1974-04-22 Grand Funk Railroad / Suzi Quatro

Madison Square Garden

I went to my first rock show with a friend, accompanied by his father, after begging our parents for awhile. We watched Suzy Quatro prance in front of screaming fans in her high heeled space suit while my friend’s dad in his business suit looked on, unimpressed.

At some later point in time, I better understood what Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets” was all about, and it forever reminded me of my first rock show. Suzi Quatro did have electric boots, ya know.

The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (Fireside edition, 2005) calls Grand Funk Railroad the most commercially successful heavy-metal band of that era (the first half of the 70s); the band compiled 11 gold or platinum albums and sold 20 million albums overall, earning its success through extensive touring. Produced by Todd Rundgren, their big hit album “We’re an American Band” had come out the year before this show, with the title track becoming a #1 hit record on AM radio. Rolling Stone‘s summary also notes that in 1971 Grand Funk played in a venue near and dear to me which (by that time) I had been to several times - Shea Stadium. The tickets for that 2 day run supposedly broke the Beatles’ record for ticket sales at Shea.

1974-09-08 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young / Beach Boys / Joni Mitchell

Roosevelt Raceway

The first concert my folks let me attend (along with two friends) without "parental supervision."  This was a huge, heavily anticipated "summer's end" show that went on from the morning through way into the night.  CSNY's final American appearance on their big 1974 tour, they were on stage for over 5 hours and played 32 songs.  Joni Mitchell joined them after playing during the day.

We dared walk up near the very front during the Beach Boys set that afternoon, and some drunk dudes yelled and threw beer cans in our direction. So we deemed it best to watch the rest of the sets from further back on the left side.

Wikipedia has this statement under its "Roosevelt Raceway" page: "The property was utilized by several organizations for other events. The most notable event was a rock concert; "Summersault '74", which drew a crowd of 75,000 (and featured performances by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Joni Mitchell, Jesse Colin Young, and the Beach Boys)."

1975-02-24 Rod Stewart & Faces / Blue Oyster Cult

Madison Square Garden

Rod Stewart & Faces at Madison Square Garden, 2/24/1975. In view here, Ronnie, Rod and Mac.

The Faces playing at MSG in front of a wall of Ampeg amps, similar to what the Stones’ 1975 tour set-up would look like.

Ian McLagan looked kind of small sitting at his Steinway Concert Grand. Mac apparently couldn't get a clavinet in white to match the Hammond case, the Steinway and the candles. Kenny Jones is playing his plaid drum set on the riser.

Rod and Ronnie singing together as Mac plays by candlelight. MSG 2/24/1975.

I had listened to many of the earlier Rod Stewart and Faces albums and singles .... I bought the "Coast to Coast" live album after reading a review in Circus magazine in 1974.  I saw them appear on "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert"  and "In Concert" on TV - these shows featured the hot bands in the early 70s - and I taped a radio broadcast (on the King Biscuit radio show) featuring "Twisting the Night Away" and “Sweet Little Rock and Roller" from one recent show.  The Faces were really big at the time and I looked forward to this day intensely for many months - it would be my first trip to the Garden in the big City without parental supervision.  A winter rain fell as we got there and went outside from Penn Station. I had brought my camera and telephoto lense with me, and don’t recall any problem getting them in.

In later years I would see both Ronnie Wood and Ian McLagan, who were then members of the Faces, play with the Rolling Stones, and would see Kenny Jones with the Who. 

Mac, 2 candles, an ashtray on a white Steinway concert grand, and Rod in satin with his mic stand. Rod Stewart & Faces at MSG, 2/24/74

And not to forget Blue Oyster Cult, I did get some photos of them with the dry ice smoke machines in full operation.. Much later on Will Farrow would play the cowbell to "Don't Fear the Reaper" on SNL. But even better, I would catch Dave Matthews Band when they played a version of the song at the 2011 DMB Caravan shows, with Tim Reynolds killing it on the guitar solo.

I shot some of these photos from the far side of MSG with my 200mm telephoto lense, shooting Kodak Tri-X film that I developed at home.

Blue Oyster Cult with the smoke machine going.

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Below: Tour Program:

1975-04-26 Lou Reed

Felt Forum

This show was part of Lou Reed's 1975 world tour, the year after Reed's classic Rock n' Roll Animal live album came out.  Glam rock / glitter rock was all the rage in the early 70s - Jagger, Bowie, Lou Reed, Mott the Hoople and Slade were all part of that, and what I got into early on.

