Congo Norvell (1994): Joe Berardi/ Kid Congo Powers/ Sally Norvell/ Mary Mullen and Kristian Hoffman.
Chronology: a chronological overview of known concert dates (some with setlists and/or ads),
dates of studio recordings, all line-ups, assorted trivia and other tall tales
related to the American band Congo Norvell.
Date format is DD-MMM-YY.
-Information in grey italics is uncertain-
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1990
The year in which the band is founded. |
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Kid Congo Powers, who left the Bad Seeds early 1990, was at the time still in the Gun Club and would be until spring 1992. In parallel he's starting a new band in Los Angeles,Congo Norvell, with Sally Norvell. Sally starred in Wim Wenders' "Paris,Texas" film in 1984 and came from Austin, Texas. In 1978 she sang in Gator Family, later in The Norvells (1978-1980) and Prohibition (1987-1988). |
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Line-up #1 (Los Angeles March/August 1990):
Sally Norvell (vocals)/ Kid Congo Powers (guitar) and Chase Holiday (gong and keyboards) |
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13-Mar-90 Note: First Congo Norvell live show. Joseph Fleury was the manager of Sparks, Milk 'n' Cookies, The Mumps and The Swinging Madisons (the latter two had Kristian Hoffman as member). This benefit is held for Joseph to help raise funds for his medical care. He died from AIDS on March 2, 1991 at the age of 37. |
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1990 Photo: Stills from movie. |
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12-Aug-90 Setlist: ?/ Song/ Lullabye. |
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1991
The year in which they record the "Lullabye" EP with a new line-up. |
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Line-up #2a (Los Angeles March 1991-March 1993):
Sally Norvell (vocals)/ Kid Congo Powers (guitar)/ Kristian Hoffman (piano/keyboards)/Mary Mullen (stand-up bass) and Jim Sclavunos (drums) |
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10-Apr-91 11-Apr-91 |
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12-Apr-91 Ad: Scan of ad, taken from Los Angeles Times 07-Apr-91. |
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13-Apr-91 |
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03-Aug-91 |
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30-Aug-91 Ad: Scan of ad, taken from San Francisco Examiner 25-Aug-91. |
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11-Oct-91 Handbill: Photo of handbill. |
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1991/1992 |
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1992
The year in which they support The Bad Seeds on their Californian live dates. |
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16-Feb-92 |
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Spring 1992. Kid Congo Powers leaves The Gun Club at the end of their European tour |
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31-Jul-92 01-Aug-92 Ad: Scan of ad, taken from San Francisco Examiner 26-Jul-92. |
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09-Aug-92 Ad: Scan of ad, taken from the San Francisco 09-Aug-92 |
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10-Aug-92 Poster: Photo of poster. |
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12-Aug-92 Note: Likely with Travis John Alford on bass instead of Mary Mullen. |
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1993
The year in which they record their first album "Music To Remember Him By", produced by Mick Harvey [Bad Seeds]. |
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February 1993 |
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19-Feb-93 20-Feb-93 |
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13-Mar-93 |
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May/August 1993 |
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26-Aug-93 Ad: Scan of ad, taken from San Francisco Examiner 22-Aug-93. |
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27-Aug-93 Ad: Scan of ad, taken from San Francisco Examiner 22-Aug-93. |
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28-Aug-93 |
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06-Nov-93 Setlist: Night Too Long/ Long Time Woman/ Love/ Moonlight/ Golden Gates/ The Chosen One/ Rock My Child/ Drift Away/ Lullabye. Ad: Scan of ad, taken from Central New Jersey Home News 05-Nov-93. |
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07-Nov-93 |
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01-Dec-93 08-Dec-93 15-Dec-93 22-Dec-93 29-Dec-93 Article: Review taken from the L.A. Times, 24-Dec-93, online archives. |
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1994
The year in which they tour the USA for the first time. |
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Line-up #2b (Los Angeles Mar 1994-November 1994):
Sally Norvell (vocals)/ Kid Congo Powers (guitar)/ Kristian Hoffman (piano/keyboards)/Mary Mullen (bass) and Joseph -Joe- Berardi (drums,percussion). |
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19-Mar-94 Setlist: Long Time Woman/ (Lawd You Made The) Night Too Long/ Moonlight/ The Chosen One/ Golden Gates/ Drift Away/ Angel/ ?/Lola/ Shelter/ Song/ Love. |
