Sunday, March 20, 2016

Biggest Show of Stars of 1957 Spring Edition




Promoter Irving Feld puts another compelling package out in the spring of 1957 headlined by Fats Domino.  This gathering of talent focuses on black performers in an attempt to avoid the problems encountered in 1956.  It didn't always work as the racial tensions remained in the south.  In addition, Fats Domino goes AWOL for some shows when it approaches his home in New Orleans and has to be forced back on the tour.  Booked for 45-dates, the tour is so successful that repeat dates are booked in several cities.
 



Talent: Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Lavern Baker, Bill Doggett, Clyde McPhatter, Five Keys, Ann Cole, Moonglows, Five Satins, Charlie Brown, Eddie Cooley & Dimples, Schoolboys, Paul Williams Orchestra

 


 
February 15, 1957 Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA
 
Two sell-out shows pull in a gross of $22,700.
 
February 16, 1957 Olympia, Detroit, MI
 
February 18, 1957 Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada
 
February 19, 1957 Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY
 
February 21, 1957 Indiana Theater, Indianapolis, IN
 
February 22, 1957 Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY
 
February 23, 1957 Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, MO
 
Both houses were sold out and the demand for tickets was so high that another show is booked in April.
 
February 24, 1957 Municipal Auditorium, Topeka, KS
 
February 25, 1957 Civic Auditorium Arena, Omaha, NE
 
February 27, 1957 Fairgrounds Coliseum, Salt Lake City, UT
 
March 3, 1957 Coliseum, Spokane, WA
 
One show at 7:30 p.m.

 
March 4, 1957 CPS Fieldhouse, Tacoma, WA
 
March 5, 1957 Memorial Auditorium, Portland, OR
 
March 7, 1957 Orpheum, Seattle, WA
 
March 8, 1957 Portland, OR
 
March 10, 1957 Auditorium, Oakland, CA
 
March 11, 1957 Civic Auditorium, San Jose, CA
 
March 13, 1957 Sports Arena, San Diego, CA
 
March 14, 1957 Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, CA
 
March 17, 1957 Sports Center, Tucson, AZ
 
Fats Domino is late for his performance and when he does finally show, he has laryngitis and is unable to sing.  Domino's manager takes him to the hospital where doctors order him to rest.
 
March 18, 1957 Coliseum, El Paso, TX
 
March 19, 1957 Armory, Albuquerque, NM
 
March 22, 1957 Heart of Texas Coliseum, Waco, TX
 
March 23, 1957 Memorial Coliseum, Corpus Christi, TX
 
March 24, 1957 Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, TX
 
March 25, 1957 Gregory Auditorium, Austin, TX
 
This appearance was cancelled.
 
March 25, 1957 Sportatorium, Dallas, TX
 
March 27, 1957 Little Rock, AR
 
Domino leaves the tour and flies home, still sick.  He promises to return the next night.
 
March 28, 1957 Ellis Auditorium, Memphis, TN
 
Two shows today - segregated audiences with whites in the afternoon and blacks in the evening.  5,134 shows up at the first show.  Fats Domino fails to show, claiming to still be sick.  With the news that Fats was not going to show, only 2,500 show up for the evening show.
 
March 29, 1957 Loyola Field House, Loyola University, Baton Rouge, LA
 
Fats Domino shows up tonight, but still complains that he isn't feeling well.  Howard Lewis, the promoter of the shows in the South decides to scare Fats with a gun but it backfires when Domino disappears again.
 
March 30, 1957 Mobile, AL
 
Fats Domino is again absent and Allan Bloom takes a plane to New Orleans and stakes out Domino's house.  Bloom corrals him going out and they head back to the airport.  Unfortunately, they miss their return flight and instead fly to Atlanta.
 
March 31, 1957 Atlanta, GA
 
April 4, 1957 Coliseum, Charlotte, NC
 
April 5, 1957 Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC
 
April 7, 1957 The Mosque, Richmond, VA
 
Two sell-out shows tonight leads to the promoter rebooking the package for May 5.  As they head out to Washington DC, a car carrying some of Fats Domino's band catches fire and is destroyed.  Luckily, injuries were minor.
 
April 9, 1957 Municipal Auditorium, Charleston, WVA
 
April 10, 1957 Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA
 
April 11, 1957 Onondaga County War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse, NY
 
April 13, 1957 Boston Garden, Boston, MA
 
April 14, 1957 Bushnell Auditorium, Hartford, CT
 
April 15, 1957 Mosque Theatre, Newark, NJ
 
April 16, 1957 Arena, New Haven, CT
 
April 18, 1957 Auditorium, Ottawa, Canada
 
April 19, 1957 Indiana Theatre, Indianapolis, IN
 
The package returns for a second date in Indianapolis.
 
April 20, 1957 Kiel Opera House, St. Louis, MO
 
A return to St. Louis as two shows are booked for 8:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
 
April 22, 1957 Roberts Stadium, Evansville, IN
 
April 24, 1957 Garden, Cincinnati, OH
 

April 27, 1957 CYC, Scranton, PA
 
April 28, 1957 Forum, Montreal, Canada
 
April 30, 1957 War Memorial Auditorium, Rochester, NY
 
May 5, 1957 Mosque, Richmond, VA
 
The package returns to Richmond for another two shows tonight.



 

 

 

4 comments:

  1. I wish there were more places like this, because it was simply too amazing for words. I came here with my boyfriend the other night, and it was absolutely fabulous. The use of wood throughout the venues in Los Angeles adds a very warm and inviting feel to venue.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just got one of these programs...original owner dated it Friday, April 12, 1957...Providence Auditorium.

    There's a new date for your fine blog entry...a day before they hit Boston.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have the poster for the March 4 show @ CPS Feildhouse in Tacoma. Would you like a copy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Calgary, Alberta, Canada
    March 1,1957
    Stampede Corral
    2 shows

    ReplyDelete