A Rock n' Roll Historian

Thursday, March 6, 2014

1964 Caravan of Stars Summer - Part Two

In the latter portion of the summer of 1964, Dick Clark lured former teen idol Fabian to MC a leg of the Caravan of Stars. Fabian, now 21, had retired from performing to focus on a movie career. He did interviews to promote the tour and MC'd each show but he did not sing. The line-up of this leg of the tour, covering 36 cities, was similar to the previous shows, headlining Gene Pitney. However, this time around the Coasters, the Kasuals, and George McCannon are dropped from the tour. Added to the talent were the Premiers, the Jelly Beans, Bobby Freeman and the Liverpools.

8/2/1964 Rosenblatt Stadium, Omaha, NE

Talent: Gene Pitney, Dixie Cups, Dean & Jean, Mike Clifford, Rip Chords, Brenda Holloway, Crystals, Brian Hyland, Major Lance, Premiers, Reflections, Round Robin, Jelly Beans, Shirelles, Supremes, George Buchanan, Bobby Freeman, Liverpool

8/5/1964 The Pit Club, Dallas, TX

Talent: Gene Pitney, Dixie Cups, Dean & Jean, Mike Clifford, Rip Chords, Brenda Holloway, Crystals, Brian Hyland, Major Lance, Premiers, Reflections, Round Robin, Jelly Beans, Shirelles, Supremes, George Buchanan, Bobby Freeman, Liverpools

8/7/1964 Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, TX

8/9/1964 Civic Auditorium, Albuquerque, NM

8/ /1964 Oakland, CA

8/12-13/1964 HIC Arena, Honolulu, HI

Talent: Gene Pitney, Paul Petersen, Major Lance, Brian Hyland, Dixie Cups, Mike Clifford, Coasters, Bobby Freeman, Rip Chords, Round Robin

8/17/1964 Paramount Theatre, Portland, OR

8/18/64 Coliseum, Spokane, WA

8/22/1964 Winnipeg Auditorium, Winnipeg, Canada

8/26/1964 City Auditorium, Sioux City, IA

8/28/64 Forum, Wichita, KS

8/29/1964 Memorial Hall, Kansas City, MO

8/31/1964 Coronado Theater, Rockford, IL

9/1/1964 RKO Orpheum Theater, Davenport, IA

9/2/1964 Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Des Moines, IA

9/3/1964 Orpheum Theatre, Madison, WI

9/4/1964 Brown County Arena, Green Bay, WI

9/7/1964 Convention Hall, Conneaut Lake Park, PA

Monday, March 3, 2014

Summer 1964 Caravan of Stars

The relatively off-the-beaten-track routings of Dick Clark's Caravans has made hunting down concert dates challenging. Clark would routinely use high school gyms, National Guard Armories, and State Fairs as venues and not always in large population centers as his bus of stars bounded across the country. But I continually run across a date here and there to fill in the holes. Today's listings are from the spring/summer of 1964 in a tour headlined by Gene Pitney.

6/26/1964 Allentown, PA

Talent: Gene Pitney, Dixie Cups, Dean & Jean, Mike Clifford, Rip Chords, Coasters, Brenda Holloway, Crystals, Brian Hyland, Kasuals, Major Lance, George McCannon, Reflections, Round Robin, Shirelles, Supremes

6/27/1964 Bushnell Auditorium, Hartford, CT

6/28/1964 RPI Fieldhouse, Troy, NY

6/28/1964 Pittsfield Boys Club, Pittsfield, MA

7/1/64 Victory Stadium, Roanoke, VA

Talent: Gene Pitney, Dixie Cups, Dean & Jean, Mike Clifford, Rip Chords, Crystals, Major Lance, Reflections, Round Robin, Shirelles, Supremes

7/1/64 The Palace, Old Orchard Beach, ME

7/2/64 Chuckey-Doak High School, Afton, TN

7/3/64 Masonic Temple, Scranton, PA

7/4/64 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ

7/8/1964 War Memorial Auditorium, Johnstown, PA

Talent: Gene Pitney, Mike Clifford, Jan & Dean, Coasters, Crystals, Dixie Cups, Brian Hyland, Brenda Holloway, Kasuals, Major Lance, Rip Chords, Reflections, Shirelles, Supremes, Round Robin, George McCannon

7/9/1964 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse, NY

7/10/64 Memorial Auditorium, Utica, NY

7/13/1964 Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA

Talent: Gene Pitney, Dixie Cups, Bobby Freeman, Supremes, Shirelles, Rip Chords, Major Lance, Mike Clifford, Round Robin, Reflections, Dean & Jean

7/15/1964 Raleigh Co. Fieldhouse, Beckley, WVA

7/16/64 Arena, Steubenville, OH

7/18/1964 Music Hall, Cincinnati, OH

Sunday, November 3, 2013

More Updates

This year has been quiet as I've been working on a number of projects, some of which will be talked about on this blog in due time. Here's an update on the Fall 1961 Caravan. I managed to confirm three shows on 10/1/1961 at the Mosque in Richmond, VA. Local press reported that Dick Clark was at this show.

The 12/1/1963 show in Richmond, VA was also held at the Mosque. That covers the Caravan of Stars updates that I have confirmed. Next up - 1964 Summer and Fall Caravans!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Additions to Caravan of Stars 1961

Today's post is confirmation on the Caravan of Stars' stop in Boston during the Fall 1961 tour.

October 12, 1961

Monday, June 4, 2012

Caravan of Stars Fall 1963 Tour

Today's post is the first complete listing of a Caravan of Stars tour I have. Recently confirmed by Myron Lee, whose band the Caddies provided backing for the non-group acts. The fall caravan had the misfortune of being scheduled to perform in Dallas on the very day of the assassination of President Kennedy.

11/8/1963 Armory, Teaneck, NJ