A Virgin Prunes Matinee in Brussels

Gavin and Guggi will appear at a ‘Virgin Prunes Matinee’ at Ancienne Belgique in Brussels, Belgium on October 30.


Ancienne Belgique press release:
A VIRGIN PRUNES MATINEE AB25
Club Saturday 30 Oct 2004, 18:00
Tickets 10.00 Euro, Organization AB
A VIRGIN PRUNES MATINEE WITH, AMONGST OTHERS:
GAVIN FRIDAY & GUGGI (dj set) +
SCREENING OF RARE VIRGIN PRUNES FOOTAGE +
LIVE INTERVIEW SESSION WITH GAVIN & GUGGI +
DEZ MONA (live)
DJ SET BY LUX JANSSEN
Never seen before in the AB but too important for subversive pop music to be forgotten by AB25: the VIRGIN PRUNES. It all started in Dublin with GAVIN FRIDAY, GUGGI and BONO who formed The Lipton Village collective. Their first performances were centered around art, literature and beauty. Bono started up U2 very soon after and Gavin Friday and Guggi established the VIRGIN PRUNES. Their concerts were provocative, avant-garde and sexually loaded with a dadaist twist. Their fans christened themselves The Beautiful People and worshipped classic Virgin Prunes albums such as ‘A New Form Of Beauty’ and ‘If I Die I Die’. ‘Caucasian Walk’, ‘Pagan Love Song’, ‘Come To Daddy’ and ‘Walls Of Jericho’ were the best known songs of their 10 year career. Bj

67 thoughts on “A Virgin Prunes Matinee in Brussels

  1. Hilde Vandevelde says:

    Swell! I saw Virgin Prunes a couple of times live in Belgium (Hof ter Lo, Futurama Festival, …) as well as Gavin Friday in Gent at the Vooruit.
    I’ll be there on Oct 30th at the AB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    VP were the greatest band ever!

  2. jere says:

    I also saw Gavin on his life tour in 1995 in Gent Vooruit, one of the best concerts I have ever been to. I really can’t mis that Matinee at AB Brussels so I will also be there. Why shouldn’t we make a kind of appointment for a meating?

  3. Andre says:

    This is great news. And hopefully at a later time they will release A New Form Of Beauty (42 min) and

  4. Hilde Vandevelde says:

    Yeah, let’s all meet up, I’ve got an idea, we all bring a little paper or little board with VIP on it (Very Important Prune), wadda ya think?
    Hilde

  5. jere says:

    All right Hilde, I suppose I will make a badge with indead “VIP” on it in boldcapitals and my nickname in normal type.
    Since I read about the matinee I almost can’t concentrate on my daily job, after all these years since I heart their first note (18 – 1986)I may be able to see them alive !!!!! I love them !!!!!

  6. Hilde Vandevelde says:

    Great! I’ll do the same.
    Also can’t concentrate, just ordered my tic online and I’m excited like a small child.
    Think I’ll start counting the days as of now.
    Hilde

  7. aNAREXIA says:

    Be there 2.
    Saw them back in the 80’s and hope 2 see them again (be it on a videowall)
    grtz

  8. aNAREXIA says:

    BTW, looking @ all the VP things going on @ the moment; It looks like there is a reunion coming on.
    grtz

  9. eric (u2vl.org) says:

    Wij komen al zeker met 6 mensen. Komt vonb zelf naar Brussel?

  10. Hilde Vandevelde says:

    wie eigenlijk die mysterieuze vonb?

  11. jere says:

    I just wonder if Gavin and Guggi are invited for a TV show in Belgium. I guess therefor that “De Laatste Show” with the famous Mark Uytterhoeven on TV1 is the place to be.
    They could sing there the song they sang for the Ballymun Flats with the legendary “Laatste Show Band”.
    That would be “GRANDIOZO”

  12. wouter says:

    Mm, that would be nice, but I doubt it will happen; I think ‘De Laatste Show’ is a bit too mainstream..
    Maybe there’s a far bigger chance that G&G might appear in ‘Republica’ on CANVAS. They could dig up some live footage from the archives (shot at the Seaside festival in 1983 and shown only once in ‘Pop Electron’ at that time).
    So, all you Belgian fans out there, if we all send a request to ‘republica@canvas.be’, this might work!

  13. Little K. says:

    DE MAX!
    I certainly hope aNAREXIA is right about the reunion… Remember Bauhaus in 1998 (Deinze – Brielpoort). That was the best gig I ever saw in my entire life…
    See you in Brussels!

