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 end they stopped the show due to lightning we ran inside under the seats to get dry . No idea people were rioting in the stadium! Waste of a good buzz!
Worst as quoted from Newswire:
News Report: At Least 100 Injured At Led Zeppelin Concert
TAMPA Fla. - City officials, reeling from a mini riot which erupted when a thunderstorm washed out a Led Zeppelin concert, canceled a rain check rerun Saturday, leaving fans from as far as Michigan and New York holding "rain or shine" ticket stubs.
"If I were in Buffalo, I’d go home right now," said Bonnie Strickland. The 19-year-old youth and three companions had driven 24hours to get to Florida for the concert. Strickland said they were the first ones in the stadium when the doors opened at 11:30 a.m. Friday for the8:30 p.m. concert. After spending the day in 90-degree weather on the sun baked football field, they settled down for the concert.
The British band played for 20 minutes before the thunderstorm hit. About 45minutes later the concert was called off. The cry "We want Zeppelin. We want Zeppelin" came from the 70,000 fans as rocks and bottles began flying onto the stage."We had what had to be called a small riot. There were between 3,000 and4,000 people who were unruly and disorderly," Tampa Police spokesman Johnny Barker said.
About 250 police officers, all in riot gear and using billy clubs, broke up the rioting and herded the fans out of the stadium. The scene was followed by 26 reported traffic accidents near the grounds. "The cops didn’t give any warning," one teen-aged girl said. "They just waded in. I ended up at the bottom of the crowd and a cop kicked me in the head. My brother got a broken leg and broken ribs."
The melee left an estimated 100 fans with injuries. Eight were arrested. Shift Commander Tom Wilson said "in the neighborhood" a dozen officers were treated for injuries." One had a concussion, there was one with a broken hand, one with a broken ankle, one with cut lips and some teeth knocked out, one with a dislocated shoulder..." There were so many people you just couldn’t move," a 32 year-old man from West Palm Beach said: "I was just trying to get away. The ticket said rain or shine."
Persons holding ticket stubs can get refunds, but we are encouraging them to mail in their refund requests," Barker said. (Newswire - June 5, 1977)
Here's one of my favorite times... although not a large concert. At a small local venue, Rickie Lee Jones was playing. Dakota Jazz Club is a small place, like 300 or 400 people, and more like a supper club than a concert hall. Great place for a show.
So, I brought the RLJ album thinking we may be able to get her to sign it for us. I asked the waitress if she could help, and she said yes, but that ended up being a dead end.
After the show was over, I stayed behind to pay the bill while my GF went down by the stage door entrance by the bar. 15 minutes later, I go to the bar, and she's still waiting. May as well have another cocktail, right? So, I'm chatting with a guy at the bar while we wait. GF is getting frustrated after another 15 min, says she is giving up, and is going to the rest room.
Of course, not 30 seconds later, here comes Rickie. I chat with her a bit, tell her I'm a big fan, she signs the record, and out the door she and her friends go. Not 30 seconds later, here comes the GF. haha! I told her what happened and naturally, she didn't believe me. "I know what you did... You signed that!"
Then, at the end of the bar, a guy who I hadn't noticed says, "would you like a picture?" Well, yeah! It turns out, he was a professional photographer and was taking pictures of the show. He was quietly waiting at the bar for a few cameo shots of her exit. In his camera, he has like 40 pictures of me talking with Rickie and getting her autograph. Next day he emailed me a few, and one of those pics hangs on my wall with the signed album. My GF is still upset that she didn't get her chance to say hello.
Memorable show, and even more memorable story... for us, anyway. I doubt that Rickie remembers it as well as us. :-)
Best Moment- Too many to count. Worst Moment- Grateful Dead, Springfield MA, 1971/72-ish. Open seating show in large indoor venue; maybe seating 12-15K. Very close to the front of the crowd waiting for admission, when some bozo opens ONE of the plate glass doors and the whole crowd surges forward. We were sure we were going to die, either trampled or pushed through the glass doors. My GF (now wife) was lifted off of her feet and pushed backwards through a (luckily) opened door. Worst Moments- All of those times when I thought it was cool that my ears were ringing for several days after a show. Worst offenders (as best as I can remember) Quicksilver Messenger Service and John McLaughlin/Mahavishnu Orchestra. Wonder if I can get them to pay for my hearing aids...????
