I am greatly indebted to Mark B., Mike McKinney, Bruce and Thom from Savage Republic, DCoops, DJM, Greg Earle,
and Eugene Sotela for providing me the material for which to compile this listing. And of course, Chris Manecke,
John Blake, and Kevin Dolan for their sonic creations which inspired this in the first place!
This is a work in progress...1983 Demos
The Oter Side of the Fence Spaghetti Western Wild Flowers They Said Tomorrow Switch Smiling Monarchs Final versions of these tracks (except for Smiling Monarchs, as this version was was never officially released) eventually found their way onto IPR's 'The Other Side of the Fence' compilation.1983 Apr 13 Concert Factory (formerly the Cuckoo's Nest) - Costa Mesa, CA
The club was known as the Cuckoo's Nest from 1978 to 1981 and had an excellent reputation as one of the best punk venues around. It reopened in 1982 under a new owner as the Concert Factory with a more varied lineup and ran for a couple of years, but was apparently still known as the Cuckoo's Nest by many in the area, up until it was torn down in 1998. - Information courtesy of Mike McKinney Wild Flowers Ghosts John's Pop Panic in Needle Park They Said Tomorrow Come Out The existing recording has the band spending about a minute tuning up beforehand.1984 Factory Demos
Smiling Monarchs Benway's Carnival1984-85 dates unknown
The band played at least once at the Fiesta House, corner of Alamedia and Olympic, according to Brock Wirtz, and also multiple Lhasa Club shows, hopefully more research can be done to pin down exact dates.1984(?) Deja Vu - Costa Mesa, CA
Soil Beneath The City of the Hedonistic Bohemians Panic in Needle Park They Said Tomorrow Sufferin' Tarnation (Surf Western) The Misery of Cities Video footage of this performance exists. The precise date isn't known at this time, and is likely to be later than 1984.1984 Jul 4 Tragic Symphony - Balboa Cinema - Newport Beach, CA
Featuring Chris Manecke on guitar and vocals, Adam Elesh on guitar, and Richie Lee on bass. Handbill for the event1984 Aug 30 Anti-Club ("Helen's Place") - Los Angeles, CA (with Spadra Moods)
untitled Ghosts Beneath The City of the Hedonistic Bohemians Panic in Needle Park Spaghetti Western I Glide Thom Fuhrmann (later of Savage Republic and Autumnfair) was the bassist in Spadra Moods. Let me know if you can identifty the mystery track.1984 Sep 26 Music Machine - Los Angeles, CA (supporting Xmal Deutschland)
1984 Mardi Gras Demos
Mardi Gras unknown (Dueling Telecasters) unknown Three instrumental pieces, the second and third are actually from the 'Tragic Symphonie' project.1985 Newport Beach Rehearsal Space
Dinner Where Whitie Ain't Allowed Press Escape Spaghetti Western Unknown (could be a cover) Available as a video recording of a portion of their rehearsal.1985 Jan 18 Spatz - Huntington Beach, CA
Flyer (courtesy Eugene Sotela - Stealing History: 1981-1989 Los Angeles)1985 Jan 31 Club Lingerie - Hollywood, CA (supporting Section 25)
Panic In Needle Park They Said Tomorrow Benway's Carnival I Glide Beneath the City of the Hedonistic Bohemians Smiling Monarchs The Misery Of Cities On the circulating audience recording, the first song is missing the start. Handbill (courtesy Eugene Sotela - Stealing History: 1981-1989 Los Angeles)1985 Feb 3 Back Door - San Diego State University, CA (supporting Section 25)
(Information courtesy of 55 Shades Of Blue-aired interview with Chris Manecke)1985 Jun 13 Club Lingerie - Hollywood, CA (w/ Savage Republic, Psi-Com, and Drowning Pool)
This gig was described as a benefit for Independent Project Records, "so all these bands can record their music". One ad called it "Independent Project Records Present: Fundraiser to Record". - Information courtesy of Mike McKinney Soil Beneath the City of the Hedonistic Bohemians Panic in Needle Park They Said Tomorrow Sufferin' Tarnation (Surf Western) The Misery Of Cities A letterpress card from IPR advertising the performance. The first song is cut on the one known live recording. Psi-Com, of course, was Perry Farrell's band before Jane's Addiction.1985 Jun 30 Beyond Baroque - Venice, CA (w/ Savage Republic)
Benway's Carnival Wild Flowers Ghosts Smiling Monarchs Beneath the City of the Hedonistic Bohemians Soil The Misery of Cities John's Pop A letterpress card from IPR advertising the performance.1985 Aug 20 Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center - Oakland, CA (supporting New Order)
