Biggest Show of Stars of 1959 Spring Edition

The year starts off well as Irvin Feld reports that advance sales of this edition were at a level not seen since 1957.  The economic downturn was history and ticket sales were strong.  Feld put together a solid lineup of talent. Bobby Hendricks made his solo debut after leaving the Drifters on this tour.

 

Talent: Clyde McPhatter, Frankie Lymon, Lavern Baker, Lloyd Price, The Coasters, The Crests, Little Anthony & Imperials, Bo Diddley, The Chantrels, Wade Flemons, Bobby Hendricks, Clay Tyson

 

March 28, 1959 New York City, NY

 

March 29, 1959 The Mosque, Richmond, VA

 

March 30, 1959 Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC

 

March 31, 1959 Norfolk, VA

 

April 1, 1959 Memorial, Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC

One show at 9:00 p.m.

 

April 2, 1959 Municipal Auditorium, Greenville, NC

 

The package sets a new record with 6,019 in attendance for a $15,270 take.

 

April 3, 1959 State Fair Arena, Raleigh, NC

 

April 4, 1959 Augusta, GA

 

April 4, 1959 Columbia Auditorium, Columbia, SC

 

April 5, 1959 Birmingham, AL

 

April 7, 1959 Sulpher Dell, Nashville, TN

One show at 8:00 p.m.

 

April 10, 1959 Auditorium, Little Rock, AR

 

April 13, 1959 Sportatorium, Dallas, TX

 

April 15, 1959 Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, TX

 

April 16, 1959 Municipal Coliseum, Lubbock, TX

One show at 8:30 p.m.   4,000 teens attend the show.  The reviewer for the Lubbock Morning Avalanche complained that while the teens were relatively polite, the sound system "turned the program into one of the loudest and most incoherent show of its type yet seen in the Coliseum."

April 17, 1959  Municipal Auditorium, Oklahoma City, OK

One show at 8:30 p.m.

 

April 19, 1959 Kiel Opera House, St. Louis, MO

 

One show at 7:30 p.m.

 

April 20, 1959 Indiana Theater, Indianapolis, IN

Two shows at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.

 

April 21, 1959 Gardens, Cincinnati, OH

 

One show at 8:00 p.m.

 

April 22, 1959 Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA

 

Two shows at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.

April 23, 1959 Memorial Auditorium, Canton, OH

One show at 8:30 p.m.

 

April 25, 1959 Sports Arena, Toledo, OH

One show at 8:00 p.m.

Biggest Show of Stars of 1958 - Fall Edition

Irving Feld books Buddy Holly and the Crickets to headline his Fall edition of the Biggest Show of Stars in 1958.   A modest 17-date tour was outlined for the Eastern U.S. and Canada. The tour rehearsed on October 2 in New York City before heading for Worcester to open the tour the following day.   Buddy and the Crickets sign for $9,900 for the tour. Tragically, four months later Buddy Holly would be killed in a plane crash with Richie Valens and The Big Bopper while on another package tour.

Talent: Buddy Holly & Crickets, Clyde McPhatter, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Darin, The Coasters, The Elegants, The Olympics, Dion & Belmonts, Bobby Freeman, The Danleers, Jimmy Clanton, Jack Scott, Little Anthony & Imperials, Sil Austin Orchestra

 

October 3, 1958 Auditorium, Worcester, MA

 

October 4, 1958 Arcadia Ballroom, Providence, RI

 

A show at the State Theater, Hartford, CT is cancelled and the Providence date replaced it.

October 4, 1958 State Theater, Hartford, CT

 

October 5, 1958 Forum, Montreal, Canada

 

October 6, 1958 Memorial Centre, Petersborough, Canada

 

October 7, 1958 Memorial Auditorium, Kitchener, Canada

 

October 8, 1958 Sports Arena, Toledo, OH

One show at 8:00 p.m.

 

October 9, 1958 Indiana Theater, Indianapolis, IN

 

October 10, 1958 State Fair Coliseum, Louisville, KY

 

One show at 8:30 p.m.

