MULTIMEDIA: Charleston’s Greatest/Most Notorious Concerts
In the podcast, article and slideshow links below, Budget Tapes and Records’ John Nelson dishes on some of Charleston greatest/most notorious rock concerts.
VIEW “MY WEST VIRGINIA, No. 5: “Still Havin’ Fun” audio slideshow on John Nelson, manager and music buyer at Budget Tapes and Records: (4 min).
……………………..
LISTEN TO MP3 interview featuring “My Rock Concert History of Charleston” by John Nelson (10 minutes). Listen or download mp3 (right click this text and choose ‘Save Link As’ )
…………………….
READ COMPANION ARTICLE on Nelson in the Dec. 21, 2008 Sunday Gazette-Mail (reprinted in the gazz section)
– By Douglas Imbrogno
December 21st, 2008 at 10:12 am
John,
Nice piece in the local rag! Brought back memories of my days between wives living in the East End in the seventies. I was a frequent customer of Budget and you always impressed me with your knowledge of what was hot in music plus you always remembered what my musical tastes (hugh Zappa fan) and would point me to the latest release or something new I would enjoy. Also remember your Ric Ocasek look.
It’s always good to see someone doing what they love and making a living at it. I’ll try to stop in and say hi!
December 21st, 2008 at 1:27 pm
grew up in Poca and attended many concerts in CCC between 1976 and 2000.
Best by far that I attended with my brother was in 1976 when AC/DC opened for Boston. AC/DC nearly stole the show, but Boston put up on humdinger.
December 21st, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Great person to talk to! I think Nelson is one of those folks that most any music fan in Charleston has their music memories somehow attached to him (he either sold them the album, sold them the tickets, or they saw him at the show).
My concert highlights for Charleston:
- When Ozzy played here just a few days before Randy Rhoads was killed in that plane crash.
- Queen being the first rock act to play at the new Civic Center. A friend worked for Entam (who used to bring all of the rock concerts…back when we had a lot of rock concerts) and told me that Queen’s new album at the time (Jazz) went gold the night before the concert. The roadies apparently were given a party with champagne and two girls in a bathtub full of Jell-O and whipped cream to mark the occasion. According to him, the roadies all showed up to build the stage with dried whipped cream and Jell-O in their hair.
- AC/DC did blow Aerosmith away. Aerosmith was at the end of their notorious Rocks tour—back when the Toxic Twins were at the height of their toxicity. They were no match for Bon Scott and Angus Young together (especially since Angus rode through the audience on Bon’s shoulders while playing).
- Stevie Nicks on her solo tour was so messed up here that people had to keep running out from the wings to grab her shoulders and lead her back to the mic stand.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:27 pm
John, I’ve known you since I worked next door at Mack and Daves in 1978. I still have albums that you special ordered for me back then. Remember King Crimson “Larks Tongue in Aspic” ? My first concert was Edgar Winter with Rick Deringer. J. Geils opened. It was December 15th 1975. The Kinks at the Municipal Auditorium during a snowstorm was one of the best shows. The Romantics opened. I saw both Ted Nugent and KISS in 4 different decades. I’ll be talking to you soon. I’m looking for a buyer for those old record albums. It was great to see you in the paper. You are a part of My West Virginia.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Great slideshow, Doug! Looking forward to the mp3 piece.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:23 am
John
I remember Seger’s sax player way up on the catwalk with a microphone stuck in the end of the sax..could’ve been the Kiss warmup. Also, saw Bowie with the Diamond Dogs tour(Mick Ronson on guitar?) with two guys on leashes-Ten Years after may have been the warm-up-I remember Alvin Lee using the mic stand to do some slide work on his guitar. Saw AC/DC in the late 70s’when I called in sick at work, but I really went to see the warm-up group UFO, with Michael Schenker on lead guitar…
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:47 am
John Nelson is one of the greatest guys anyone will ever know. His knowledge of music is unsurpassed. We at Budget love john, he is part of the family to us.Come in and see him, I guarantee he willknow what you like. Thanks for being a Budget customer for 37 years of rock and roll and all “KOOL” stuff. Priscilla Pope ,owner Budget Tapes and Records.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:58 am
Jojn Nelson is one of the greatest guys anyone will ever meet. Everyone at Budget loves John. he is one of the Budget family. His knowledge of music is unsurpassed. Music is a big part of his life, Thanks to all the customers of Budget for 37 years, Charleston’s home for the best in music and all “KOOL” stuff. Come in and see John’ I guarantee he will know what you like and find a great cd for you to enjoy. Priscilla Pope, Budget Tapes and Records.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Yes playing the CCC in 1974 was my very first concert. Patrick Moraz was on keys and a band called Gryphon opened. Yes, AC/DC did blow away Areosmith when they played there in ‘78 or ‘79. I saw many, many shows there - The Cars, Outlaws/Molly Hatchet, AC/DC about 3 times (with Bon Scott) in the old CCC, the Police, the Moody Blues, Huey Lewis and the News at the new one (just to name a few).
