Saturday, August 18, 2018

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.

Saturday, April 28, 2018

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
 
 

Friday, November 10, 2017

UPDATE - British Invasion Revisited 1984


Here's an update of the 1984 20th Anniversary of British Rock Tour

Back again with another British Invasion reunion tour of America.  This tour took place a decade after Richard Nader’s watershed tour in 1973.  Billed as the “20th Anniversary of British Rock,” this tour featured Gerry Marsden, Billy J. Kramer, Herman’s Hermits, the Troggs, and Badfinger featuring Joey Molland.  Organized by Talent Consultants International, Executive Producers: Empire Communications, Inc., NYC, NY -- Ray Reneri and Marvin Mann.  This version of Herman’s Hermits contained only Lek Leckenby and Barry Witwam of the original band along with Garth Elliott and Paul Farnell.   This tour booked the package into more modest venues and definitely did not hit all the major markets.




 



Billy J. Kramer, Gerry Marsden and Joey Molland in Washington DC


July 4, 1984

Boston, MA

 
August 1, 1984

Baltimore, MD

 
This show was cancelled
 
August 2, 1984

Hilton Hotel Ballroom, Washington, DC

 
August 3, 1984
North Forty Club, Ithica, NY

August 4, 1984

Rio Theatre, Valley Stream, NY
 
August 5, 1984

Lupos Heartbreak Hotel, Providence, RI

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
August 7, 1984

Club Casino, Hampton Beach, NH

 

August 9, 1984

Birch Hill Swim Club, Old Bridge, NJ
 


 
TV crews from all three major networks plus MTV are at the show to film and interview the bands.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Billy J. Kramer at Old Hill.

 
August 10, 1984

Lanierland Music Park, Cummings, GA

 




August 11, 1984

Aqua Theater, Greensboro, NC

 

August 14, 1984

Auditorium, West Palm Beach, FL

 

A preliminary date in Fort Lauderdale, FL was cancelled

 

August 16, 1984

London Victory Club, Tampa, FL

 

August 18, 1984

Celebrity’s, Lafayette, LA

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
August 21, 1984

Civic Center, Peoria, IL

 


 
 
 
 
 
 
August 21-22, 1984
Picadilly, Indianapolis, IN

August 23, 1984

Park West, Chicago, IL
 

August 25, 1984

Veteran’s Memorial Hall, Columbus, OH
 
 
August 26, 1984
Downtown Festival Tent, Rochester, NY
 
 
 
August 29, 1984
Memorial Gardens, Sault Ste. Marie, Canada

 
 
August 30, 1984
Fort William Gardens, Thunder Bay, Canada
 
A sparse crowd of 829 attend this show.
 
 
September 3, 1984
Music Tower, Playland, Rye, NY

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
September 4, 1984

Bottom Line, New York City, NY