", Jerry Tavin/Photo courtesy of Everett Collection, From mcarter3: "Uhh. Where's Jimi Hendrix's concert at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa in 1969? The Quad show was FREE! George Cumuze, RN, Case Manager 4150 Carmichael Court Montgomery, AL 36106 334-270-2274. show . They would buy so many tickets in advance, we didn't have to worry about whether they were going to come or not.". His current band, The Soul Crackas, does many of the same soul hits the Rockin Gibraltar performed. ", From estevev: "Of the ones I attended, the most memorable ones were -- Ike and Tina Turner Review, Plush Horse, (1974? And not just the concerts, but the whole experience building up to it. "Bill" Brennan, one of the owners of The Big Bam, Montgomery's renowned 50,000-watt radio station. Kenny Rogers and the First Edition. I was blown away. Many regulars from the Kove days brought their grown children and will likely do so again. So I went out and introduced Bobby Edwards, and he sang songs, and I came back about half an hour later, and I said, 'Now, here's Bobby Edwards!' So it was a deliberate attempt to identify with people, and to recognize that they were requesting these songs. We would skip class and work setting up the stages for free admission and backstage passes. Anybody else remember seeing Joplin in Tuscaloosa? "Marty Robbins came up to me, and he looked so sad," Brennan recalls. "(Listeners) would tell us what they liked and didn't like. "Times have changed so," said a wistful Peek, the Shower of Stars devotee. In fact, it's safe to say that music shows producedby the Brennans, focusing on rock 'n' roll, Top 40 pop and country, defined the concert experience for an entire generation of fans in those cities. View the Full Page. For this little kid from Wetumpka, that was a big, big deal, he said. 100 feet later someone offered us tickets at face value. ", All three Brennan brothers were ambitious businessmen who worked as a team. I told someone to lower the seat, and when I sat down, it went all the way to the bottom, he said, chuckling. The Show That Almost Happened "And that made a big difference, because people didn't have the opportunity to turn on the TV set and see these artists, after they'd been buying their records. She remembers her father's words with startling clarity, along with the thrill she experiencedwhile sitting in the front row. Mountain 1971," said Billy Bromberg. Read reviews from world's largest community for readers. ", From cj75: "Grateful Dead, 5/17/77 in Tuscaloosa. Saturday, April 8, 1967 Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, AL Blues Magoos Brian Hyland Lou Christie The Buckinghams The Casinos The Electric Prunes The Royal Guardsmen The Turtles "Excuse me---did I miss the ROLLING STONES STEEL WHEELS TOUR??????????????????" Moody also got to do his share of transporting stars, taking them to the Diplomat Inn, owned by Bill Brennan, older brother of Cyril and Dan and a partner in WBAM and WAPE. We didn't make any money.". But it was one of many concerts organized by the Brennans, as they sought to cement listeners' loyalty to WVOK in Birmingham, WBAM-AM in Montgomery and WAPE in Jacksonville. I always got seats on the floor for the shows. ", From ghostreader: "Springsteen, mobile civic center theater may 1976. So we had another beer. Wed ask them, Who would you like to see? Then wed select artists for the shows from this listener input.. People would come night after night, said Lander, who owns Bama Lanes in Montgomery and Prattville. Big BAM Shows of the late 1960s and early 1970s featured all the biggest artists of the day, including Paul Revere and the Raiders, Lou Christie, Iron Butterfly, The Carpenters, The Monkees (as a group and individually), Tommy Joyce and Bobby Heart, The Grass Roots, and many more. ', "We went over there and asked Roy, and he said, 'No, we're not going to do that. Cyril Brennan, who received a Top Program Director award from Billboard Magazine, is retired and lives in Pike Road. Canned Heat. Shop Now Several members still play in other bands for private parties, or solo at local restaurants, and on June 9, several members of Harmony plan a reunion show at the Blue Iguana in Prattville. He must have played an hour and 20 minutes or more. We'll have to ask him. The band has undergone several incarnations. Originally licensed in 1953 as WBAM, the station broadcast contemporary and country music before turning to sports talk under the WMSP callsign in 1995. The most entertaining act? As Brennan recalls it, the Beach Boys were paid $7,500 for their performance, and the Rolling Stones received $5,000. The Brennan Brothers were radio broadcast innovators of the 1950s and 60s, when they owned and operated powerhouse stations in Jacksonville, Chattanooga, and . Whitwam, now in his 47th year playing music, is pleased with the makeup of their current audiences. The Four Seasons. He kicked it off with (what else?) Although he admits to anoccasional pang of longing, looking back on his previouscareer, Brennan is far from retired. I've got to change clothes and everything.' Gate