An exciting time in music....

[Earl McLain]

Great memories!! In my early teens, i saw Chicago Transit Authority at a teen dance club in Indiana. Usually was free to get in, i think we had to pay a dollar or two that night--well worth it. A few years later, a last minute decision to go see Grand Funk Railroad (i think) at Notre Dame found us hearing Kansas as the warm-up act (might have been Journey--fuzzy memory of the mid to late 1970's!!).

Notre Dame was only about 20 miles from home, and the basketball arena was the scene of frequent concerts. Saw Chicago & Elton John there each a few times, among dozens of others. The 8,000 seat arena seemed big in those days, long before the days of mega-sized stadium tours. Shoot, saw Dan Fogelberg in a 200 +/- seat theater back then.

My most epic may have been a Grateful Dead concert in Boulder, CO in 1980--with Warren Zevon opening. Incredible trip (on multiple levels)--two friends driving out through the Badlands & Black Hills on the way to see a buddy who'd moved to Colorado. About 3 weeks of camping, fishing, driving and music. Epic.

[Jack Frederick]

My first concert was Jefferson Airplane in ‘67 at Ithaca College. I helped set-up their light show which consisted of scaffolding and about 50 of the old projectors. Those that looked like a toaster with a lens. I was straight enough at that time that watching the crowd I was wondering what the heck was going on. I soon found out. I missed Woodstock because I was working on a job on Rt 17 a couple hours west of the Woodstock. The summer of 7/12’s kinda took me out of circulation. Lots of music in the late 60’s. I was working in Watkins Glen at the time of the Dead, Allman Bros and Band gig. I knew that area like the back of my hand as I had been going to the races at the Glen since that opened the track in ‘61. It was a scene. In ‘74 I was in Tucson and went up to Tempe for a show. Jas Cotton Blues Band, Marshal Tucker, Lynyrd Skynerd, Boz Skaggs, Steve Miller the headliner and Elton John came up out of the crowd to play a bit with them. MT and LS were just getting started and they blew the place, annd me, away. SM was a total let down at that show. My motorcycle got stolen in Tucson so I hitched and backpacked up the west coast. In Seattle CSNY were doing their first gig of their tour and it was just terrific. Saw Bonnie Raitt in a small venue withthe terrific Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks. P Butterfield was well into his problems when I waited and waited and he pulled a no show. Lot’s of Dead, Stones, etc over the years. But as they say about the 60’s, it is foggy for me because “if you were there you can’t remember it.” After CSNY I had to get back to Ithaca and was playing pool with a couple guys and told them I had to get back east They said they owned a bike shop so next morning I drug up at Todd’s Shipyard in Seattle and was sitting on the curb when they opened their shop. By 1pm I was headed east, but that is another story.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I graduated from HS in a little town in Southern Illinois in May '67. That night while my classmates were celebrating, I was home packing my '56 Chevy. The next morning I drove to northern Illinois where my Dad was working on oil rigs drilling natural gas storage wells for Northern Illinois Gas. The next morning I was on location roughnecking for my Dad. Later that summer after a fallout with my Dad, I began my rotating routine through the job market until I passed the draft physical the following year. I worked as a draftsman, building chair frames in an upholstered chair factory, ran a punch press in a steel mill, in a glass factory and in an Army ammunition plant. Finally returned to oil rigs until my report date to begin my initial 6-year Navy enlistment.

Shortly after moving to northern Illinois and seeing the bands in and around Chicago, I sold my bass guitar and amp. Some people have talent. Others, like me, are just wannabes. But the music I was able to hear was incredible!

[Stan Calow]

Looking back, it seems to me that back then music was progressing, and becoming more challenging and sophisticated. Artists competed to show more creativity and innovation with each new recording. Then it became corporate business, and then evolved into elaborate stage shows and the manufactured hit makers of today. Something lost, but at least we enjoyed it during our time.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Speaking of today..

I had no clue so I looked. Two tickets to a Taylor Swift concert would set someone back between 2 and 3.

2 and 3 thousand dollars. Talk about insane.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Looking back, it seems to me that back then music was progressing, and becoming more challenging and sophisticated. Artists competed to show more creativity and innovation with each new recording. Then it became corporate business, and then evolved into elaborate stage shows and the manufactured hit makers of today. Something lost, but at least we enjoyed it during our time.