The best.....first to mind is Bruce Springsteen at Wollman rink Central Park summer of 73 I think,when he opened for Anne Murray. An all out blow out show and just pockets of couples remained after he finished, to hear Anne Murray. I was just getting into Bruce and went with a high school friend and we were in the bleachers and ended up with a rabid pack of college guys and gals that welcomed us into their fold. Crazy good night. Also my first show....which was also at Wollman...The Allman Bros. ...at 15 or 16 years old and with my cool high school love and the Brothers introduced me to live rock and roll ! Though not an official DeadHead saw some great shows with some great friends in NY area....Nassau Coliseum,The Garden and best of all the Meadowlands where we partied all day and took many a toke over the line and then rambled inward to get our grooves on. Actually my first show was believe it Bob Dylan at Commack Arena if my memory's correct....I was a kid but my sister,four years older went with my dad as 'chaperone' and took me along....Nighthawks his band,not that I knew at the time....before the hippies...I think everyone was wearing leather. Some good shows at MY Father's Place: Mink DeVille, Asleep At the Wheel which I went to only because a college friend from Johnston College in Redlands CA. called me up out the blue and said we had to go see this band.Friend was Jimmy Stodgill from Texas so off we went...what a show,all new to me.After first show we wanted to get in for 2nd show and hooked up with two guys who claimed to be in Asleep At The Wheel fan club called The Lugnuts and knew the band and all that so we put our name in at the door in high hopes with a long line for 2nd show snaking down the block. We were denied.... a guy came to the door and yelled in very loud voice "Lugnuts Lugnuts,where's the guys from the lugnuts....sorry guys I can't let you in...I was slightly mortified to be identified as a Lugnut in front of all those waiting people..Ohwell. I guess I've been to more shows than I first thought and almost all good...a few clunkers but too few to mention. some great lists here....lots I missed
Don't know what it is with Jethro Tull, but things happen when he performs. Mid '70's at Red Rocks somedumbfuc had to throw a beer bottle at a cop and smack him in the face. It really hit the fan when the cops turned their dogs loose on the crowd and a stampede to the exits started and the cops on horseback just started hitting anyone within range with nightclubs. That mess made its way to the parking lot and people were crawling under cars to get away from the seemingly insane cops running people down with the horses and smacking anyone standing. A really bad show. No more rock concerts there for a number of years.
Back in the early 90's Pink Floyd was getting ready to start their tour. They had rented one side of the Canadian Airlines hanger in Toronto to do their rehearsals I was working as a tech for the airline at the time and got to see a full dress rehearsal the night before the tour opened. I also had tickets for the show but that night was special. The next week Aerosmith's plane landed for their concert, as everything was closed at the airport they asked us if we could fix a minor issues with the plane, very cool talking to them very down to earth guys. afterwards they gave us tickets to the show the next evening.
My band in 1969 Honolulu had great management and we were in the orchestra pit right in front of the band for a Hendrix show on a Friday night (Waikiki Shell venue…sort of a Hawaii Hollywood Bowl)…he did part of a set and left the stage until they could fix a hum or something, and we had to leave then for a club gig anyway. Oh well...He never came back on! Oops. Stoned hippies wandered the town…he did his scheduled Saturday night show and we couldn’t make it due to our gig, but because he had bailed on his Friday show he made it up on Sunday so HUZZAH…back in the orchestra pit we went, and enjoyed Jimi from 10 feet away for the entire thing. I hung out with him a little at some point as he was around for a week vacationing, and Mitch Mitchell sat in with us at our club gig one night. Whew…those were the days…We also opened for Led Zeppelin one night on their first tour…they were real good live at that time…real good…I wonder what happened to those guys...
Best-Pink Floyd 94 Oakland Col. It was unforgettable and the experience of a lifetime. I didn't know I could get that high, or as frightened.
Worst, and I was really surprised by this, Esperanza Spaulding touring behind her alter ego rock record. Maybe it went over my head but I thought it was really pretty lame.
