1983: On the face of it, a bit of a slow year for BOC... a few dates with Blotto, a cancelled European tour with CSNY, and the release in October of "The Revolution By Night", after which followed a couple of short tours with Rainbow and Aldo Nova to promote the LP.
As usual, this page, as with a great part of the rest of the Hot Rails site, would not have been remotely possible without the help of ex-BOC roadie, Sam Judd, and it is his notes which inform many of the facts contained herein...
So, have you got anything to contribute to this page? Reviews, missing info (such as support acts etc), ticket stubs, posters etc etc - if so, please let me .
83-01-09: My Father's Place, Roslyn NY - Show #1 Setlist:
83-01-09: My Father's Place, Roslyn NY - Show #2 Setlist:
Joe reports that this is the date the interview was recorded, but I'm not sure of the actual broadcast date - does anyone know?
Joe also reveals they were both completely knackered for the interview:
We were spent. The night before we played a marathon set on Long Island ("My Father's Place" gig - 9 Jan 1983).
It was a 3 hour set where we played just about every song we ever knew. The interview was the middle of the afternoon the next day at the Ed Sullivan theater.
I was a half hour late getting there. The film crew was pissed. Our energy level was scraping the bottom.
Still it was a thrill to be on the stage where the Beatles played and we got through it.
Great to see buddy Allen. Reminds me of good times.
Here's a clip:
Miracle of miracles... I found the official Blotto gig and set list book buried under piles of popular culture items that are part of the clutter in my attic. (I was up there looking for a guitar receipt from 1990... I found it!)
Here's the itinerary from the famous Blot & Blue tour of 1983:
Feb. 25 - Purdue U., W.Lafayette, Ind.
Feb. 26 - Memorial Auditorium, Joplin, Mo.
Feb. 27 - Bicentennial Ctr., Salina, Kan.
Mar. 1 - Civic Ctr., Decatur, Ill.
Mar. 15 - Stanley Theater, Utica, NY
Mar. 16 - St. Vincent's College, Latrobe, Pa.
Mar. 19 - Susquehanna U., Selingrove, Pa.
Mar. 20 - Univ. of Maryland, College Pk., Md.
Mar. 21 - Memorial Hall, York, Pa.
Not a cross-country several month extravaganza to be sure, but a fun couple of weeks nonetheless.
Visit the Blotto site:
My very first concert!! Junior year of high school, older brother Steve was a Sophomore at Purdue. Memories of the show...
This is good fun looking thru the various recollections of old shows. Thanks for keeping the memories alive.
Great show, packed house, Blotto practically booed off the stage.
Opened with Transmaniacon MC, closed with Roadhouse Blues, in between in no particular order: Born To Rock, Golden Age, I Love The Night, Born To Be Wild, Fallen Angel, all the usual suspects, plus more I can't remember.
I was a stage hand in Joplin, MO. when B.O.C. came, the promoter, Chris Fritz (Contemporary Productions, Kansas City, MO.) never told them on load in that Godzilla would not fit in the back door where the semis pulling - it was funny, but they played like it was a garage show
Their roadies were the opening act Blotto. Never forget that show... and a lot of road cases said "Aldo Nova"...
March 1st, 1983--Trans MC, Born 2 Rock, All Tied Up, GAOL, ILTN, awesome show with Rick Downey... I bought the front two rows. Blotto opened.
I'd like to let you know about a 1983 show that is missing from your list.
BOC came to our town in '83. I had a friend that worked at a local music retailer, and the promoter had assigned him the task of assembling local manpower for setting up the gear at the show.
I signed on for that! In return for our hard work (and it WAS hard work) we were fed and allowed to sit in the venue's orchestra pit.
The seats were WELL worth the work we provided. To sit in that pit, virtually at the feet of BOC, with no crowd around us was absolutely awesome.
Our town was not a regular stop for big name touring acts. That made this a very big deal for the rock fans in our area. The venue held approximately 3000 people, and it was extremely full, if not sold out.
Here are the details:
Blue Oyster Cult
opening act: Louisiana's Leroux
Date: March 6th, 1983
Venue: Texarkana Community College Auditorium
City: Texarkana, Texas
I only know of the existence of this gig because Pollstar have published figures for it...
I first knew of the existence of this gig as a result of seeing a of a series of mentions in the "St. Joseph Gazette" - this listing appeared in the 04 Mar 1983 issue:
Blue Oyster Cult rock concert at St. Joseph Civic Arena, at 8 p.m., Wednesday. Promoted by New West and Contemporary Presentations.
That same newspaper also carried the following "review" in its Friday 11 Mar 1983 edition, although it was more a review of the security provisions arranged for the gig rather than the gig itself:
Concert turnout proves disappointment
Blue Oyster Cult rocked St. Joseph last night without rocking the boat, according to organizers of the concert.
Prior to the concert, the promoter, New West and Contemporary Presentations, had requested a Kansas City security firm to handle crowd control.
St. Joseph's Police Chief James R. Hayes vetoed that proposal, saying he wanted local people for concert were the St. Joseph Police Department and Midland Productions, a local firm. Wells Fargo Guard Services, which also has a local office, provided ticket takers.
Given the importance of security in a community, Fritz said he understood the police chief 's desire for a local group.
However, he added, a private enterprise should not be dictated to in all matters. Should the city start telling New West which caterers to use or where to advertise, then the city should start taking its own financial risk by promoting its own events, he said.
Well, that was all very interesting. I'm glad they didn't waste any valuable column inches on telling us what the show was like... I mean, who on earth would be interested in reading anything about that...?
However, I was disappointed that there weren't any follow-up articles on such burning topics as who was responsible the catering concession and how local traffic flows around the town were affected by the show... you know, all the usual stuff you want to read about after a gig...
This was early in my concert going years and took place in the Quincy College Gym. Duke Jupiter opened for them.
My 6th concert in almost 3 years and the first of four BOC shows (so far!) I remember really being impressed with what great musicians they all were, and thought it was cool that Bloom and Lanier switched instruments.
I also liked that there were so many singers in the band! Eric riding the Harley out for Born To Be Wild was certainly memorable, as was Burnin For You and Godzilla (as always).
I had just seen Kiss and The Plasmatics a month before, and even in a smaller venue with less props, I felt BOC held their own with the best of them and put on one great show.
30 years later the band is still filled out with great and entertaining musicians, and probably my favorite live band ever. I'd also love to hear a new studio album too though...
Some of my photos from the night:
The warm-up group for this Blue Oyster Cult show was a band called Duke Jupiter. At the time, I had never heard of them. Not a great band or anything. They were kind of cheesy when we saw them and we nick named them Duke Tomato.
I "discovered" BOC in the summer of 1981 when Burnin For You was in reasonably heavy rotation on FM radio and MTV.
Notably, this was around the time that Albert was forced out. So, 14 year old me started buying 70s albums with paper route money, and memorizing names of band members who were no longer in the band.
Even when not quite 16 year old me saw them for the first time in March of 1983, I still had no idea that it was Rick Downey on the drums instead of Albert Bouchard.
It was only when Revolution By Night came out later that year that I realized something was afoot. In hindsight, I guess that's rather embarrassing, since I consider myself a hardcore fan of the band.
I wish I remembered more of the show. I do remember Eric Bloom chiding a guy not far from me who kept making Dio "devil horns" with his upraised hands. Something like, "hey man, you sure you're at the right show?"
I did come across a newspaper clipping (from an unknown source) containing a light-hearted review of the show, and from that, I've determined the following songs were played:
Dr Music
ETI
Joan Crawford
Born 2 Rock
Hot Rails To Hell
I Love The Night
Cities On Flame
(Don't Fear) The Reaper
Godzilla
Burnin' For You
Born to be Wild
Roadhouse Blues
I do remember that they played Golden Age of Leather, because it was one of my faves at the time, and I was really geeked that they played it.
And Roadhouse Blues morphed into an extended medley of Doors tunes.
OK, I'll amend that to:
Dr Music
ETI
Joan Crawford
Born 2 Rock
Hot Rails To Hell
I Love The Night
Golden Age of Leather
Cities On Flame
(Don't Fear) The Reaper
Godzilla
Burnin' For You
Born to be Wild
Roadhouse Blues (Doors Medley)
It was at PSU in early '83... from memory, the setlist was (not necessarily in order):
I had a great time, despite the fact that they performed the one BOC song I disliked, three cover songs, and none of my favorite BOC material (note there's nothing from Secret Treaties, nor any of the three Moorcock songs - Black Blade was my favorite BOC song at the time).
Oh, yeah, I was at this same show... and only remember "I Love the Night" (my favorite BOC song) and Godzilla. And the thing with the mirrors on the backs of the guitars. I thought that was to D&S, but that isn't listed in the setlist here.
I do remember the opening band was Duke Jupiter.
And I do remember freezing to death overnight in line for tickets at the PSU HUB, so it was definitely not too far off from mid-winter, my freshman year, 1982-83. I'd guess it was something like Mar., 83.
Yup, that sounds about right. :-) They didn't do D&S, nor anything else from Secret Treaties. That was the first concert I ever saw, so I remember it quite clearly. :-) I didn't remember the name of the opening band, but I do remember how the guitarist fretted his strings from above rather than below, and how the keyboardist's idea of a solo was to windmill his arm doing glisses on the keyboard...
I believe the mirrors on the back of the guitar was during Born to be Wild. Eric rode a big ol' motorcycle onto the stage at the beginning of that one. :-)
Incidentally, they were selling necklaces with the Saturn/Kronos symbol at that concert. Bolle Gregmar tells me that was a brief and rare occurrence!
It was Spring, so, judging by your list, I'm fairly certain it was March. It certainly wasn't later than April, because it was at least a month before I graduated high school in early May of that year.
Heh, nah, PSU is the Pennsylvania State University, located in State College, PA (technically it's in University Park, as Penn State has its own mailing address). Actually, a few months after seeing the concert, I began attending PSU, where I eventually received my English degree. :-)
My guess is that it was in between the concerts in PA on the 16th and 19th. This is no phantom concert... a lot of people were there.
And a day or so after the concert, the local newspaper ran a police report that people at the concert were caught with marijuana. I remember the quote, "The Blue Oyster Cult came here with a bad reputation, and they left with it." So there's definitely documentation out there.
Duke Jupiter opened up for them at wreck hall at penn st. univ...
Blotto opened for BOC at the Stanley in Utica - Duke Jupiter was supposed to open but had to cancel the last minute...
I found a listing for this gig in the 02 March 1983 edition of the "Indiana Gazette":
BLUE OYSTER CULT - innovative rock band plays its only area performance at 7 Wednesday March 16 at Saint Vincent College, Latrobe.
