The Stranglers 1986 concert dates
A light first half of the year (a possible festival cancellation, a TV miming gig, video shoots), followed by a UK theatre tour and European dates in the autumn to promote *Dreamtime*. The source thread itself flags a possible gap in coverage between mid-September and early October. The 21 June TV taping in Łódź, Poland, prompted a long first-person account from JJ Burnel about the trip, reproduced in full below; the 10 December Rennes date was performed as the band's Purple Helmets alter-ego rather than as The Stranglers proper.
🎙️ = a recording of this show exists
- Jan–Jun 1986 (undated) 🎙️(studio)—*Dreamtime* recording sessions (source notes Wikipedia suggests only March/April recording actually took place)
- 31 Jan 1986Spaceward StudiosCambridge, UKJJ Burnel produces an album for Belgian band Revenge
- 16 Jun 1986LaugardalshöllReykjavik, IcelandReykjavik Arts Festival; possibly cancelled
- 21 Jun 1986LKS StadiumŁódź, PolandTV miming gig thing — shown on TV two months later. JJ Burnel's account, posted in full: "At the beginning of the summer of '86 the Stranglers were invited to Poland to do a TV show in Gdansk. We were to play for forty-five minutes, well, we were supposed to mime for forty-five and Hugh's microphone would be switched on between the numbers so that he could speak as if it were a real concert. This novel kind of appealed to us in some kind of perverse way. It was the first time we had asked to mime for a whole concert, albeit a shortened one, and it was an opportunity to get to Poland. In 1981 we had planned a tour of Poland which was cancelled at the time we got off the Lot Airlines flight at Warsaw our party had already lost two suitcases. We were met by the promoter for the TV company, an American. He explained that they preferred not to arrange such trips and since he was based in Germany he came over to Poland regularly. For some reason the venue was changed to a town called Lodz, pronounced "Woodee". It was a shame because Gdansk is the main town for the alternative music scene in Poland. So we did the TV show in a sports stadium. Quite a few soldiers, quite a few people in black. One kid asked me to sign a few albums. How did you get hold of these? We're not released in Poland. Black market. The gig went well, although Hugh did get a bad joke. Jet did not trash his kit and I did not moon, as has been printed in some papers. In fact, the lead singer of one Polish band who did expose himself two months ago is still languishing in prison. The evening spent in Lodz was a sad affair. Poland is a sad country. There is not much to do in Poland but drink. Hungarian and Czech champagne, Albanian cognac and Polish vodka. The following night in Warsaw was altogether different. One of the Poles accompanying us was Grzegorz, who is boss of the student federation. He runs the Polytechnic Students' Union and their club bar which shows videos (all acquired on the black market). The bar is open until three or four in the morning at weekends. Needless to say, it is the happening place for young people. Greg was writing an article on us and we became friends. He invited me to the club where I was taken to a room in the back. I can't recount everything about that evening but we talked and talked. At various times there were up to twenty people in this room. The Poles are a passionate people. There are strong, sincere thinking people there. They are not at all ignorant or brainwashed about their situation. They hate the Russians. They are exceptionally cynical of the system there but they are realists. One of them said to me, "It's easy for you to be socialists in the West". He had been waiting for ten years to get a place to live with his wife. We talked and drank all night long, and even smoked Polish weed. Dimitri turned up. He was drunk. The previous week England had played Poland at football and had won 3-0. He came in chanting "England 3 Poland nil". I left. J J BURNEL"
