Image borrowed from this Discogs entry
I recall being very excited when I learned that Bev Howarth had arranged for a Kitchenware Package gig at Keele that autumn.
In the autumn of 1983, all I knew about Kitchenware Records was:
- The New Musical Express (NME) was getting very excited about that label…and the NME was the Bible;
- I had two Kitchenware tracks on an NME sampler cassette, Mad Mix II, namely Small Town Creed by The Kane Gang and Lions In My Own Garden by Prefab Sprout.
My diary entry for 30 November is brief but precise:
Busyish day – union and work – went to see Kitchenware package in eve – B came back
B is Bobbie – we’d been seeing each other for a few weeks by then. My guess is that I dragged her to this gig on a “you’ve got to see…” basis. I’ll ask her if she remembers anything about it.
I remember that the package had been billed as “The Kane Gang plus Prefab Sprout plus…[either The Daintees or Hurrah!]”. But on the day it was Prefab Sprout plus The Daintees plus Hurrah! I was very disappointed not to see The Kane Gang.
I remember all three bands being very good, but Prefab Sprout was the standout for me, not least because of the variety in their material.
The Daintees have a full setlist up for this gig – click here.
Hurrah! lists the gig but not the set.
Prefab Sprout’s gigography doesn’t list this gig at the time of writing (September 2019) – I’ll send them a heads up on it – there are several Kitchenware gigs listed around that time and I guess this one was missed.
Almost certainly the Prefab Sprout set was the same or very similar to one a week later in Liverpool – click here.
Parenthetically, I remember Truda Smith Immediate past president) at that gig irritatingly referring to Prefab Sprout as “The Brussel Sprouts” repeatedly, which she seemed to think was very funny…it wasn’t.
I’m hoping this Ogblog piece willbe bulked up with other people’s recollections, so I shall be shouting out to the Keele alums and Kitcheware aficionados. We’ll see.
I was motivated to write this concert up as a result of one of King Cricket’s conversation pieces with his mate, Prince Prefab, who turns out to be a massive Prefab Sprout fan – click here or below:
When I informed Prince Prefab that I had seen Prefab Sprout “back in the day”, he said:
I would have given a portion of a left testicle to have seen them live. Also love that you saw a Kitchenware records bill.
Interestingly, Prince Prefab doesn’t say whose left testicle he would be prepared to sacrifice for Prefab Sprout.
I know I was there but cannot remember a thing about it other than it was a good night. My presence was largely down to the influence of Ian’s mix tape. Prefab Sprout and the Kane Gang still get plenty of plays in this household. My wife thinks they are naff!!!
Thanks for the info via Sproutology – looks like the winter 1983 tour was more extensive than I’d guessed! Gig is now listed.