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24-Apr-94 29-Apr-94 |
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26-Aug-94 Poster: Photo of poster. |
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September 1994 |
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12-Oct-94 |
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25-Oct-94 |
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18-Nov-94 Setlist: Love/ Long Time Woman/ Moonlight/ Golden Gates/ Drift Away/ Shelter/ Rock My Child/ My Midnight/ Lullaby/ Thief/ (Lawd You Made The) Night Too Long. Note: Start of first USA tour. |
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19-Nov-94 Review: Scan of review, taken from The Boston Globe 21-Nov-94. |
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20-Nov-94 21-Nov-94 |
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23-Nov-94 Setlist: Love/ Long Time Woman/ The Chosen One/ Golden Gates/ Moonlight/ Angel/ My Midnight/ Drift Away/ Thief. |
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25-Nov-94 |
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26-Nov-94 Setlist: Love/ Long Time Woman/ Golden Gates/ The Chosen One/ Lola/ Dried Flowers/ My Midnight/ Drift Away/ Lullaby/ Thief/ Shelter/ (Lawd You Made The) Night Too Long. |
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27-Nov-94 Setlist: Lullaby/ Love/ Long Time Woman/ Moonlight/ Golden Gates/ Lola/ Dried Flowers/ My Midnight/ Drift Away/ Thief/ Shelter/ (Lawd You Made The) Night Too Long. |
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09-Dec-94 Listing: Scan of listing, taken from Austin American-Statesman 08-Dec-94. |
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1995
The year in which they tour Europe, for the first and only time, tour the USA, and record a new album, "The Dope,The Lies,The Vaseline" with a new line-up. |
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Line-up #2c (Los Angeles February-April 1995):
Sally Norvell (vocals)/ Kid Congo Powers (guitar) and Kristian Hoffman (acoustic grand piano). |
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22-Feb-95 |
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07-Mar-95 Ad: Scan of ad, taken from San Francisco Examiner 05-Mar-95. |
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22-Mar-95 |
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01-Apr-95 Setlist: a.o. Wailing Woman// Lonesome Valley/ Lullabye. |
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Spring 1995. Bill Bronson [later Swans/Angels Of Light] joins on bass and Hoagie Hill [The Blue Daisies] on keyboards. |
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Line-up #3 (Los Angeles May-October 1995):
Sally Norvell (vocals)/ Kid Congo Powers (guitar)/ Bill Bronson (bass)/ Hoagie Hill (keyboards) and Jim Sclavunos (drums). |
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09-May-95 |
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19-Jun-95 20-Jun-95 21-Jun-95 22-Jun-95 23-Jun-95 24-Jun-95 25-Jun-95 26-Jun-95 27-Jun-95 28-Jun-95 29-Jun-95 Note: First and only European tour. |
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30-Jun-95 Setlist: Love/ Long Time Women/ Golden Gates/ Murder/ Angel/ Lola/ My Midnight/ Drift Away/ Thief/ Cruel/ The Chosen One. Note: Tail-end of their only European tour, during a massive heatwave. The band were "hot, tired and silly by that point" (Little Annie quoted from her autobiography "You can't sing the blues while drinking milk" book). During Little Annie's support act Sally tied Annie up with the mic cord and during Congo Norvell's encore Annie and Sally threw onions as big as oranges into the audience. No one got hit, as there were only 12 people attending."The promotor later called [Annie's] manager to tell him it was the worst show he had ever put on" (quote from the same book). |
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02-Jul-95 Note: May have been cancelled, else last date on European tour. |
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07-Jul-95 09-Jul-95 12-Jul-95 15-Jul-95 16-Jul-95 17-Jul-95 xx-xxx-95 19-Jul-95 Note: Possibly with Joe Berardi on drums, replacing Jim Sclavunos who was recording the "Murder Ballads" album with The Bad Seeds. |
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20-Jul-95 Ad: Taken from Casco Bay Weekly 20-Jul-95. |
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22-Jul-95 Note: Possibly with Joe Berardi on drums, replacing Jim Sclavunos who was recording the "Murder Ballads" album with The Bad Seeds. |
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Summer 1995 |
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xx-Sep-95 Photo: Taken from Billboard magazine 20-Jan-96. |
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04-Oct-95 Ad: Taken from San Francisco Examiner 01-Oct-95. |
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06-Oct-95 |
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08-Oct-95 Setlist: Murder/ Drift Away/ Long Time Woman/ Girl Who Would Be King/ Wailing Woman/ Golden Gates/ (Lawd You Made The) Night Too Long/ Lay With Dogs/ Summer Nights/ Thief/ The Chosen One/ Lullabye. |
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12-Oct-95 13-Oct-95 19-Oct-95 |