I have not been to many shows. The last two were both artists that keep it simple and are still thoroughly entertaining.
Jake Xerxes Fussell a month ago and James McMurtry just before covid. James McMurtry is the son of novelist Larry McMurtry. James is as good of a storyteller as his dad.

[Pat Germain]

Speaking of today..

I had no clue so I looked. Two tickets to a Taylor Swift concert would set someone back between 2 and 3.

2 and 3 thousand dollars. Talk about insane.

In the past record labels and artists made their money from selling records. The purpose of a tour was to promote the latest record. Thus, concert tickets were around $12.00.

Today, in the era of streaming music, very few artists can make any money from that. They make money from touring. Thus, concernt tickets are now hundreds or thousands of dollars. The resellers scoop them up and the prices can be even more.

Many people blame the artists for the high ticket prices, but that's misguided. We tend to assume big music stars have autonomy and run their careers. This is just so far from reality. No matter how big the star, they are owned and controlled by music labels and promoters like Live Nation. They must also bow to giant radio companies like Clear Channel/iHeart radio. Sometimes iHeart will demand artists perform shows for free. Why would they do that? Easy; "That's a nice new album you've got there. It would be a shame if nobody was to hear it on the radio".

[Bill Howatt]

I find what makes some people like some types of music fascinating. We all know classical music people that would listen to nothing else, same with rock and country people and then there are those, like me, that like bits and pieces of all genres - a lot of time depending on my mood.

The post above about Taylor Swift tickets, to me is one of those things. I wouldn't pay $2 (without the thousands) to go to her concert but that's me. And yes, the business has changed but it always has been stacked against most of the artists. I'm reminded that one of the forum participants on a Sax site has under his name something to the effect, "The music industry is filled with thieves and swindlers .... , and then there is the downside!"

Rightly or wrongly, my beef with current music is that it is highly produced with multi-tracking, auto-tuning, and other introduced effects and this really turns me off in some cases. If you think a singer has a good voice put them on a stage without any backing tracks, special effects in the amplification and have them sing acapella. OTOH, the enhancements can improve the sound so I'm not sure where that leaves me.

My two thoughts:
Good music is what YOU like.
Noise, is somebody else's favorite music.

[Dave Zellers]

Speaking of today..

I had no clue so I looked. Two tickets to a Taylor Swift concert would set someone back between 2 and 3.

2 and 3 thousand dollars. Talk about insane.

Indeed. After graduating from High School, in the Fall of '69, I took my sweetie / now wife, to see Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young in Cleveland, weeks after Neil Young joined the band. So soon after Neil joined that the first half hour at least was just Crosby, Stills and Nash singing their hits. Wooden Ships, etc. Fabulous concert- I'll never forget it.

But my point of posting it is................ tickets were 6 bucks. It is absolutely correct that greedy business killed that- and it wasn't the artists. Such a shame.

[Prashun Patel]

Ken I had no idea you had that happen to your hearing!
I can't imagine. I'm glad you still find some joy in what is so obviously a prior passion for you!

[Dave Zellers]

I had to come back and add how much I'm loving reading these stories about everyone's concert experiences, back in the day. Fabulous. Oh what a time that was.

Awesome thread, Ken

My list:

Jethro Tull from the 6th row. First gig of a new tour. Wow what a show. So much energy.

Sha Na Na, again from close up. Way too much fun! Grease For Peace!

My wife saw (without me :-( ) Simon and Garfunkel, and the Beach Boys- WAY before their endless summer tours. The full group- back in the day.

And together, we saw Ritchie Havens at Miami of Ohio college. The opening act was billed as Gary Pucket and the Union Gap. They cancelled and were replaced by the James Gang. I'll never forget Joe Walsh acknowledging they were 'Filling in' and they would do their best to 'measure up'. OMG. How one man with one guitar can do what he did is beyond me. I've always had a thing for 3 man bands, because there is no hiding in a 3 man band but this was crazy. Followed by Ritchie Havens made for quite a memorable night. The air was thick with sweet smoke that night.

Again, thanks Ken for the waking up the memories.

[Earl McLain]

That Grateful Dead 15th Anniversary Concert with Zevon in 1980 was a $12 or $13 ticket. I'd have to dig a bit for my first Elton John ticket stub at Notre Dame, but guessing about $10 tops, in the mid-1970's.

Thanks to Ken Fitzgerald for starting this thread...awesome memories to pull up!!! (edit--honest, i didn't see Dave Zellers' post when i wrote this!!)

