1975 Concerts at Madison Square Garden

[Old No7]

And now, for a trip through the past...

 

Check out the leading versus "supporting" acts back in 1975...

 

Old No7

 

 

[Morrissey]

Reading that list is a walk through memory lane of my changing musical tastes.  Today, the act on that list I would most like to time travel back for is Billy Preston.

[skipeb3]

I totally agree....

[Delaware Dave]

It's amazing to look at that list and see that a bunch of those acts (or derivatives of those acts) are still playing 45 years later

[kaptainkeys]

14 minutes ago, Delaware Dave said:

It's amazing to look at that list and see that a bunch of those acts (or derivatives of those acts) are still playing 45 years later

Yeah, it's nuts!  I have my doubts that in 45 years from now Billie Eilish will still be selling out MSG...

[Baldwin Funster]

Funny about Frampton opening for Dave Mason. A year later and Dave Mason probably would have to buy a ticket to to get in a Peter Frampton gig and nobody would know who he was.

[Docbop]

Interesting if I could go back in time and how many of those bands would I still want to see and which one I'd want to see now that I wasn't that interested in back then.    Two of my old friends were in two of those bands listed.  One was pretty much at the peak of his career the other his career was getting going.    Both ended up mainly known for studio work.    The one is gone now and the one who was just starting is still going and back doing some touring again.   

 

That was the year I worked on the Yes tour played NYC outdoors in the rain, MSG would of been much nicer.  Yes also play Buffalo NY on that tour at the stadium and their PA was too small so we borrowed Elton John's PA for the day, I think it was the best sounding date.   Elton's PA didn't have all the huge subwoofers the Yes system had, but everything else about Elton's PA was great. 

[Bill H.]

41 minutes ago, Jr. Deluxe said:

Funny about Frampton opening for Dave Mason. A year later and Dave Mason probably would have to buy a ticket to to get in a Peter Frampton gig and nobody would know who he was.

 

Frampton Comes Alive was released in 1976, so yeah...

 

Black Sabbath over Aerosmith is a stark reminder of just how popular those guys were. It's one of those things I try to forget. 

[Delaware Dave]

2 hours ago, GotKeys said:

Yeah, it's nuts!  I have my doubts that in 45 years from now Billie Eilish will still be selling out MSG...

I have absolutely no idea who Billie Eilish is and I doubt that I would even care to know

[Morrissey]

4 minutes ago, Delaware Dave said:

I have absolutely no idea who Billie Eilish is and I doubt that I would even care to know

 

She's one of the most successful contemporary pop stars -- singer/songwriter

[Mills Dude]

It's a cool list and I've seen these kind of things blowing around for the last few years from us old farts. But it is the schedule for an entire year, given that I don't see it as that impressive.    Take a look at any of the LiveNation style outdoor arena summer schedule and it doesn't look that much different (at least until a few years ago when I was paying attention).   Sure, Led Zeppelin hasn't toured for more than 40 years, but there's plenty of boomer nostalgia acts burning it up on the festival circuit.

 

To me it's far deeper than what was going on at MSG.  In the NYC area, you had of smaller venues from mid sized theaters like the Beacon, Capitol Theater, Filmore east, the Felt Forum (attached to MSG)  as well as a countless  number of smaller clubs in NYC showcasing jazz, fusion, punk -- really any kind of music you wanted. Also plenty of venues in NJ, LI and surrounding areas. 

 

There's was some resurgence in live music in the Lower East side a while back but a lot of that has dried up.  I think Brooklyn has something interesting going on these days.  My son, 25, likes going to shows but for his music -- pop punk, emo, screamo and a bit of metal.  Those acts don't play the big expensive venues except for maybe Webster Hall.  

 

My biggest gripe when I see these lists is imaging what the ticket prices were.  Early-mid 70s definitely less that $10 even for great seats.  Today any kind of decent seat is going to cost at least $250 if you can even get a ticket without having to resort to scalping and paying big $$$.  

 

I'd love to catch Billy Joel one last time at MSG but to get a decent seat for a couple you're looking at a mortgage payment.  I'd rather watch on youtube.  

While writing this, I was just looking up the schedule for Bethel Woods.  Steely Dan on 7/3.  Hmmm ... would love to, orchestra seats starting at $250 -- $550 for scalped seats right in front. 

[Mark Zeger]

I was a few years away from my first MSG concert: Yes 9/8/78

 

[Docbop]

11 minutes ago, Mills Dude said:

I'd love to catch Billy Joel one last time at MSG but to get a decent seat for a couple you're looking at a mortgage payment.  I'd rather watch on youtube.  