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:31 pm
The AC/DC opener for Aerosmith was on December 17, 1977, a date I will never forget. That was the very first concert I ever attended. I was 14. AC/DC was great but I had not heard of them at the time. Saw Queen and RUSH in the fall of 1980. Joan Jett opened for Robert Plant in 88. I was a huge Zeppelin fan, but Joan really blew him away with her raw energy. Wow!
Thanks for sharing the memories everyone!
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:56 pm
John,
I was one of the eighteen people that saw the Police at the Galaxy 500 and I still have the ticket stub. The crowd was really small, but Sting was really polite and spoke to everyone after the show. I also have a photo of you from the 1984 Police tour at the Civic Center. It has been awhile since I’ve been at Budget, I moved away. It’s good to hear that you are still alive and kicking.
Happy Holidays
December 23rd, 2008 at 7:45 am
Old brain cells! Galaxy 2000!
December 24th, 2008 at 10:52 am
I remember that Queen concert well as huge fan at the time. Used to have cassette recording off the radio announcing them as first act to play it and that while it took 18 months to build new Civic Center, would only take one minute for Queen to bring it down. Also fondly remember show from same era with Ted Nugent, Blackfoot, Krokus and possibly Def Leopard as opener. Best latter day show has to be Red Hot Chilli Peppers with Stone Temple Pilots.
December 24th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
[…] « previous post […]
December 29th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Like a previous poster, my first concert was the Yes show in October 74. Two that were particularly eventful for me took place in the old Memorial Fieldhouse in Huntington. The Doobie Brothers with Outlaws opening for Marshall Homecoming in 75. So crowded on the floor you could not raise your arms. It was said they had 9000 in the arena that night. Thank you B Stanley for selling me the WVAF pass outside that night. Never would have gotten in otherwise. I always said you were the coolest teacher. A few weeks later, Little Feat warmed up for Dave Mason on his Split Coconut Tour. Little Feat were amazing.
January 20th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Great idea to look back at the history of live rock music in Charleston. One of the best shows I have seen (so far) was Johnny Winter in about 1973. On that tour he was being promoted as “the King of Rock “n’ Roll.” I think his current album was Still Alive and Well. The album title made a statement, and so did his performance. Apparently not intoxicated, he played incredible, extended rocking blues jams. At one point, he went to the front of the stage and hung his white hair down for people to touch while he played.
The crowd for that show looked more like hippies than any of the many I have attended before or since.
Live music… You never know what you are going to get (or even if the artist will show up), but on this night Johnny Winter delivered.
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:02 am
Memorable Charleston concert were many.
Hendrix was the best because I got to shake his hand behind the Civic Center from the back seat of the limo. I even tried to find his hotel room that night without success. Stood right up front and I remember Chicago coming out 1 person at a time to start the show, my first ever concert what a bang way to start!! Bad part of this is that this show is one of the few from Hendrix that was never taped so there is no recording of this night
Allman Brothers on 4/16/73 with Dickey Betts doing all the guitar parts. Chuck Leavell played the hell out of the piano that night. I do have the live tape of this show. Great!! Marshall Tucker was the opening act. Great also, with Toy Caldwell & Tommy Caldwell.
Bonnie Raitt and Little Feat was probably one of the best shows I ever saw. There was like nobody there. I was 6 ft away from the stage. Lowell George kicked butt,(RIP Lowell), somebody passed out standing up beside me. Bonnie sit on her monitor and sang, Freebo was on the bass- great show.