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20-Oct-95 |
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1996
The year in which they relocate to New York City, when it becomes clear that their label, Priority, decided that they weren't going to put out alternative records anymore. |
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1996. Paul Wallfisch [Firewater, later Botanica] takes over on keyboards. |
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Line-up #4a (New York City April/October 1996):
Sally Norvell (vocals)/ Kid Congo Powers (guitar)/ Bill Bronson (bass)/ Paul Wallfisch (keyboards) and Jim Sclavunos (drums). |
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04-Apr-96 Note: First show after moving to NYC. |
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09-Apr-96 Flyer: Courtesy of Ryan Skeleton Boy. |
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04-May-96 |
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28-May-96 Review: Taken from the New York Times online archives, June 01, 1996. |
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30-May-96 |
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22-Jun-96 16-Jul-96 18-Jul-96 20-Jul-96 Note: For these summer dates Phil Puleo [Swans] takes over on drums, while Jim is touring with The Bad Seeds. |
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02-Aug-96 |
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12-Aug-96 Photo: Credit Ryan Skeleton Boy. Used with kind permission. |
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30-Aug-96 11-Sep-96 21-Sep-96 11-Oct-96 02-Nov-96 |
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December 1996. Brian Emrich [Foetus] takes over on bass. |
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Line-up #4b (New York City December 1996):
Sally Norvell (vocals)/ Kid Congo Powers (guitar)/ Brian Emrich (bass)/ Paul Wallfisch (keyboards) and Jim Sclavunos (drums). |
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27-Dec-96 31-Dec-96 Note: Jim -Foetus- Thirlwell joins for the Brownie's show. |
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1997
The year in which they record their "Abnormals Anonymous" album. |
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Line-up #4c (New York City January 1997-September 1998):
Sally Norvell (vocals)/ Kid Congo Powers (guitar)/ Brian Emrich (bass)/ Paul Wallfisch (keyboards) and Jim Sclavunos (drums). |
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04-Jan-97 25-Jan-97 22-Mar-97 |
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Spring/Summer 1997 |
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11-Nov-97 |
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14-Nov-97 xx-xxx-97 |
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20-Nov-97 Review: Scan of review, taken from the Boston Globe 22-Nov-97. |
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28-Nov-97 Note: Touring in support of "Abnormals Anonymous" album. Line-up: Sally Norvell (vocals)/ Kid Congo Powers (guitar) only. |
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31-Dec-97 Photo: Credit Ryan Skeleton Boy. Used with kind permission. |
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1998
The final year for the band. |
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20-Feb-98 22-Feb-98 xx-xxx-98 |
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24-Mar-98 Note: The Damned then had Patricia Morrison [ex Gun Club] in their line-up. |
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28-Mar-98 09-Apr-98 24-Apr-98 29-May-98 |
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30-May-98 Setlist: Brother Jack/ Husbands/ Body And Soul/ Dark Eyes/ The Girl Who Would Be King. |
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20-Jun-98 |
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08-Sep-98 Note: Next to last Congo Norvell show. |
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09-Sep-98 Photo: Credit Ryan Skeleton Boy. Used with kind permission. |
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1999+2001
A slight return. |
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08-Apr-99 Note: DJ Otefsu is Jim -Foetus- Thirlwell, doing a spontaneous appearance in honor of Kid Congo Powers' and Sally Norvell's birthdays, including performances by Annie Anxiety, Gogol Bordello (w/ Sally Norvell joining for a couple of songs), and a mini-reunion of Congo Norvell (sans Jim Sclavunos, who was replaced by a drum machine for their short set). |
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13-Apr-01 Setlist: A.o. '69 Erotic Year. |
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2006+2016
Two final returns. |
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03-Mar-06 Note: KC&PM "Philosophy and Underwear" record release show. Without Jim, with a drum machine. |
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31-Mar-16 Note: "Small Beast" concert series, organized by Paul Wallfisch. Line-up: Sally, Kid and Paul. |
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Congo Norvell discography FromTheArchives frontpage Mail me (don't forget to remove the anti spam section). |
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