The odd ball show billings of old
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A show I attended at The Capitol Theatre in Passaic, NJ back in 1976 reminded me how eclectic show billings used to be back then. You would often have 3 or 4 bands from 3 or 4 different genres of music all on one bill. The show that popped up in my memory was this one on 11/27/76:
Nektar
Sparks
Graham Parker and The Rumour
I was there for Nektar, had some slight TV exposure to Sparks and Graham Parker wasn't on my radar at all. From that night forward, until today, Graham Parker became one of my favorite artists. That was the joy to some of those shows: you often found a new gem. Unfortunately those types of shows don't happen anymore. Undercards are usually the same genre as the headliner.
Any of you out there have some similar memories?
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: fishcane
Nektar is awesome, even their
Nektar is awesome, even their most recent album is great...their OG drummer just passed away. Last saw them in March at a very tiny venue
from their latest:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UmGtdSEU-rM
speaking of odd pairings, how about the recently announced Pink/ Sheryl Crow billing
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha
I saw Tom Waits open for
I saw Tom Waits open for Billy Preston at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix.
It was a theater-in-the-round that rotated, which was a little weird but since the furthest row was like row 26 it was a cool venue. GREAT sound too. Saw tons of great shows there as Bill Compton (Compton Terrace) ran the local alternative radio and it was a musically rich time to live there.
Lots of folks dressed to the nines for a night out and the impatient dressed-up black ladies didn't care if the piano had been drinking or not and after a song or two, started hollering "We want Billy Preston" often. Finally, Tom Waits said "I don't have to take this shit" and angrily stormed off stage, and though I sympathized, it was a little humorous watching a totally pissed off Tom Waits trying to find his way off stage after the thing had rotated, which pissed him off even more. Nothing like storming off and not being able to find the way out with everyone watching.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: GratefulTed
The Capitol is Passaic was
The Capitol is Passaic was known for odd bills. The strangest combo I remember attending was XTC, Joan Jett and Jools Holland and His Millionaires. We walked out on XTC. Just didn't get it.
Another odd one that comes to mind, albeit only two bands, was Wet Willie and Budgie (Welsh heavy metal band). Some free show in a park when I was at college in Dallas.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nebulous nelly
Arena show 1987
Beastie Boys (headliner)
Public Enemy
Murphys Law
Interesting crowd
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha
Someone send me this about an
Someone send me this about an experience they had.
1971 Academy of Music in NYC
ZZ Top opened for Mayall’s Jazz Blues Fusion
Mostly acoustic with Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Larry Taylor on bass and Mark / Almond who were on the Turning Point lp. Couple of other players at 71 brain kind of foggy Who made that bill ?
People were leaving the seats during Top not because they hated it but the dB’s were unbearable
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Jay Sunshine
More recent but still awesome
More recent but still awesome - At the Warfield 10/12/95 San Francisco, CA in 1995 I saw Radiohead (touring The Bends) opening up for Soul Asylum on their 'Let Your Dim Light Shine' Tour
https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/radiohead-soul-asylum-38abe518-fca3-459a-a591-7a75ac6ccfa4
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Semolina Pilchard
Don't know if this is really
Don't know if this is really oddball, but I saw Elvin Bishop open for Bachman Turner Overdrive at one of my first shows in the early 70s, and I kinda wish I knew what I was seeing back then.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
Seen in a SF newspaper in
Seen in a SF newspaper in 1991: MALE STRIPPERS (with Foghat)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: El Nino
This is kind of what the
This is kind of what the modern day mega festivals are all about. I've seen everyone from Kanye to Furthur at Outside Lands, and walked away from a fog enveloped mystical Sigur Ros set over to Metalica.
It's not my preferred way to see live music - being in a crowd where everyone is into seeing the act out weighs the chance of getting introduced to new music.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: El Nino
This is kind of what the
This is kind of what the modern day mega festivals are all about. I've seen everyone from Kanye to Furthur at Outside Lands, and walked away from a fog enveloped mystical Sigur Ros set over to Metalica.
It's not my preferred way to see live music - being in a crowd where everyone is into seeing the act out weighs the chance of getting introduced to new music.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: wastebed
I think it was 1974 or maybe
I think it was 1974 or maybe 1975. Manley Field House (Syracuse University)
Billy Cobham
Climax Blues Band
Fairport Convention
Probably my first "rock" concert. It had a dirt floor and the dust was bad.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mike Dalton
UMass 79. Grateful Dead,
UMass 79. Grateful Dead, Patti Smith and Roy Ayers. Very interesting combination.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: uncmozo
The White Stripes (headlined)
The White Stripes (headlined)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Porter Wagoner and His Wagoneers
Porter Wagoner opened, the show was at Madison Square Garden, it was actually a great show.
My guess is Jack White picked the opening acts, he was probably influenced by both Porter and Nick.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: TommyGutt
TALKING HEADS
TALKING HEADS
POLICE
PETER TOSH
stade Olympic Montreal, "Dad, can I use the car this week end my friends and i want to go camping"
1983? drove from Ct 17 years old. Bradors a gogo. awesome time
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: scott
Academy of Music sometime in
Academy of Music sometime in 1972
King Crimson
Flying Burrito Brothers
Redbone
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: joy
Bobby McFerrinn(at the peak
Bobby McFerrin(at the peak of Don't Worry be Happy)
opened for Stanley Jordan
Bobby worked the crowd into a frenzy
Stanley put the crowd to sleep
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: skifurthur
Some good odd ball billings
Some good odd ball billings above. I agree that modern day music festivals get some a bit strange at times with the acts chosen, but with multiple stages, it's not quite the same. Those old school shows had a captive audience, so you didn't find the odd, the odd found you.
Was a big fan back in the day and saw many of their shows. In the mid 70's they moved into a house in the same county as me in NJ and I ended up bumping into all of them at various places near my home. They were very laid back and were living the suburban resident life while moonlighting as rock stars. Mick Brockett, their lighting director who was billed as a member of the band, was amazing in his visuals. All sorts of slide projectors, movie projectors and cutting edge lighting unitis. When Nektar took a touring break he approached a local bar band called Sam The Band and told them that he had some equipment and would like to try lighting them. The band, not having a lighting guy said sure, come on down to one of their regular weekly gigs and we will give you a try out. Mick showed up with a trailer of equipment at 10 am in the morning that day and proceeded to unload and set up over 100k of custom lighting gear and was waiting for the band when they showed up. Needless to say, the band was beyond surprised what happened and only then found out Mick's pedigree and who he was. Those Wed nights at Dodd's in Orange, NJ were off the charts!