Slade Live Reading Festival, Little John's Farm, U.K. 31st August 1980

Reading Festival
Little John's Farm on Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, England
U.K.
24th August 1980
(With Bands - Sledgehammer,Praying Mantis,Angelwitch,Tygers Of Pantang,Girl,Magnum,Budgie,Def Leppard,Whitesnake)

Track Listing
Dizzy Mama
My Baby Left Me
Take Me Bak 'ome
When I'm Dancin' I Ain't Fightin'
Wheels Ain't Coming Down
Everyday
Something Else Medley
Gudbuy T'Jane
Get Down And Get With It
You'll Never Walk Alone/Mama Weer All Crazee Now
Merry Xmas Everybody/Cum On Feel The Noize
Born To Be Wild/Singing In The Rain

Slade's appearance at the Reading Festival in 1980 will go down in the annals of rock history as one of the great comeback stories.
At the time of the gig, Slade had packed it in. No bad vibes, creative differences, or any other of the usual breakup reasons.
No, these guys were just tired of the abuse. At their absolute low of popularity and relevance (their records were worth so little they had been melted down for raw vinyl and the band was playing humiliating Spinal Tap like Air force base gigs), they had just decided to call it a day.
Then they got a call, they were invited to fill in at the last minute at the Reading Festival.
Even with the fear of 100,000 beer cans flying at them, everyone finally agreed to do it.
The band was really nervous backstage before the show, but as it became time to play, Jim Lea said, "I've written more hits than everyone back here put together!"
Slade then went out and kicked everyone's ass so hard they completely stole the show. All the British press (who had been ignoring Slade for some years by this point) wrote about Reading that year was Slade, and how they were back, dynamic, one of the greatest live bands ever.
Joe Elliott from Def Leppard was quoted as saying that following Slade that day was a no win situation.
The play list included the wonderfully catchy "When I'm Dancin' I Ain't Fightin'" and one of the band's longest standing covers, "Born To Be Wild."
The energy the band has is matched by the enthusiasm of the audience, many of whom were no doubt ready to give Slade the beer can welcome they feared. A scorching medley of the Eddie Cochran classics "Something Else" and "Pistol Packin' Mama" is combined with Noddy's "Keep a Rollin'" chant, "Get Down And Get With It," one of the bands first hit singles, Due to the relative success of this concert, Cheapskate Records released two singles from the gig, "Alive At Reading '80 E.P." and "Xmas Ear Bender".
The Reading Festival in 1980 gave Slade a new lease in life.
Had it not been for the phone call asking if they would be last minute replacements for an ailing Ozzy Osbourne, Slade may very well have packed it up by the end of 1980. One of the biggest selling bands of the 1970's (well over 20 million sales), they were enormous everywhere in the world, except America. Since it was such a tough nut to crack, Slade decided to settle in the U.S. and work on getting an audience, It almost cost them their careers.
And so the 1980 phone call to appear last minute at The Reading Festival proved to be a dramatic jolt and revival of their career.
It just happens the BBC were recording everything at Reading, so here is that milestone career resurrecting concert by one of the iconic 70's bands.
Below are 2 recordings, the 1st is off the whole concert from 24th August 1980, the 2nd is from The Friday Rock Show aired on 9th September 1980 and presented by Tommy Vance.

My sound rating for these are 8/10

Audio playing time approximately 57 minutes.

24th August 1980 From Reading Festival

part_01_-_24th_august_1980_-_slade_live_reading_festival_reading_berkshire_england_u.k._-_01_-_dizzy_mama.mp3
File Size:	4983 kb
File Type:	mp3

slade live concert audio 1980's