Concert Stories

Snowman999

Active member
I've been to well over a thousand concerts (bands with major contracts). I have a lot of stories.

Post your favorites.

Here's one that I always enjoy telling.

I HATE RUSH. I saw them quite a few times. But, never purposely.

The first time I saw them they opened for Blue Oyster Cult at Nassau Coliseum. The guitarist's cable wasn't long enough for him to reach a mic, or the front of the stage. That was funny. He kept trying and never made it. The cable kept pulling him back.

One night I was headed to Penn Station and people were leaving the back stage with their passes. I asked if I could have one. Someone gave me their pass. It was for Rush, so I didn't bother using it.

The following night they were playing Nassau Coliseum and me and a friend went down. I told him to hang out, and I'd go backstage and see if I could get a pass for him. I go through security, walk into the crowd pass the front of the stage (I didn't have a ticket, only the pass) while the band is playing, and into the back stage area. I walk behind a curtain and I'm met by a lighting guy. He grabs me and asks what I'm doing. I show him the pass, and he has me thrown out.

Do I just leave? NO. Because I am a tenacious asshole. I go to security, and explain "I have this pass, I went backstage and was thrown out for nothing (which is true. Unless I was at a spot where passes weren't valid. But, the guy didn't say that.) The security guard says "Ok. Go down these stairs and they'll lead you to the back stage area". So I did. WHO is at the bottom of the stairs? Yep, the same lighting guy. The look in his eyes made me FLY up those stairs. I'm small. But, I was making it 3 - 4 steps per foot. The guy is yelling "Stop that mother fucker". Security did. I was expecting to have the shit beat out of me. Instead he comes up, looks at the pass, tears it off and screams "this isn't even for tonight". He rips it to shreds and has me thrown out.

The guard (the same one who let me in in the first place) escorts me to the door and says "If you want to see the show just go in". Since my friend was waiting and I hate Rush, I thanked him but left.

I still hate Rush. ELP was my favorite prog rock band. Brain Salad Surgery is one of my favorite albums. I saw them in 77 on the Works tour. But, Rush doesn't have a song I'd get a minute into. I can't stand the singer/bassist voice. The drummer's great, though not Carl Palmer great.
 
Sorry to say that with my work hat on (when we actually had some) keeping people out is a serious job, and I'd expect to not be let in even if I'm production manager or stage manager. It's happened to me working for Morrisey in the UK. I went up to stage to do some end of show stuff, and security turned me away fro m my own stage. I was the venue production manager, but without that pass, I'm not allowed on my own stage. The audience were left in the dark until the band had all gone - then I put the lights on so the audience could leave. if it's a pass controlled show, then any security guy who let people in without a correct one gets fired. The lighting guy was doing the right thing.

At one poorer security minded gig, some idiot got backstage and at the interval of a rock and roll theatre show got on stage, and pulled the drencher handle releasing thousands of gallons of water all over the stage - which took the power out, filled the guitars and ran like a waterfall into the pit. I was the one who had to go on and tell people there wasn't a second half! I wish I'd caught the person who did it!
 
07/19/1974... Louisville, KY - Convention Center
Maybe it was that one.
Tyler saunters onto the stage with a 5th of Jack Daniels.
I was right up front, I mean I was leaning on the stage when he took a swig, passed it to the crowd and said pass it back.
The surge of people pushed me hard into the wall and I mean like motionless hard.
I managed to throw an elbow and push my way back thru the crowd.
I remember looking over and seeing a mountain of arms holding the bottle and this one wild eyed guy trying to get some in his mouth.
 