The Beach Boys at The San Jose Civic, Summer of ’64 (my first show).
The Beatles at The Cow Palace in San Francisco, Summer of ’65 (my second).
All the San Jose Garage Bands that were playing from ’65-8---The Chocolate Watchband, The Syndicate of Sound, Stained Glass, People, The Otherside, literally hundreds of others.
The Who at The Carousel Ballroom, Summer of ’68.
The Band at The Berkeley Community Theater in 1970 (the best band I’ve ever seen and heard, by far).
Rockpile at The Country Club in Reseda CA, 1980. One of only two "Supergroups" worthy of the title imo.
Dave Edmunds at The Ritz in NYC, 1982---the best night of pure Chuck berry-style Rock ’n’ Roll I’ve ever witnessed.
Marshall Crenshaw with his "big" band at The Ritz in ’82. The best I ever saw him.
Big Joe Turner backed by The Blasters at Club Lingerie in Hollywood, mid-80’s, with Lee Allen (Little Richards band) on sax.
The Lyres at Club Lingerie in the late 80’s---my all-time favorite Garage Band.
Little Village on a soundstage in Burbank, 1990’s. The other Supergroup worthy of the title imo. Ry Cooder’s solo that night on John Hiatt’s "Lipstick Sunset" was the best minute of music I’ve ever experienced.
Iris Dement at The Troubadour, 1990’s. My favorite living artist, by far.
Leonard Cohen at The Universal Amphitheater, late 90’s. High drama!
Bob Dylan at The Pantages Theater in Hollywood (small capacity---less than a thousand---Art Deco venue), 2001. God was he great!
Wow I really enjoyed reading every one of these posts! Brings back old memories.
Where to begin? At an AC/DC concert, Pat Travers opening in Norfolk VA, a tiny hall, between bands the bathrooms where up on the second floor messanine, and people were trying to get down to get a close place for AC/DC (with Bon Scott) and people were trying to get up to the bathrooms! The stairs got jammed and people were walking on top of people's heads! We had to pee under the bleachers! Awesome show though.
ZZ Top, Richmond VA, about '81? Someone threw what sounded like a quarter stick of dynamite on stage! Almost stopped the show, but they came back and started again. A later ZZ Top show they threw the sticks into the crowd, my friend caught them! And I wound up in a huge fist fight! With some guy a foot taller than me! He got a good hook on my right ear, but I busted his lip, call it a draw?
And at an all weekend concert in '80 at Slades Park in Surry VA, like 10 or 12 bands over two whole days! Last band to play, Greg Alman, about the second song, someone threw a full beer and hit him square on the forehead! Show over.
Hootie and the Blowfish in Richmond VA, at the fairgrounds, a nice outdoor amphitheater there. It clouded up, and a huge lightning bolt hit the building! I mean a bolt 30 feet in diameter! Shut the place down, then it rained so hard it flooded the stadium, water 3 foot deep was rushing through the first 20 rows! Everyone ran to the shelter of a nearby building, after about an hour and a half they got the show going, and finished up. But then everyone was stuck in the mud in the parking lot! Took me 4 hours to get out of there.
Wow I could go on and on! I've been to a lot of shows. They just don't throw shows like they used to. I saw a few alt bands a few years back, and with assigned seats, they wouldn't let anyone approach the stage, too much security, no smoking or drinking, I.e., no fun at all. Last rock concert I'll ever go to. I'd rather see a local band in a pub where I can enjoy myself and not spend $150 on a ticket.
2nd best: COLOSSEUM at Keitele Jazz Festival, Finland 2010. They were heading for seventy but played and sang like young men, and Barbara Thompson was absolutely brilliant, with her style of her very own that fitted the music nicely and just perfectly. Of course, we got an excellent drum solo from the maestro himself, Jon Hiseman. As always. Not a single boring moment from these veteran master musicians. Stunning experience.
