In 1973, or '74, I went to the Casino Arena, in Asbury Park,NJ. Renaissance headlined, Linda Ronstadt opened. My friends and I were sitting on the floor, close to the stage. I had a camera, and started taking pictures during Ronstadt's set. A bouncer came and started pulling the camera from me. As I had the camera attached to a strap, around my neck, my neck started to be pulled too. Ronstadt was about 6 feet away, singing while this happened. She stopped, mid-song, and told the bouncer, "leave him alone. He's just trying to take a few pictures." She then asked me if I was alright, told me to stand and posed so I could get a few shots. She then started the song again, pointed to me and said, "this one's for you."
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...
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...