The water cancelled show was British band Showaddywaddy, who go back to the 70's popular for good old fashioned rock and roll. The drummer is the same guy from the early 70s, and they've been playing non-stop ever since. We have quite a few bands from those days including some 60s favourites like Marty Wilde, the Tremelos, the Searchers, Gerry and the Pacemakers, all going strong, bar the Searchers who just retired! Hard to imagine 50yrs plus in one band!
I think I know a few guys who have been with the same band just as long Dave Hill and Don Powell of SLADE. They never made it in the US. But, I remember going into a record store and seeing the fists with SLADE and SLAYED in 72 and fell in love. Holder and Lea wrote albums worth of magnificent songs. Their Christmas album is wonderful, and just an all around excellent band that's been shafted from the rock history books.
It took me a few years to buy Jim Lea's Therapy and it's just as good as everything Slade did. Years ago I went to Brighton (rented a car in London) to see The 70s tour Slade 2 (minus Lea and Holder) and Suzi Quatro. I was right against the barricade in the front. 15,000 drunk brits and what did they play for warm up music throughout? ABBA. I did not get that at all. But, both 2 and Suzi kicked ass for old timers. On the way out of the park a couple asked me for a lift. Since it was a guy and girl I felt safe. They pointed out 2 other guys and said "you gotta give my mates a lift". Now it's 3 guys and 1 girl. They told me a "short cut" to their house, which turned out to be a small dirt road dead end. I did not come close to a stop making the U turn. If they were going to kill me, they'd have to do it while in motion. They turned out to be really nice. They filled my rental with gas, and invited me in to party the rest of the night. I declined. I had to get back to the airport.
When it was time for Sinead to go, she couldn't get her son to go with her as he was enjoying himself so much. I presume his name was Jake because all you could hear was her shouting out "Jakey ! Jakey ! It's time to go. Come on, we have to go ! Now !" and stuff of that nature. I'd heard of her but didn't really know who she was. It was just intriguing seeing a bald Irish woman at around midday on a Saturday ! I always remember one of the comedian kids, a really funny Black kid we used to call FKB, commenting that her coming into the playground was like him going to a
National Front meeting. I just said to him, "um, not quite" as I laughed my cares away.
I've seen her many times in concert, would love to meet her on the street. I'd talk some sense into her. Because it'd be like she's looking in the same awful mirror.
Wow lived in La La land all my life and never thought to drive 20 miles east and check out how the rich and famous live....for that matter never thought rich n famous folks did garage sales but for sure estate sales...Sounds like a fun Saturday thing to do sometime in the near future...
Yeah I have seen several fantastic concerts at the Bowl...The Greek is equally cool but you're right about the history...Shrine auditorium is a damn nice venue too! Love outdoor amphitheaters though....
As mentioned previously I saw Pink Floyd's DSOTM in 72 pre-release in quad at the bowl...positioned smack dab in front of the sound men directly in the middle of the venue...First big concert I ever saw and still probably the #1 of all I have ever seen...Steely dan at the Sopwith Camel in a tiny little venue was pretty awesome...of course Zep, The Who, The Stones, Waylon. Johnny and Edgar, Alvin Lee, Rory Galagher, BB King, Skynard, Supertramp, Traffic, JoJo Gun, Foghat, Alice, Zappa, J Geils, Santana, Rod Stewart, Elton, ELO, Suzy Quatro, Larry Coryell, Wings, Billy Preston, Yes, REO, Alman Brothers, Charlie Daniels, Atlanta Rhythm section ( with that bad ass spectacled, chubby bass player) , Golden earring, John Fogerty, Starship, Heart and a sit load more but my head hurts from trying remember....Did I mention I earned a "self given" PHD in Rock Concerts?.....but having Quiet Riot open for my band Cheap Day Return when Randy Rhodes was still in the band and opening for VH after they were signed but before their album was released at the Snowcrest lodge up at Mount Baldy were pretty cool concerts too!
Maybe it wasn't Hollywood. The garage sales we went to were in beautiful massive homes in the hills where it's almost impossible to make a U turn. One we walked into had ceilings so high you'd need a very large ladder to get to. The furniture was huge. I couldn't even imagine how they got it into the room in the first place. Incredible to gawk at, but not beautiful. Tacky in a way. I like antiques. Estate and garage sales are always fun. People sell shit cheap that they don't want. We paid $5 for a little box that's worth over $700.
You've seen some great shows. I've seen quite a few of those artists. Elton John in Central Park. I read The Empire Strikes Back while we waited. On the way home Joan Jett (before Bad Reputation) was walking through Penn Station and I got her to sign the book. She stood there like we were going to have a conversation. But, nothing was said and she walked away. She opened for XTC at the Palladium and I was the only person standing in the front row moving to her songs. She walked over at the end, shook my hand and handed me her guitar pick. It's in the shape of a shark's tooth. She's always great.
I would have loved to see Rhodes. Such a tragedy. Quiet Riot made it big on Slade songs.
Zeppelin was my first concert. Opening night MSG 1977, I was 16. $11 ticket. But, my sister bought it for me and I know she paid more. We were across the stage, and it didn't matter. Still my favorite show (It has to be the fact it's your first). I remember arguing with a guitarist at school who said the show sucked. I thought it was great. Recently I was able to buy the entire show on 3 CDs from the board. It is as great as I thought. Page and Plant shows were also magnificent. The first tour with the Middle Eastern Orchestras was stunning. I almost cried when they did Kashmir and it felt like the walls of MSG were going to come down. That riff reverberating off the walls is one of the most incredible moments I've had in a venue, along with the floor under my feet moving at U2.
I saw Johnny Winter back in the day in a club called the Sunshine Inn in Asbury Park N.J. There were columns holding up the rafters. Me and a buddy climbed up the columns and worked our way out over the stage. We were about twenty to thirty feet directly above Johnny cheering him on. He looked up a few times and must have thought, damn kids. Stuff you can't get away with at concerts these days. Another time at the Pocono Mountain Festival in '72, the bikers had gotten there bikes out on the raceway and were running the track at full speed in opposite directions. Trying to cross that track while doing a couple of hits of sunshine was quite the adventure.
I saw Johnny many times. He was always excellent. The last time I saw him was a blues show at the Count Basie in Red Bank. It was Rick Derringer (Guitars and Women is one of my favorite albums. Used to see him all the time), Leslie West, Edgar Winter and Johnny Winter. Derringer comes out and he's OLD and UGLY now. But, still pretty good. Leslie West is brought out in a wheelchair and he only has one leg. It was amputated from diabetes. Edgar came out and it was the first time I'd seen him and he was OK. Johnny had to be helped onto the stage. He was put on a chair, sat and played. They were all still good. But, I always think of what Grace Slick said about retiring. No one wants to see a 70 year old acting like they're 20. That's what I thought when I left.
Another sad show at Count Basie was Glen Campbell. I saw him in a tiny room at Mohegan Sun (or Foxwoods) just before he was diagnosed. He was EXCELLENT. I got his guitar pick. I went to the Basie show and his kids were playing with him. By this time he was partially gone. He couldn't remember words to his hits. Barely played guitar and when he did, the bad notes were shining through, and at one point he was wandering around the stage like he had no idea where he was. He got caught between the keyboards and drum riser. If he went on tour to make money to leave to his family, I applaud him. But, if his family talked this sick man into going on tour, they should be ashamed of themselves. It was heartbreaking. But, the people around me were loving it. You can't not enjoy the songs. But, the man's mind wasn't even present for most of them.