jackson?

Then, in 1983, finally The Residents were playing in my neck of the woods: headlining at the New Music America Festival in Washington, D.C. My chance, at last, to see them live! What an incredible event. With all of the Mole Show touring equipment in disputed lock up in a shipping warehouse, a cast of thousands put together the entire show from scratch in two weeks. Performed in a museum in our nation’s capitol, I went to The Uncle Sam Mole Show a boy and came away a man. Well, almost. It sure scared me a lot. Yeah, sure, I saw a once-in-a-lifetime experience but I still couldn’t share my enthusiasm with any of my friends across the country. To nine tenths of the country, the Residents remained as elusive as ever.
It wasn’t until three years later, in 1986, that it looked like our favorite foursome might finally tour the United States. You see their Japanese record label, WAVE, commissioned two weeks of performances across Japan, and the Rez Boyz were diligently working on putting together a performance. Now, I’ll admit that just about everywhere in the world is more open-minded culturally than the States, but this was the second foreign country to see these folks live! What about us?
I called the Cryptic Corporation and asked, “Look, if you’ve got a show you can put on a plane and take to Japan, why not put it on a bus and take it to us?”
“Well,” came the answer, “we’ve thought about it, but there doesn’t seem to be very much interest. Huey Lewis’ booking agency spoke to us, but it didn’t really go anywhere.”
Indeed. But how can there not be any interest? The Residents touring the U.S. for the first time in 13 years? I asked if I could look into it, and with a non-committal “see what you can do” I embraced the task with a youthful fervor. I soon found out that booking a domestic tour for a band that had never put in a personal appearance in Anytown, USA was at once the easiest and most difficult thing to do. On the one paw, virtually everyone took my call (except for that asshole in Boston) but on the other, no one believed me. “The Residents? Yeah, right. Any real estate for sale?” To put it succinctly, let’s just say that Ralph Records fielded a lot of check-up calls. But once things got going, and word got out that these shores would soon be canvased by You Know Who, all that remained was working out the kinks. Two weeks later, the Cryptic Corporation returned from Japan to find more shows scheduled than they could play in the allotted time and it was just a matter of picking and choosing the dates.
And so it was, in December-January of 1986, the 13th Anniversary Show played 24 shows in 18 cities. Needless to say, it met critical acclaim and sold out everywhere. Three musicians, two dancers, lights, sound, management, a couple of skeletons, a dozen or so giraffes, and other assorted people and props presented two hours of newly reworked material that spanned a baker’s dozen of years and as many releases.

What was it all about? Things I wouldn’t mind forgetting: the heinous theft of an eyeball at the Hollywood Palace; kneeling, cramped, on a Trenton stage holding a fan on an Emulator because the power in the venue was hot; playing a pool hall in Kansas; throwing a hippie stage-crasher back into the Ann Arbor audience; and the cold spaghetti and ketchup catering in Pittsburgh.
Things I could never forget: every standing ovation; ranking third in the NY club’s ticket sales behind Eric Clapton and Jerry Garcia; the Prince disco light show in Minneapolis; the six weeks of everlasting friendships formed; and the unforgettable guitar work, stage presence and personality of Snakefinger.

And even the things that made the trip a real rock and roll tour: outfitting the San Francisco cast with Alaskan parkas on our first Atlanta morning; the never ending look-alike hotels; the imaginative costume-wearing show-goers; the snow-locked Cleveland Flats; and the always-eventful press escapades.

You can never really capture an experience like this in so many words. Nothing short of a tour diary could ever tell the story, and even then you get only one viewpoint. After not playing live for so long, why did the Residents do this? Was it for the fans? Was it to exorcize personal demons? Was it to get back on the Mole Show horse? Was it for the money? Who cares. The most important thing is. . . they did it.
- Rich Shupe


Japanese Leg:


Live in Japan October 30, 1985.(RSD)

1 Lizard Lady (2:26)
2 Semolina (3:56)
3 Hello Skinny / Constantinople (5:12)
4 Jailhouse Rock (2:58)
5 Where Is She? (2:24)
6 Picnic In The Jungle (5:41)
7 Smelly Tongues (2:17)
8 Eloise (1:12)
9 The Ship's A'Goin' Down (2:42)
10 The New Machine (1:22)
11 Tourniquet Of Roses (2:35)
12 Passing The Bottle (1:30)
13 Monkey And Bunny (4:23)
14 Theme From An American TV Show (1:20)
15 Man's World (4:58)
16 Walter Westinghouse (8:29)
17 Easter Woman (2:11)
18 Amber (1:41)
19 Red Rider (1:27)
20 Die In Terror (1:25)
21 The Coming Of The Crow / Eva's Warning (4:08)
22 Cry For The Fire (6:18)



Wave TV Special Appearance 1985

Japanese TV show interview. Wave Special. Live in Tokyo October 31 1985 at space part 3. Shibuya.
Begins with live Its A Mans World, very bad tracking issues through the first half of the song, 2 mins or so, pretty decent quality for a multi-gen VHS after that. 45 min interview that is slowed somewhat by translation. Closes with a short live song, Hop A Little.