The first known performance of 'Pipe Dream'. One of only a handful of performances outside of Southern California. Flyer Ticket #1 Ticket #2 (courtesy Eugene Sotela - Stealing History: 1981-1989 Los Angeles)1985 Aug 22 Civic Center - Santa Monica, CA (supporting New Order)
Beneath the City of the Hedonistic Bohemians Pipe Dream Benway's Carnival The Misery of Cities Soil Sufferin' Tarnation (Surf Western) They Said Tomorrow The only known recording of the amazing 'Pipe Dream', available here for download. Flyer, designed by Chris Manecke Flyer Handbill #1 Handbill #2 Ticket (courtesy Eugene Sotela - Stealing History: 1981-1989 Los Angeles)1985 Aug 23 Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre - Irvine, CA (supporting New Order)
Beneath the City of the Hedonistic Bohemians Wild Flowers Smiling Monarchs John's Pop Sufferin' Tarnation (Surf Western) Soil They Said Tomorrow Article in the LA Times Ticket stub1985 Nov Eureka Demos
Beneath the City of the Hedonistic Bohemians Surf Western The Misery of Cities unknown Hip Hip Hooray1986 Jan 18 Safari Sam's - Huntington Beach, CA (supported by Man From Missouri and Drowning Pool)
Beneath the City of the Hedonistic Bohemians Wild Flowers The Misery of Cities They Said Tomorrow Sufferin' Tarnation (Surf Western) Prese Escape Soil Good Things (based on the O'Jays 'For The Love Of Money')1986 Jun 18 Club Lingerie - Hollywood, CA (with The Man From Missouri)
Cutout from LA Weekly Handbill (both courtesy Eugene Sotela - Stealing History: 1981-1989 Los Angeles)1986 Jul 18 'Scream', Embassy Hotel - Los Angeles, CA (with Love and Terror and Mephisto Walts)
Handbill (courtesy Desi Benjamin via Eugene Sotela - Stealing History: 1981-1989 Los Angeles)1986 Aug 08 La Paloma Theatre - Encinitas, CA (supporting The Church)
(courtesy Jeffrey Brenneman [17 Pygmies and White Glove Test] via Eugene Sotela - Stealing History: 1981-1989 Los Angeles)1986 Sep 7 Park Plaza Hotel - Los Angeles, CA (with Jane's Addiction)
Janesaddition.org listing (courtesy Riot Nrrrd)1986 Sep 11 Lhasa Club - Hollywood, CA
Info written on a copy of Eureka once owned by KCSN1986 Oct 28 Roxy Theatre - West Hollywood, CA (supporting Virgin Prunes)
Flyer (courtesy Eugene Sotela - Stealing History: 1981-1989 Los Angeles)1986 Nov 09 Roxy Theatre - West Hollywood, CA (supporting Durutti Column)
Ray Welter writes, "It was great. They strung a parachute up behind them and showed black and white films of ships in storms. And, of course, The Durutti Column were amazing. Press Escape Lift Off John's Pop Sufferin' Tarnation (Surf Western) Ghosts Spaghetti Western Soil The Misery of Cities (encore) Panic in Needle Park Xavier Sotela's ticket Ray Welter's ticket A flyer for the show There are two different audience recordings of this show. Chris' guitar amp cuts off during 'Lift Off', rendering part of that song and 'John's Pop' with no audible guitar.1987 Resin Demos
Laugh At Yourself Sufferin' Tarnation (Surf Western) Dinner unknown1987 Feb 21 'Scream', Embassy Hotel - Los Angeles CA (supporting Flesh For Lulu, with Howling Dogs)
Gig flyer 1 Gig flyer 21987 Mar 26 Stratus Dance Club - Casa de Oro, CA (supporting Jane's Addiction and Faster Pussycat)
Gig advert (courtesy Eugene Sotela - Stealing History: 1981-1989 Los Angeles)1987 May 09 'Scream', Embassy Hotel - Los Angeles, CA
Where Whitie Ain't Allowed Press Escape Soil Spaghetti Western Panic in Needle Park Available as a video recording featuring fragments of their performance. Prefaced by footage of a topless singer, eek!1987 May 23 'Scream', Embassy Hotel - Los Angeles, CA (supporting Wolfgang Press, with Francis X and Trouble For Nora)
Soil (soundcheck) Laugh At Yourself (soundcheck, w/false start) Sufferin' Tarnation Where Whitie Ain't Allowed Press Escape Laugh At Yourself Dinner A different performance than the above, this time, captured for posterity through an audience recording. Gig flyer1987 Autumn Al's Bar - Los Angeles, CA
Listing based on Thom F.'s recollection.1988 Feb 24 Club Lingerie - Hollywood, CA (with Karma Geddon, Acoustic Johnny Indovina, and Screams For Tina)
A advert for this gig, courtesy of MarkB.