Appearing with the group will be special guest Duke Jupiter - further information phone 412-539-9761.
However, it looks like Blotto actually played this gig, replacing Duke Jupiter...
Blotto opened, duke jupiter was listed on all flyers and radio advertisments... this is the show that buck played on stage with blotto during metal head and road on sargent blotto's shoulders - there is a pic i took of this on line somewhere... best boc show out of 140 i ever saw
Setlist from my notes:
Wow - OK, that's somewhat different to the setlist I have already - which is actually from a Dime download of the show which was unfortunately incomplete.
I think it's fair to assume that the fact that the ending wasn't recorded wouldn't have an effect on the running order of the songs that went before, so this is a bit of a mystery.
I'd love to get some feedback from any other attendees that night...
Huge BOC fan and St Vincent student at the time, couldn't believe they were coming to SVC. Local outcry that BOC was coming to a small Catholic college. Campus was a little unprepared for the crowd that showed up from far and wide. I think it was the last concert there for quite some time.
Can't speak much to the set list after all these years, but can confirm that they played "Born to Rock" as I was standing in the front row in front of the stack next to Buck as he snapped all but one of his guitar strings on the final solo.
According to the March 11, 1983 edition of The Morning Call, Blue Oyster Cult were scheduled to play at the Albright College Fieldhouse in Reading, PA on March 17, 1983. Duke Jupiter is listed as the opening act.
Reading Albright College Fieldhouse
Blue Oyster Cult, Duke Jupiter, March 17.
Unless otherwise noted, tickets for all concerts available through Ticketron. Sears, Whitehall Mall, and Fun and Games, 85-87 W. Broad St., Bethlehem. No phone inquiries or orders accepted. Cash only.
Duke Jupiter cancelled their previous two support slots, despite being the advertised openers, and were replaced by Blotto.
I have to wonder - did the same thing happen with this gig?
According to the pages of the Alfred State College student newspaper, The Tor Echo, BOC played there on Mar 18, 1983, with Duke Jupiter opening.
After previously posting my reservations that - because Duke Jupiter had cancelled two previous support slots prior to this gig - I was wondering if they had actually called this one also, Chuck Saden has kindly let me know that a Rochester-based band called Buxx opened.
He even had proof - two pages of colour photos from the 1983 Alfred yearbook!!
Saw BOC for the first time on my 17th birthday March 19th, 1983 at Weber Chapel Auditorium, Selinsgrove University...
Just wanted to let you know that the March 20,1983 gig by BOC was actually at Richie Gymnasium on the University of Maryland campus, not Cole Field House... I wish I still had the ticket stub to prove it, but it was in a wallet that was stolen from me in 1986...
You are correct that Blotto opened... that was the tipping point that made my friends and I say "sure let's do it"... I'm sorry I cannot provide a set list... but what I do remember was there was a Godzilla head in the corner of the rafters that raised a huge ruckus when the song was played...
Thanks Matt - I've changed the venue...
Here's a less-than-glowing review that appeared in the 21 March 1983 edition of the University of Maryland's student newspaper, "The Diamondback":
The Cult: Still No Signs of a Pearl
Blue Oyster Cult is a band that has never quite been able to find its niche in the music industry. While the band has put out some hit tunes "Godzilla," "Don't Fear the Reaper" and "Burnin for You" it has never really been able to fulfill its potential as a traditional heavy metal band.
During its Ritchie coliseum performance last night, the Cult rumbled through an awkward, up-and-down set that confirmed its status as a band that didn't quite make it.
Like its musical history, the band's show did have several high points. On many tunes, it exhibited a solid precision with searing guitar leads and shattering drumming. It doesn't rely on cheap theatrics and overly showy stage antics to stir the crowd. Instead, Blue Oyster Cult calmly and professionally cranks out good old-fashioned heavy metal. Sort of.
"Don't Fear the Reaper" showed the Cult does indeed possess musical talent. The tune flowed effortlessly and powerfully, overflowing with energy and emotion. Then "Godzilla" crashed into Ritchie, a true heavy metal classic.
Unfortunately, the song was wrecked by an unnecessary and boring drum solo in the middle, which put a damper on one of the night's highpoints. Who needs drum solos anyway?
It only got dumber when Blue Oyster Cult then treated the crowd to an equally boring bass solo in which the bass player did a medley of songs ranging from the Beatles to Pink Floyd.
For an encore, the Cult played its recent hit "Burnin' for You," followed by two Doors tunes.
Maybe Blue Oyster Cult should get themselves a beer and come up with some original material they can call its own. It's cheap when a band depends on another band's songs to get the crowd going.
-PHIL HOSMER
Two days later, "The Diamondback" published a rebuttal on the "Letters to the Editor" page:
Steady as Rock
Phil Hosmer definitely is not a rock'n'roller. His critique of the Blue Oyster Cult concert ("The Cult: still no signs of a pearl," page 10, March 21) is proof of that. You are obviously oblivious to the real rock 'n' roll world. You say BOC has never reached its true rock 'n' roll potential and has never "found its niche in the music industry."
Any band that can crank out 11 albums and be around in excess of 10 years without falling prey to the top-40 syndrome is truly rock 'n' roll. It doesn't have to be like REO Speedwagon, Styx and Rush (to name a few) who have to resort to top-40 music and kids under 15 to sell out their concerts. At BOC's concert Sunday evening, there wasn't anyone under 16!
BOC cranked out an hour and 45 minutes of non-stop, steady rock 'n' roll. You say that "Godzilla" was wrecked by "an unnecessary and boring drum solo" and then have the nerve to ask, "Who needs drum solos, anyway?" Who are you trying to kid? A drum solo is a highly demanded part of of any rock concert. Only non-rockers don't need or like drum solos.
You also say that the concert got "dumber" and "equally boring" with BOC's patented bass solo. How many rock groups have the talent and versatility to perform a bass solo? Come on, Phil, wake up!
You also have the nerve to crack on its tribute to Jim Morrison and the Doors with their rendition of "Roadhouse Blues." Almost every rock group does a cover of some earlier rock classic. Where have you been? How can you further crack on a group with 11 albums by suggesting its members "come up with some original material they can call its own"? Get a real idea, Phil.
I think that maybe you should go out, grab a Mello Yellow and go watch a top-40 Styx concert with a bunch of 12-year-olds and leave us fine rock 'n' rollers alone.
Phil Schmidt
Sophomore
Business
Regarding the March 21st 1983 show in York Pa, I was there along with my best Friend. It was at Memorial Hall which is correct, because I first saw BOC there in 1979.
My best friend was a BOC fan, caught Bucks pick that night. I would like to dedicate this entry to that best friend who passed away on 12-29-85; his funeral was the day that Club Ninja came out as I remember picking it up after the funeral and the reception, that happened on a Friday.
So I would like to dedicate this entry to the late Edward "Eddie" Benedict Jr. Eddie had been my best friend for ages, we did a lot together, including seeing BOC on this night. Eddie had something in common with Buck, both were pint sized! Ed was 5'6" and Buck is somewhere between 5'2" and 5'6"
This entry is dedicated to you my brother! Rock on Eddie! Rock on!
Somehow Eddie and I learned that BOC would be playing York's Memorial Hall on March the 21st 1983. I seem to recall it was a Tuesday but the show here says it happened on a Monday, so much for all of my memories being correct!
Somehow we scored tickets, I do know that Duke Jupiter was slated to open but we got Blotto instead, I don't think we knew that until we were inside but I could be wrong. I am not even sure that we knew it was Blotto.
Ed and I went to the hall and stood outside with a lot of people waiting to get in. The weather outside was of special note, I looked up at the clouds and honest to gods, it looked a lot like the clouds on OYFOOYK! I made comment of that several times and they were fast moving clouds!
We anticipated trouble because at one point the crowd was surging forward and someone passed a garbage can back and forth over the crowd until someone just tossed it somewhere. Everyone was packed together again and that was before the doors opened. Crowd was extremely restless.
I seem to recall that maybe the hall stalled on opening the doors on time, they were notorious pricks in York on that and in fact months later when Cheap Trick played there, the doors were smashed and a near riot almost happened because the doors were not opened in time and when they were it was just one door! A single door to accommodate several thousand people to see Cheap Trick! Not double doors mind you! A single door!
The locals are well known for being wacky and the town basically lives in the 1500's! To people older than me and I am 50, rock and roll was the devils tool and Satan had corrupted the children. Why not punish the children further by not opening the doors or in CT's case, how about just one single door! Hehehehehe! That is how they think in York.
We were packed tight, as I recall these girls leaning back into Eddie and I and well let's just say that it felt good. So now we're inside and somehow I get separated from Ed for the remainder of the time.
Eventually I ended up, where else? About so many feet in front of Eric Bloom! Was this becoming a standard with me? I go see BOC and somehow end up directly in front of Eric's mic! This time I was further back away from the stage.
I recall the opening act Blotto coming on. The York crowd openly hated them, included yours truly. They were booed sometime during the opening number, and then the crowd started throwing things, all kinds of things! Money, lighters, ect. I seem to recall that if it was mobile and could get tossed that it got tossed!
There was no hiding our hatred for Blotto, who we thought sucked! We never let up on them and while I never threw anything (I am a musician and I don't like it when things get tossed so) everybody else did, I mean shit was air born almost constantly, it never let up!
At some point in time, Blotto just walked off the stage for about 5 minutes. They came back on; I recall one of the guys was bald. The singer stepped up to the mic and said something like "I have an announcement, we were just told by the Cult that either we finish the show or they won't go on." I will never forget this, there was dead silence for a second or two, and because of the BOC aura, you don't mess with us type of thing. Not one person booed the Cult, nooo! We simply redoubled our efforts to get Blotto off the stage as quick as possible.
Somebody yelled out something like, Get the fuck off the stage then or fuck you, you asshole! Things became airborne again and finally Blotto launched into their last number which may have been Heavy Metal head.
Suddenly the singer had what I thought was an ET stuffed doll but I have read other accounts from different venues where it was a Smurf. Anyway I saw that stuffed doll and I thought oh no you don't! I think we all knew what was coming (especially after Ozzy) and yep sure enough, he bit the head off of the stuffed doll and began chewing and doing what I call George the animal Steel who was a wrestler that chewed turnbuckles.
This put the York, Pa crowd over the top! More screaming, booing, throwing things, I personally had my first raised up in a gesture that said F.U. buddy! I was personally screaming and yelling, we all were.
Blotto tortured us by making the ending longer than the song! Yes I actually thought they were refusing to end the damned song just to torture us. Eventually of what seemed like 5 minutes, the song was finally over and Blotto left the stage.
