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Best and Worst Rock Concert Moments

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...
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rballdude
57 posts
 
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.
jj2468
280 posts
 
Worst: Pink Floyd, Oakland Arena

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
slipknot1
1,423 posts
 
Rballdude:

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...
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sebrof
735 posts
 
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.
istanbulu
291 posts
 
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'
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