View source for 1980-05-30 Paddocks Community Center, Laindon, Essex, England, UK

== Notes ==
A private party was held here for Deb Danahay, who was an acquaintance of Vince Clarke at the time. [[Composition Of Sound]], at the time comprised of Vince Clarke, Martin Gore, and Andy Fletcher, supported [[French Look]], which featured Martin Gore, Robert Marlow, and Paul Redmond. Robert Marlow was also on Composition Of Sound's stage, which Vince Clarke described to [https://books.google.com/books?id=8dlapcBLwu0C Jonathan Miller] as "Rob was on-stage, but he wasn't actually leaping about. He was just sitting there tapping in the right numbers or whatever." Daryl Bamonte [http://www.depeche-mode.com/forum/index.php?topic=26958.msg503677#msg503677 told Depeche-Mode.com] that Dave Gahan, who had already been asked by Vince Clarke to join CoS, was doing the lighting for both bands on this night.

Deb Danahay told [https://books.google.com/books?id=8dlapcBLwu0C Jonathan Miller]: "Vince, I knew, because a big crowd of us used to hang around together at a pub called The Highway, as it was then, at the top of the escalators in Basildon town centre. They wanted somewhere to play, and I was having this party. I was going away to work at Butlins, so it was a going away party. It was a great party with loads of people."

Deb's friend Nikki Avery organised the party. She told [https://books.google.com/books?id=PuShZwEACAAJ Simon Spence in 2011]: "[The party] was a bit of a surprise do. I think Rob [Marlow] rang me up, because Rob was going to be playing, and said: can Vince and his band [CoS] play as well? I said yeah, why not. Let's go for it. [...] [It] was a full house - I got in trouble because there were too many people there."

Local Basildon fanzine [https://books.google.com/books?id=8dlapcBLwu0C&lpg=PT66&pg=PT48 'Strange Stories' reviewed] both acts:
<blockquote>
''"Two synthesizers and a bass are the structure of Composition Of Sound, as well as the inevitable drum machine. Their songs bounce along with a nice feel, but the comparison to The Cure I cannot see. Some of their numbers seemed good, but with new groups - in fact every group - they need improvement as I'm sure they know. I didn't like the version of [Phil] Spector's 'Then He Kissed Me' though. [[French Look]] opened with a tape of distorted voices straight into the force of three synthesizers. They played an hour-long set which included an old Ultravox number - twice played - and Sparks' 'Amateur Hour'. They could be better and vary their set, but I'm sure with a few gigs, their numbers will become familiar."''
</blockquote>

Immense thanks to Deb Danahay and [https://www.facebook.com/groups/depechemodeclassicfansphotosandvideos/ Depeche Mode Classic Photos and Videos] for the below photos.

==Gallery==
<gallery mode=nolines>
1980-05-30-magazine-1.jpg|Excerpt from fanzine "Strange Stories"
1980-05-30-magazine-2.jpg|Excerpt from fanzine "Strange Stories"
</gallery>

[[Category:1980 Tour]]
[[Category:Unconfirmed setlist]]