We settled down. I do not know how long the change over took I can't even tell you what band member wore what. Later on after the show I would learn that Buck Dharma had starred in the Blotto video and may have in fact played the guitar solo! Can I say, Oops!
Anyway, BOC comes out on stage playing Doctor Music, which I kind of expected. The next song I did not expect so soon but it was Eti. Immediately after Eti, Eric raised his left arm and put his left hand behind his neck and said "does everybody wanna wakeup out there?" I noticed that Buck looked a bit disgusted with the audience.
I thought what a way to win em over York! Way to go! Anyway Eric introed the next song, I think. I recall shitting my pants because the next song was "Fallen Angel!" I was like WOW! I never expected that!
I am the type of fan that I like surprises, play something rare! I dig that! I do not recall the set order, but they played "Golden age of leather" again I was pleasantly shocked! I remember Eric speaking before hand and "Everybody this is what a C note sounds like" which he then played on the A string 3rd fret.
They did Born to Rock from Bucks great solo lp. They may have did Hot rails. Joan Crawford and Burning for You got played, and somewhere along the way they played something even more special...
They played I love the night! That is 3 unexpected songs in one evening! I do recall during I love the night that I wondered if there was a tape going somewhere because there was a high pitched warbling sound that sounded very much like a bad off cassette tape. I am not accusing them of using a tape, just stating what I recall that there seemed to be a lot of warble, wow and flutter on the last half of the song.
I have since heard grand renditions of I love the night and it's just possible that they played very loud and it was extremely noticeable on I love the night.
They also did Godzilla and to my memory they did have the Lizard king behind the drums, because it was covered up until prior to the song. They did the Reaper; they did Born to be wild, complete with Motorcycle this time! And they did Road House blues! Almost forgot that they did Cities on flame.
They left the stage and I recall someone in the crowd trying to find Ricky Reher because shouts of "Where's Ricky Reher at?" He did come out on stage eventually. By that time the over head music was playing and I went WTF? BOC doing under my thumb and be my baby!
Finally I spied Eddie who came up to me and stopped and went WTF is that? I said, it's BOC Ed, they must be playing a tape of them doing covers.
Eddie showed me his pick that Buck flicked out during the show and Ed caught it and Buck kind of wheeled around and gave Eddie the thumbs up sign because Ed caught it. I clearly recall the move and the thumbs up gesture.
I mentioned what Eric had said right after Eti and Eddie clued me in. Apparently someone who deserves to be called an idiot was standing beside Ed on his left. The band played Doctor and then Eti, here is the full exchange immediately following the last beat and chord of Eti.
Dumb assed kid: Play Eti!
Buck: (Buck with disgusted expression and head shaking) "Wake up man! We just played that one!"
Eric: (Eric raised his left arm and put his left hand behind his neck) "does everybody wanna wakeup out there?" I noticed that Buck looked a bit disgusted with the audience.
Now it all makes sense! Some dumbass unaware or excited kid yells for a song that they just did! It was a good cool response from Eric!
I don't recall the after show much, except I recall seeing that same woman trying to get in to the backstage area that I saw back in 1979 and I may have even pointed her out to Ed. I seem to recall that her hair was hair sprayed to death on both occasions.
All in all a good show, despite Blotto. After checking the set list for the month of March 1983, the show is basically in keeping with what they played that month. Rick Downey was the drummer.
After the 1st three songs there is no particular order but after viewing other set lists for that month it seems almost identical to what we got in York and Born to Rock was just prior to Hot rails to hell.
I will add that to the best of my recollection, there were no 5 guitars on this night as they had Rick Downey on drums; I don't think that Joe had a solo either.
Here is the set list for March 21st, 1983:
This show was at St. Anselms College in Manchester. This place was SMALL.
It was weird too. When the doors opened everyone rushed to get a seat in the bleachers on the sides.
So my friends and I just walked up to the front of the stage and hung out there and had plenty of room all night.
I have the board mix cassette of that Mar 22 83 N.H. Show... been trying to put a date to it for several years... now it can be told...
Set List (and I kid you not):
And, of course, I've been asked by the "powers that be" not to circulate any board mixes... and so far I've kept to that...
Sam, thanks for the Manchester set-list!!! I don't even remember them playing I Love the Night.
It was a strange venue... a gym. Here's a little more info... Rock Fever Prod did the show, it was a Tuesday, the ticket cost $10!! Those were the days! This was the only show I saw there. This may have been the one big gig they had there.
What happened in April? If you know, please let me ...
This whole set of dates before the Finland gig on the 25th unfortunately got cancelled.
We were supposed to play with CSN, but either Stephen Stills or Graham Nash said they would never play on the same stage as a "Nazi Band" like BOC, so we were out...
Joel Peskin even has a tshirt from that show that has us on it...
I didn't have all the venues for this scheduled "Open Air '83" tour but I found the ones I was missing on this link:
You can't always be certain that links will stay alive, so here's the info for future reference - as far as I know, BOC were only going to be a part of the German dates (in bold):
1983 CSN European Summer Tour
Jun 11: The Hippodrome, Paris, France
Jun 12: Lyon, France
Jun 14: Wilhelm Koch Stadion, Hamburg, West Germany
Jun 15: Waldbuehne, Berlin, West Germany
Jun 17: Gruga Halle, Essen, West Germany
Jun 18: Darmstadt, West Germany
Jun 19: Augsburg, West Germany
Jun 28: Ippodromo Le Capanelle, Rome, Italy
Jun 30: Palas Sport, Milan, Italy
Jul 02: Les Arenes, Frejus, France
Jul 03: St. Gallen, Switzerland
Jul 09: NEC, Birmingham, England
Jul 11: Wembley Stadium, London, England
Jul 13: Wembley Stadium, London, England
I found a review of this gig in the Saturday 25 June 1983 edition of the "European Stars And Stripes" [Darmstadt, Hesse], and I think it's interesting to see what was getting said in the press about BOC's non-appearance on this tour:
What's Happening
Compiled by Marty Darif
Darmstadt hosted the '83 Midsummer Night's Dream open air concert last Saturday that wasn't quite as successful as the one two years ago. There were only around 25,000 fans on hand for the 10 hours of music vs. the more than 40,000 in '81.
Starting off the noon-day show in the soccer stadium was Iceberg. From the audience's reaction, the group had melted or should have. From their sound, it seemed that nobody told them they weren't supposed to play louder than 55 decibels.
Between each group there was about a 20-minute pause. There were dual stages which shortened the waiting time between groups. As one group would finish, that stage was made ready while the next group did their final sound check.
Next, three talented guitarists entertained the crowd for nearly an hour. The large setting seem a disadvantage for John McLaughlin, Al DiMeola and Paco De Lucia because the trio looks lost on the large stage. The trio was not part of the original open air slate.
But these guys were terrific. As one would solo, the others would back him up. Seldom can you hear as many runs as these three can do on a guitar. Their best part was their Latin-style music. Not only were their feet tapping in unison but the fans were rocking, too.
Many of the fans were disappointed that Blue Oyster Cult did not perform as programmed. The grapevine rumored there were internal problems between BOC and others on the agenda.
As the groups changed, it was easy to tell which stage would be used. The thickest part of the crowd would flow to the appropriate side.
One of the best groups featured the man known as the Bush Doctor - Peter Tosh and his World, Sound and Power band. Their reggae sounds had everybody up on their feet, jiving to the sounds of Bless My Soul and House of Glass.
From his latest LP Mama Africa was Johnny B. Goode, a number that had the crowd in a frenzy. It is definite that as one of the original Wailers, Tosh hasn't lost any of his reggae style that he used with Bob Marley and the Wailers.
Tosh and band were brought back for encores and the fans wouldn't have been disappointed if he had played more than the 75 minutes he did.
Tosh was a hard act to follow and Robert Palmer had a hard time bringing the crowd around to him. The sound system was not the best when he started. You could hear his band but not what he was saying. It was as if he had mush in his mouth.
He sang in a nonchalant manner that gave the indication that nobody existed outside his stage. But he persevered and by the time he ended his hour set, he seemed to have gotten better. But that sure was a long hour.
Another of the best groups was Mike Oldfield and his band. They started their 90-minute show with a rousing instrumental Five Miles Out which is both a single and LP from 1982. His Taurus I and Taurus II has a Scot- tish tint to them. Most of what he played was instrumental.
Oldfield has a vocalist but she seldom sings words but ooohs instead. Oldfield's style is quite different but never dull. He always keeps you wondering. Their encores, Moonlight Shadow and Family Man, were the only vocalized numbers. Oldfield's set ended all too soon.
Since the best is usually set for last, that's where the trio of Crosby, Stills & Nash were. During their If You Can't be With the One You Love, Love the One You're With, an ambulance with its blue lights flashing and siren blowing came through the thickest part of the crowd.
We never could figure out what they were after but the crowd seemed to lose interest in the trio. Many started filtering out of the stadium. But there was still good music being offered by David Crosby, Graham Nash and Stephen Stills. Complementing the trio are drummer Ian Wallace, guitarist Michael Stergis, Kim Bullard on keyboards and Efrain Toro on percussions.
Although people said the program couldn't be over by 10 p.m., there was a deserted stadium by that time. Only the trash from a crowd of 25,000 or so was left as the security guards began rolling up the canvas off the infield to get ready for the next city and the next show. The next '83 Midsummer Night's Dream will be at Birmingham (National Exhibition Center) July 9 and London (Wembley Arena) July 11-13.
The review was also helpful in giving the venue as the "football stadium" which in Darmstadt was the "Stadion am Böllenfalltor"...
With the German gigs cancelled, this Finland gig became a one-off... we were there 3 days and it never got dark... Summer Solstice... I have pics...
If it hadn't been for a piano falling on my foot the first day there I would have loved it... the hotel was beautiful... Lake and ground... when we got back from the gig a couple of us spent hours following a GIANT hare around the grounds... honestly I wasn't even that high...
Chasing a giant hare? Have you ever seen the James Stewart film "Harvey"? Just wondering...
We never ran after him... just kept trying to get close... he wasn't having any of it... he wasn't nearly as big as the one in the movie... you must understand... for a 3 day trip to Finland you ONLY sleep on the planes... not while you're there... you might miss something... like the giant hare... too bad I was out of film...
This was the only time I was ever in Finland... fucking great Cherry Juice in a box as well... they had it at the gig and I sent the runner for a dozen Liters... we drank it all day and night and on the flight back... American customs in NYC wanted to give me some schism about 1/2 a suitcase full so I let them have it rather than miss my flight to ATL... the saga of the cherry juice... my daughter found it in Russia when she was over there in 97...