In later years I saw Lou Reed appear as a surprise guest at a show at the Bottom Line, and in a more recent year I found myself alone with him in the lobby of the Film Forum one evening while he was waiting for his wife Laurie Anderson to see a foreign film.  I said hello, not realizing how limited his remaining days would be. 

He passed away on a day that I attended a Phish show in Hartford.  Phish asked for a moment of silence for him, Trey referred to him as one of the greatest artists ever, and they opened the show with Reed's “Rock n' Roll” in tribute.  REM is another great live band that I’ve seen cover songs by Reed and Velvet Underground.

These color photos were all taken on Kodak Ektachrome slide film, with the ISO “pushed” several stops in accordance with the film instructions, for the indoor stage lights. The Felt Forum was an especially dark stage and real test for a film camera without flash.

1975-07-25 Arlo Guthrie

Central Park

There were many great shows in Central Park in those days, and I made it to a few.

For a teenager from Long Island, it was definitely a blast to get into the city by train, head up to the deli on Sixth Avenue near the lower entrances to the park where you could buy a beer in a paper bag, and then go right into the park for the show.  There were many good spots to see some of it and hear all of it right there in the park if you were inclined to save the money on a ticket and sit outside the main venue.

1975-10-12 Peter Frampton / Rod Stewart & Faces

Nassau Coliseum

I saw both these bands two times during my high school days, and it was amazing that they did this show at Nassau Coliseum together.  The Frampton shows preceded the big commercial success of his classic live album, which came out only a few months after this show.  The most recent "Frampton" studio album at the time, for me, was one of those classic 1970s albums that just worked so well as a collection of great songs; and Frampton was getting heavily popular on the success of that album. 

Peter Frampton tells the interesting story of the famous 1954 custom Les Paul which he used for his classic sound here.

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Peter Frampton wailing on his "Phenix" 1954 Les Paul Custom at Nassau Coliseum, 10-12-75

It seemed almost too coincidental when I first saw the live album in a NYC record store one day in early 1976, because I had seen two of his shows in the last few months... so I bought that album right when it came out - I was a huge fan already but didn't realize how popular the album would make him - and how it would became something like a gold standard for live rock albums.  “Frampton Comes Alive” became a monster success and elevated Frampton to the heights of pop stardom.

I took photos of both the Faces and Frampton with my Kodak Tri-X negative film.  I purchased the film in bulk, loaded it into reuseable film cartridges, and developed it myself in the dark room I had at home.  These images are scanned from my original negatives.

Rod and Ronnie, 1975

Tour Program cover.

Ronnie Wood with Faces at Nassau Coliseum, 10-12-1975

Rod always had the mic stand going in one direction or another.

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Frampton rocking it with his band, 10/12/1975

Frampton soloing, from behind the stage, 10/12/1975

1975-11-21 Peter Frampton / Dave Mason

Madison Square Garden

Dave Mason opened this show, and we walked in to see the stage with an elaborate set incorporating themes from his latest album, Split Coconut.  But, at the time, I had little familiarity with Mason; it was only later that I became a big fan of Traffic.

My friends and I were there mainly to see the headliner, Peter Frampton, for the second time that fall, coming close on the heels of the Nassau Coliseum show.

1976-03-27 Kingfish

Calderone Concert Hall

On 3/27/76 there were two Kingfish shows at the Calderone; I went to the early show.  This was the first time I saw a member of the Grateful Dead perform, as Bob Weir had been a regular member of Kingfish from its inception.  In another few days I would see the Jerry Garcia Band at the same venue.  Although Bob Weir was only 27 at the time of this show, at that moment the future of the Grateful Dead as a touring band wasn't something anyone could be certain of. The Calderone was a small venue, and I was so excited to see Bobby up close, and to hear them do a version of Minglewood as an encore.

I taped the first Kingfish album when it was played on the radio at the time of its initial release in 1975. From that time - and when I later got another show from the radio (broadcast from My Fathers Place - this band made a huge impression.  The combination of Dave Torbert, a wonderful musician, writer and vocalist, with Weir and with Robby Hodinott and Matthew Kelly made this a very hot band - energetic, upbeat, and fresh sounding.

The 11-18-75 late show of Kingfish at My Father's Place was broadcast on the radio.  That soon became a fav in my tape collection. 

1976-07-[01] Elvin Bishop

Disneyland

No kidding, I saw the Elvin Bishop Group play at a bandshell in Disneyland. The exact date is uncertain but definitely July or early August. Unexpected, just happened to be in Disneyland. At the time I was probably thinking I’d rather be at a Grateful Dead concert, but I didn’t realize that Elvin Bishop had actually played with the Dead in 1969.

