Crossing The Border

The Durutti Column live at Queen Elizabeth Hall 23 March 1989

This press advert from the NME (25 February 1989) advertises a gig on 23 March 1989 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank in London as part of The Third Crossing The Border Festival. This was billed as "The only London concert by The Durutti Column (and support act Cowboy Junkies)".

A later NME article (25 March 1989) on the Crossing The Border Festival itself contains an inset feature by Jonathan Romney on The Durutti Column which reads:

"While doggedly carving out his path on the wilder frontiers, Skini Vini Reilly has unexpectedly become hero to a generation of Mobophiles. Lest we forget his own personal crusade, he's spent the last 10 years skilfully crafting a form of ambient music that delivers on Eno's original agenda. On his new Factory opus, 'Vini Reilly', the formula is even more precisely pared down, with sampled opera vocals woven into Reilly's delicate mix.

"Live he can be that self-effacing he's been paired with Cowboy Junkies, the only band capable of making him look like Twisted Sister."

Crossing The Border ran from Thursday 23rd to Monday 27th March 1989 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and also the Town and Country Club. Other acts taking part included Abdel Aziz el Mubarak, Boiled in Lead and Flaco Jimenez.