Sadly nothing here is of superb quality, but still very watchable.

Part 1 Part 2

D/Load both parts before Unrar.No Pass.

Thanx Dreek40.


US Leg:

17-Jan-86 New York USA The Ritz

20-Jan-86 Boston USA The Channel(Flac)

27-Jan-86 Cleveland USA Peabody's Down Under

31-Jan-86 Washington DC Lisner Auditorium
Part 001 Zip (Flac)
Part 002 Zip (Flac)

7-Feb-86 Chicago USA Vic Theatre

Part 001 Zip (Flac)
Part 002 Zip (Flac)


10-Feb-86 Minneapolis USA First Avenue
Live In The USA(RSD)

13th Anniversary (UWEB)

1-1 Intro (1:11)
1-2 Lizard Lady/Semolina/Hello Skinny/Constantinople/Jailhouse Rock/Where Is She?/Picnic In The Jungle (29:41)
1-3 Smelly Tongues/Eloise/Ship's Agoin' Down/Tourniquet Of Roses (10:58)
1-4 I Got Rhythm/Passing The Bottles/Monkey & Bunny/Theme For An American TV Show/Man's Man's Man's World (17:10)

2-1 Walter Westinghouse (9:01)
2-2 Easter Woman/Amber/Red Rider/Die In Terror/Coming Of The Crow/Eva's Warning (13:59)
2-3 Big Bubble/Hop A Little/Cry For The Fire (13:18)
2-4 Diskomo (5:22)

Edition Of 500 Pressed & Numbered.
Cd's Come Wrapped Up In A Cheesburger Bag.
Originally Released On A Double Cassette Only In 1986.
Show Was Recorded Live On 2-10-86 At First Avenue, Minneapolis.


12-Feb-86 Lawrence USA Cogburns (Flac)


16-Feb-86 Houston USA Cullen Auditorium (Flac)


Canadian Leg:


The Residents arrive in Canada, 1986?- Interview
Beta 2 video tape (1986)->Canopus Digitizer-> IMovie->DV->mpeg2 (NTSC-720x480) (Audio-Mp2, 48000Hz, 128 kbps)

Approximately 15 minutes


This is a cute video parody of the Residents. It is done like a "Beatles Visit New York" type of film clip. They talk about the security and the teaming throngs of people to greet them (there is none). There is a Ralph spokesman who talks for them. It was done for "Much Music" which I've been told is like the Canadian MTV. The original tape that I have is generations down. It is not great quality so I have uploaded some stills for examples. However, anything of the Residents is tough to find, I think that people will like this.

Zip 001
Zip 002


22-Jan-86 Montreal Canada Le Spectrum

24-Jan-86 Toronto Canada Music Hall




Australian Leg:



The Residents with Snakefinger.
Easts Rugby League Club, Brisbane, Qld. Australia.
8th August 1986 (Flac)

I was standing a few metres from the stage, in the middle. Mics on lapels facing forwards. The audience was a bit more noisy for this one, sometimes you wonder why people go out to see a band? Sound is again pretty good, despite the venue being in a football club. Once again the tape ran out during "Monkey and Bunny" and is crossfaded together at that point.

First Set
1 Introduction 00:12
2 Lizard lady 02:48
3 Semolina 03:42
4 Hello Skinny 2:49
5 Constantinople 04:57
6 Jailhouse rock 02:51
7 Where is she? 04:25
8 Picnic in the jungle 06:30
9 Smelly tongues 02:08
10 Eloise 01:09
11 Ship's a going down 02:25
12 New machine 01:36
13 Tourniquet of roses 03:10
14 I got rhythm 03:02
15 Passing the bottle 01:52
16 Monkey and Bunny 04:43
17 Theme for an American TV show 01:47
18 It's a man's man's man's world 06:28

Second Set
1 Walter Westinghouse 08:30
2 Easter Woman 02:45
3 Amber 01:22 4 Red Rider 01:25
5 Die in terror 01:20
6 Coming of the Crow 01:38
7 Eva's warning 03:41
8 Coming of the Crow (Reprise) 01:56
9 The big bubble 02:33
10 Hop a little 03:22
11 Cry for the fire 06:55
Encore -
12 Kaw-liga 04:26
13 The Walrus hunt 03:59


From the "Early Kooka" Archives
Notes and original up Jim Cooke at Dimeadozen [BIG Thanx]Find Flac Files there...