1976-08-25 Jeff Beck and Jan Hammer / Jefferson Starship

Nassau Coliseum

It was mindblowing to see these two bands on the same night.  Jeff Beck and Jan Hammer were an incredible opener, and the Starship just poured it on at this show.  The Starship setlist is posted on setlists.fm but is not complete and doesn't include the encores.  Online I couldn’t find anything for the performance by Jan Hammer and Jeff Beck (other than that they were in the area playing in CT, according to an entry, two days before this show).

1976-09-10 The Outlaws

Central Park

Southern rock was all the rage in the late 70s….  Even in Central Park. 

1976-08-31 Johnny & Edgar Winter

Felt Forum, New York, NY

Johnny and Edgar had earned themselves a very high status among big fans of rock music.  One of my earliest guitar-playing friends just immersed himself completely in Johnny Winter when he wasn't listening to older blues men.  At least for me Edgar's early 70s albums, and his incredible keyboard playing, placed him right at the cutting edge of 70s rock. 

This show was so loud it was uncomfortable even in the lobby.

I don't remember it but I suppose Edgar played Frankenstein that night; I saw him play it more recently, and of course the Phish versions....

1978-07-21 Crosby and Nash

Central Park

This was a great show to attend at the old Wohlman rink concert venue.  We sat outside the venue on the rocks in Central Park and enjoyed the weather as a cool breeze came through after a storm earlier that day.  From that vantage point we could see part of the movie screen above the stage and hear it really well.  We took a walk and could still hear the music on the famous old bridge that crosses the pond.

1979-05-[00] David Johanssen

Quad Lawn, Ithaca College

The Spring Concert my first year at school.  I arrived in the early afternoon after returning from Syracuse where had my broken left thumb set in a splint by a hand specialist up there.

{Photos to be posted}  

1979-11-11 Todd Rundgren & Utopia

Ben Light Gymnasium, Ithaca College

 The concert committee at IC was known for doing a great job - and this was another big event at our school.

1980-[01-03] Kokomo (featuring Bill Kreutzman)

The Ritz

Not many people will remember this show, with a member of the Grateful Dead playing at the long-gone-but-not-forgetten Ritz in NYC. I went to see Bill Kreutzman’s band at the Ritz, where I saw some other great shows in its day.

The date is uncertain, and I could find nothing online about the tour or tour dates. They hand-wrote the band name on a generic Ritz stub for this event.

1980-11-22 New Riders of the Purple Sage & Commander Cody

Strand Theatre (Ithaca, NY)

In November of 1980 I went to see the New Riders in downtown Ithaca. I liked NRPS a lot, even as a separate entity from the Dead. Until then I had seen the NRPS only as openers for the Dead.

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This show and six of the next bunch of shows I would see over the following twelve months took place at the old Strand Theatre in downtown Ithaca. Unfortunately, it closed and was demolished shortly after I graduated from school, which is a real shame. Later on the old State Theater was revived as a concert venue, however, as an effort at remedying the situation, and recently bands like Hot Tuna have played there...

In the Spring of 1981, the Cornell Daily Sun published an article about the prospects for the Strand, which turned out to be too optimistic. But in a stretch of only one year starting here, I would get to see not only NRPS, but David Bromberg, BB King, Taj Mahal, Muddy Waters, and Peter Tosh in that old building. There’s a photo of the Strand in the article below.

1981-02-06 BB King

Strand Theatre (Ithaca, NY)

A lot of people were into Blues music. ICB-FM had a weekly radio show dedicated to spinning old fashioned blues records from Ithaca College’s collection. A couple of friends would become the host jockeys for that show over the next couple of years.

It was great to see BB in classic form, of course. Around this time he recorded a live album with the Crusaders and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra that has long been one of my favorite esoteric albums. I have an old copy on vinyl and for a long time never saw it on CD or through a music service, although that may have changed. https://www.allmusic.com/album/royal-jam-mw0000191669

1981-02-27 Taj Mahal

Strand Theatre (Ithaca, NY)

We liked all things Blues and Taj Mahal was one of them. I would also catch up with him in later years at one of the jazz festivals. Another show at the Stand, please see earlier posts about the Strand Theatre and the photo below from Cornell Daily Sun.

1981-03-20 Muddy Waters

Strand Theatre (Ithaca, NY)

A short time after BB King, Muddy Waters came to the Strand. Please see previous posts about Strand Theatre and the photo below from Cornell Daily Sun.