Note: Although it's labelled as Feb 25th, in fact, the 24th was a Wednesday.1988 Mar 17 Music Machine - Santa Monica, CA
Spaghetti Western Where Whitie Ain't Allowed Press Escape Laugh At Yourself Dinner Sufferin' Tarnation Lift Off Laugh At Yourself appears on the 'Ultraviolet' compilation. Mark B., who taped this performance, suggested to the compilers to use Spaghetti Western, but Laugh At Yourself was used instead, possibly due to length considerations.1988 Apr 20 Kennel Club - San Francisco, CA (Opening for Balaam and the Angel)
Ticket1988 May 11 Pizza Parlor - UCLA
Spaghetti Western Press Escape Where Whitey Ain't Allowed Dinner Laugh At Yourself Sufferin' Tarnation I Glide Soil unknown #1 + Lift Off Eugene Sotela: "Here's the track listing from the cassette from my personal collection. This is a 1st generation master recording. The orginal cassette has long been lost as my friend who recorded it suffered a terrible motorcycle accident a number of years ago resulting in massive head injuries and memory loss. He gave me his master back in 1988 which I dubbed at normal speed on a TDK Normal Bias cassette and have had it in safe storage since." Ed note: This is the first new Abecedarians live recording to surface this century! Eugene has kindly shared a couple of tracks from this recording, linked above.1988 May 18 Palomino - Hollywood, CA
Dinner Where Whitie Ain't Allowed Press Escape Laugh At Yourself Lift Off unknown #1 (referencing 'The Last Demos') Soil Sufferin' Tarnation Photo of Chris Manecke from this show. A video recording of this performance exists. The first song was cut in the middle as the videotaper moved closer in, and it's likely there were other songs performed, as it's likely not complete.1988 Jun The Last Demos
'New Song' - take 1 Lift Off 'New Song' - take 2 'New Song' - take 3 'Brand New Song' unknown #1 unknown #2 For The Love Of Money (The O'Jays) The final song is indeed a cover of the O'Jays classic, seems to have been the inspiration for 'Smiling Monarchs'.1988 Jun 15 Harry C's - Redlands, CA (supporting Throwing Muses)
drumming > Soil (soundcheck) unknown #1 (soundcheck) Soil (soundcheck) Dinner (soundcheck) Where Whitie Ain't Allowed Press Escape Dinner Lift Off Spaghetti Western I Glide Soil Mice and Coconut Tree Sufferin' Tarnation Laugh At Yourself unknown #1 (referencing 'The Last Demos') An excellent audience recording, including the soundcheck, circulates. Flyer Ticket1988 Jun 16
They did NOT play this date according to Mark B., although they did play here earlier on in their history..which we're hoping to corroborate.Bogart's - Long Beach, CA (supporting Throwing Muses)1988 Jun 17 Mars, 8th St. - Los Angeles, CA
Where Whitie Ain't Allowed Press Escape Dinner Lift Off Spaghetti Western Soil Laugh At Yourself Mice and Coconut Tree Sufferin' Tarnation According to Mark B., the band played along to the intro backing tape featuring Parliament-Funkadelic.1988 Jul 16 New Music Seminar - The Big Kahuna - New York City, NY
The last gig for ABCD before they sadly split up. Thanks go to Thom F. for the venue listing. NYT Listing of showunknown somewhere in Arizona
According to drummer Kevin Dolan, as relayed to Mark B., the band also played in Arizona, date unknown. That and the NYC gig appear to have been the only performances outside of California.1995 First Men On The Sun
Featuring Manacke/Blake with new drummer, Jason Toney, self-titled album on their own Southwest Audio Reproductions label.