Band Though theyve had other jobs over the years, neither Jones nor Beavers have stopped playing music. WBAM signed on in 1953 as AM 740. For an 18-year-old to take home a pillowsack full of dollars, that was quite a heady time.. I play music half the time, the other half Im a toilet salesman, Jones said, which means hes in wholesale plumbing with Thompson Supply Co. More on the Grateful Dead's 1995 shows in Birmingham, from AL.com's "Lost Stories" series. Neither Tommy Shaw nor Beth Nielsen Chapman will be on hand due to their schedules. I was very happy with doing the work I did. In the 1950s and '60s, Montgomery, Alabama, was ground zero for many of the major events central to the civil rights movement in this country. We mostly had a lot of fun., They were especially known for their James Brown-style revue, with Grier wearing a cape much like the Godfather of Soul used while singing Please, Please, Please., The group got a break in 1968 when a Hollywood producer spotted them at the Big BAM show, and wanted to sign them to a recording contract. The WVOK Shower of Stars was a series of concerts sponsored by WVOK-AM at the Birmingham Armory and later at Birmingham's Municipal Auditorium.Program director Dan Brennan organized the shows, which gained national notice.. Concerts. Each episode had a specific theme, mission, or challenge which was accomplished by performing pranks, skateboarding, and enlisting the help of . That way I could see the stars and hear the music better. When Peter Noone left Hermans Hermits in 1971, Hermits drummer Barry Whitwam keep going, and today continues to lead his own Hermans Hermits band (as does Noone performing as Hermans Hermits starring Peter Noone). "It was quite a thing.". April 8, 1967: State Coliseum, Montgomery, AL with Electric Prunes, Buckinghams, Lou Christie, Brian Hyland and The Jokers, Tommy James and The Shondells, Royal Guardsmen, The Blues Magoos, The Casinos and others "WBAM presents Big Bam All-Star Spring Show" April 14, 1967: University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA with Freudian Slip blues show montgomery, al 2021. guildford school of acting auditions; gilroy google font alternative; cuisinart steamer insert; Blog Post Title February 26, 2018. Formed: 1966, Tallassee. Grier continued to sing with trios and orchestras, performing at wedding receptions and private parties. former wcti reporters; winter village montreal; western new england university greek life; 1980 camaro z28 for sale in canada. 1984 at the BJCC. (It was free.) Its effortless., Even after all these years, agreed Jones. The following year 13 acts played in WVOKs Shower of Stars show at Legion Field in Birmingham. snapchat chat bitmoji peeking. "His 'side' men was the entire Little Feat rhythm section. The Righteous Brothers. "Little Feat at Boutwell mid 70s. Viva La Bam is an American reality television series that stars Bam Margera and his friends and family. "I don't have any regrets," hesays. They actually were already signed to join, when Peace Concerts booked the January 31, 1975 show. Dan Brennan, center, backstage at the Shower of Stars with with Paul Revere & the Raiders. ", From GmanGent: "Alice Cooper Von Braun in 1974's Welcome to my Nightmare Tourone of the most successful tours financially up until that time. "The level of excitement was unbelievable," Bartoletti says. I think he could call his own shots.". In 1964 the Brennans Jacksonville, Florida station, WAPE, hosted the Beatles in concert at the Gator Bowl (see sidebar below). These are just a few of the acts presentedby the Brennans during the 1950s, '60s and early '70s. But he's sure the introduction was brief, wasting no time as Beatlemania raged. The audience was huge, sold out, 10,000 or more. The early concert didn't begin until it was time for the second one, but it was worth the wait. Rare Earth. The last Big BAM show was headlined by B.J. "Ringo said, 'I'm not getting up there unless you build me a bannister around this thing.' Beavers has played drums for various bands, including Doc Severinson, Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett, winning a Grammy Award for Best Performance by Duo or Group in 1994 while a member of Asleep at the Wheel. Im content where Im at, said Beavers, except I could lose about 80 pounds.. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC. I dont feel like well have any problem (remembering their songs). Its a good bet theyll play some Steely Dan, Crosby, Stills & Nash, a favorite, Sweet Magnolia, and Bill Hinds rendition of Joe Walshs Rocky Mountain Way.. