Never heard of them, but I love the Dick Van Dyke Show reference.
Never heard of Uncle Bonsai either.
I’ve seen Dave Brubeck at the University of Illinois around 1974, and BB King at Shoreline at a Blues Festival in 1998 or so - with free tickets from work.
Also saw the J. Geils band there, who I also saw in 1973 when they were just starting out.
I’ve seen Ginger Baker’s Air Force, and Captain Beefheart. And I saw the Dead at MIT at a free intro concert in front of the Student Center in 1970.
Also, the Mahavishnu Orchestra in 1971 or so. Who were awesome. They opened for Jerry Garcia and apparently blew him away, so we saw them when they returned to Boston.
Saw him at a local college in the 1970s. He was quite good. When he did that song about the aging radio DJ, everyone looked at me (though I was only in my 20s at the time.) Fortunately, I never became that person, but I knew people who did.
I saw them in 1982 at the Tower Theater in Sacramento (with a mannequin standing in for Alex Ligertwood on “Crank It Up”). Also caught their free gig in the quad at San Jose State in 81. Steve Morse, what a player!
Did anyone else here catch Petra Haden and The Sellouts acapella performance of The Who Sell Out album in 2005?
I saw Ray Charles with the Philadelphia Orchestra in Saratoga.
Rock and Roll 9 December 27, 1972 Hollywood Speedway Park, Hollywood, FL
Mahavishnu Orchestra
Allman Brothers Band
Elvin Bishop Group
Jo Jo Gunne
Wet Willie
Edgar Winter (with Johnny Winter, who had quit touring at the time, and performed unannounced)
John Hammond
Commander Cody
In the summer of 1969, I saw Blind Faith, a “supergroup” comprised of Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Rick Grech, at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. It was a well-filled house, and after they toured the US, they broke up. The two friends who attended with me have both died. I’ve never met up with anyone else who attended that concert, or any Blind Faith concert, though obviously there must be thousands of people who did. I’ve always wondered how those people reacted to the concert they attended.
One of the great albums of all time. But I know no one else that saw them in concert.
I saw them in 2018 and 2019, though at this point, the only remaining member from their 1970s heyday is Jeff Lynne. But, on that 2019 tour, his opening act was Dhani Harrison (son of George).
I see Ray Charles and BB King upthread, and I’ve seen both of them (the latter with Gladys Knight & the Pips).
I’ve seen The Tubes, Billy Squier, Sara Hickman, Johnny Guitar Watson, the original Dixie Chicks lineup, Sparks, Marshall Crenshaw…not sure how unusual any of those are.
Awesome line up that you saw!
Yes the Stanley is long gone…was a cozy place for concerts.
I saw him at St Vincent College, Latrobe, PA in the late 1970s.
Did he do a lot of college venues?
I sat right up front.
WOL**D (Discourse is messing up the formatting of the asterisks!). Harry’s music was a campfire staple of my summer camp days - I still listen to his music today. I remember the news sweeping through the camp dining hall the day he died and I was only 11.
Oh, and Chuck Berry! One of my first dates with my wife.
Gowan was a big act in my youth, I probably saw him play 15 times. Many would know him today as the current front man for Styx having replaced Dennis DeYoung 25 years ago.
I’ve seen Camper van Beethoven with Cracker.
I’ve seen a ton of semi-local acts, but it seems like cheating to mention them.
That’s quite some concert for one of the first dates! Though I hope he didn’t play “My Ding-a-Ling”.
Not only did he play it, he emphasized every double entendre with eyebrow waggling, tongue in cheek, and the occasional suggestive move of the guitar.
I’ve seen Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (I love rock and roll!) in a shot up hanger at Bagram Air Base Afghanistan and again in Iraq I think 2005. She’s always done lots of USO tours. I also saw Ray Charles in Vicenza Italy and George Benson in a villa in Verona Italy.
Their heyday, such as it was, was in the '80s. I think “Cheerleaders on Drugs” was played on Dr. Demento a few times, but I wouldn’t call them a novelty act. They took a hiatus for about ten years, and have been doing a few gigs a year since. According to Wikipedia, they opened for Bonnie Raitt and Suzanne Vega, among others. So, not a household name, but not completely obscure, either.
It’s a great first date concert. You have plenty of time to grab and drink and a bite to eat afterwards.
When I saw him he played for 45 minutes, got in all his hits and was gone.