In the early '70's I was attending a Grateful Dead concert with my nose all taped up from one side of my head to the other, from top to bottom. I had it cauterized because there were way too many veins, which bled when the air got drier. There was about 5 feet of gauze stuffed up there after they did a silver nitrate burn. Anyways, the crowd was shoving towards the front of the stage, and it was getting real tight. I was hot, and felt like I was going to pass out, so I managed to squeeze out of the pack, and go to a concession stand to get a cold drink. As I arrived at the stand, I passed out right on the counter. Wasn't out for long, but as I regained consciousness, I looked up, and asked for a coke, like nothing happened. Everyone was staring at me. I looked like a bad accident, and I think it freaked out a few people.
Best and Worst Rock Concert Moments
I will start this off. 1975 Jethro Tull concert at the Seattle Center Coliseum. About midway through the show an M-80 goes off in the crowd in the middle of a song and Ian Anderson holds his hand up in the air and counts to three with his fingers and the band stops playing in mid measure all at once as though some one had flipped a switch. The whole place goes dead quiet for about 15 seconds or so. Anderson says something like "Well, that was bloody ******* RUDE! If you want us to keep playing then you better cut that crap right out and have a little more respect for your NEIGHbor. Do you really want us to play some more?". The crowd slowly starts to applaud and then it builds to a crescendo. As the applause starts to die down, Anderson holds his hand up in the air, counts out loud to three and the band cuts back in full force absolutely mid-measure where they left off.
When the song ended I have never heard such intense applause in any arena or hall for any song at any show. I was completely dumb struck by how Anderson handled the situation and by the musicianship of the whole outfit. Maybe it was a staged event, but I doubt it. Either way, it was really something else...
When the song ended I have never heard such intense applause in any arena or hall for any song at any show. I was completely dumb struck by how Anderson handled the situation and by the musicianship of the whole outfit. Maybe it was a staged event, but I doubt it. Either way, it was really something else...