Actually for quite awhile for me I prefer watching DVD of a concert than going to the actual show.   I was never a fan of big crowds guess that's why i was a roadie I could be back or side stage to watch/hear bands.  Hearing the band sound not the FOH blasting people's eardrums.    I get a DVD watch when I want with friends, good sound, video,  replay something, and see the artist better than if actually at the show.    The only live music I goto now is Jazz because that is how it is meant to be heard, every set is its own unique experience.   

[Morrissey]

6 minutes ago, Docbop said:

The only live music I go to now is Jazz because that is how it is meant to be heard, every set is its own unique experience.

 

I'd widen this beyond jazz to all acts with reputations for improvisation and regularly changing setlists.  But, agreed, I am rarely motivated to leave the house for a thoroughly pre-planned concert.  I have no problem with other people enjoying those types of shows but they don't move my needle enough to get me out of the house.  

[kaptainkeys]

22 minutes ago, Mills Dude said:

I'd love to catch Billy Joel one last time at MSG but to get a decent seat for a couple you're looking at a mortgage payment.  I'd rather watch on youtube.  

Yeah it is nuts as far as prices go for his shows, but people are willing to pay for it.  The only time I saw him live (at the Garden) I waited until a few hours before showtime to buy tickets (the prices drop dramatically at this time), and after a screw-up on ticketmaster's part I ended up getting seats behind the lighting booth and got to hang out with the show's producer, Steve Cohen.  My brother also got invited into the booth and got to control the lights during River of Dreams, which was very cool.

[16251]

I liked it when Godzilla took over MSG, oh sorry wrong forum. 

[Al Quinn]

Wow, that’s a cool list! I went to quite a few concerts at MSG in the 70’s and certainly saw a few in ‘75 (I was 17 then). I was probably at the Tull and Wakeman concerts in ‘75. 

[Baldwin Funster]

39 minutes ago, 16251 said:

I liked it when Godzilla took over MSG, oh sorry wrong forum. 

That would have been when Blue Oyster Cult played.

[synthizen2]

Yeah, it's amazing to see who opened up for whom back in those days.

 

Reminds me of when I watch these old "Sight & Sound" concerts from the BBC, from the late 70s. Regularly hosted concerts by the likes of Renaissance, Gentle Giant, Supertramp, Camel, and so on. These bands were featured right alongside other bands that were relatively unknown, but not for long.

 

I was amused that, during the announcements on these shows (usually about halfway through the concert), the announcer would say "and for next week, we'll feature Queen on Sight & Sound"... and there was hardly a peep from the audience (probably this show was from early '77)... to them (at the time) it was just another good band to go see or watch on TV. They weren't quite superstars yet, but about a year or two away from that.

[mate stubb]

21 hours ago, Bill H. said:

 

Frampton Comes Alive was released in 1976, so yeah...

 

Black Sabbath over Aerosmith is a stark reminder of just how popular those guys were. It's one of those things I try to forget. 

 

I shared a concert bill with Frampton in '73, at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis. My band Slaughterhouse was third billed, and Frampton's Camel was second billed. It was a memorable night - the largest indoor crowd I ever played to (about 11,000.)

 

The headliner: Black Oak Arkansas.

 

The summer of '72 and '73 were the peak years of my brief rock star phase. Bands that we regularly crossed paths with and/or shared bills with on the midwest festival circuit were Davd Mason, REO Speedwagon, Blue Oyster Cult, Foghat, Cactus, Edgar Winter, BTO, and Kansas.

[Baldwin Funster]

5 hours ago, mate stubb said:

 

...The headliner: Black Oak Arkansas...

 

The summer of '72 and '73 were the peak years of my brief rock star phase. Bands that we regularly crossed paths with and/or shared bills with on the midwest festival circuit were Davd Mason, REO Speedwagon, Blue Oyster Cult, Foghat, Cactus, Edgar Winter, BTO, and Kansas.

Pretty much a who's who of bands ignored by Jann Wenner.

[SteveCoscia]

Didn't realize The Faces were still together in 1975. That's a band I wish I saw live.

[Baldwin Funster]

26 minutes ago, SteveCoscia said:

Didn't realize The Faces were still together in 1975. That's a band I wish I saw live.

Interesting that wikipedia says the Faces ARE (not was) a rock band with Ronnie, Rod and Kenny as current members.