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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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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...
sebrof's avatar
sebrof
834 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'
cjfrbw
148 posts
 
Rock and Roll, I presume:

Best: Pink Floyd at the old Filmore on Market Street

Worst: Altamont
john_fink
140 posts
 
I saw John Lee Hooker in 1987 at a church at Oberlin College. After the show, I wondered around to find a bathroom. I got twisted around and walked in to the church kitchen. I ended up having a bologna sandwich with JLH. I coulnd't understand a word he said but it sure was fun.
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