On Eric Bloom's blog on his site, he refers to this gig:
We played the Sunrock Midsummer Festival on June 25th 1983 in Forssa, Suomi, a festival they have every year on the summer solstice. Suomi is what the Finnish folks call Finland and I also learned some phonetic Finnish lines to say to the audience which went over nicely. /eb
I'm not sure about exact "venue", apparently the festival was held on a horse race track, or something like that.
Anyway, it was a one-off gig for BOC, and they flew back to States after that one gig.
Here's some info about the first and only time BÖC had a gig in Forssa, Finland, Jun 25th 1983.
The place was a local horserace track, called Pilvenmäki, btw.
Here's the set list:
Here is little information for Hot Summer Night In Forssa 1983 (1983 BÖC One-Off Finland Festival Date, 25 June Sunrock Festival Forssa Finland):
Set list:
Soundcheck: we heard BÖC playing "Be my Baby" when we were walking to Festival Arena...
The BÖc was hot that night and they played one of the best show what we have heard.
And thanks to Eric for speaking finnish few words "kiitos" "meneekö teillä lujaa"...
Support acts Girlschool, Hanoi Rocks and some more...
Just to let you know I am a member of Finnish Facebook Group LIVE IN FINLAND 1955-1999 and I have seen doing this research for keyword OYSTER this entry for you:
Seems BOC played 24 June 1983 in Finland.
Also this link for further research on this Facebook group:
Thanks, Alessandro... OK, let's talk about the date for this gig...
Back around 2002 or so, I initially had this gig listed as 24 June 1983 but according to my notes, I later received subsequent info that BOC actually played on the 25th. However, just what that info actually was has unfortunately been lost in the intervening years - as well as crashed hard disks... :-(
Anyway, long story short, I changed it to the 25th June.
When I googled this festival, the only date I could find for BOC's performance confirmed that 25 June 1983 date. It was even "confirmed" by Eric Bloom on his site.
However, the main clipping on Alessandro's FB link above reckon BOC played on the 24th, and I've now decided that, in the absence of any other printed evidence, it only makes sense to go with that.
According to that FB clipping, BOC played on Friday 24 June and the band line-up was as follows:
As usual, further feedback on the date issue would be welcomed, so if you have any info, maybe a ticket stub or something, please get in touch...
I initially only know of this gig thanks to Bert Gangl who sent me a clipping advertising this show from the Duncansville Suburban Observer (14 July 1983).
The ad indicated that there would be two shows (at 8pm and 10pm) and that the venue would be at the park's Festival Concert Pavilion.
I also came across a listing for the gig in the 11 Jul 1983 issue of the "Jacksboro Gazette-News":
Blue Oyster Cult Booked at Six Flags
The rock group. Blue Oyster Cult, has been booked for two shows at Six Flags Over Texas Saturday, July 16.
The band, which rose to fame with such pop hit as "Burnin' For You." "Don't Fear The Reaper" and "Cities On Flame", will appear in the park's Festival Concert Pavilion at 8:00 and 10:00 p.m.
Seating for both shows will be on a paved asphalt surface. Park visitors are encouraged to provide their own blankets or pillows to add to their comfort during the performances. (Lawn chairs are not permitted.)
A $2 dollar charge will be assessed for each show, in addition to the theme park's regular $12.95 ticket price. Children age five and under are not charged for concerts.
Blue Oyster Cult fans who arrive at Six Flags after 5:00 p.m. can save $4 on the regular one-day ticket price by presenting an empty Dr Pepper can for each ticket they wish to purchase.
I was at the 1983 Perkins Palace show in Pasadena. It was later broadcast on radio. One of my fav show ever.
The radio show also added Born To Be Wild - this song was definitely not played at Perkins Palace. I remember that was the first show I saw without BTBW.
Furthermore, Reaper had bad feedback and closed the set. However, the Radio show substituted this with another Reaper.
They played three songs from the not-yet-released Revolution By Night in a row... Take Me Away, Veins, and Feel The Thunder. But these were not included on the broadcast.
This was the order (After Diz Busters..):
Take Me Away
Veins
Feel The Thunder
These were the encores:
Joan
Burnin
Roadhouse
Hope that helps!!
Thanks for that - I've amended the setlist accordingly. It might be worth laying out the radio broadcast setlist order for the sake of clarity.
RKO Captured Live (3 LP) - Broadcast Date: 29 Aug 83
* "Born To Be Wild" not played on the night - this was spliced in from another gig - but which?
** DFTR on the night plagued by feedback issues - this version spliced in from elsewhere.
I couldn't tell where "Born To Be Wild" came from, but I actually think the DFTR here is the version from Hollywood FL version from ETL, but differently mixed...
BTW: with "Revolution" about to be released, you'd have thought they'd have definitely wanted to broadcast the three tracks from that LP, so on the face of it, their omission looks weird.
However, so far as I can tell, there were some sort of contractual problems that prohibited their broadcast because they were currently unreleased at the time.
Uriah Heep were on the bill. From what I understood, Heep was at the end of their Canadian tour, had a week with no shows, and came to Weedsport.
There's no mention on Heep's site either but I was there.
Here's the text from that 10 July 1983 "Citizen" article that Jill Atwood sent (above):
Blue Oyster Cult Opens County Fair Entertainment
WEEDSPORT - Blue Oyster Cult will headline the opening night grandstand show at the Cayuga County Fair.
The fair, at the Weedsport Speedway, runs from July 27 to Aug 1. The Blue Oyster Cult performance will be at 7:30 p.m. on July 27.
Advance ticket sales will begin Tuesday at the Weedsport Speedway. Wegmans Markets in Auburn and Fairmont, and at selected locations. The concert price includes admission to the fair.
Tickets will be offered with the admission discount through July 26.
The concert will be a return engagement for the Cult to the Weedsport grandstand stage. They performed to nearly 8,000 persons last year and used light shows and special effects.
The 1982 performance featured a fire-breathing recreation of the movie monster Godzilla and an on-stage motorcycle jump. Similar effects will accompany this year's production.
Hits by Blue Oyster Cult include Godzilla and Don't Fear The Reaper.
That report didn't actually mention Heep as being on the bill so it was nice to find this in the 26 July 1983 edition of the "Syracuse Herald-Journal":
BLUE OYSTER CULT IN WEEDSPORT.
Blue Oyster Cult comes back by popular demand to headline a show tomorrow at 8 p.m. at the Weedsport Speedway. It will feature the group's new drummer, Rick Downey, and cuts from its 11th album, "Extra-Terrestrial Live."
Special guest is Uriah Heep, the heavy metal British group, which will spotlight tunes from its latest album, "Abominog."
The Syracuse Post-Standard from the same day also mentions Heep as being the opening act:
Some Heavy Metal at Speedway - Two Groups at Weedsport Wednesday
Two heavy metal rock bands will take the stage at Weedsport Speedway Wednesday evening.
The British rock group Uriah Heep will open the 8 p.m. show for Blue Oyster which sold out the Speedway in a 1982 summer performance.
Show promoters say a mechanical Godzilla and blinding lights are included in the group's shows.
Concert tickets purchased in advance entitle spectators to free fair admission. Tickets will also be available at the door.
The above text has a couple of sentences missing as the OCR went a bit crazy in the middle bit, but you get the idea - Uriah Heep opened the show.
I remember, this was a quick show that was the first that did not sell out the MHCC, so they played UPAC the following year as SWU.
I went to this show. I remember the opening act was Uriah Heep.
I was at this show, sat in the bleachers, the one thing I remember is the lighting for Feel The Thunder was real cool.
I was at that concert, and I'm sure it was Uriah Heep opening for BOC. I only saw two shows at the Murray Athletic Center (the other was Livewire/Molly Hatchet the previous year)
BTW: The name of the Center is commonly referred to as "the Domes" as well for the domed shaped buildings that make up the Murray Athletic Center.
I don't recall a set list but my friends and I were there. Had a blast!
I found a listing for this gig in the 22 July 1983 edition of the "Star-Gazette" [Elmira NY]:
July 29 - Concert: Blue Oyster Cult, with special guest, Uriah Heep, in concert, Murray Athletic Center, Rt. 14, 3 miles north of Horseheads, 8 p.m. Admission $10.50
Here's a review from the 30 Jul 1983 edition of the same newspaper:
Blue Oyster Cult: Loud, but good, music
by KAY BLOUGH
Blue Oyster Cult put on a good show at the Murray Center Friday night, entertaining and playing up to their audience.
Sometimes called the Greatful Dead of heavy metal, the band certainly was heavy, rocking the center until the seats vibrated and a few less-than-hearty souls retreated outdoors to listen.
Since they're good musicians, however, the noise level was tolerable. Four of the five musicians who formed the band 13 years ago are still playing, and playing hard.
Eric Bloom on vocals, lead guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser, bassist Joe Bouchard and keyboardist and guitarist Allen Lanier form a strong group. They get solid backup from drummer Rick Downey, who joined the group two years ago.
The band uses their lights to good effect, timing the banks to accent, using spotlights to feature solos and overall enhancing their stage effects.
They're known for their show, which included white sparkles on "Season of the Witch," a fog machine and an rotating globe on "Joan Crawford" and an inflatable Godzilla for their "Godzilla."
They also played three cuts from their upcoming album, "Night Makes Right," to be released in September, as well as their hit "Don't Fear the Reaper."
Some in the crowd haven't been around as long as the band's been together, but the approximately 2,800 seemed to enjoy BOC's powerful show. Most would be surprised to know the band's previous names Soft White Underbelly and the Stalk Forest group but might want to catch an act when Review the BOC occasionally trys out new material under an old name.
Lanier turned in some excellent keyboard work on "Joan Crawford," as did lead guitarist Roeser. The band's consistently tight, but not so slick you wonder if they are interested in their music. They still retain touch of blues on some songs, too, which will make their old fans happy.
The good things that can be said about BOC unfortunately don't apply to their opening act, Uriah Heep.
The Heep seems to be a band that's outstayed their prior hits, such as "Easy Livin'," "Sweet Lorraine" and "The Wizzard." While "Easy Livin'" drew familiar cheers, most of the Heep's songs were just plain too loud, two-chord rock without that spark that makes them click.
Only two members of the original Heep are still with the group - Mick Box on guitar and Lee Kerslake on drums. Both turned in good performances, as did keyboardist John Sinclair.
However, Trevor Bolder's bass was almost constantly amplified to the point where there was no distinction, as were Peter Goalby's vocals. In addition, Goalby seemed more intent on impressing the audience with the strength of his vocal chords, a performance that if repeated could lead to no singing at all.
Despite a pedestrian performance by Uriah Heep, the professionalism and good show offered by the BOC should make more people willing to try a concert in the Murray Center. The acoustics aren't the best, but it's close and tickets are reasonable.
The reviewer's right to pick out "Season of the Witch" - I've always loved that one...
