My Rock and Roll Lifestyle #1 in a series of 1

In honor of the blog of my son Spencer, I want to tell you about my concert history, which is extensive and goes waaaay back.

When I was in high school, the Salt Palace or Huntsman Center didn't exist yet.  The venue for live concerts was the Valley Music Hall in North Salt Lake.  It was a theater in the round with a stage that rotated, surrounded on all sides by the seats.  The building was later sold to the LDS Church and is now used as a regional center by the Church.  The Salt Palace  was built in the late 60's and the Special Events Center (Huntsman Center) was finished in 1970.  During the 70's and early 80's, the SEC was actually the preferred venue for the big shows.  The acoustics were much better than the Salt Palace and then they hung curtains along the outside walls, which improved the acoustics and more concerts started going to the Salt Palace which was later replaced by the Delta Center.

So, without further ado, here is a list of my Rock and Roll history. (Ok, I use the term Rock and Roll loosely)

ROCK ON!!!

Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass--Valley Music Hall--I was a Sophomore in high school and went with a bunch of friends from the Granite band.  This was the hottest group around at the time.

Kenny Rogers and The First Edition--Einar Nielsen Fieldhouse--This was the group that Kenny was with before he went solo in 1970.  This was the group that first performed "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town."  I was a freshman at the U. 

Liberace--Valley Music Hall--Yes, Liberace.  The guy could really tickle the ivories.  Pretty snappy dresser, too!

Burt Bacharach--Special Events Center--Right in the middle of one of his songs, Burt stopped the orchestra and made them start the piece over.  He apologized to us and said that we deserved better.

The Association--Special Events Center--"Cherish"

 

The Fifth Dimension --Special Events Center--The SEC was really rockin' that night.  Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis left the group years later and had a a successful career as a duo.

 

 

Roberta Flack and Bill Withers--Special Events Center--Roberta's claim to fame is "Killing Me Softly With His Song."  Bill's big hit was "Ain't No Sunshine."

                         

The Carpenters--Special Events Center

Neil Diamond--Special Events Center--This was right after the Jonathan Livingston Seagull album came out.  I think this concert was in 1973, right after Bryan was born.

Barry Manilow-- Marriott Center at BYU-- After the intermission, Barry came out wearing a BYU football jersey with #9 (Jim McMahon), so this would have been in '82 or '83.  Most of the people in attendance thought that was really cool.

The Jets--Utah State Fairgrounds Grandstand--I am told that I took the family to see the Jets at the Utah State Fair.  To be honest, I have no recollection of this concert.

Michael Martin Murphey--Abravanel Hall--He performed with the Utah Symphony.  His biggest hit of all time is "Wildfire."

Roger Williams--Abravanel Hall--We took Grandma Packer to this concert where he performed with the Utah Symphony.  Grandma was in heaven.

  

Doc Severinsen--Abravanel Hall--Concert with the Utah Symphony.  Great entertainer.  Doc was the leader of the NBC Orchestra on the Tonight Show Band with Johnny Carson for many years.

The Bar J Wranglers--Bar J Chuckwagon--They have a Chuckwagon dinner and theater in Jackson Hole, WY.  After you eat (the band members are also the waiters) they put on a great show. "Riders In The Sky", "Tumblin' Tumbleweeds"  Good stuff!

 

 

 

Kurt Bestor--Abravanel Hall--Kurt's annual Chrismas concert

C.J. and The Mo Tabs--The Conference Center--Angela Lansbury was the featured guest.  21,000 people dancing in the aisles.  You had to be there.

And last, but not least for the benefit of all you headbangers who might question the validity of some of the artists listed above......

Rage Against The Machine--Rice Stadium--They were in concert at the "U".  I thought that they were pretty disgusting and never would have gone to see them if it hadn't been for the other band on the slate that night, a little known group from Ireland. (See Below)

U2--enough said!!

And you guys thought that I was dull and boring.