[Dave Zellers]

That Grateful Dead 15th Anniversary Concert with Zevon in 1980 was a $12 or $13 ticket. I'd have to dig a bit for my first Elton John ticket stub at Notre Dame, but guessing about $10 tops, in the mid-1970's.

Thanks to Ken Fitzgerald for starting this thread...awesome memories to pull up!!! (edit--honest, i didn't see Dave Zellers' post when i wrote this!!)

LOL. I'm glad you didn't.

Best thread for aging geezers to wake up so many wonderful memories.

But to get on point- it will be a long long time before music experiences a renaissance like that again. We were lucky to be there.

I'll borrow from Ken's original post: "I feel blessed to have lived in the 50s, 60s and 70s to experience the musical buffet of the time."

Me too.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ken I had no idea you had that happen to your hearing!
I can't imagine. I'm glad you still find some joy in what is so obviously a prior passion for you!

Prashun, I awoke deaf on July 8, 2010. I have Meniere's disease. Most people with Meniere's disease if they lose their hearing, do it gradually. I am not most people. My left ear went deaf like someone flipped a switch. My right ear I wear a hearing aid (HA) with which I have 6% hearing. There are 3 manufacturers of CIs approved by the FDA. I wanted one for technical reasons that was on a self-imposed recall. They had 3 fail in such a way that it caused pain to the patient but by removing the sound processor (looks like a HA) the pain went away. Turned out a material (a substrate) they were getting from another manufacturer was failing. Once they discovered the cause of the problem, they had to go through the entire FDA approval process again. I waited 17 months for them to return to the market and get implanted. Once I knew there were no neurological cancers involved, I wasn't that worried. I would survive. I have a very loving, supportive wife and family.

Meniere's disease affects the inner ear. So not only am I deaf, but I also have serious balance issues on some days. My Meniere's periodically flares up. In fact, remember the group of guys that left the Creek over a decade ago and started their own website? I was member there too when I was a Moderator here. I mentioned one day my balance issues and I hoped the neighbors didn't think I was drunk when I walked to the street to get the paper and mail. A few days later FEDEX delivered a box. Inside was a custom t-shirt stating "I'm not drunk! I am a CYBORG".

I qualify to have my right ear implanted but I still have residual hearing in that ear. My hearing aid on my right ear provides low frequencies that my CI can't. Thus, I hear music better because of a wider auditory spectrum than most CI implantees. Yet, I score very poorly with that ear. In fact, my CI surgeon prescribed the HA on my right ear to help while I waited for the CI company's product to regain FDA approval. It didn't help much and I can't function with just the HA. I function fine with just my CI and its sound processor.

Life's good!

[stephen thomas]

For some reason, i thought the title was about current times.

I find what makes some people like some types of music fascinating. We all know classical music people that would listen to nothing else, same with rock and country people and then there are those, like me, that like bits and pieces of all genres - a lot of time depending on my mood.

Grew up with dad's classic in the background; but mom had some classic pop artists, blues and such. To the extent that at a sister's party, someone ripped off a number of (mom's) records. I'll listen to quite a range of artists.
However, keep coming back to punk rock bands, especially those fronted by women, starting with Patti Smith. Though the only one i saw in concert was Siouxie Sioux, fairly early in her career.
To your point, a kid brother pointed out: "Well think back - 9 kids and friends storming the house, utter chaos, and a crazy woman screaming through it all. It just feels comfortable or at least familiar at some level"

I did see "classic" bands - Jefferson Airplane at a local college with a date when in HS. Different times - they spent the following week partying at a local farm/off campus hippy outpost.
The Who made a difference. But nothing really grabbed me until Iggy. Then Johnny Rotten at shows for several years in a row in DC. Etc.

"Kids" that worked for me sometimes brought & left mix tapes of whatever was current, and later CD's of what they liked. Oddly, some of the kid's i work with ski instructing in the winter were working on a mix tape for me, but they lost focus somewhere. The ones at one of the other slopes i teach are apparently allowed to play what they want while stationed at the top lift shack - heard a lot of classic rock there - Velvet Underground was on steady rotation a couple winters ago with one kid.

Lately i've been putting Sloppy Jane on while working. (And it is not because Haley Dahl used to front half her gigs naked. ) Got there from Frank Zappa, as SJ being sort of an heir to that kind of music. Plus her philosophy is refreshing from a kid. Including: "You do not get a prize at your funeral for having done as little as possible while being alive. It isnÂ’t about what you can get away with."


smt