The best: GENESIS LIVE REVISITED EXTENDED LIVE, Spring 2014 in a small venue in Finland. Faultless classic Gabriel era GENESIS music performed LIVE by the best professional musicians available conducted by the maestro Steve Hackett himself, for three hours with just a short ten minute break. Sound balance & quality practically perfect as well. No drinks, no wives, no girlfriends/chicks messing around, just a perfect illusion of being in a GENESIS concert in the 70´s. Me and my buddy found ourselves shouting "The Knife" ! Nad Sylvan was/is the perfect interpreter for the classic GENESIS stuff. They made the illusion of the music alive in today for those who missed the band in their glory days forty years ago. There will never again be another concert that caliper... unless they do it again. But that´s unlikely. Me and my buddy were blessed. Stunning faultless performance. End of an Era. Period.
Tom Waits in New York, then in Columbus. Amazing performer, amazing set and lights,great songs.
Leonard Cohen in Paris. Incredible voice, increadible crowd. He played that song, oh what is it, "the partisan", the whole audience sang along in french. It's an old french song about the resistance, written in the 40s. He read some of his songs, spoke some, played like 3 hours.
Patti smith, bower ballroom. One show tom verlaine sat in, michael stipe served champagne and sang later, and sonic youth played later. another, she just sounded beautiful, could get as close to the stage as you wanted.
Best was Pink Floyd at OSU stadium in Columbus. Me and the ex had terrible seats, way to the side, behind a column. As the show started, we walked around the ground level looking for empties a little closer to the stage to jump into. I saw a roped off section about 3 rows deep, damn near middle stage. I asked a security guard what they were blocked off for and he told me "vip's". I told him the people we were sitting by were real high and kept f'n with my wife so we were looking for somewhere else to sit. He looked around for a second, lifted the rope and we sat with our feet up and watched the whole show from about 15 feet away. Not 1 "vip" showed to sit there.
The worst was a Stone Temple Pilots show at a small venue in Columbus, The L.C. it's now called, at a general admission seating show. Some pretty-boy on the second level decided to try to impress his girl by pouring some of his beer on people. The guy next to me just looked up and flipped him off. The jackass did it again a little later, and this time on me. I looked up and he and his girl were laughing histerically. I took my i.d. out of my wallet and handed my wallet to my buddy. I went upstairs, made my way to the front and tapped the guy on his shoulder and asked what his problem was. He turned around, shrugged, and turned back around. I ended up with a broked pinkie, and a night in the tank along with a fat fine for disorderly conduct. Nancy boy will NEVER pour beer on someone again though.
One of the best moments - Eddaytona reminded me of the first time I got to see INXS. Men at Work were popular and touring. Went to their packed show at Bogarts in Cinti. and had a great time with my wife to be, and her husband at the time.
Couple of weeks/months later, Men at Work played the Timberwolf Amphitheater at a local amusement park. A friend of my brother's called that day with an extra ticket, so I went.
INXS opened the show. Had never heard of them. Shabooh Shoobah (spelling ?) had just come out. It was really hypnotic. Big clear sound and a new strain of melody. A little rock / a little dance. Just really enjoyed the opening set.
Men at Work was fun again, but a week or so after, I couldn't get an INXS song out of my head. Went through the trouble to find out who the opening act was (I couldnt remember the weird name) and bought the album. I think I have bought every INSX album after that, but only the one Men at Work.
