Chicagoist Weekend Theatre: Rare Live Performance and Interview From The Ramones

By Jon Graef in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 19, 2014 7:00PM

A recently unearthed performance and interview clip of New York punk legends The Ramones playing and signing autographs in 1978 around Champaign, IL is our weekend theater pick. The band, comprised of Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee, and Tommy, was in town to play a show at Red Lion Inn and to do an in-store at a local mall.

Here's how Chuck Nolan of Victim Of Time records describes the scene:

On August 1st 1978, The Ramones played a gig at the now legendary Red Lion Inn. I imagine the Red Lion’s parking lot normally filled with El Caminos, Firebirds, or better yet, vans with smoke wafting out of them, as denizens of the drab prepared to worship the likes of REO Speedwagon, Head East, or more understandably, Rockford’s greatest hope - Cheap Trick! However, on this fateful day in August, enlightened “heads” showed up - captured here forever on film. ...
Much eye candy is present when the newscast enters the Market Place Mall in Champaign, where Musicland is hosting a Ramones autograph session. Assistant Manager Don Batchelder is on hand, looking very much like Johnny Slash from Square Pegs, in his bitchin’ white tuxedo shirt, bow tie, and geek glasses.

Peep the video below to watch the quintessential punk group in action around the time they put out Rocket To Russia, their third album.