Between 72 and 76 me and a buddy of mine saw just about every pro act that came through LA...I like to say it's where I got my PHD in Rock Concerts Sometimes we'd get in free via his connection selling programs..most times we would buy the cheapest tickets we could find usually from Troy ticket agency and once in, sneak up to the good seats..We became experts at it knew all the holes in the security and knew how to work it...
Several crazy stories...my Bud had no fear...he was a big dude and lets say a little ingenious. Of course sneaking up had its risk...but the amazing seats I sat in, in during this time period were worth many thousands of dollars even back then...What we learned was all these major venues had certain sections for the VIP guest ..usually dead center and in between rows 2 and 7...we'd look for empty seats because often they were given to record execs who wouldn't show ...LOL I got kicked out of Bernie Taupins seat at the Forum for the Rod Stewart concert...saw Ringo walking past as I was being escorted out......kicked out....damn! So there I was with several friends still in the concert...I had been kicked out back stage ..all of a sudden a limo pulls up...David Essex and a lady on each arm...Hey David....he smiles and walks in past security...Then this old guy I mean like really old maybe even 50 :D is walking out with a backstage pass...I start walking with him telling him my dilemma...asking if he can give me his pass...at first it was a fuck no...but I persisted and he finally said OK...tell em you work for the free press.... I'm in...Holy shit backstage at Rod Stewart! I walk past security with my new found pass no problem...head backstage and there's the guest party room it's probably about a 400 sf room with an open bar and food...I sit down in this chair kind of freekin out that someone is going to realize I shouldn't be there...I look to my left and sitting right next to me is Freekin Alice Cooper also with some lovely ladies..I'm shitting bricks cause I am a huge fan but don't want to blow my cover..so I just sit there with my mouth shut watching...People coming up to him "Hey AC hows it going man?" AC? Shit! I look over at the bar and there is Liza Minneli.... Frickin Liza Minelli! So I sat there in awe for a bit then decided it was time to test this pass and head back out to the concert and show my friends what I'd gotten....I took it off and 3 different friends took turns going back stage that night...what a blast.... a day or two later Rod was playing at the Swing Auditorium out in San Bernardino..... Rinse and repeat...The backstage pass worked and we all took turns again...That time I did take it a step further...There was a piano back in one of the rooms backstage...and I actually played the piano part of Stay with me along with Rod as he was performing it out on stage...so I can honestly say yeah I jammed with Rod live one night in San Bernardino..course he nor the crowd outside knew it but it's a true story..

That was the beginning of snagging backstage passes of which we got a few more over the years...a few actually legitimately So many concerts, so many good times.....so many crazy stories....it's a pretty cool laundry list of famous folks we actually met in our journey...meeting Buck Darhma and Yes ( especially Wakeman) were two of the coolest for me...
 
If you hate Rush so much, why go through all that crap? Why not just stay home?

Way back when, I went to every show that played at Nassau Coliseum, MSG... I worked for a ticket scalper, and I'd wait on line, get tickets and then get paid, plus free tickets. This show, we had nothing better to do.

One time, my girl friend's brother and his friends wanted to see Rush and no one would drive them. So, they bought me a ticket, and I was driver. I was also driver for the scalper and his friends. I love to drive. Plus I got free booze and pot. YES, I was the DRIVER. We were morons back in the late 70s early 80s. But, the fun we had. Never had an accident or even stopped while intoxicated. Plenty of times when I was flat out sober, and always got a ticket.
 
Sorry to say that with my work hat on (when we actually had some) keeping people out is a serious job, and I'd expect to not be let in even if I'm production manager or stage manager. It's happened to me working for Morrisey in the UK. I went up to stage to do some end of show stuff, and security turned me away fro m my own stage. I was the venue production manager, but without that pass, I'm not allowed on my own stage. The audience were left in the dark until the band had all gone - then I put the lights on so the audience could leave. if it's a pass controlled show, then any security guy who let people in without a correct one gets fired. The lighting guy was doing the right thing.

At one poorer security minded gig, some idiot got backstage and at the interval of a rock and roll theatre show got on stage, and pulled the drencher handle releasing thousands of gallons of water all over the stage - which took the power out, filled the guitars and ran like a waterfall into the pit. I was the one who had to go on and tell people there wasn't a second half! I wish I'd caught the person who did it!

Wow. What show was that? Did they have to give refunds?

I understood him throwing me. The second time just seemed more valid than the first. If I was in a restricted area the first time, he could have pointed me to where the real back stage area was. But, when you're doing something "wrong", you try and if you fail, you fail. It was just a memorable night. I was stage manager for a repertory theatre 10 years. Arena Players "Long Island's oldest and finest professional repertory theatre". The director/owner just passed away last year (maybe the year before) at 92. When I worked there 85 - 95, he had a wife, mistress he'd had for over 30 years (her child was his spitting image) and the woman I worked in the office during the day with. He was busy. The great thing back then was, even though some nights I'd get out at close to 11pm. I could still make a train to the city and catch club shows. People like Johnny Thunders didn't go on till almost 1am.
 
07/19/1974... Louisville, KY - Convention Center
Maybe it was that one.
Tyler saunters onto the stage with a 5th of Jack Daniels.
I was right up front, I mean I was leaning on the stage when he took a swig, passed it to the crowd and said pass it back.
The surge of people pushed me hard into the wall and I mean like motionless hard.
I managed to throw an elbow and push my way back thru the crowd.
I remember looking over and seeing a mountain of arms holding the bottle and this one wild eyed guy trying to get some in his mouth.

I liked Aerosmith's Dream On and saw them in 77 with Styx. It was the first concert I saw that I didn't enjoy. Perry's guitar was cranked so loud it was just distortion. It literally cracked each time he'd hit a string.

