Every night, there is a show somewhere. The players come and go, the venues change, and the music evolves.

But the show will go on. It must go on.

These are the ones I've caught so far. -- GZ

 

I started at the beginning, jumped to the end and now I'm trying to remember everything in the middle. I think I've got most of them now, Grey numbers indicate a questionable date. Since there are so many to describe, if there's one you'd like to hear about (or to point out an inaccuracy), let me know.

1968

Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
Lucas County Fairgrounds, Toledo, Ohio
First Concert Ever

1971

Three Dog Night
Toledo Sports Arena, Toledo, Ohio

1972

Guess Who with Argent
Toledo Sports Arena, Toledo, Ohio

1973

Emerson, Lake & Palmer
with Santana, James Gang
Cleveland Indians Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

The Who
Cobo Hall, Detroit, Michigan

This one was either Aug. 14, 1971 or Nov. 30, 1973.

1974 David Bowie
Toledo Sports Arena, Toledo, Ohio
Kansas
Valentine Theatre, Toledo, Ohio

1975

Kiss with James Gang
Toledo Sports Arena, Toledo, Ohio
Styx with Legend, Clown
Lake Andes, South Dakota

Lynyrd Skynyrd
Toledo Sports Arena, Toledo Ohio

Someone wrote in to ask if Leslie West opened for Skynyrd that night. I honestly don't recall. Maybe I was late and missed the opening act. I do remember that a) I couldn't hear the damn piano at all and b) I spotted Rob Fetters* from the Raisin Band backstage and tried to get him to let me in. He did not.

*Fetters is now playing with Adrian Belew in The Bears, but judging from the website, it's kinda like the Raisin Band threw out the chick singer and Belew joined the band. They still wear weird hats.

Aug. 2008 -- The guy who used to work at the record store in Toledo and had free tickets, and knows the Raisin Band, and other Toledo secrets verifying his identity, which I have already lost, assures me that Rush was the opening act for this show.

1976

Robin Trower with Boston
Toledo Sports Arena, Toledo Ohio

Electric Light Orchestra
Toledo Sports Arena, Toledo Ohio

Kansas with Atlanta Rhythm Section
Toledo Sports Arena, Toledo, Ohio
Return to Forever..................Best Audience Ever
Memorial Hall
Kansas City, Missouri

1977

Fleetwood Mac with Henry Gross, Head East, REO Speedwagon
Royals Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Emerson, Lake and Palmer with Orchestra
Des Moines, Iowa

Kansas with Blackfoot
Iowa State Fair, Des Moines, Iowa

1979

Bob Seger with Foreigner
Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines, Iowa
Eric Clapton
Omni, Atlanta Georgia

1980

Eagles
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

1984

Crosby, Stills & Nash
Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, NV

1988

Yes
Aladdin Theatre, Las Vegas, NV
Pink Floyd
Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona

1990 

Moody Blues
Aladdin Theatre, Las Vegas, NV

1991 

Yes
Union tour
Desert Sky Pavilion, Phoenix, Arizona

1992

The Temptations
Edgewater Casino, Laughlin, Nevada

1993

Poco
Orpheum Theatre, Flagstaff, Arizona

Dread Zeppelin
Monsoon's, Flagstaff, Arizona

Jackson Brown with Bonnie Raitt, Shawn Colvin and others
Sedona, Arizona

Emerson, Lake and Palmer with Bonham
Desert Sky Pavilion, Phoenix, Arizona

1994

Pink Floyd
Division Bell tour
Sun Devils Stadium, Tempe, Arizona

1999 

Paul Simon with Bob Dylan
Desert Sky Pavilion, Phoenix, Arizona

2001 

The Outfield with Hayden's Wall
Joe's Grotto, Phoenix, Arizona

2003 

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with Jayhawks
Cricket Pavilion, Phoenix, Arizona

Pete Best
July 5 -- Pioneer Theatre, Milford, Iowa

Gatemouth Brown
July 18 -- Pioneer Theatre, Milford, Iowa

Torque with Booze Brothers
Aug. 23 -- OzRocks, Milford, Iowa

2005 

Jerry Riopelle
Dec. 31 -- Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona

2006

Roger Waters
Cricket Pavilion
Phoenix, Arizona
October 3, 2006
Worst Audience Ever

2007

Hillary Duff with Click Five
Dodge Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona
August 19, 2007

1984 to 1990 -- Nevada Casinos

I spent some time working in Nevada casinos, first as a member of the house tech crew, then as a member of the press, followed by a stint as head of the in-house sound team, before I went back to being part of the press. I couldn't put this list in chronological order if I were paid to.

  • Mel Tillis
  • Tammy Wynette
  • Steppenwolf
  • Blue Oyster Cult
  • Bobby Goldsboro
  • Edgar Winter
  • Leon Russell
  • Johnny Cash
  • Bobby Vinton
  • Lola Falana
  • Patti Page
  • Charlie Daniels
  • Eddie Rabbit
  • Janie Fricke
  • Louise Mandrell
  • Merle Haggard
  • Roy Clark
  • T.G. Sheppard
  • Moe Bandy
  • Roy Orbison
  • Oak Ridge Boys
  • Johnny Rivers
  • Bellamy Brothers
  • ShaNaNa
  • Jan and Dean
  • Paul Revere and the Raiders
  • Tony Orlando and Dawn
  • Waylon Jennings and Jesse Coulter
  • Guess Who
  • Righteous Brothers
  • Crystal Gayle