The first show ever before stored regarding the Coliseum, a few months adopting the venue’s February 1964 opening, checked new Five Freshmen together with Five Preps. (Which was, obviously, the new Greek Day tell you.) The fresh new Four Season performed the original Homecoming performance there when you look at the October ’64 (my buddy Mindy Moore Bacon recalls supposed, regardless of if she was only inside the junior highest), and Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong brought their All stars truth be told there to own a totally free tell you in February 1965, observed around three months later on because of the Johnny Mathis while the Young Us citizens.
Karen appeared and you may spoke to a few of your kept group and you can informed me they’d already been on the road and was in fact exhausted
Due to issues regarding the music during the earlier reveals, the fresh new college or university brought in Atlanta-based Baker Musical (which in fact had complete New Beatles’ 1965 inform you in the Atlanta Stadium) to try and improve the sound to own Armstrong, however,, the truth is, truth be told there was not much they could do regarding cavernous arena.
I asked folk We went to college having – while others exactly who was born in Athens or went to UGA – to fairly share a common concert memory throughout the reveal. Here are some of those memories:
My classmate Tom Hodgson told you this new Coliseum show the guy looked give on extremely are Jerry Butler singing his hits away from “New Frost People Cometh,” and “Just the Strong Survive.” Tom told you he recalls “Jerry, using a light match having good quartet out of breathtaking women vocal equilibrium trailing. Really don’t consider exactly who my big date is actually, however, she desired I became because cool because the Jerry Butler, and i needless to say need she is since hot while the those people singers.”
Concurrently, Sam Heys mentioned that “my favorite and more than long-lasting thoughts is the fresh new Jerry Butler Homecoming show on the October. 24, 1969, while the my blind big date, Tap Finley, has been beside me more than an one half-century after.”
Betz Tillitski has actually stunning recollections of that 1973 inform you because of the Allman Brothers, stating the within of your stadium resembled a large bong. “We had sitting while the lights dimmed and you may, boy, was I surprised observe such strange flickers from white every along the put. Such cigarettes nevertheless the flames stayed brighter extended. I did not discover I became enjoying joints being illuminated. Never been near a mutual before. Citizens were passing them all around. I was thinking I was in the Woodstock. From the assured my personal moms and dads didn’t smelling they on my gowns whenever i got house.”
However,, she told you, “by far the most fun concert We attended there is about springtime of 1974, and i also spotted the newest Coasters, Brand new Platters and also the Tams. Stood on to the ground in front of the stage dance this new whole date. Ended up toward an excellent man’s shoulders watching the incredible show.”
Up coming that strange however, sweet smelling is every-where
Not that every suggests in the Coliseum have been a great achievement. Dan Pelletier recalls the evening Karen and you will Richard Carpenter “was in fact stinking up the mutual and the crowd booed, thus Richard moved off the stage during the a great huff. I recall convinced, ‘Okay, so might be your gonna reimburse the bucks you’re reduced having a speeds you are not providing?’ Zero refund was given.”
My personal late friend Rusty Gunn, just who grabbed a number of the pictures associated this bit, said many years right back you to definitely 1st reveal at the latest Coliseum is as he are an effective junior in the senior school, and he and several friends took times to see Absolutely nothing Stevie https://brightwomen.net/da/ecuadorianske-kvinder/ Question and Temptations. (Helen Castronis remembers Question nevertheless is actually billed given that “Little Stevie” at that time, and this appeared like “the guy played all the instrument towards phase.”)