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. He wanted us to sign a management contract with him, but we were still under contract with Marshall and . Only concert I have ever been to where they had tee shirts for the guitarist in the band along with the band's shirts. It is amazing to think that was 41 years ago. Several others mentioned seeing the Rolling Stones in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. Tickets were priced at$1.50-$5.50 per show, Brennan says, and artists' fees usually ran about $300-$7,500 per act. Readers of AL.com have plenty of ideas. Its amazing the life we got to live.. With no sound checks between acts, group would run on stage and begin playing almost immediately. Keith Richards was almost electrocuted when his guitar grounded on a mic. He said, 'We're going to put both of them on.' "I felt that I was lucky to be able to have the kind of job I had," Brennan says. Montgomery's home for country music favorites like Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert . go to da moon copy and paste. Brennanleft the radio business for good in 1982. That's how we put together our shows. Its better than not being remembered at all.. It was important to us.". "We never had a flop," Brennan says, "but we had some shows that were a little bit bigger than others. Alicia McLeod - Vocals. In the 1960's WVOK, in Birmingham Alabama, would have the top bands play at one huge concert. A recent Skype video call to his U.K. home found Whitwam fondly remembering the Hermits Big BAM Show performances. At the time, Sonny was interested Cher's friend, not her. Lead in groups were the James Gang with Joe Walsh, and a group that got booed called Frampton's Camel before Peter Frampton hit it big. His family owned WBAM in Montgomery, and WVOK in Birmingham, both 50,000 watt clear channels stations back in the day. Props. In the 1950s and '60s, Montgomery, Alabama, was ground zero for many of the major events central to the civil rights movement in this country. By the time we got to the steps of the BJCC a guy had a shoebox full of tickets that he was trying to sell for a buck each. Now sales manager for a Dothan radio station, Moody fondly remembers working as a teenager at a 1959 WBAM concert featuring singer Connie Francis. Bobby Goldsboro was having a nice run of hits in the mid-'60s when suddenly, with the release of a song called "Honey" in 1968, he became a major star. In most cases, the concertswere multi-act affairs, featuring the hottest names the radio stations could secure. Brennan, now 86, introduced the Beatles at the Gator Bowlin Jacksonville, Fla., when the Fab Four played there on Sept. 11, 1964. They changed their name to Heart before eventually folding. How many people have been able to say this at a concert, facing a roaring crowd? We put on a heck of a show, said Grier. Iron Butterfly. There are still a lot of local bands out there, said Sonny Grier, lead singer with the Rockin Gibraltars. He founded his own company, Brennan Video Productions, in 1982and he continues to work there, transferring VHS tapes, old films and other retro footage to DVDs. Submit a request Contact us through a specially prepared form. Men. "Eight Days a Week -- The Touring Years. All rights reserved (About Us). After the Beatles press conference, where the Fab Four were munching on potato chips, Diane Brennan, daughter of Cyril and Louise, grabbed the partially consumed shards in fear that her sister Donnie would eat them. A story by Ben Flanagan of AL.com, looking back at concerts at the coliseum, also mentions Joplin. Welcome to my Nightmare in Huntsville Von Braun 1975 and KISS in 1976 at Von Braun. "I always had an idea about saving memories for people, and using the media that was becoming available, and that's what led me into this.". Music you could dance to Fees for the other acts were in the $300-$400 range, he says. Four dates per year were standard -- in winter, spring, summer and fall -- and total attendance topped out at 15,000 people for each three-show stint in Birmingham. They played at YMCAs, American Legion halls, private parties, and dances all over south Alabama, Panama City, Savannah, and Greenville, Miss. Oh, and some guy named David on slide. "Lynyrd Skynyrd, after Montrose featuring Sammy Hagar July 4th, 1975 at Rickwood Field," said Bamabadger62. Best Review Site for Digital Cameras. Otherwise . They didn't come to hear me; they came to hear the Rolling Stones.'". Rock 'n' roll had just started, and you were right in the middle of it.". The Big Bam shows in Montgomery were on my list," said Jack Boles. The original investors in the company were William J. WVOK used Legion Field as a test case that spring, Brennan says, to see if the Shower of Stars could work at Birmingham's largest venue. And if we hadn't had (Hurricane Dora), we would have made a lot of money. It wasnt concerts where you played and 500 people sat down and listened to you. I don't know, I guess people got to trust us. Dan Brennan had the honor of introducing the Beatles. By nature, talent and inclination, Brennanwasentirely suited to the family business; thousands of fans knew his voice and remembered his name. ", From Eric Pendergrass: "Grateful Dead BJCC April 4,5 1995.". The Big BAM Shows. The station is locally owned and operated by Bluewater Broadcasting Company, LLC. They agreed to do it, but they were on one end of it, and the Beach Boys were on the other end of it. The Lovin' Spoonful. The Louvin Brothers. We were waiting at the Holiday Inn, in the bar at the hotel having a beer. [2] Originally licensed in 1953 as WBAM, the station