my best and worst concert moments came on consecutive days
best-i traveled with a good friend of mine to see the black crowes on consecutive nights in richmond virginia at a club called the national,we traveled from the northwestern pa area so it was about 400 miles one way for us,quite a long drive but it was to see one of our favorite artists,when we arrived in richmnond we checked into our hotel so that we didnt have to try and find it after the show in an unfamiliar area,by the time we got to the club the line hadnt started yet so we were the first in line,within an hour two very attractive girls were the first to join the line behind us,it was great having 2 attractive black crowes loving girls to share 5 plus hours of conversation with us before the doors opened,when we finally got into the club the four of us went directly into the front row center since we had general admission tickets
the black crowes were amazing,they all looked liked they were having a good time and rich even managed to smile a few times throughout the set,they played for a solid 2 hours and the setlist was great as i had hoped and it turned out to be one of the better times that i had seen them,howlin rain was the opening band and when we got back to our hotel they were standing out in front of the lobby,after a few minutes of chatting with them the bass player and keyboardist came up to our room to hang out and party with us,it was the perfect ending to an already great day
worst-the very next day was pretty much the same as the first although we had met the 2 girls from the day before for a local bbq lunch before we all got in line again,we went in and again were in the front row center,i only had managed to make it through the first 2-3 songs before i had to go and find my seat because of an over indulgence of pain medication,i missed most of the set that night except for the last song or so,i was very angry with myself because i havent done something that stupid in well over 10 years
i will hopefully make up for it in detroit on dec 5th,ive got general admission tickets to see the black crowes again with the same friend and i will be leaving my pain medication at home this time,live and learn
I have another Kieth Jarrett story: I had a front row seat to a concert with Kieth in a trio setting with Jack Dejohnette on drums and Dave Holland (maybe not sure) on upright bass, in Princeton NJ early 90's forgot which year... Interesting to note, bass player using a Cello amp... Anyway, just as concert is beginning, it's DEAD quiet, then, somebody waaay up high in far back starts making some weird sick, loud moaning noises.. like a mental patient or something.. Kieth and everyone else turns around looking like, 'what the HELL???' and looking around for the source of 'outburst'. Keith says something like, 'excuse me? we'd like to begin now..' and that was it. Rest of performance was undisturbed.
Around 1972 Keith Jarrett was at the Milwaukee Performing Arts Center doing a impromptu solo piano concert. Prior to his coming on stage there was an announcement that said Mr. Jarrett does not want any pictures being taken while he is playing. About an hour into the concert Jarrett was really into a beautiful piece, (much like music from his Koln concert), when some person snaps a flash bulb. Jarrett stopped playing immediately, put both hands to his side, shook his head in disgust, then pushed himself away from the piano. The place was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. He stayed that way for about 4 minutes. He finally got back to playing but the concert was different after that.
I went along with some friends that were driving up to Monterey Pop Festival in '67. We were all broke, so no chance to actually buy tickets. After hanging out on the grounds and listening in at the festival, the guy with the van suggested spending what little we did have by going up to the Fillmore. We didn't recognize the band - "Who"? They were certainly an eye (ear) opener, but then another band took the stage that weren't even on the program. I think it was Santana's first concert. I was more than impressed! Much later in my "maturing" years, I had friend that got me into a "Dead" concert standing right up front at the stage. I have always liked their music, but the "wall of sound" was too much for my delicate ears. I had to leave. Not very bad. And I am still enjoying my hearing.
2d Best Moment: I'm home off tour and get invited to see some band a friend was working for at the Ford Ampitheater in LA. Daytime and I am hanging out on the side of the stage just behind the speaker stacks. There is this really really pretty girl sitting there so I start chatting her up. She resonds and I think I am getting lucky. In the middle of a song she says to me "I'll be right back. " Then she gets up and walks on stage up to a mike and starts singing. She was Stevie Nicks. Oh well, I didn't get lucky afterall.
3rd Best Moment: Well, not my style but still kind of fun. My pals are working for Luther Vandross. He liked guys from what I understand. I'm sitting in a chair just behind the stage left proscenium at the Greek Theater in LA (how appropriate).
He is singing a love ballad and sees me over there. He comes walking off stage out of view of the audience, walks up two feet away from me and sings his love ballad to me. Finishes, winks at me, and goes back on stage to finish the show. I decided to leave a little early if you get my drift.
Worst Moments 1) When I was the lighting director for the Aerosmith reunion tour in 1984, Steve Tylor was still getting loaded. During his first song at our gig in Rockford Il he put his harmonica in his pants pocket. The pocket had a hole in it and the harmonica slid down his leg and lodged in the top of his sock. He was too loaded to figure out what was going on, missed his vocal cues and then, while still searching for the harmonica in his sock, tumbled over the front of the stage knocking himself out and ending the show.
2) When I was the lighting designer for Alice Cooper we played a year of gigs. Alice was back to his old habits during the entire tour. I won't get more specific than that. Anyway, our last gig of the tour was at the huge outdoor stadium at CNE in Toronto Canada. The opening act went on. Then we waited. Apparently Alice was too ill to go on so his show canceled. 20,000 fans then rioted. A drunk fan decided that he could jump off the top deck onto an awning and slide down to the bottom deck, like in the movies, and then run out to the field and trash the stage with the others crazies. Unfortunately he plunged through the awning and died.