One thing that is of interest is that the above review shows that around the end of July, they were still touting the new forthcoming LP's title as "Night Makes Right"...
BOC on the Boardwalk. We used to hang on the beach all day and go to the show completely wasted. Man I miss those days.
30/07/1983: Convention Hall, Asbury Park, N.J.
Support: Zebra
Setlist:
I initially got the Saxon info off the internet, but the 30 Jul 1983 edition of the Lansing State Journal gave this info:
Thursday - 10 a.m., Ladies Day Show; 4:30, Fast and Missad musical show; 8 p.m., Tom Hagen and the Proper Strangers Dance Band; 9, Blue Oyster Cult.
No mention of Saxon, and that was just five days before the gig!
However, the 10 Aug 1983 issue of the Bellevue Gazette contained a short review which confirmed Saxon as openers...
Blue Oyster Cult Brings Monster Rock to Ionia
by Daniel L. Harrison
The rock band Blue Oyster Cult brought their cosmic style of rock to the Ionia Free Fair last Thursday night performing songs from their past albums as well as from a new studio album to be released in September.
Opening with their rock anthem 'Cities On Flame (With Rock And Roll)', the group burned through a set which included such Cult classics as 'E.T.I.', 'Don't Fear The Reaper', 'Joan Crawford', 'Hot Rails To Hell', 'Burnin For You', and of course the monster AOR hit 'Godzilla' including a visit by the green reptile himself and a high energy drum solo by newest group-member Rick Downey.
Later in the show bassist Joe Bouchard offered an excellent solo which included excerpts from the Beatles' Norwegian Wood and Pink Floyd's 'Money,' among others.
Also included in the concert was the song 'Born To Rock' which is from guitarist Buck Dharma's recent solo effort.
The new songs from the forthcoming album, 'Take Me Away' and 'B.O.C' drew good crowd response. The highlight of the show had to be the Cult's rendition of the Steppenwolf classic 'Born To Be Wild' complete with a motorcycle driven on stage by group leader Eric Bloom.
Although the lasers and numerous special effects which have become BOC trademarks are gone, the high-energy rock is still alive and well.
Opening the show was the group Saxon. They offered some LOUD and sometimes grotesque British heavy-metal; including cuts from their latest effort The Power and the Glory.
According to the following Motorhead gig listing, they played this gig also:
But did Survivor play? They were scheduled for the next day's Nuremberg rally gig but apparently pulled out...
If anybody knows, please let me know...
The Zeppelinfeld is the HUGE field where Uncle Adolf and Herr Speer had their huge outdoor rallies... you know with the big banners and the columns of light with the huge searchlights pointing straight up... and on the field would be thousands of torch carrying Hitler youth forming a giant swastika rotating in a circle... that's the place...
It was also the "airport" for the bustling Zeppelin air traffic, but that never quite panned out... this was also where the famous footage was shot of the huge swastika over the grandstand being dynamited after the war... it's always used to signify the end of Nazi Germany in all the documentaries...
I always got a kick out of the fact that the podium where Hitler and his "inner circle" would stand is where they put the Sound and Light consoles... We joked about "BOC plays Nurenburg,starring Rick Downey as Adolph Hitler and George Geranious as Joseph Goebbels"...
It's actually just part of a huge complex that was "Holy Ground" for the Nazis and used for the annual party rally... there was a huge arena... still there, but used by a University I think... a smaller parade ground (this is where the very early rallys were held till 39... and also the "Marsfeld" which was 10 times the size of the Zeppelinfeld and used for demonstrations of tank formations and mock battles... I believe the Marsfeld has been developed now but the other stuff still stands...
I turned up with the rest of BOC crew for a big outdoor show in Nuremburg and while I was trying to eat breakfast a french guy came over and wanted to know if he could ask me some questions and I said sure... as the questions went on I began to figure out that he thought I was Meatloaf, who was also on the show...I never told him I WAS meat, but never told him I wasn't...
I went to Meat's dressing room later and told him what had happened so in case he read any interviews with some whacky answers he'd know what the deal was... we had a pretty good laugh and he said if I ever wanted to grow my hair some more he'd hire me as a "deception double"... the folks in his band always referred to me as "Meat's Big Brother" as there could be some resemblance I guess...
Here's a link to a great page about this gig which also explains the discrepancy between the posters and the band line-up that actually played that day:
Allow me however to bring your attention to some facts about the Zeppelinfeld gig which was played outdoors on two stages as part of the 'Monsters of Rock' tour of europe.
I vaguely remember Saxon playing on that bill (I think) but I can't remember Krokus or Survivor - not saying they didn't play mind, just I have no reccollection of them. There are bands that you missed though, namely - Twisted Sister, and Motorhead who certainly played sets that day.
Also the set list; From what I remember it looks about right but they did also play 'Shadow of California' from the soon released 'Revolution by Night' album.
BOC came on just as the sun went down that evening and they were superb, heavily supported by hundreds of servicemen from a U.S. base stationed nearby. A great end to a holiday for me.
Survivor did not play. The running order was:
Was there serving in US Army. Buck came out with several guitarists and jammed Chuck Berry's Promise Land during Meatloaf's encore.
His set was spectacular. Dee Snider tried in vain to get the crowd to chant the chorus to SMF.
As far as our hero's... they impressed the guys with me who had never seen them live. During the intro to Godzilla EB said: "You think we come 7000 miles without him?"
It was a great day. The night before we roamed from party to party. All in the shadow of Hitler's failed Reich.
The crew shot was taken in the parking lot as we were about to leave Nuremburg to travel to Lyon. The lineup from l-r is Tony Cedrone (former drum tech, acting as Band Valet), Dave (Zilla Dave) Thorpe, former Godzilla roadie and operator, acting as Stage left guitar tech (he would later serve as back up guitarist when Allen left... playing Allen's parts from behind the amp line), myself and Tommy Higgins (Former See Factor truss elf, acting as drum tech)...
This was one of the most fun tours ever, Europe in Summer, Nice rented Mercedes, lots of days off (the day trip to Marseille from Lyon was fantastic)...
This is an odd one. On 01 September 1983, The "Greenville Record Argus" (IN) printed this listing:
CLEVELAND: Blossom Music Center Special Attraction schedule.
Blue Oyster Cult, Thursday, Sept. 8;
Santana, Friday, Sept. 9;
Eddie Money, Saturday, Sept 1O.
Performances at 8 p m.
For reservations, phone 216-566-9330, Cleveland, or 216-920-1440, Akron.
So - the citizens of Greenville IN and surrounding environs were being told that BOC were coming to Cuyahoga Falls on the following week - which is unfortunate, as BOC were at that very minute heading off for some European dates.
Doubtless the paper would publish a correction in a subsequent edition. However, here's what it said a week later on the 8th, the day of the supposed gig itself:
CLEVELAND: Blossom Music Center Special Attraction schedule.
Blue Oyster Cult, tonight, Thursday, Sept. 8,
Santana, Friday, Sept. 9;
Eddie Money, Saturday, Sept. 1O.
Performances at 8 p.m.
For reservations, phone (216 ) 566-9330, Cleveland, or (216 ) 920-1440, Akron.
So, even on the day itself the "Greenville Record Argus" was still telling people to travel to Cuyahoga Falls to see a band that could not possibly turn up.
I wonder how many people were caught out...?
The 8 Sept 83 show in Lyon was indoor... small old theater... we were supposed to play a big outdoor festival near Mulhouse, but the stage was destroyed by a storm the day before...
But that was AFTER we had SEVERAL days off in Lyon to see that city AND make a run to Marseilles for Bouillabaisse !!...
It was the first time I saw BOC on stage. Coming from Paris with my girl-friend, we stopped in Lyon at the beginning of the summer to buy tickets and at the end of the holidays we came back with also a friend of us. This was a good concert. I can't tell you whether it was better or not than another one because it was the first time. Twisted Sister did a good show but you can see the big difference between several good rock and roll bands as them, and the one and only Blue Oyster Cult who takes you in another dimension.
They started with "Cities On Flame". This is a very good song but not for starting a gig. I would preferred something with more speed such as "ME262" or "Stairway To The Stars". At this time, no You Tube so except photos we didn't know anything about their way to play live. I realized that Allen often played guitar and took second half of the solo of "Harvester Of Eyes" with Buck. At this time, "Revolution By Night" wasn't yet released but they play "Feel The Thunder" and"Take Me Away". Eric explained us that they just have selected the two best songs of the album, the two songs he wrote:-)
But the best part of my memories take place before the gig. We were sitting in the street of the theatre, talking and waiting for about one hour. We should be one hundred I guess. Just at the corner, a cab stopped and four guys went out in the street on the left side of the theatre. My friend told me "Look at this guy, he really wants to look like Buck Dharma". "Yes, I said, and look at the other one, he looks like Eric Bloom". Five seconds later, we realized that it was them ! We got up and ran to the rear of the theatre but it was too late ! They already disappeared ! The fourth guy was not a member of the band. We recognized the third one once the gig started: it was Joe but we had never seen him with beard before this time.
I was there too on the 08 of september 1983 coming From Grenoble, the small Olympic town, near Lyon.
About the gig: In my memories, (I've seen the group twice in the eighties, this date and the 07 February 1984 in Grenoble (Alpexpo)), I remember Eric arriving on stage on a Harley... and on Godzilla, there was "The big monster" on stage too, with flames and naturally rock and roll!
For me, it was great: BOC was my favorite band at this time. And the beginning of the eighties were their last best years... Aren't They?
A little memory about the Twisted Sisters: at the end of their gig, they'd told us that "You french boys, you're all fuck mama sickers!" Not very popular in the theater! But Dee Snider was joking! Or maybe, the frenchies wanted BOC faster than that!
Note also that the Mulhouse show on this swing shown in the "on the road" history on the official site was actually cancelled. It was supposed to be this big outdoor festival, but a bad storm came in and destroyed the stage and production the day before we were to play, and it never happened...
We drove up there from Lyon on the 9th so the gig was supposed to be on the 10th or 11th I'm sure...
I saw more of France in the drive to Mulhouse than I had in a multitude of prior visits (hell I went to Paris 4 times before I even got to see the Eiffel Tower !!)...
Crew drove rental cars (bad ass Mercedes rented in Germany) and had plenty of time to stop and look and we just had a ball on that drive...
Arrived at the Novotel to find that we weren't even going to do a show the next day, so we had the day off in Mulhouse...
Had a great dinner in Mulhouse with the band, RD (le Nuveaux Batterien) and Lanier and I spent an entire day at an amazing car museum there (Bugatti's anyone??) and then, the night before we left, RD, Tom Higgins and I went over to a disco in Basel Switz around 2AM with some wild and crazy American girls we met at the Novotel and partied till morning and time to drive up to Frankfort Am Main for our flights home.... no details on our activities in Switzerland are available at this time.... or any other time....
