The initial performance actually held regarding Coliseum, a couple of months following venue’s March 1964 opening, looked the latest Four Freshmen and the Five Preps. (That has been, obviously, the fresh new Greek Month inform you.) New Four Year did the first Homecoming concert truth be told there in Oct ’64 (my friend Mindy Moore Bacon remembers heading, though she was only inside junior higher), and you can Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong introduced his All stars truth be told there for a totally free let you know when you look at the March 1965, implemented around three weeks later on from the Johnny Mathis and Young People in the us.
Wound-up to your a good guy’s arms seeing the incredible show
Because of problems regarding sound within earlier reveals, the college or university brought in Atlanta-centered Baker Music (which in fact had complete The fresh Beatles’ 1965 show from the Atlanta Stadium) to attempt to enhance the voice for Armstrong, but, the truth is, around wasn’t much they might perform regarding cavernous arena.
I inquired visitors We visited university which have – although some which grew up in Athens otherwise visited UGA – to fairly share their favorite concert thoughts about let you know. Check out of them memory:
My classmate Tom Hodgson said the latest Coliseum performance the guy featured pass towards extremely was Jerry Butler singing their hits regarding “This new Freeze People Cometh,” and “Just the Good Endure.” Tom said he recalls “Jerry, wearing a white match with a quartet out of beautiful female vocal balance trailing. I don’t think about just who my personal big date try, however, she need I happened to be once the cool since the Jerry Butler, and i obviously wanted she is while the hot as those people vocalists.”
On the other hand, Sam Heys mentioned that “my personal favorite and more than lasting recollections is this new Jerry Butler Homecoming show into October. 24, 1969, just like the my personal blind time, Pat Finley, is still beside me more than a half-century after.”
Betz Tillitski possess vivid thoughts of that 1973 show because of the Allman Brothers, saying the interior of stadium resembled an enormous bong. “I got resting and lights dimmed and you can, boy, is We stunned to see these unusual flickers from white the along side set. Particularly smoking cigarettes nevertheless flames resided better offered. I did not know I was seeing joints being lit up. Not ever been near a joint in advance of. People were passing all of them as much as. Then you to definitely uncommon but nice smell was almost everywhere. I imagined I became from the Woodstock. I remember assured my moms and dads failed to smelling it to my dresses once i got house.”
However,, she told you, “more enjoyable performance I attended there is certainly on the spring season from 1974, and that i noticed the new Coasters, New Platters while the Tams. Endured kone Latvisk on the ground prior to the phase dancing new entire time. ”
I recall thought, ‘Ok, so are your probably refund the money you’re reduced to possess a speeds you’re not providing?
Not too all of the shows at the Coliseum was a triumph. Dan Pelletier recalls the evening Karen and you may Richard Carpenter “had been stinking within the shared while the crowd booed, therefore Richard wandered off of the phase into the an excellent huff. Karen appeared and you may spoke for some of your remaining audience and said they’d been on the run and was indeed sick. ‘ Zero refund gotten.”
My later buddy Rusty Gunn, whom grabbed a few of the photos associated so it part, told me a few years right back you to definitely 1st let you know during the this new Coliseum is as he is actually a beneficial junior in the high-school, and then he and several family relations got times observe Little Stevie Question and Temptations. (Helen Castronis remembers Ponder nevertheless are billed given that “Nothing Stevie” at that time, and that it seemed like “he starred the appliance toward stage.”)