Years later I saw The Joe Perry Project at a small club "My Father's Place" (a few others I saw there Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, NY Yanquis with Mick Ronson) great venue. The back wall was filled with cabinets and you could barely hear the rest of the band, and again just crackling distortion.
 
Between 72 and 76 me and a buddy of mine saw just about every pro act that came through LA...I like to say it's where I got my PHD in Rock Concerts Sometimes we'd get in free via his connection selling programs..most times we would buy the cheapest tickets we could find usually from Troy ticket agency and once in, sneak up to the good seats..We became experts at it knew all the holes in the security and knew how to work it...
Several crazy stories...my Bud had no fear...he was a big dude and lets say a little ingenious. Of course sneaking up had its risk...but the amazing seats I sat in, in during this time period were worth many thousands of dollars even back then...What we learned was all these major venues had certain sections for the VIP guest ..usually dead center and in between rows 2 and 7...we'd look for empty seats because often they were given to record execs who wouldn't show ...LOL I got kicked out of Bernie Taupins seat at the Forum for the Rod Stewart concert...saw Ringo walking past as I was being escorted out......kicked out....damn! So there I was with several friends still in the concert...I had been kicked out back stage ..all of a sudden a limo pulls up...David Essex and a lady on each arm...Hey David....he smiles and walks in past security...Then this old guy I mean like really old maybe even 50 :D is walking out with a backstage pass...I start walking with him telling him my dilemma...asking if he can give me his pass...at first it was a fuck no...but I persisted and he finally said OK...tell em you work for the free press.... I'm in...Holy shit backstage at Rod Stewart! I walk past security with my new found pass no problem...head backstage and there's the guest party room it's probably about a 400 sf room with an open bar and food...I sit down in this chair kind of freekin out that someone is going to realize I shouldn't be there...I look to my left and sitting right next to me is Freekin Alice Cooper also with some lovely ladies..I'm shitting bricks cause I am a huge fan but don't want to blow my cover..so I just sit there with my mouth shut watching...People coming up to him "Hey AC hows it going man?" AC? Shit! I look over at the bar and there is Liza Minneli.... Frickin Liza Minelli! So I sat there in awe for a bit then decided it was time to test this pass and head back out to the concert and show my friends what I'd gotten....I took it off and 3 different friends took turns going back stage that night...what a blast.... a day or two later Rod was playing at the Swing Auditorium out in San Bernardino..... Rinse and repeat...The backstage pass worked and we all took turns again...That time I did take it a step further...There was a piano back in one of the rooms backstage...and I actually played the piano part of Stay with me along with Rod as he was performing it out on stage...so I can honestly say yeah I jammed with Rod live one night in San Bernardino..course he nor the crowd outside knew it but it's a true story..

That was the beginning of snagging backstage passes of which we got a few more over the years...a few actually legitimately So many concerts, so many good times.....so many crazy stories....it's a pretty cool laundry list of famous folks we actually met in our journey...meeting Buck Darhma and Yes ( especially Wakeman) were two of the coolest for me...

I only saw Yes once, early 80s (I think) at MSG. I have never owned a Yes album. I love Wakeman's Journey To The Center of the Earth. That I've owned. It's odd listening to The New York Dolls and switching to that. But, for me, if I like it, I can listen regardless of what I just heard.

At MSG for the Dylan Celebration. I paid a guy $10 and he had a friend who opened a side door, brought the people us the stairs to the nose bleed seats, where they don't really have security. If you go to the edge it's maybe a 6' drop to the 3rd level. Which I did. Walked down and sat on the side of the stage in the first level. Like you said, you pick an empty seat and sit. When someone comes, you get up and find another empty seat. Most seat security are pretty cool, and don't want trouble. If you sat in the aisle, and didn't block people from moving, they said nothing. I did that quite a few times. At this show no one ever came to claim the seat. I did have people screaming at me when Sinead O'Connor came on. She was booed off-stage, it was just after her ripping the Pope's picture on SNL (how right was she?) I wanted to hear her sing. I love O'Connor and saw every show she'd ever done in NYC at the time.

Sinead O'Connor could SPIT FIRE. She's the most emotionally charged singer I've ever seen. She'd hit notes and hold them till the audience cheered and continue after the cheering died down. The last time I saw her (years after the fiasco), drugs, and life took their toll. I took an Irish actress I knew. She loved the show. I almost literally cried. First, if you put pictures of me and her side by side, you'd think we were twins. That's NOT a compliment. She looked at the floor most of the night. The fire was gone. It was like she'd had a lobotomy and they threw her carcass up to sing.

A few years ago she was found in a seedy motel in Patterson NJ. About an hour from where I live. She was near suicidal. What a talent. What a horror.
 