  14. carlo says:

    I remember seeing VP in maastricht in de Kapel,back in 81,although this date is not listed. And of course there was seaside,futurama,hof ter loo..which were all magical concerts.(i still got the tickets,foto’s…)Outdoor goa parties remind me of the back to basics mentality in those days:it’s all a celebration of live living in the fullest way,ciao and see you in the AB,carlo

  15. Marina De Vito says:

    Hi, How are you -I’m Marina
    De Vito. I’ll came in Brussels
    See you

  16. Marina De Vito says:

    Hi I’m still Marina to jere:
    …..grandioso is correct italian…..
    See you
    M.D.V

  17. jere says:

    Thanks for the info Marina, i’m not a great language expert.
    Don’t forget your badge with VIP on it, and so to all the others who are coming to Brussels.
    Nog 19 te gaan!

  18. bert says:

    I was at the AB yesterday for a concert. It made the VP thing feel very close. Can’t wait to be there and see the nfob. Tot dan!
    bert

  19. desred says:

    Have fun in brussels to all who go, unfortunately, i don

  20. bert says:

    VERY IMPORTANT
    I have tried to buy a ticket, but the matinee is SOLD OUT! this is horrible; if anyone has a spare ticket or cannot go for some reason, please let me know, I’m dying to go there. email me directly.
    thanx a million!
    Bert

  21. Sandra says:

    Never saw VP live. The first time I saw Gavin Friday was on 18th June 1986 in Rotterdam, just 8 days after my 16th birthday. Great concert and memories.
    Me and my sister are going to the matine

  22. ModSue says:

    vonb, hg, please take lots of photos, i’m (sadly) not flying over for this one.

  23. gibb says:

    I was there in 1983 at the Hacienda me and my mate still talk about it till this day

  24. bernard says:

    whats happin in dublin for launch of albums

  25. jere says:

    I thought: “let’s start a countdown”.
    5

  26. jere says:

    Let’s put the missing one to make it look complete :
    3

  27. jere says:

    Lyrics of an unreleased song performed on Friday 29-10-2004 at 06.55 AM somewhere in Belgium in a shower:
    Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you
    tomorrow, you’re always a day away…
    …Toooommorrow, tomorrow,
    I LOVE YOU, LOVE YOU, LOVE….YOU, TOMORROW,
    YOU’RE…..ALWAYS….A DAY
    …AWAY…
    …AWAY…
    …TOMORROW

  28. aNAREXIA says:

    WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    I forgot 2 check the timetable, and it has begun by now
    KUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

  29. Tomma says:

    To Gavin and Guggi:
    it has been a long time since I saw such a good and interesting documentary about the art in the late 70 begin 80. The things you all did in those days reminded me of so many big artistic works that were going on. The ‘statements’ witch connected to the work of Joseph Buys and all the influences of music from Brian Eno to Brell. Those were indeed big times and the sky was the limit.
    A + for DEZ MONA. A voice like a cathedral. And the cover was more than sublime, I thinks you will agree. As you see Belgium is a small country with a big voice 🙂
    I also have to apologize for the rudeness of some Belgium people, who for some reason couldn’t fit in anymore. And let’s admit that the interview from LUX JANSSEN, who also did a lousy DJ set, sucked.
    But beside that I think it was good day and I slept well.
    Buy the way, I was happy to here some Jazz in your ‘DJ set’. I think some people wondered but I just can’t understand why. Maybe time to grow- and wake-up and see where everything is going too. There are still some good artistic things going on (non commercial!). Seek, find and believe.
    Amen

  30. Not so Virgin says:

    Hey Gav’,
    When you will have had enough of the teasing, why wouldn’t you just consider gathering some “old” friends in order to climb on a stage and sing us some of your amazing VP stuff? Too much nostalgia kills the nostalgia, no?
    Yours hopefully…

  31. you says:

    I came home
    it was night and cold
    and it was still a winter ahead
    I took my brushes, paint
    and went for
    forms and
    colours
    that would take me out
    far away
    far back?
    Over the Rainbow…
    it’s gonna be a long winter

  32. Little K. says:

    It was amaazing, brilliant – Good FUN!
    Cheers to all people making this happen, I had the time of my life…

  33. Little K. says:

    By the way… I saw someone filming the atmosphere… Is there a way of sending me a copy?
    Cheers in advance!
    K.

  34. Hilde Vandevelde says:

    The evening was amazing, all those that missed it, you don’t know what you missed!
    I’m still somewhere up in the white clouds above sweet home!
    I hope my stuck filmroll can be saved, so that in a little while I can post some pikkies on the forum.
    Happy Hilde

  35. Decks says:

    It was so great, I would like to ask the same as Little K. Is there a way to get a copy from someone who filmed that happening?
    I don’twant to forget a piece of it.
    Thanks to all of you and specially to Gavin & Guggi. Hope to see all of you in the future.
    Decks

  36. Hilde Vandevelde says:

    Gavin and Guggi,
    Thanks for making me so happy!
    Hilde

  37. Caroline says:

    We’ll have a full report and pictures on http://www.virginprunes.com soon. We are currently in the process of moving the site to another server. And getting our heads together after a mad weekend in Brussels.