October 11, 1958 Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium, Columbus, OH

 

October 12, 1958 Stanbaugh Auditorium, Youngstown, OH

 

October 13, 1958 Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA

Two shows at 7:30 and 10:00 p.m.

October 14, 1958 Akron Armory, Akron, OH

 

Two shows at 7:30 and 10:00 p.m.

October 15, 1958 War Memorial Auditorium, Rochester, NY

 

The show draws only 2,500 fans leading the staff of the venue to cut bookings for rock and roll shows in the future.

October 16, 1958 Catholic Youth Center, Scranton, PA

 

October 17, 1958 Municipal Auditorium, Norfolk, VA

 

October 18, 1958 Park Center, Charlotte, NC

 

October 19, 1958 The Mosque, Richmond, VA

 

 

Biggest Show of Stars 1958 - Spring Edition

After another successful year, Irvin Feld finds the field crowded this year.  DJ Alan Freed put together a package called the Big Beat Show to run head to head against this tour.  Universal Attractions, who booked a large stable of black acts, put together the Rhythm and Blues Cavalcade of '58 to tour.  And Dick Clark announced plans for a package tour for later in the year.  A battle for prime venues in key cities and talent took place in an atmosphere of an economic downturn.   Then on May 6 in Boston a riot broke out during Alan Freed's Big Beat Show leading to the cancellation of the remainder of that package.  The R&B Cavalcade had also ground to a halt with only the Biggest Show of Stars completing its itinerary. 

 

 

Talent: Sam Cooke, Paul Anka, The Everly Brothers, Clyde McPhatter, Frankie Avalon, Lavern Baker, Jackie Wilson, The Royal Teens, George Hamilton IV, The Silhouettes, The Crescendos, Storey Sisters, The Monotones, The Playmates, Huey Smith & the Clowns, Jimmy Dell, Bobby Marchan

 

April 5, 1958 Norfolk, VA

 

The Spring tour opens in Norfolk after several days of rehearsals in New York City. 

 

April 6, 1958 The Mosque, Richmond, VA

 

Two Easter Sunday shows at 7 and 10 p.m.

 

April 11, 1958  Sports Arena, Hershey, PA

 

April 12, 1958 Philadelphia, PA

 

A disappointing crowd of less than 1,000 show up tonight.

 

April 13, 1958 Arena, New Haven, CT

 

April 14, 1958 Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA

 

April 17, 1958 War Memorial Auditorium, Rochester, NY

 

April 18, 1958 Auditorium, Ottawa, Canada

 

A modest crowd of 1,500 attend tonight's show highlighting Paul Anka's return to his hometown.  Five youths in leather jackets were thrown out of the show for throwing things onto the stage.

 

April 19, 1958 Sports Arena, Hershey, PA

 

April 22, 1958 Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY

 

April 23, 1958 Warner Theatre, Erie, PA

 

Two shows scheduled at 7 and 9 p.m.

 

April 24, 1958 Sports Arena, Toledo, OH

 

April 26, 1958 Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY

 

May 1, 1958  Indiana Theatre, Indianapolis, IN

 

May 2, 1958 Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, MO

 

May 3, 1958 Civic Opera House, Chicago, IL

 

May 4, 1958 Auditorium, St. Paul, MN

 

A matinee performance of the package.

 

May 4, 1958 Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN

 

An evening show.

 

May 5, 1958 Civic Auditorium, Lewiston, ME

 

May 8, 1958 Arena, Saskatoon, Canada

 

May 12, 1958 Orpheum Theater, Seattle, WA

 

The show is booked for three performances at 4:00 and 7:00 and 9:30 p.m.

 

May 14, 1958 Paramount Theatre, Portland, OR

 

May 17, 1958 Memorial Coliseum, Corpus Christi, TX

 

May 18, 1958 Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, TX

 

May 20, 1958 Municipal Auditorium, Oklahoma City, OK

 

May 24, 1958 Music Hall, Civic Auditorium, Omaha, NE

 

Two shows booked at 7 and 9 p.m.

 

May 29, 1958 Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC

 

 

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.