The first show ever before stored in the Coliseum, months pursuing the venue’s February 1964 opening, looked brand new Five Freshmen in addition to Four Preps. (That has been, however, the brand new Greek Times reveal.) The fresh new Four Year did the original Homecoming concert here inside Oct ’64 (my pal Mindy Moore Bacon recalls going, even if she was just inside the junior high), and you may Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong delivered his All-stars around to own a no cost let you know within the March 1965, then followed around three days later by the Johnny Mathis as well as the Young Americans.
Karen came out and spoke to a few of one’s leftover group and you will said that they had started on the road and was indeed exhausted
Because of grievances concerning the acoustics from the prior to reveals, the brand new university earned Atlanta-founded Baker Music (which had complete New Beatles’ 1965 let you know from the Atlanta Arena) to try to boost the voice having Armstrong, but, believe it or not, truth be told there was not much they could do concerning cavernous stadium.
I asked people We went to college having – while some who was born in Athens otherwise decided to go to UGA – to share with you their most favorite concert recollections regarding show. Check out ones memories:
My classmate Tom Hodgson said brand new Coliseum concert the guy looked send on the really is actually Jerry Butler singing his attacks off “The new Frost Man Cometh,” together with “Just the Solid Survive.” Tom told you the guy remembers Italienske amerikanske datingsider “Jerry, sporting a white suit that have a quartet away from gorgeous female vocal equilibrium behind. I don’t think about just who my day are, however, she need I was given that cool while the Jerry Butler, and i of course wanted she is actually because hot while the those people vocalists.”
Simultaneously, Sam Heys mentioned that “the best and most long-lasting memories are brand new Jerry Butler Homecoming performance towards the Oct. 24, 1969, just like the my personal blind big date, Tap Finley, remains with me more than an one half-century later.”
Betz Tillitski enjoys vibrant recollections of these 1973 tell you of the Allman Brothers, claiming the inside of your stadium resembled an enormous bong. “I had seated and the bulbs dimmed and you may, boy, are I surprised to see this type of strange flickers regarding white all of the over the lay. For example smokes but the fire resided brighter extended. I did not understand I was seeing bones being illuminated. Not ever been close a shared before. Individuals were passage every one of them around. I imagined I found myself at the Woodstock. From the assured my personal parents failed to smelling they back at my attire when i had family.”
But, she said, “by far the most fun performance I went to there is from the springtime out-of 1974, and i also saw the fresh new Coasters, This new Platters therefore the Tams. Stood on the ground in front of the stage dance brand new entire day. Ended up on the good guy’s arms seeing the amazing let you know.”
Up coming you to strange but sweet smelling is every where
Not that all reveals from the Coliseum was in fact an effective profits. Dan Pelletier remembers the night Karen and you can Richard Carpenter “was indeed stinking in the shared therefore the audience booed, very Richard stepped off of the stage inside a huff. I recall thought, ‘Okay, so are your likely to refund the bucks you used to be repaid to possess a rate you’re not providing?’ Zero refund got.”
My later friend Rusty Gunn, just who took some of the images associated this section, explained many years straight back one to his first show at the brand new Coliseum is actually when he is a great junior inside senior school, and then he and several nearest and dearest got dates to see Nothing Stevie Ponder while the Temptations. (Helen Castronis remembers Question still is charged because the “Little Stevie” during the time, and that it appeared like “he starred every means on phase.”)