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...
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Showing 1 response by forrestc

I'm not sure if it was the best or the worst, but I was one of the 32000 people who bought a $12, three-day-event ticket to Stompin' 76 in the rural hills of southern Virginia.

The only problem was that 150k to 200k people actually attended! The young Bonnie Raitt headlined along with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Earl Scruggs Revue Vassar Clements, John Prine, Lester Flatt & Nashville Grass, David Bromberg, Ry Cooder, and bunch more.

We were parked (camped) a mile-and-a-half from the concert area which was considered very close, since people were walking as far as 11 miles one-way of jammed-packed roads which actually backed-up all the way back to and on the Interstate. It was so packed, we couldn't leave if we wanted to. When all of these people showed up, the promoter's security company said "we're out of here" and walked out. After that, the Pagan Motorcycle "Club" provided security. Miraculously, no one died, great live music from morning to late night, and yes we had a wonderful time. Also, someone who will be 32 years-old this August 7th was born at that event. I remember the announcement over the PA. You know, they just don't seem to do events like that anymore!

. . . and yes there is a website commemorating that very event.