Regarding the scheduled date for BOC's performance, the posters above are a bit confusing. The first one says the show is 10th Sept whilst the 2nd one says it's a two-day festival over the weekend of 10-11 September 1983. Did it start off as 2 days and - later - come down to one, or was it vice versa?
According to the posters, the proposed bill was BOC, Black Sabbath, Mama's Boys, Diamond Head, Twisted Sister, Anvil, Triumph and Fargo, amongst others, but the 2nd poster don't specify which days were scheduled for which acts if it was in fact a two-day event.
As BOC and Black Sabbath seemed to have been the scheduled headliners - and if it was a 2 day festival - then logic would suggest BOC headlined one day and Sabbath the other.
Helpfully, black-sabbath.com had the Sabs down for the 10th but says it was "cancelled" whilst the original gig lists on boc.com had BOC down as having played on the 11th September
I've found a bit more info on flickr - a poster called Old Pink has published a photo from the gig with the following comment:
PA by RockSound
Sunrise Festival, September 11, 1983 in Mulhouse, France
On the bill:
Black Sabbath, Twisted Sister, Blue Oyster Cult, Motorhead and more, but:
towards the end of the opening act's performance (Blackout from Luxembourg, pictured above) a heavy storm set in, destroying the stage's roof and soaking all light and sound equipment.
The rest of the festival was canceled, Blackout being the only band who had performed.
Now he says that his photo was taken on September 11, 1983 - that's the date the opening act - Blackout - played and it was after this that the storms moved in.
If that date's correct then for BOC to be cancelled on account of the storms, they had also to have been scheduled for the 11th. This date corresponds with boc.com but not with black-sabbath.com and assumes that it was in fact a one-day festival.
However, this in turn goes against the first poster above which does indeed say that it was a one-day show but gives the date as the 10th!
Am I confused? Guess...
Can anyone help?
I personally assist to this concert.I still have a photo copy of the tickets and all the guitar picks. I had a pair of drum sticks which i lost.I remember the mechanical monster and the flames.
It was a great concert. I had the good luck to meet Buck and Eric last year twice. I have photos and autographs also!!
I went to this concert when I use to live in Puerto Rico. I currently live in Miami, Florida.
Not only BOC was an incredible act but Michael Bolton had a great hit during this time with the song "fools game".
The band Roxx was from Miami, Florida if I remember correctly. Great memories!!
I also believe Zeus was a local band from the island.
I found a review of this gig in the 17 November 1983 edition of the "Cedar Rapids Gazette":
CONCERT REVIEW
Dee Ann Rexroat, Gazette staff writer
Lousy sound mars Cheap Trick, but Oyster Cult comes up pearly
Some bad sound and crazy antics greeted an audience of about 4,000 last night as rock bands Cheap Trick and Blue Oyster Cult opened a new tour at the Five Seasons Center.
Cheap Trick gyrated through a loud, fast-paced 70-minute set, opening the evening's concert. Unfortunately, their entire performance was tainted by a poor sound system, heavy on bass, allowing little vocal and lead guitar work to rise above the distortion.
The sound was much better for Blue Oyster Cult. Backed by an intricate and colorful lighting system, the band played a rousing set of good, solid rock 'n' roll. Crisp playing, effective synthesizer scoring and inventive arrangements helped the band present a clean, polished sound.
Blue Oyster Cult's music seemed to burst with energy, and the band had obviously rehearsed well before this first concert. One piece that they needn't have rehearsed was "Godzilla," repeated as it had been played in a concert here two years ago.
They even brought back their formidable replica of the horror movie monster with its massive reptile head, gorilla nose and dinosaur mouth that breathed smoke like a dragon as it tossed its head from side to side, beamed its red eyes at the audience and mouthed, "Godzilla!"
That piece also featured Rick Downey on drums, and he tore up the set with an elongated solo. The following piece was another magnificent solo, this time by bassist Joe Bouchard. Bouchard picked and strummed his bass as if it were a guitar but produced sounds with the fullness and depth that only a bass can offer, and he threw in a difficult harmonics section before lead singer Eric Bloom rode onstage on a black Harley Davidson.
The most popular Blue Oyster Cult song next to "Godzilla" was "Don't Fear the Reaper," a song that ended with a fireworks show of Roman candles on the front of the stage. The band played for 1 1/2 hours before returning for an encore.
Opening band Cheap Trick played some of their biggest hits, including "I Want You to Want Me" and "Dream Police," but the highlight of the set was watching lead guitarist Rick Nielsen's humorous antics. He made funny faces, hopped around the stage, kissed his guitars, threw handfuls of guitar picks to the audience, and generally had a good time.
Unfortunately, Nielsen spends almost as much time goofing off as he does making music. All he had going for him in this concert was his personality - his guitar could barely be heard, and sometimes he didn't play entire guitar parts that were included in the recorded version of the songs.
About a dozen people were arrested during the concert on charges ranging from intoxication to possession of controlled substances.
According to the 11 Nov 1983 edition of "The Sioux City Journal", Cheap Trick were also on this bill.
Did Rainbow play this gig? Their name seems to have been crossed out on the first ticket stub above...
Rainbow was there - that's who I wanted to see. BOC played a good gig!
OK - next question: did Dokken play this show...?
I found a short listing for this gig in the Sunday 20 November 1983 edition of the "Albuquerque Journal":
Blue Oyster Cult
Tonight - Tingley
And that's fine - it matches up with the torn ticket stub above, but check out the following short newspaper clipping from a Dutch Rainbow fansite (under the 20th November 1983 Albuquerque entry) here:
According to that:
Blue Oyster Cult, Rainbow and Dokken, Sunday, Nov 20, Civic Auditorium.
The Civic Auditorium was a very different venue to the Tingley Coliseum. Tingley had nearly twice the capacity and better acoustics for musical performances and was therefore probably more costly to hire.
This tour wasn't exactly a sell-out, with cancellations (see next gig entry, for example), so when they saw the ticket sales, could the promoters have scaled down the gig to the cheaper Civic Auditorium...?
But then you'd have to explain the listing in the "Albuquerque Journal" and there are no amendments written/printed on the stub above, so for now, I'll continue to go with Tingley Coliseum..
Additional: I've just seen a reference to this gig in the 18 November 1983 edition of the UNM student newspaper, the "New Mexico Daily Lobo".
It was basically an article about support act Rainbow, but it included this info:
The five-man band will share its music with Albuquerque rock fans Sunday when it joins Blue Oyster Cult and Dokken in concert at Tingley Coliseum.
That confirms both the venue and Dokken as having been originally scheduled to play on this bill.
Ideally, it'd be nice to see a review indicating that they actually played that night, but in the absence of that, I'll take the printed evidence that they did - for now, at least...
This gig was cancelled according to memorabilia provided by Frans, the Rainbow Dutch fan and website curator of rainbowfanclan.
According to a newspaper cutting on this page (under the 21st November 1983 Phoenix entry), it was cancelled due to poor ticket sales.
Refunds for canceled Blue Oyster Cult concert start Tuesday
A concert, starring Blue Oyster Cult, Rainbow and Dokken, scheduled for Monday at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, has been canceled.
A spokesman for the two companies promoting the event, Albatross and Double Tee, blamed poor ticket sales.
Beginning Tuesday, persons who have purchased tickets can obtain refunds at the outlets where the tickets were purchased.
There was no indication as to which newspaper the above is from, but it was clearly a local newspaper since they don't mention "Phoenix" in the text - they take that as read.
I also found a couple of mentions about the cancellation in the "Arizona Republic" newspaper, the most recent one coming in the Monday, November 21, 1983 issue (the day of the gig):
Blue Oyster Cult - And Dokken and Rainbow, canceled, today, Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
I found a listing for this gig in the 20 Nov 1983 edition of "The Los Angeles Times":
Blue Oyster Cult, Rainbow, Dokken (San Diego Sports Arena, 3500 Sports Arena Blvd, (619) 224-4176, 8 p.m.).
Thus, I originally had Dokken down as the opening act. But then I heard from Steve:
Wed Nov 23, San Diego Sports Arena. Dokken did not end up playing. The stage got moved to mid arena so my previously kick ass seats were gone and I had to sit in the terrace on the side of the stage.
Rainbow was on first (approx 90 min set). BOC played almost a 2hr set.
All members were visible. Buck wore a sleaveless baby blue muscle shirt and white pants. I later sported that look at a party. 1st boc show out of 10.
Out of order but pretty darn sure these were the tunes:
They possibly also played Hot Rails To Hell... 4th or 5th - not sure.
I had a moment of wanting to remember old shows and found your website. I was as the 1983 BOC-Rainbow show.
Though it was a long time ago, I remember it as the best concert I have ever seen! I saw all the greats of heavy metal (Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, ACDC, Aerosmith, etc.) and BOC blew them all away. I also saw about a billion Grateful Dead concerts and BOC was still my favorite.
Anyway, Rainbow opened and we all thought they were pretty weak. When the covered "Smoke on the Water" they didn't do the opening riff. What's up with that?
After the switch, they announced BOC from New York and gave the infamous "On your feet, or on your knees..." We heard the drumsticks to open "Cities on Flame" and all the lights came on. It was a wall of sound and I remember getting up and staying up for the whole show.
This was also the only concert I went backstage but the band was gone. One of the roadies showed me the big Godzilla. Thanks again for putting this site together. If I can find any old memorabilia, I'll scan it for you.
This was the last show BOC played at the legendary Cow Palace, where they had played twice previously in the last five years.
Rainbow was all over the radio that year with Stone Cold, and Street of Dreams, and BOC was supporting the Revolution By Night, with Shooting Shark being played on the radio as well.
This concert took place during the Thanksgiving break and I remember the Cow Palace parking lot looking like a scene from the movie, The Warriors. Lots of rock n' rollers, Ben Davis pants, Budweiser and other necessities. It was cold that night and all the garbage cans in the lot were filled with wood and set on fire, with pony kegs within reach. It truly felt like the Revolution by Night.
I remember taking my younger brother who was a freshman in high school and myself being 19 years old... just happy that we were able to make it to the arena safely. Rainbow was excellent and BOC had to come out strong to surpass Rainbow and they did, however future friends who attended that show think Rainbow won the battle of the Bands.
I realize looking back twenty four years later, that that was the end of an era. An era when the youth of San Francisco were tough, liked to party and loved Rock n roll... the Cow Palace today is a pink elephant with the occasional rodeo and Harlem Globetrotter show.
