• 23 Minutes Over Brussels
• 23 Minutes Over Brussels

23 Minutes Over Brussels is a recording of a live performance by Suicide on June 16, 1978, at the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels, Belgium, while supporting Elvis Costello and The Clash. The recording was first released as a promo in 1978, but remained largely unheard until its release in 1998 with the reissue of the band's self-titled debut album. The recording 'gives some indication of the public's reaction to this confrontational duo in their heyday'. The title is a reference to the the 1978 recording by Suicide, “23 Minutes Over Brussels.” '23 Minutes In Brussels' Track Info Penthouse Luna (band).

Started in 1971 they toiled away in the New York underground, unable to find anyone to release their throbbing keyboard driven vignettes. Six years later in 1977 they released their seminal self-title debut and by July 16, 1978 found themselves in Brussels in the opening slot of a show that also included the Clash and headliner Elvis Costello. Suicide hit the stage and luckily friend of the band Howard Thompson was there with a cassette recorder in hand.After a brief introduction and a few claps from the crowd Rev fires up “the instrument” and they launch into “Ghost Rider” which at it’s conclusion is met with boos from the crowd. They charge through with “Rocket U.S.A”, “Cheree” and “Dance” with the crowd becoming more and more agitated and calling for Elvis. During maybe the toughest song for the crowd to take in “Frankie Teardrop” is where things start to come to a head. The epic 10 minute plus sparsely instrumented tale of a poor factory worker is halted to a false start of sorts when someone steals Vega’s mic and Rev’s rig goes silent. Vega regains control of the mic and continues falsetto, but the band is forced to leave the stage.

23 Minutes Over Brussels

Needless to say Elvis Costello was not impressed with the way his audience treated his guests and gave a short but not sweet performance inciting a riot. Vega’s nose was broken in the ensuing chaos, which was treatment he was used to considering that someone threw an axe at him opening for the Clash on a separate occasion.“SHUT THE FUCK UP, THIS IS ABOUT FRANKIE” is possibly the craziest thing to yell at a crowd already ready to kill you but Alan Vega was the kind of artist who could and would go that route. For Suicide to take the stage each night and be met with this kind of treatment without retreat and to actually channel people’s distaste for them is why they continue to invigorate people almost 40 years later. From being the first band to use the word “punk” to describe themselves to being praised as Bruce Springsteen’s favorite band Suicide’s legacy has just been given a bump back into the public’s eye.

Unfortunately that bump comes as the direct result of the loss of it’s howling fearless leader Alan Vega. Listen to the riot inciting show below.

Contents.Recording A friend of the band, Howard Thompson, recorded the performance on cassette tape, and it was later released as a flexi-disc insert for a music magazine. In 2000, while was rereleasing Suicide's catalog, the tape was remastered and included as a bonus track for their. The entire performance is mixed as a single track.History Before Suicide even starts playing, booing can be heard from the crowd indicating that they wanted to hear the main act, straight away. Suicide is introduced and begins to play 'Ghost Rider'. Once it ends, there is booing from the crowd.

The second song is 'Rocket U.S.A'. After that, at roughly 9:30, the audience can be heard chanting 'ELVIS!

This attitude continues through the third and fourth songs, 'Cheree' and 'Dance'.The audience becomes more active during the performance of '. At roughly 19:30, loud applause can be heard; someone steals 's microphone (a woman at 20:35 can be heard saying 'They took the mic').

Shortly afterwards, the music stops and the promoter comes on, warning the audience that if they don't give the microphone back, there will be 'no show'. Vega joins in, swearing at the audience. After receiving the microphone, he continues to sing 'Frankie Teardrop'.

23 Minutes Over Brussels

After even more booing, Vega shouts 'SHUT THE FUCK UP! THIS IS ABOUT FRANKIE!' A few moments later, there is rapturous applause as the band leaves the stage.Later, Elvis Costello played a very short and angry set in which he made no secret of his outrage over Suicide's treatment by the crowd. This incited a riot. The show was cancelled and Vega's nose was broken.

The story is detailed in the liner notes of the 2000 re-release. Recognition Suicide would only become famous after the peak of their activity was over. During the 1980s and 90s, they were responsible for influencing many bands and shaping genres such as, and notably. This performance has been called 'a record of proof of an innovative band’s struggle with an unreceptive audience' and has been compared to the audience's reactions to.

It also 'clearly demonstrates two individuals flying in the face of convention, screaming their guts out to be heard, and failing to make a poignant imprint on the listening audience'. Said that 'though the (reissues) extra tracks dilute the original album's impact somewhat, they're worthwhile supplements to one of the punk era's most startlingly unique works'. In review of their debut album for, called it a 'riotous comedy', and noted that '(their) lack of accoutrements such as a drummer or guitarist often aroused violent reactions in their bewildered audiences'.

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