  38. Sam says:

    Hi,
    I was there with little k.
    What a evening…
    I shall never forget the atmosphere…
    Sam
    btw< Hilde is that you who took the pictures of Koen and me aside of the mixing table together with Guggi and Gavin?

  39. Lexyboy! says:

    Thumbs up for the people who organised this event. But to be honest…I was dissapointed in Gav’s and Guggi’s drawings… They better sung us a song!!!
    Cheers

  40. wouter says:

    someone put his signed ticket on eBay… a true ‘fan’ I suppose…

  41. jere says:

    I was wearing my batch, but I put it away later on the evening because except me and Hilde I didn’t saw anyone wearing one.
    I’m sorry Wouter.

  42. Bart says:

    The matinee wasn’t what I expected. Why did the music stop so early? It looked more like an elaborate signing event, so I went home a little disappointed.
    I blame the prick from Li

  43. Caroline says:

    “It looked more like an elaborate signing event.”
    I think G&G were a little too available during the DJ set – they didn’t set it up as a signing event, but they were accessible and fans took the opportunity. It was hard for them to concentrate on both.

  44. bart says:

    No hard feelings for G&G, the music remains great after all these years.
    What was that funky jazz tune the Wonderful Mr. F. played somewhere at the end of his set? I really loved the horns!

  45. switch says:

    i saw gary glitter back in ’73 and it always make me think of todays poor quality automated stage shows. peoples standards have really lowered over the last 50 years. bring back manual labour and those old ice cream dispensers. thats what i say. the ones with the metal whips, not the plastic ones. it makes it taste so much better.

  46. switch says:

    thinking about the ice cream thing reminded me of what my originally purpose in writing in the comment box was. i bumped into harry belafontes old bass player a couple of weeks ago while i was travelling through the former trading station of quelimane and he mentioned that harrys manager was interested in setting up some performances with a possible aim to recording new material with the prunes. he mentioned the possibility of a few small shows in the silken thomas, just to get the balls rolling. is this true? i haven’t seen the prunes since they released greylight (my favorite by the way) and it would be a very cool thing indeed to see them again. and gav, if you can remember that far back, i wasn’t supposed to wear that dress. best of luck lads. hope to see youse soon.

  47. natacha says:

    I don’t understand people, for once they could ask questions and all I heard were silly things.
    The date for the exhibition in London…
    I’d rather wanted to know something about ‘the person’ Gavin and Guggi.
    Luc (or Lux) your little quiz… boring!
    I expected some more from you
    Still, great evening !
    Nice paintings (if i’m rich i’ll buy one)
    And Alexi from Liege, tu es un gar

  48. switch says:

    just back from mosney where i was at a paul daniels magic show with ol’ brucey. the influence of the virgin prunes goes far beyond anything I would have imagined. right down to the use of a pigs head which he makes disappear. very cool. read a review in the mosney press where the show was compared to both the early days of the prunes at the project in dublin and ‘venus in furs’ the musical which was first performed at saul church in downpatrick in the mid 80s. thumbs up to whoever had the idea of using real blood.

  49. switch says:

    referring back to the icecream thing again, I remember seeing the refurbished prunes at subterrania in london back in ’91. they had a very young guitarist with them called valley limberg. couldn’t have been more than 14 or 15 at the time. not sure whether it was male or female but it played the loudest guitar I’ve ever heard after my bloody valentine. gave me the tinnitus I suffer from today. does anyone know what happened to it? I’d heard that after it left the band it got into alignment and spacing. if that’s true it’s such a waste, it could have gone into demolition. the support were a band called PIG (there we go with the virgin prunes influence again). blew me away. they had some great backing tracks. very tight. great night.

  50. switch says:

    brucey and myself were discussing the possible purchase of his next series of ‘the generation game’ by RTE (aptly titled ‘the next generation game’) as a replacement for the ‘late late show’ and he happened to mention that he used to be a huge virgin prunes fan. he recalled being at a gig with max bygraves and seeing them play with the clash (the legendary gig at which gavin revealed his manhood!). max himself was a huge clash fan and was in talks with joe about the re-recording of maxs first album ‘the cowpuncher’s cantata’ with the clash. i was surprised to discover that brucey still has all the early prunes releases that he bought back then. he was particularly into daveys material. thought he was a natural. was also very fond of the pig children. don’t know what became of maxs project. maybe someone out there can shed some light.

  51. Stuart says:

    Switch – thank you for entertaining us, but if you intend to use this site’s comment system please keep your comments relevant to the topic concerned. Not everyone is as interested in the world of 1970s/80s British light entertainment as you are.
    Regards,
    Stuart

  52. switch says:

    stuart – i’m sorry that you don’t see my comments as relevant. i would have thought that all concerned would be flattered that celebrities from somewhere as mainstream as the light entertainment industry should show such interest and loyalty to a group as influential and marginal as the virgin prunes. if i was in a position where i could comment on other areas that may have an interest i would, but the circles that i move in are mainly vaudeville, comedy and television & radio light entertainment. i can

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