Led Zeppelin was a awesome show but I didn’t remember muc
Sly & the Family Stone was great. Sly had his Afro haircut strutting around. Great stuff
Jackson Brown Great show, played the piano a lot. Very good crowd, they did not get crazy and drown his audio out, very respectful
Eric Clapton with POCO as opening act was great. The back up singers were great also. Started with Layla and it just got better.
Not at the Civic Center but probably the second best show ever in Charleston was Stevie Ray Vaughn at the Municipal Auditorium. He was on his debut tour I think. Played a clear Stratocaster & absolutely smoked the show. There is no known tape of this either
Jethro Tull did Thick as a Brick, great show. How can anybody sleep through this show? My friend Jerry did -Amazing.
Mountain played here also I believe but I can’t remember if they were the opening band or the headliner.
Edgar Winter was a great show also, played Frankenstein etc.
Marshall Tucker also played as a headliner also, more than once always great even without Toy.
Charley Daniels did a great show. He stopped at the Cedar Top truck stop that used to be in Cedar Grove after the show - I drove by and saw his bus there.
Many more, let me remember & get back with you
January 22nd, 2009 at 5:06 pm
I think one of the most exciting things I ever witnessed was when I went to see “Purple Rain” in the theatres across from the “National Bank of Commererce” in downtown Charleston in 1984. Even though Prince’s band was not live the music was great. When the last number was played “Star”
people were dancing in the aisles in the theater.
It was the only time in my life that I saw people dancing in a movie theater like that!!!
Everytime I hear music from “Purple Rain” I think of that moment of my youth–there was so much energy in that theater that night and I will never forget it!!!!
January 23rd, 2009 at 9:39 am
Being a Grand Funk fan I remember going to ONA raceway park to see them. I think they were with a group called Red Rock. They were late, my date had to be in by 12 and I missed them. The best concert I never saw.
But they did return to the CCC later and it was great. I remember they had a sound of a locomotive piped in on the sound system at the beginning. It was deafening. My ears rang for 3 days.
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:04 pm
John and I have known each other for 30 years. I worked at the Hi-Fidelity Center in the 70’s and Budget was located beside us. To say we had some memorible moments would be an understatement.My recollection of great shows at the civic center would be Jethro Tull. The opening act came out on stage dressed in security jackets so we thought it was the roadies setting up.In an instant they took off their coats and started playing this great music including a cello.It was Gentle Giant.Jethro Tull continued later but it was a great show and fun was had by all.For some reason it all a blur but that was the way I remember it.I do recall a starnge odor in the civic center that night.
January 29th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
I remember Emerson, Lake,& Palmer at the CCC was a great concert. Black Sabbath, Foghat, ACDC, Jethro Tull, Mountain, The Allman Brothers, Styx The J.GeilsBand, Blue Oyster Cult, Ozark Mountain Daredevils,SuperTramp, Bob Seeger, Steppenwolf,REO Speedwagon, Ted Nugent, Lynyrd Skynyrd,The Doobie Brothers, Aerosmith,The Cars and many more also at the CCC. Plus in Huntington I saw YES on a revolving stage a fantastic concert.
April 8th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sarah
http://blanket.ws
April 15th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
JOHN SOLD ME MY FIRST ALBUM IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES AND IT WAS MOLLY HATCHET BEATIN’ THE ODDS AND I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL CUSTOMER EVER SINCE.JOHN IS A REAL SWEET PERSON.AND FRIEND.JOHN KNOWS WHAT KIND OF MUSIC YOU ARE INTO,AND TURNS YOU ON TO NEW MUSIC THAT HE THINKS YOU MIGHT LIKE,AND HE IS USUALLY RIGHT.THANK YOU JOHN FOR BEING THERE ALL OF THESE YEARS,AND MAKING US FEEL LIKE PART OF THE FAMILY WHEN WE COME INTO BUDGET.SEE YOU REAL SOON.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I remember the Doobie Brothers concert in 1974-75, at the Civic Center. It was so crowded. The PA system went out and the sound engineers couldn’t move around to fix it is was so crowded. The DBs played a few song with just the stage amps, but it sounded horrible. They finally quit vowing to return. They did, that was the concert in the Field House in Huntington. They sighted the earlier fiasco and played extra long to make up for it. It was great.
I also remember Rod Stewart in the Civic Center about that same time frame. He was so drunk he couldn’t stand up. He sang 3 songs, cursed the audience then left. Almost started a riot. Don’t like him to this day.