- 22 Jun 1986 🎙️—Warsaw, PolandReclassified from an earlier note describing this only as a social visit — a recording confirms JJ Burnel made a guest appearance with Polish band Republika, performing four early Stranglers songs including "Hanging Around"; exact date within 1986 unconfirmed. Note: the source thread's own timeline places the Republika invitation later, as "JJ is invited back in August (likely end of) to play with Polish band Republika" — placed here at 22 Jun pending further research
- 06 Jul 1986The Bathtub(location not specified)JJ Burnel only — source lists it tersely as "JJ @ The Bathtub challenge"; no further context given
- 14 Aug 1986Wembley StudiosLondonVideo recording for "Always The Sun". The "Nice in Nice" single (released 11 Aug 1986, reaching UK No.30) was also filmed at Wembley Studios "earlier in August" per source, exact date not given
- 18 Aug 1986 🎙️(TV studio)UKHugh Cornwell appeared on BBC Breakfast Time to promote "Nice in Nice" (video shown), and the same day on Saturday-morning show "Get Fresh" for the single's UK TV premiere
- 03 Sep 1986(TV studio)UKJet Black appeared on children's chart show "Razzmatazz"
- 12 Sep 1986(TV studio)UKBand appeared on "Cheggers Plays Pop" to promote "Nice in Nice"
- 13 Sep 1986 🎙️(festival)La Louvière, Belgium*Source notes a possible gap in coverage between this date and 6 Oct 1986*
- 11 Oct 1986 🎙️(TV studio)UKBand appeared on children's magazine show "No 73" to promote "Nice in Nice"; the follow-up single "Always the Sun" had been released five days earlier (6 Oct 1986), also reaching UK No.30
- 20 Oct 1986 🎙️ColiseumSt Austell
- 21 Oct 1986 🎙️Cardiff UniversityCardiffA young Guto Pryce was in the audience — influenced by JJ Burnel, he would go on to play bass with Super Furry Animals
- 22 Oct 1986 🎙️Liverpool University (Mountford Hall?)LiverpoolVenue uncertain; ticket price £5.25
- 23 Oct 1986 🎙️Capitol HallAberdeen
- 24 Oct 1986 🎙️PlayhouseEdinburgh
- 25 Oct 1986 🎙️PlayhouseEdinburghBand also appeared on BBC1's "Roland Rat" performing "Nice in Nice"
- 26 Oct 1986 🎙️City HallNewcastle
- 27 Oct 1986 🎙️ApolloManchester*Dreamtime* album released this date, as was the compilation *Off The Beaten Track*
- 28 Oct 1986 🎙️Royal Concert HallNottingham
- 29 Oct 1986 🎙️OdeonBirmingham
- 30 Oct 1986 🎙️City HallSheffield
- 01 Nov 1986 🎙️Leisure CentreGloucester
- 02 Nov 1986 🎙️ApolloOxford
- 03 Nov 1986 🎙️Wembley ArenaLondon
- 04 Nov 1986 🎙️Brighton CentreBrighton
- 06 Nov 1986 🎙️Music HallUtrecht, Netherlands
- 07 Nov 1986 🎙️BiskuithalleBonn, Germany
- 08 Nov 1986 🎙️Knopfs MusikhalleHamburg, GermanySource also lists the *Dreamtime* album as released this date
- 09 Nov 1986 🎙️MetropolBerlin, Germany
- 10 Nov 1986 🎙️TheaterfabrikMunich, Germany
- 11 Nov 1986 🎙️VolkshausZurich, Switzerland
- 13 Nov 1986 🎙️Le ZénithParis, FranceSource notes the gig was filmed ("anyone seen this footage?")
- 14 Nov 1986 🎙️TV6 studioFranceHugh Cornwell interview; recording archive source
- 18 Nov 1986 🎙️TVE2 Estudio 1Madrid, SpainAlso referenced as "La Estación de Perpignan" in source — likely a TV studio name/location mix-up. Source thread's exact wording: "Live at La Estacion de Perpignan - TVE2 Estudio 1, Prado del Rey, Madrid November 18, 1986. Broadcasted 1987"
- 03 Dec 1986(TV studio)UKBand performed "Always the Sun" on TV show "Ambitions"
- 06 Dec 1986SportpaleisAntwerp, BelgiumDiamond Awards Festival — performed "Always the Sun" and "Skin Deep"
- 10 Dec 1986 🎙️Salle de la CitéRennes, FranceBilled/performed as "Purple Helmets" (the band's alter-ego covers side project), per source
Source: themeninblack forums thread