Quote:Holy cripes!  Your recollection is better than mine.  I had to call my buddy to confirm the venues!  We've seen U2 quite a few times.  The early shows in smaller venues tend to run together.

 

You'd think my concert memories would be hazier, given the ever-present cannabis buzz I was always enjoying at concerts. I have a lot of great concert memories.

 

My first concert was Black Sabbath at the old JMC, their Paranoid tour. They did 3 songs, after which the drummer stood up, threw his stool against the wall behind and walked off. Show over.

 

I was at the Led Zeppelin show in 1973 that held the record for the largest crowd ever at the JMC, something like 13,000 in a venue meant for about 10,000. It was festival seating and the crowd on the floor reached the back wall. People were sitting side by side on the aisles between the seats. John Bonham starting the show with the signature drum opening to Rock and Roll was something I'll never forget. The crowd went nuts.

 

Z.Z. Top's encore for their World Wide Texas Tour show at the JMC featured a live long horned steer and a bison in cages on each side of the stage, as well as a rattlesnake under a small glass dome at the front of the stage, which was the in the shape of the state of Texas. As good as Z.Z. Top was that night (before they discovered synthesizers and were a boogie and blues band), their opening act, The Elvin Bishop Band, was better.

 

I miss the concerts where you could see 4 or 5 quality bands for about $7. One that sticks out for me was Joe Walsh and Barnstorm, The Marshall Tucker Band, Fleetwood Mac (before they were a pop band) and Grinderswitch. What a great night of music. You could smell the cannabis soon after the house lights dimmed.

 

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull would twirl his flute around, and once lost his grip, allowing it to fly into the crowd. He immediately stopped the show, asked for the house lights, then begged the crowd to return the flute. It came back in three pieces, but he was so happy they did an extra encore.

 

You couldn't smoke anything at the Civic Auditorium, but they allowed you to step outside for a smoke and re-enter. Pat Travers and The Outlaws were so loud you could even enjoy them outside.

 

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet band doing two shows in one night at the CA. I bought tickets for both shows, and it was worth it.

 

My sister yelling for The Pretenders to play Tattooed Love Boys at the Florida Theater, and Chrissie Hynde telling her to be patient, they'll get to it.

 

Ziggy Marley at the Florida Theater, and his sister Cedella driving the crowd nuts as she strutted across the stage, dreads flying, singing the following from of Could You Be Loved...

 

You ain't gonna miss your water until your well runs dry;

No matter how you treat him, the man will never be satisfied.

 

Good times.

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