17-Aug-86 Melbourne, St. Kilda, Australia - Seaview Ballroom (Flac)

Cry For The Fire
(From KoFotOoT DVD)

This is a mans world (From KoFotOoT DVD)



European Leg:

3-Oct-86 Tromsoe Norway Ungdomens Hus



5-Oct-86 Oslo Norway Norske Opera

Broadcast on Norwegian TV NrK.
With Snakefinger.

Jailhouse Rock
Picnic In The Jungle
Evas Warning
It's a Mans world
Cry for the fire

This is approx 27 mins. The first 15 seconds and last 6 mins are from a B- VHS, some picture pulling is evident through 'Cry for the fire'. The other 20 mins are from an upgrade B+ VHS, maybe 3rd gen and is quite decent. Thanx dreek40.

Part 1 avi
Part 2 avi


5-Oct-86 Oslo Norway Norske Opera
FM Broadcast

Part 001 Zip (Flac)
Part 002 Zip (Flac)

Intro / Eyeball eulogy
Lizard Lady
Semolina
Hello Skinny
Constantinople
Jailhouse Rock
Where is She incl. Earth VS the Flying Saucers
Picnic in the Jungle
Smelly Tongues
Eloise
Ships `a` going down
Torniquet of Roses
I got Rythm
Passing the Bottle
Monkey and Bunny
Theme from an American TV Show
It`s a Man`s Man`s World
Walter Westinghouse
Easter Woman
Amber
Red rider
Die in terror
Eva`s warning
The coming of the crow
The Big Bubble
Hop a little
Cry for the fire
Kaw liga
Discomo


9-Oct-86 Bochum Germany Zeche

Residents For PresidentsLP
Recorded live at The 13th Anniversary Show in (presumably)Bochum,Germany 1986.

A1 Eulogy
A2 Lizard Lady
A3 Semolina
A4 Hello Skinny
A5 Constantinople
A6 Jailhouse Rock
A7 Where Is She?
A8 Picnic In The Jungle
B1 Smelly Tongues
B2 Eloise
B3 Ship´s A´Going Down
B4 New Machine
B5 Tourniquet Of Roses
B6 I Got Rhythm
B7 Passing The Bottle
B8 Monkey And Bunny
B9 Theme For An American TV Show
B10 It´s A Man´s Man´s Man´s World


10-Oct-86 Frankfurt Germany Batschkapp
Part 001 Zip (Flac)
Part 002 Zip (Flac)

11-Oct-86 Munich Germany Theaterfabric
Part 001 Zip(Flac)
Part 002 Zip(Flac)

25-Oct-86 Amsterdam Holland Paradiso

Recorded Live at the Paradiso, Amsterdam, 25/10/1986
Complete show!!

01 Lizard Lady
02 Semolina
03 Hello Skinny
04 Constantinople
05 Jailhouse Rock
06 Where Is She?
07 Picnic In The Jungle
08 Smelly Tongues
09 Eloise
10 Ship's A' Going Down
11 New Machine
12 Tourniquet Of Roses
13 I Got Rhythm
14 Passing The Bottle
15 Monkey & Bunny
16 Theme For An American TV-Show
17 This Is A Man's Man's Man's World
18 Walter Westinghouse
19 Easter Woman
20 Amber
21 Red Rider
22 Die In Terror
23 The Coming Of The Crow
24 Eva's Warning
25 The Coming Of The Crow (reprise)
26 The Big Bubble
27 Hop A Little
28 Cry For The Fire
29 Kaw-Liga
30 Festival Of Death
31 Kamikaze Lady

Part 1
Part 2

ThanX Doomey!!!
For all the work!

28-Oct-86 London England The Hammersmith Palais

29-10-86 Manchester Hacienda UK

Part 001 Zip (Flac)
Part 002 Zip (Flac)



The very last 13th Show:
10-Jan-87 San Fransisco USA Warfield Theatre
Part 001 Zip (Flac)
Part 002 Zip (Flac)




ThanX To Dime Community for sharing these Historical Documents.

Tour Dates