June 19, 2013

Posts Comments

You are here: Home / Archives for The Shows

Starlight memories

April 24, 2013 By 1 Comment

The infamous 1977 show that drew noise complaints around Royals Stadium.

The nostalgic triple bill coming up at Starlight Theatre on Friday, May 10 — Styx, REO Speedwagon and Ted Nugent — made me wonder just how many times those three acts have collectively played Kansas City.

A Chris Fritz presentation, circa 1972-74.

The poster at left shows that promoter Chris Fritz presented two of the three groups – along with Joe Walsh’s Barnstorm – at Memorial Hall in the early ’70s. Nugent was still billed as leader of the Amboy Dukes then, just a few years after their Top 40 hit from 1968, “Journey to the Center of the Mind.” Barnstorm existed only from 1972 to 1974, so this would have to be from that period.

Guitar battle poster

The Nuge had played KC before, and he came through many times thereafter, as did REO and Styx. Part of REO’s 1977 double-live album was recorded at Memorial Hall.

When Nugent was at his commercial, multi-platinum-selling peak, he even headlined two stadium shows for Fritz. The first of those, on Sunday, June 26, 1977, became infamous for drawing noise complaints from miles around the Harry S Truman Sports Complex. (See story above) Second on the bill that night was REO Speedwagon.

The Nuge headlined Summer Rock '79

REO also headlined a memorable show at Royals Stadium on Sept. 1, 1979, literally “Ridin’ the Storm Out” on a night so rainy they could barely finish their set. Someone is selling a vintage T-shirt from that show for $140 online here.

Next month’s show is a production of Live Nation, Starlight’s promotional partner for the current season. I was also trying to think, for the purposes of this post, about what were the first rock shows staged at Starlight. I remember seeing the Grateful Dead and Elvis Costello (in separate shows) there during the 1980s, but I’m almost certain rock shows were held there during the 1960s and ’70s.

What are your Starlight rock memories? Please leave a comment below.

Filed Under: Bands, Chris Fritz, Summerjam, The Shows

Carney Rock

October 4, 2011 By 12 Comments

Len Barry's huge hit, "1-2-3," came out a few days after this show.

Kansas City amusement parks were often the site of rock concerts in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.
The tradition of “School’s Out” concerts at Fairyland sponsored by Top 40 radio station WHB goes back farther than I realized in my earlier “World’s Happiest Broadcasters” post. Those events took place in the early 1970s. I have since found a newspaper ad (above) from June 1965 touting such a show with Len Barry of “1-2-3″ fame as the headliner. That song came out the following month on Decca Records and went to #2 on the pop chart. I wonder if Barry sang it here? Anybody out there recall that show, or others at Fairyland?

This poster is from the second Carney Rock, circa 1974.

I have heard the Shadows of Night played there once. And of course, Chris Fritz promoted multiple Carney Rock bills there in the mid-’70s featuring bands like Spirit. (See photo, below left)
As for Worlds of Fun, I recall seeing shows by Squeeze and Ray Charles in an outdoor amphitheater there, but it must not have been in 1980, the year this ad (below right) was published. The big-name headliners that year were Rick Nelson, Hall and Oates and Kool & the Gang.

An ad for summer 1980 concerts at Worlds of Fun

I contacted the folks at Worlds of Fun earlier this year, but they have no record of what acts played there when. The park is now owned by the Cedar Fair group, and they have not promoted a concert series. The 1980s-era shows took place under WOF’s original Hunt Midwest ownership. I don’t have any WOF-concert ticket stubs, and I’ve saved almost all of mine, so I wonder if tickets were even printed for these shows. It looks like some were free with regular admission, and some carried a 99-cent surcharge.

Ed Cassidy and Spirit at the first Carney Rock in July 1973

So who out there can help? Anyone recall seeing a rock concert at Fairyland or Worlds of Fun? Got any photos or memorabilia to share? Leave a comment below or contact rick@kcrockhistory.com

Filed Under: Carney Rock, Chris Fritz, The Shows, WHB

Calling all shutterbugs!

August 23, 2011 By 9 Comments

Jimi posed backstage with morning DJ "Humble" Harry Miller from concert sponsor KUDL-AM.

Among the holy grails of the Kansas City Rock History Project, in terms of photos, is the Jimi Hendrix Experience concert Nov. 1, 1968, at Municipal Auditorium.
If anyone out there has photos of Jimi, Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell on stage in Kansas City, please be in touch with me. And anyone who attended, please feel free to share your memories by commenting below.

Ad for Jimi in The KC Star

I have found some ads for the concert, whose opening act was Cat Mother and All-Night Newsboys, on the back of a KUDL Boss 30 survey and in the Kansas City Star.
My other top photo wants are, of course, the Beatles Sept. 17, 1964, at Municipal Stadium and the Who (with the Buckinghams) Nov. 17. 1967, at Shawnee Mission South High School Auditorium. I am looking for candid photos of the Who — something besides the 1968 yearbook spread.
I am also searching for snaps of such concerts as Led Zeppelin Nov. 5, 1969, at Memorial Hall, Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Feb. 1, 1978, at Pogo’s, and any of Elvis Presley’s five KC concerts: May 24, 1956, Nov. 15, 1971, and June 29, 1974, at Municipal Auditorium, and April 21, 1976, and June 18, 1977, at Kemper Arena.
If you have photos of these shows or any others you are willing to share with the Kansas City Rock History project, please write to rick@kcrockhistory.com. History will thank you.

Filed Under: Kemper Arena, KUDL, Memorial Hall, Municipal Auditorium, The Shows
« Older Posts