The Vichy Government - gigs

An early evening show in opulent surroundings, on the anniversary of our first Irish sojourn. Some of the crowd were waiting for celtic fiddlers The Fureys to start in the main auditorium, and most of the crowd walked out in disgust. Live debut for Rubbish and sartorially immaculate jazz-pop from special guests The Essential Penguins. Intro music: Pink, Trouble

Vichy's first appearance up North was to support Damo Suzuki, lead singer of krautrock pioneers Can, in a working men's club. Live debut of The Reichstag Is On Fire. During Damo's three-hour set, ladies from The Headingley Echo asked Jamie whether he regretted paying £7 to attend this concert. The response? "Never trust a hippy." Intro music: Sparks, I Wanna Hold Your Hand

A hat-trick of Fan Club appearances and first mention in the national broadsheets after this show. Flyers featured James Dean, John Travolta and Jamie with the legend "1913- 1938- 2003". Luxembourg, My Private Life and Ex-Rental also died that others might live.

Second on the bill to Chief Sharkey at this R*E*P*E*A*T sponsored "Fuck Reading" night, Vichy aired How To Become A Cult Figure for the first time. The Virgin Suicides, Neo and Foxy Ramone also died on their arses. Intro music: Specials, Ghost Town

Because of illness, injury and lock-up closing times, Fun City's promoters moved Vichy to the headline slot at the 11th hour. We left posters outside reading "The Vichy Government will be headlining by mistake. If you hurry you may still catch Riviera at King's X Egg". Our set was entitled A Midsummer Night's Autopsy and flyers featured the state funeral from Billy Liar. Intro music: Nico, Deutschland Uber Alles

To mark the Cathedral Quarter Arts festival, this Valid Pop special was part of Fastfude day and drew a sell-out crowd. Received favourable notice in the Irish News and Alternative Ulster. Live debut of Who Makes The Calibans? Support came from the naif whimsy of Son Of Shrimp. Intro music: Diana Ross, My Old Piano

Vichy headlined a one-off event called Two World Wars & One World Cup, with support from Um and Anti Reality. We aired our disembowelment of Cher's Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves for the first time. Local shops refused to accept posters for the evening, which featured American troops marching down the Champs Elysees, and the Cambridge Evening News fretted over the connotations of "extreme nationalism and football thuggery". Intro music: The Beatles, All You Need Is Love

Vichy's headline set drew a bemused reaction at Blame It On Berlin, the electroclash institution based in Shoreditch High Street. Live debut of Cowboys & Indians and vogueish DJ sets from Miz Licious of Koobla Records, as well as residents K-Starr and Nina Block.

As the Feline tourbus pulled into Belfast, we hijacked the city's top alternative venue for the night and staged a successful coup d'état. After spirited renditions of The Protestant Work Ethic II and Green Fields Of France/Orange Disorder, the bouncers made complaints against our "overtly political set" and maintained a heavy presence on the dancefloor for the night's remaining action. One thug was so taken with Vichy, he took Andrew aside and said "I'll remember your faces". Intro music: Bobbie Gentry, I'll Never Fall In Love Again