BEST MOMENT: When I was the production manager for INXS we played Shea's Theater in Buffalo New York. The band was really rocking that night and the crowd was totally into it too. By the end of the show, the fans in the balcony were dancing so hard that the balcony was bouncing up and down at least 6 inches either way from center and plaster was falling down on the orchestra seats. The crowd thought it was cool too and started dancing so that the balcony not only bounced up and down but side to side too in a wave.
Thankfully no premanent structural damage that I know of but one of the most wonderful shows where the crowd was feeding off of the band and the band fed off the crowd. A magical night
Procol Harum headlined a concert in the early 70's. Word was they had some bad disagreement with the promoter. The result was they played about a 30 minute set then walked off saying "we don't know any other songs"..(they hadn't played "Whiter Shade of Pale").
I saw just a phenominal Pink Floyd concert @ 1970. It was held in an upscale classical concert hall. The band was on and the acoustics were just perfect. The downside was seeing many fans helped out by EMT's and a guy carried out on a stretcher from what appeared to be a fatal drug overdose.
A bad moment was at Mile High stadium 1969 when the police fired tear gas into a group of gate crashers wanting to see Hendrix. The wind then shifted and blew it all into the crowd. Good concert though - I think the last time he played with Noel Redding.
Hey Mapman, I was at the Moody Blues a few mos ago. Thought that was the best sound I've heard so far at The Tower. Everything else I saw there was hard rock and sounded awful...think I was at the Troc once and didn't sound that great. The Mann was always a great place to see a show, but haven't been there in yrs.
Most recent. Last week Friday, a buddy insisted I go with him to the Hendrix tribute concert in Portland. Knowing it was a bad idea (there is only one Hendrix) I went anyway. It was the last concert of the tour and the guys running the sound system really turned it up. Within the first 2 minutes I went begging the ushers for earplugs. I thought I'd need a blood transfusion from blood loss through the ears. Then to make things even worse- Mitch Mitchel passed away on Wed all alone in a Portland hotel. He deserves a ton of credit for keeping up with Jimi on some remarkable, all time great tunes.
Just saw Gov't Mule at the Tower last week and it sounded good to me. Much better than the Electric Factory, TLA, and Trocadero. The Tower and Keswick Theatres are my favorite local venues.
Do you like the Tower Theater as a concert venue these days?
Its a classic building but I have not been overwhelmed with the acoustics there. I've attended 2 concerts there in recent years, Walter Becker and the Moody Blues. These were great performances but I left feeling underwhelmed with the sound...not horrible, but lacking and leaving me hesitant to go back.
My expectations with the Steely Dan material in particular may have just been too high going in, so I was bound to be disapointed.
I may be spoiled by some other more high end venues I've frequented, like the Meyerhoff in Baltimore and some clubs in NYC, but I just thought some things could be done inexpensively with the Tower to make it sound a lot better.
1). Went to see The Who, Clash, Santana at JFK in the 80's except my friend who was treating me hated Santana and refused to see them, so I missed a great band. When we got to our seats at JFK in the middle of the afternoon, the sound was horrible but that wasn't the worst part.
Worst part - we were in the nosebleed section and this obviously very drunk kid was directly behind me drinking what looked to be pepto bismal mixed with alcohol in a large container. His hand was covering his mouth most of the concert as if he were going to blow lunch at any time. Behind him were these huge Temple Univ. football players, one instigating and nudging the kid to throw up, the other ones saying, if you throw up on me, I'll f'in kill you. I turned around and told the kid if he threw up, I'd f'in kill him too...the kid got reminded about 100 times that if he threw up, he was dead...not a fun way to watch a concert thinking someone might throw up on your back.