Today's SF youth is long gone, replaced with want to be American Idols who care how their ear ring looks against their bleached hair and think good music is Justin Timberlake... but that night was in a way, the Revolution by Night, an end of the city as natives knew it, and it was the beginning of MTV and the end of Rock n roll and the end of the City Ben Davis youth...
However when the Oyster Boys play their annual show at Slims... you may catch a glimpse of the past... and you might see the last of the Sunset Boys, the Native San Franciscan... wearing the Bens, steel toe boots or converse all star, the derby jacket... and you will smile... remembering how good it was... cause it was real.
I originally had Dokken down to open this gig but Karl doesn't mention them above - does anyone know for sure if they were on this bill or not...?
They were scheduled for the previous gig but cancelled (for reasons unknown) so maybe they cancelled this one also?
For a while I wondered whether or not this gig had actually taken place as a number of completely new-looking, pristine tickets for it were appearing regularly on eBay - still are, actually - and that always makes me suspicious.
However, the appearance of the Pollstar gig data and the used ticket stub above have combined to allay my fears...
One question remains, though: did Dokken play this gig?
In the 6 Nov 1983 issue of "The Los Angeles Times", there was a box ad for 30 Nov gig at Long Beach, which also mentioned this gig:
Blue Oyster Cult
Rainbow
with Special Guest
Dokken
November 30 - 8pm
Long Beach Arena
-----------------------------
November 29 - 8pm
San Bernardino, Orange Pavilion
-----------------------------
The San Bernardino mention was boxed off as if to separate it from the Long Beach line-up. For that reason, I was a bit unclear whether this was a BOC only gig, a BOC/Rainbow show or else BOC/Rainbow/Dokken gig...?
Then I found a listing for this gig (as well as the next night) in the 27 Nov 1983 edition of "The Los Angeles Times":
Tuesday
Blue Oyster Cult (Orange Pavilion 689 E St., (714) 814-0178, 8 p.m.).
Wednesday
Blue Oyster Cult, Rainbow, Dokken (Long Beach Arena, 300 Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, 436-3661, 8 p.m.).
That listing seemed to go out of its way to highlight the fact that Rainbow and Dokken would not be playing on the San Bernardino bill...
However, thanks to the Pollstar stats above, I now at least have it confirmed Rainbow were on the bill - but did Dokken also play?
As mentioned above, I found a listing for this gig (as well as the previous night) in the 27 Nov 1983 edition of "The Los Angeles Times":
Tuesday
Blue Oyster Cult (Orange Pavilion 689 E St., (714) 814-0178, 8 p.m.).
Wednesday
Blue Oyster Cult, Rainbow, Dokken (Long Beach Arena, 300 Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, 436-3661, 8 p.m.).
So, for now, I have Dokken listed as playing, but the Pollstar stats above don't mention them, so: did Dokken actually play this gig?
I do remember arriving about 20 mins late for this gig. Rainbow was already on stage, and all-in-all it was a wonderful performance by both bands.
A buddy of mine ended up getting the guitar neck from Ritchie's guitar that he busted up.
Blue Oyster Cult: "The Masters of Death"!!
A short review of this gig appeared in the 02 Dec 1983 edition of The Los Angeles Times:
Pop Review Hard Rock Excesses By Blue Oyster Cult
by Duncan Strauss
Blue Oyster Cult is considered one of the best heavy-metal bands, commonly saluted for its relatively intelligent music and a melodic flair that has spawned such smash singles as "Burnin' for You" and "(Don't Fear) The Reaper."
But actually the Cult which played Wednesday night at the Long Beach Arena, is just another veteran outfit that believes nothing succeeds like excess.
Performing at ear-splitting volume, the quintet unleashed an assault powered by busy, sharp-edged guitar riffs fighting to cut through thunderous rhythms. While some lighter moments crept into the presentation - including a rousing rendition of "Reaper" and a cameo appearance by Godzilla - the show was little more than another uninspired slab of bloated hard rock.
On the other hand, the opening set by Rainbow was the heavy metal equivalent of a gourmet meal after a week of Thanksgiving leftovers. Rainbow's personnel has changed almost yearly, but the current lineup may be its strongest yet, demonstrating a subtlety and refreshing pop sensibility that distinguishes the band from its competitors.
Of course, Rainbow founder Ritchie Blackmore couldn't resist dredging up guitar-hero antics from his Deep Purple days, attacking his instruments in every conceivable position, smashing one guitar to bits and tossing another to the audience. Aside from those ludicrous moments and some instrumental solo spots that could have been trimmed, Rainbow's set was straightforward, streamlined and solid.
So, no mention of Dokken there, I notice. For now then, until I hear any different, I'll leave the bill as just Rainbow/BOC...
Thanks to a review of this show from the 3 Dec 1983 edition of the "The Sacramento Bee", kindly sent to me by Alessandro Borri, it looks as if this was solely a Rainbow/BOC bill - there was no mention of Dokken...
Did Dokken play this gig?
This was DEFFO the LAST Rainbow show as there was BIG aggro since Blackmore saw fit to play thru 1/2 our set time too and fuck us into only having about 45 min for set change and show.... and he only did it since it was the LAST show so therefore would get NO payback...
Not only did Rainbow play long, they started way late because their equipment was delayed because of weather... someone said it came by ground through Utah or Wyoming?
Most of us were in McNichols Arena for over 5 hours.
It doesn't sound like they did, but just to be sure, I'll ask: did Dokken play this gig?
Probably 12000 people there. Rainbow played and 3 to 4 thousand people got up and left. Very strange I thought.
The 8 to 9 thousand who stayed got to see a very good show by BOC, in Quadraphonic surround sound.
But (to answer your question), there was no Dokken on this one. Also saw Aerosmith in Reno, probably 88 or 89... Dokken was supposed to open, but Don Dokken was sick so they were a no show.
However Aerosmith played 2 1/2 hours. Did the entire permanent vacation album plus several off rocks and toys.
Never saw Dokken until 2010 they opened for the scorpions and he finally showed - actually did a decent job singing, only had one little crackle. Lol
According to the promoters' website - stonecityattractions.com - the band line-up and running order was Dokken, then Aldo Nova and then BOC.
The promoters' website - stonecityattractions.com - confirms the band line-up and running order to be Aldo Nova and then BOC.
However, Pollstar stats state that Dokken also played this gig - which dovetails with other gigs in this run...
According to the promoters' website - stonecityattractions.com - the band line-up and running order for the San Antonio gig was Dokken, then Aldo Nova and then BOC.
Note: according to the official site BOC played San Antonio on the 11th December but given the stub above, I've re-dated it as 9 December.
I suppose it's possible it might have been postponed for whatever reason after the tickets for the 9th had been printed, and played on the 11th of December, but I have no evidence or reason to think this was the case.
Stop Press: The official Pollstar stats confirm it took place on the 9th.
I attended the December 10, 1983 gig in Houston.
Aldo Nova and Dokken were the warmup acts, which appears consistent with your other information from that time.
I wish I could recall the setlist, but after so many years the only song I can specifically say for sure was played was Hot Rails to Hell.
The only initial indication I had that this gig ever took place was the above stub off ebay, but I've since seen the Pollstar stats I quote above...
According to the quoted Pollstar stats, Dokken and Aldo Nova opened this show...
Before I got my hands on a jpeg of a used stub for this gig (Flickr link), I had put a question mark over it's existance due to reports of a Kemper Arena, Kansas City gig on this date...
However, the stub and poster above look like decent proof that it did in fact happen in Danville...
According to the Dec 16, 1983, edition of the Danville Commercial News newspaper, Aldo Nova and Dokken were indeed the openers, and 2,675 persons attended the show the previous evening at the 4,750-seat Danville Civic Center arena.
After the drum solo, Rick Downey tossed his drumstick at Godzilla and it lodged in the monster's nose, just as it did during the Sep 04, 1982, show in Fargo, North Dakota.
Until I came across the stub - and poster - above, I actually had three candidates in total for a show on this date:
I already had some anecdotal evidence for an Indy show - Pastor Brad of the guitarjams.net site swears that his date is the correct one...
The stub and poster hopefully have now put the matter to rest.
If you have any info, as usual, please let me know...
The concert took place.
At the time I was a Jr. in H.S. and just went on Christmas break. It was "festival seating" and I remember standing outside freezing my ass off until they opened the doors an hour before.
Regarding the date - I just looked at a 1983 calendar. Based on getting two weeks for Christmas break, I do remember finishing finals right before the concert. We started school right after the start of the new year. Therefore 16 Dec 1983 would appear to be the correct date.
All info you have on thus gig is correct. It was bitter cold that day. Aldo Nova and Dokken opened.
Presumably Dokken and Aldo Nova opened this show...?
I can confim that Dokken and Aldo Nova were both there that night.
This date actually had three gig candidates:
I originally had this gig down as Detroit, in keeping with the offical site and in the absence of evidence to the contrary. Then Mike Becker got in touch...
I have a tour date you do not have listed, there is one small problem. Unfortunately the date is ripped off my ticket stub and I used a process of elimination. I looked on B.O.C. official site and there is no record of it.
I seen them on a Sunday in December of 1983 in Davenport Iowa at Palmer Auditorium, they squeezed this show in between Detroit and Portland which would make it Christmas Day.
The opening bands were Dokken, Aldo Nova, then the Amazing B.O.C. This is only 1 of about 3 concerts I have seen over the last 25 years that I do not have an actual date on the stub.
The stub is chopped right where the date would be, all it says is Sunday, 1983. I do remember it was around Christmas. I was there, it did happen!!
Anyway, I've sent you a scan of the stub - it says Sunday. By a process of elimination from the dates listed on your website this concert was in December right near Christmas.
The only free Sunday on your lists is 25 December, but Christmas Day does not sound right to be jamming on. For some reason December 23rd sticks out in my mind. I think they might have moved this show up a couple days after the tickets were printed. That is an open slot on your listing for that time period.
Dokken and Aldo Nova were the opening bands as I see they just started touring together with them a few weeks before. Anyway I remember it was a very good concert, Aldo came out and jammed Take Me Away with them, quite cool.
Wish I had the rest of the set list but I was too young to worry about such a thing at the time. Hope this info helps in your search to figure this missing show out.
We DEFFO played Davenport at about that time... remember it vividly as it as the LAST show before Xmas break... AND it was the day we got word that our former bus driver Warren "Wiggly" Bryant had been found dead at his home of an apparently accidental gunshot wound.... AND it was soooo cold after the show (about -20F) that the busses wouldn't run cause the fuel had congealed.... we finally got one running... piled everybody onto it and off we went thru a blowing blizzard to an airport 30-40 miles away at MAYBE 5 mph so that everyone could get home for the holidays...