Got to see Rick perform Journey to the center of the earth at the Hollywood bowl in 74...It did not suck ;)

a wakeman.jpg

 
Sinead O'Connor could SPIT FIRE.
I only really know her nothing compares song...but she owned that song...would have loved to see her...your story of her years later with her soul sucked out of her is tragic...
 
image.jpegRick doesn't live far from here. When I worked in a college locally he came in one afternoon to talk to the music students. His stories were even better than the music, he's a great raconteur.

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!
 
Sinead O'Connor could SPIT FIRE. She's the most emotionally charged singer I've ever seen. She'd hit notes and hold them till the audience cheered and continue after the cheering died down. The last time I saw her (years after the fiasco), drugs, and life took their toll. I took an Irish actress I knew. She loved the show. I almost literally cried. First, if you put pictures of me and her side by side, you'd think we were twins. That's NOT a compliment. She looked at the floor most of the night. The fire was gone. It was like she'd had a lobotomy and they threw her carcass up to sing.

A few years ago she was found in a seedy motel in Patterson NJ. About an hour from where I live. She was near suicidal. What a talent. What a horror.

Well I have heard and seen her sing a few times in the past 20 years on tv and radio. She cant sing anymore she is brutal. Her voice is deep and shouts. Absolutely terrible.
 
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View attachment 106946Rick doesn't live far from here. When I worked in a college locally he came in one afternoon to talk to the music students. His stories were even better than the music, he's a great raconteur.

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 the drummers Showaddywaddy is still going Rob.
 
I saw Gil Scott Heron at the Commonwealth Institute in the spring of '83. There were no seats as it wasn't exactly a place meant for gigs but there were loads of people there, hanging off stair rails, dancing on the floor, crammed at the exits etc. I was hanging onto a pole myself and it was uncomfortable at times on my hanging arm, but I didn't care. It was a fantastic gig and pretty much everyone there funked and shook like we had St Vitus' dance. Earlier this year or sometime last year I was talking with my wife about the gig and it turns out that she was there as well ! It was 12 years before we met though.
Ironically, a lady I was with at the time was selling T shirts at that gig and a few weeks later I took her to that years London blues festival where Buddy Guy & Junior Wells played along with John Lee Hooker {whom I'd seen the previous year} and Albert King {BB had played the previous year}. Albert King was so funny, stomping all over the place, he was soloing like his life depended on it and he broke a string but you'd never have believed it. He just carried on, even telling us he'd broken one as he continued playing. He was pretty good but that festival was really the end with me and the blues. I found {and still find} it to be kind of boring and ever so limiting. If ever a music was of its time, it was the blues. And that time was before I was born !
The thing I remember most about the gig was not actually the gig, but the lady I was with. We ended up having a blazing row when out of the blue she said she was going. I didn't know why then and I still don't. Hammersmith was only 7 miles from where I lived in Hendon at the time but in those days, not all train stations opened that late and having done it once before, I didn't fancy the long walk home so I had to leave too as she was the one with the car. I honestly can't remember if I saw Buddy & junior and I didn't care much for JLH as I'd seen him the previous year. I'd tried to get into his stuff from 1980 and failed dismally.
 
Sinead O'Connor could SPIT FIRE
One Saturday in the late 80s or early 90s, she walked into the adventure playground I was working on in Ladbroke Grove. It was right next to Portobello Road so it wasn't uncommon to see famous people there and every so often people in the public eye would wander in just to see what the adventure playground was. I think they were intrigued that it was under the motorway. People driving on the A40 would stop on it, illegally park, climb down into the playground and head out to the market. Anyway, she walked in with her little son who was under age {our age range was 5~16 and he was obviously not 5} but it didn't matter as he was with a parent/adult. As soon as he saw the swings and platforms, he was frothing at the mouth with joy so she let him play for a while while the Black kids and Moroccan kids grizzled and grumbled about this person being in their space. But we were open access so although the kids were very territorial, anyone could come in and leave as they pleased. 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.
 
Absolutely - I said he was the original one - Romeo - still has his dreadlocks and a nice guy, although sometimes he plays percussion and one of the others takes over on drums. Still sound great.
 
Got to see Rick perform Journey to the center of the earth at the Hollywood bowl in 74...It did not suck ;)

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I have the DVD. I WISH I would have seen this tour. We hang a day in LA whenever we go to Disneyland. I've always wanted to see a show at the Hollywood Bowl, but it was always closed on our dates. The history alone would make it great to see something there. It's the west coast equivalent to Radio City Music Hall (to me).

Also love going to garage sales in Hollywood. Sometimes they open up the homes and the interiors make your mouth fall.
 
Also love going to garage sales in Hollywood. Sometimes they open up the homes and the interiors make your mouth fall.

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!
 
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