2). Went to see Parliament/Funkedelic at the Phila. Spectrum in 79 in the height of their popularity. Double dated with my buddy Sr yr in high school. Bootsy's Rubber Band and the Brides of Funkenstein were the first 2 performers. We had 10th row seats. 10 whites in the whole place and we were all in the same row. After about an hour or so, it got very crowded. If we stood up, people came in behind us to stand on our chairs. If we chased them away and stood on our chairs, people shuffled in in front of us.
Having Slash's girlfriend o.d. and pass out on me during a Peter Townshend solo show at the House of Blue in LA. She lived, but I had to help Slash carry he out the door of the Green Room to awaiting medics.
Saw Emerson, Lake and Palmer at the Swing in SanBernadino back in the early 70's. Nearly deafened and a real stiff of a 'date'. California Jam 1 was a MONSTER. Went there with about 20 friends in a rented moving truck! It took about an hour to get to the PortaPotties. You ain't heard nuttin until you've been up 20 hours and BlackSabbath comes on, at 110db.
Worst: Rolling Stones "Some Girls" tour, JFK Stadium, Philly, ~1978. 100,000 general admission seats. Gates open and almost get trampled in the rush. Police move in to control the crowd. Crowd starts throwing bottles at police cars. Police come in on horses and start beating back the crowd with clubs.
Later inside, the sound in that big open stadium is absolutely the worse ever....mostly echoes.
The concert was still pretty good I suppose even after all that.
I swore off large outdoor concerts after that.
Best:
Dick Dale at the Recher Theater near Baltimore MD. Small venue, right up front...Dick is smokin on guitar a few feet in front of me. After the concert, I get an autograph and get to chat with Dick who stays onstage afterwards to chat with a few of us who stuck around...wonderful!
Another great one was Julian Loureaux Groove Gang (French Jazz/funk ensemble) at Stone Harbour Jazz club in New Orleans the night before the NO Music Heritage Festival opens. THIS GROUP SMOKED LIKE NO OTHER I HAVE EVER HEARD!
Nice memories...even the Stones concert I suppose.
Grateful Dead 1981 (or something like that) at Radio City Music Hall. Best/worst I cannot decide. Made a mistake in measuring pulverized dried mushrooms due to already tripping status. Ended up eating about 1 full ounce worth.
OK, I was feeling it come on, way too much, and I waited for the show to start. An acoustic set. I waited and the band came out. They were tuning up, and took a long time in doing so. I waited and got distracted and began to think about other things. By the time I remembered I was at a concert they were finished playing. I remember absolutely nothing. The best part: I was in the third row.
The Best -- so long ago it is scary -- me a teen -- the venue: The Fillmore -- the group -- brand new: The Mothers of Invention. The instruments were already on the stage but no musicians. Then, they all walked out and picked up the instruments without playing a lick or saying a word. Staring at the dumbstruck audience. Then over the silence someone in the audience uttered an "Oh My God". At that point Frank grinned and the band played. When they were done -- they put the instruments down and walked off. More cool than anything else I ever saw.
REAL BEST -- lying in a sleeping bag in a tent in upstate New York on a Sunday morning and hearing Joan Baez's voice roll over the hillside which had pretty well turned to mud because of the rain of Saturday night. The most glorious awakening ever -- Woodstock 1969.
I saw John Lee Hooker in 1987 at a church at Oberlin College. After the show, I wondered around to find a bathroom. I got twisted around and walked in to the church kitchen. I ended up having a bologna sandwich with JLH. I coulnd't understand a word he said but it sure was fun.
Pretty cool... the Radiators at High Sierra Music Festival, Bear Valley, CA... early summer evening, approximately five thousand feet altitude... quick chill in the air as the second set gets rolling...and they get jammin' and rollin'... the keyboardest, Volker... rolling now... that man, so much heat... steam is literally rising above his bald head into the night air...a plume of vapor... now that's jammin'
Worst - 1982 @ Folsum Field on the Colorado University campus (I think??). John Cougar, then Jethro Tull, then the Who in their farewell tour. Cougar is just starting his career, nobody even knows who Mellencamp is at this point. He starts late afternoon, summertime in Colorado. People playing frisbee and hackey-sac, hanging out and having a good time. He finishes a song and everyone politely claps and goes back to frisbees and beer. After his 2nd or 3rd song he seems pissed at the lack of enthusiasm and yells "c'mon. This ain't no Rick F'in Springfield concert." Now remember, not only JT is coming on, but the Who as well. We got 6 hrs. of Rock and Roll coming up, we're not even warmed up yet. 2 songs later he flat out walks off stage. I remember seeing his backup singers standing behind their mics looking stage right like "Is he coming back?" They sorta shrugged and walked off too.