... about 2 hrs later, ended up getting the bus into a truck stop with a heated repair bay to thaw the fuel and replace filters to make it actually go... we had to fake that we had the band on board as there were about 50 trucks ahead of us and we bribed the mechanics with AUTOGRAPHED photos of BOC... I signed both Bloom's and Lanier's names...
Most likely the Davenport gig goes where Joe Louis gig is because we most deffo did NOT finish that swing at Joe Louis arena... we DID play Joe Louis with Rainbow on that tour though as that was the only time I ever actually talked with Richie... I repaired his little 50's reel to reel tape machine that he used as a pre-amp and actually made him smile...
I'm in the midst of reading and listening to everything Joe Meek I can get my hands on... Blackmore was one of his regular studio musicians as he lived just a few blocks away down Holloway road... would LOVED to have asked him about 'ol Whacky Joe... I'll bet the 2 of THEM got on famously... maybe Joe is what made Richie so crazy...
But the Joe Louis gig was mid tour as I remember, but will try to clear some cobwebs and find detail... I CAN also tell you for pretty sure that the Denver show was the LAST Rainbow show as there was BIG aggro since Blackmore saw fit to play thru 1/2 our set time too and fuck us into only having about 45 min for set change and show.... and he only did it since it was the LAST show so therefore would get NO payback... but when the Joe Louis gig was I can't begin to say...
Though I'm pretty sure this Davenport gig can slot into that last Sunday (18 December), cause the Joe Louis arena Rainblow show would have deffo been BEFORE Denver.... no Blackamoor after that one for sure...
Also - Aldo would have come out and jammed cause it was the last show of the tour... that's when we did shit like that...
Latest news: I was talking to a buddy of mine at work and he dug thru his photo albums and I think this might solve the mystery of the concert date of the Davenport Iowa show which would back up what Sam Judd said.
This ticket stub is different from mine it actually says day of show on it, it is a dollar more and you can see the full 18 on it. Me and buddy were laughing how we are all trying to be super sleuths about a show that happened 25 years ago. Sometimes I wish those day were still here.
Once again I love your sight and I hope this second stub helps figure this mystery date out which seems to have some confusion surrounding it.
I saw the Dec 26 '83 gig at the Portland Coliseum. It should have been about a 8000 seat show but only about 3000 could navigate the sheets of ice that were downtown Portland streets. It was freezing rain and ice on the road so many couldn't make it to the venue.
WE were lucky and were staying right across the street from the venue.
Aldo came out and he opened with 'Monkey On Your Back', his cold was immediately apparent as he apologized for not being able to sing very well. He just said 'hey, I just think I'll shut up now and play a little guitar, okay?". He wasn't on long and we all felt sorry for him, being sick and all.
But he played on for about 25 minutes of instrumentals. He jammed. He could have just cancelled or called it real short, but he hung in there and played. He kicked ass. The guy is up there in Buck's league as far as lead guitarists go IMHO. Not better than Buck, but definately in his league.
After Aldo, we got a long BOC show...
Please note that your listing for the 27 December 1983 Vancouver date has the incorrect venue information. They played the same venue as in 1982. It was called the Coliseum Concert Bowl because it had a reconfigured seating arrangement. This means the stage was setup closer to the center and so there was a smaller amount of tickets put on sale for the show.
NB: I should mention that it's possible that Canadian band Streetheart replaced Aldo Nova as support for this gig. I saw BOC/Aldo at this venue both on 22 August 1982 and 27 December 1983, as you can see by the ticket stubs. I guarantee you that Streetheart replaced Aldo at one of these shows but I am now unclear on which one.
I had previously thought it was the Aug 82 show but the fact that you don't have a support act listed for this 1983 show also makes me doubt myself. I was looking for these ticket stubs to help you clear up your questions about the August 82 show but by finding them I seem to have muddied the waters even worse and its bothering me now that there may be a chance that I am confusing these two dates.
Aldo Nova didn't play this gig - it was a local band called Kradle. Here's an excerpt from an article by Steve Newton in the March 2, 1984 issue of the Straight.
Kradle...gave the local HM scene a much-needed shot in the arm when they opened for Blue Oyster Cult at the Coliseum in December. It seems Aldo Nova, the scheduled opening act, never showed up.
In the desperate hours before showtime, stagehand Bud Wandrei suggested his friends from New Westminster/Burnaby, Kradle. It didn't matter that the band had only played in public six or seven times.
Presumably Aldo Nova opened this show...?
Exhibit Hall in Eugene, Oregon is unlike most American venues. It's a concrete and steel box that looks much more like Leeds Hall than the LA Forum. It has a low ceiling where lighting rigs made for tall American arenas dangle just fifteen feet above the heads of the band, a general admission crowd surges in waves against a creaking barricade with bouncers waiting to beat the heads of anybody who climbs over in pure exhaustion, and the sound ricochets around in bizarre tones of distortion at variously deafening levels.
Judas Priest (1982) and Scorpions (1984) played here and never came back, rumor has it due to damage to equipment. Def Leppard played here on Joe Elliot's birthday show in 1983 in what became a total bacchanal on stage. Dave Mustaine overdosed at this venue in 1992 on the Youthanasia tour and was revived in a hospital emergency room a few miles away.
Major league rock acts came few and far between to Eugene in the 80s, so a ticket like Blue Oyster Cult and Aldo Nova (at the peak of his career) was a major draw, especially on a weekend which allowed for the 'extended draw' of central Oregon to drive to the show. BOC was at the end of its globe-trotting, arena-headliner days with The Revolution By Night tour, but despite an album that had only reached about 300,000 (less than half the sales of Fire Of Unknown Origin a few years earlier), the band had currency in Eugene.
They headlined Oregon Jam '80 in Salem, and played high on the bill of the state-wide, stadium rock event in 1981 and 1982 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene (see reviews on this website) for 40,000 fans each year. BOC had also headlined in 1979 at McArthur Court, selling out the basketball arena at the University of Oregon.
The 4,500 general admission tickets sold out at the door the night of the show. Aldo Nova was well-received and at the peak of his career with hits like Fantasy and Monkey On Your Back. "Take Me Away" was the opening song for BOC and led into a set that included "Cities On Flame," "Godzilla," "The Red and The Black," "Born To Rock," "Feel The Thunder," "Veins," "Burning For You," and "The Reaper." BOC seemed to enjoy the in-your-face element of the convention hall and intimacy with the crowd.
It was 1983, so with the low ceiling you can imagine the air being thick with smoke, as the spotlights and three trusses of par-64 cans set the air alight with their beams. This was particularly cool with "Joan Crawford," where BOC would employ the old pin-spot-on-disco-ball effect.
They did three enchores: The first was "Roadhouse Blues" with Eric Bloom riding onstage on his Harley, and this was followed by "Hot Rails To Hell." The group was coaxed back for a third enchore (which oddly enough I don't see listed by others who have posted memories of this tour) of "Let Go!" from the Revolution By Night album, complete with "B - O - C... You can be whatever you wanna be" sing-along.
It was the last time I ever saw the forklifted Godzilla monster blowing fire-estinguisher smoke across the band. Like I said, it was the last time BOC ever strutted the Northwest as a big time headliner.
It was Dec. 31st, 1983, I had tickets to BOC at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma WA. The line up was Aldo Nova, BOC and Sammy Hagar, the tickets said, "One Way Ticket to Midnight" on them.
I worked in a busy nightclub as assistant manager and had asked for the day off months in advance. But the night before the show, my boss went back on her word and said I had to work. I quit on the spot and went out on a big partying binge. I was extremely hungover when my brother came to get me and I made him drive. I had a can of Schlitz Malt Liquor and it was noon when we left, I sat in the back seat obnoxious as hell and laughed all the way to Tacoma. He and his wife were annoyed with me, even though my partying was pretty tame in comparrison to theirs, they kept it together for BOC.
While we waited in line outside the dome, we saw BOC's truck of gear being unloaded. I saw them haul the Harley off the truck, I spoke to some roadie guy. I was not in shape for standing up so we took seats, I fell asleep as soon as Aldo Nova hit the stage. Passed out on my brother's shoulder, he was disgusted with me. When BOC was ready to come on, he woke me up. I can't remember much; Aldo Nova played on a song from RBN and Eric rode the bike on stage. This show would be the last time I saw BOC in an arena setting and the last time I saw the bike on stage.
BOC's show was great and I have never regretted quitting my job to be there for the 83' New Years show.
We watched Sammy Hagar jump around the stacks for a few minutes and decided to leave....we had a 2 plus hour drive home and it was around midnight.
On the way home from that BOC show, my Thunderbird headlights went "intermittent" on us several times. We'd be driving along, the lights would go out for a few seconds, but always seemed to turn on just before we crashed into something.
We laughed at off and called it the "suicide ride", made up some lyrics to "this aint the Summer" music and sang along. But, when the lights went off one time, and came on just in time to see we were gonna smash into the side of a huge rock bluff, a damn mountian if you will.
We decided, going to see BOC would be for nothing if we died before we got home. We parked overnight and slept in the car until first light, we froze our asses off... but we got home safe.
Cool Review!!! I was there and working (it was one of those nightmare nights for me with several keyboards deciding not to work)... I remember the punchline of the night for me was Hagar being so out of it he just yapped his mouth past the actual midnight count and went into a song... at the end of it, he made mention that it was midnight "a few minutes ago"... the Hagar camp was on a big power trip at that gig and made it a VERY long and cold day...
Glad you decided to "wait for the dawn" and are therefore still with us...
As Sam mentioned, Hagar played right thru midnight, informing the crowd after the fact that it was 1984. I was pretty bummer about that. The whole point of NYE is count the damn thing down, right?
My cousin got wasted and we were tending to him thru a lot of the show, and it was so long ago, I don't remember much about it now. But I definitely remember Sammy missing the countdown.
I think also that these date(s) were played in 1983 - if you have any info, please let me know:
With Aldo Nova in late Summer...
Part of the 1983 Michelob Concert Series...
This gig is listed as 18 December on the official site but if you check the entry for that date listed above, you'll see why I discount that.
... we most deffo did NOT finish that swing at Joe Louis arena... we DID play Joe Louis with Rainbow on that tour though as that was the only time I ever actually talked with Richie... I repaired his little 50's reel to reel tape machine that he used as a pre-amp and actually made him smile...
I'm in the midst of reading and listening to everything Joe Meek I can get my hands on... Blackmore was one of his regular studio musicians as he lived just a few blocks away down Holloway road... would LOVED to have asked him about 'ol Whacky Joe... I'll bet the 2 of THEM got on famously... maybe Joe is what made Richie so crazy...
But the Joe Louis gig was mid tour as I remember, but will try to clear some cobwebs and find detail...