Excellent story. Nothing like getting "the look" over the tops of Jerry's glasses. He didn't make many one-on-one fan connections as he was so caught up in his playing, but when it happened - it was one for the ages...
The concert is going wonderfully when the Floyd decides to call a pee break. Seventy-thousand beer drinking attendees, me included, head for the johns at the same time. The entrance and exit to the toilet is a short concrete tunnel. Those who have not pee'd are pushing to get in and those who have pee'd are pushing to get out. I'm wedged in the middle of the tunnel and I could let my legs go limp and the people pressure is enough to stand me up. In the mean time, the deluge of pee is beginning to seep out the tunnel under feet. Think Who Concert in about a quarter inch of pee. I thought I was going to suffocate and die in pee in the concrete tunnel at the Oakland Arena and that would be my ten minutes of fame.
By the grace of God, Floyd began resumed play and the surge dissipated. It is remarkable that folks who manage these events do not think in terms of what happens when you try to push 70,000 people through a handful key holes.
Now, I listen to Floyd in the comfort of my living room in front of my audio-nervosa setup with my own beer and I schedule the break when I want it and there is no rush to the john. Good luck. Jeff
Intense Jerry connection: @1980, fall Dead tour in Denver, front row, Phil side then Jerry side later. Everyone stood for the whole show, natch. Halfway through the show someone tossed a beautiful wreath of roses on my chair obviously intended for the band. So, it was up to me to deliver the gift. Not any easy thing to do as my coordination was seriously compromised due to environmental variables. Mustered up some courage and just heaved it toward Jerry. I knew if it hit anyone I'd be escorted out. Magically, it not only landed at Jerry's feet, he noticed I was the messenger. For what seemed like five minutes he smiled at me over his glasses and nodded. Whoa! I can feel the chills and connection even now.
Worst experience: 1970: Go over to girlfriends on Friday evening (after talking on the phone for an hour deciding to stay in since there's nothing to do). Get to her house and she tells me her brother called to invite us to see The Doors, but she said no because she thought it would be nice to stay in for the night. AHHH!!!!
As Slipknot1 mentions above, I attended several concerts in the 70's at Rich Stadium. They use to have all day concerts with several bands. This was back in the day when you could take a cooler full beer or other alcohol into the stadium to your seat. This particular concert was to begin at 11am and end at 7pm. The headliner were the Stones. My buds and my seat were directy behind 4-5 hells angels. These dudes began drinking heavily from 11am and through the afternoon. The last opening band ended at 5pm then it was time for the Stones. 5p came and went,6p came and went,7p came and went,8p came and went,9p came and at 10p the Stones finally entered the stage. By that time,every biker in front of us had passed out. The one that was sitting in front of me turnded around in his seat, and saturated my pants and shoes with the must foul smelling vomit imaginable. I dont know which was worse. Having to sit for 4 hours in the hot summer heat waiting to hear the Stones and getting puked on,or listening to a 'whole' 1 hour set of the most dreadful performance I've ever heard.
Glad she was alright (she was, right?). The first and only time it ever happened to me was the Allman show. You feel pretty helpless. I can't imagine how the kids at the Who show felt.
I have been to a half dozen or so indoor festival seating Dead shows and everything with the crowd was always pretty cool. The nuts with the bottle rockets, roman candles, and firecrackers were a little scary, but... I am surprised it got that rowdy.
Jim S.- Same scenario w GD in Springfield w my GF. She is small and claustrophobic. It was miracle we didn't get pushed through the glass or trampled. She was picked up off her feet and "popped" through the open door into the lobby backwards!
Probably "best moment" was opening chords of Rolling Stones Boston Garden show in 72. Not the best music or the best show, although it was great. But the excitement and anticipation made your hair stand up on the back of your neck!
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