broadcast contemporary and country music before turning to sports talk under the WMSP callsign in 1995. Patsy Cline. Flintstone House. "I'm so. "Probably the most famous and beloved would be Buckingham Nicks at Boutwell in January of 1975. Moody remembers Roy Orbison being one of the nicer, more polite performers, and the Grass Roots, Paul Revere and Buckinghams being easy to work with. Music lovers would line up at each venue, some arriving hours in advance, then rush inside to secure their favorite general-admission seats. "Best concert I caught in this state was at Memorial Coliseum in Tuscaloosa in 1978 Lowell George and Little Feat. Tommy James, of Tommy James and the Shondells, describing his appearance at the WBAM and WVOK Summer Shows in 1966 (from Me, the Mob and the Music). Johnny Carson wanted him on The Tonight Show.Music fans were clamoring for the single and album that featured this emotion-filled song about a man in love with his wife, who planted a . by Lenore Reese Vickrey: photos by the Brennan Family, Lenore Vickrey, As the arena began to fill up, you could hear the noise of the crowd from backstage. They have reformed several times with different members, playing for Lee High School reunions. It was a hold out because they had missed a previous show in May of 1974. The Huntsville Times file photo/Michael Proffitt. Find the answers to any question. Clapton! Brother Cyril Brennan, 84, was alternately chief engineer, manager, program director and music director at WBAM and also involved in lining up talent. And they accepted it, but we did get the total amount of the gate that came in. "There was a little office backstage, and I remember seeing my father and uncles back there with a security guard," Bartoletti says. Go to the Archives Still, for radio listeners who tuned into WVOK back in the day, Brennan will always be Dan the Music Man. "I think the story about Buckingham Nicks is pretty interesting. "What's that Frank Sinatra song? If you were a teenager anywhere near Montgomery in the mid-60s and early 70s, the concert scene didnt get any better than the fanfests known as the Big BAM shows. ), "I remember we used to have people come out to our station on the Bessemer Superhighway," Brennan says, "and they would tell us that our transmitter -- we had a 50-kilowatt transmitter, and it was pretty close to their homes -- and they said, 'Well, I'm picking you up on my coffeepot.'". The Alabama band was the organizer and centerpiece, raising money for charity. Top (l-r), Keith Brewer, Ed Sanford and Sonny Grier. Packed house for a 1960s Big BAM Show at Garrett Coliseum. Were a dance band.. ", "I'm also inclined to mention 1982 at Boutwell when the Blizzard of Ozz played; Randy Rhoades' third to last appearance before his tragic death," said GmanGent. They were a staple at dances for years, packing National Guard armories, gymnasiums, and teen clubs from Montgomery to Opp and Troy, and college campuses at Tuscaloosa, Auburn and Ole Miss. Dan Brennan at the mic introducing the Beatles at their Gator Bowl appearance in Jacksonville, Florida. Elvis Presley. Peter (Asher) and Gordon (Waller), Big BAM Show. The eruption from the crowd was louder than expected but the lights were so blinding, we could not see the audience. In one fell swoop, he was in hot demand. The rock band played several times at the Shower of Stars and appeared at one of the last few shows in the concert series, in July 1972. But it never happened. Any of the Yes shows in Birmingham! Thats not to say Montgomery area favorite bands cant be seen any more. We were the opening act and it was the biggest crowd we had ever played before, nearly 30,000 people. There was a little jealousy there.". 6 places sorted by traveler favorites Clear all filters 1. The Rolling Stones. "Tuscaloosa Memorial Coliseum 1972," said Randy Palmer. The primary reason for the shows was to keep a personal relationship with the listeners, said Dan Brennan, 81, former general manager at WVOK. The station's studios are . "Elviswas an opening act," Brennan says. "Bill" Brennan, Billy Benns (Jr.) and Mrs. Luella B. Aldridge. This was the last concert they did before going back to LA and joining the band Fleetwood Mac. Dan'sbrother, Cyril Brennan, who lived in Montgomery, held several titles during his tenure at WBAM: chief engineer, station manager and program director among them. George Harrison is behind Dan on the left, John Lennon on the right. 0. blues show montgomery, al 2021. Ask anyone who was there. Performers would play to more than 10,000 at Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery Friday night (for Tommy James in 1967 it just seemed like 30,000), then pack-up and play three shows in Birmingham on Saturday. "I remember the Rolling Stones came up to me, and they said, 'You don't really expect us to get into the same RV that the Beach Boys are in, do you?' Shop Patio & Garden, including exclusive patio furniture from brands like Broyhill. "Cyril's idea was, 'Tell them to sing, just a little bit, and make sure that we get the right one.' The other name band on the show was the Allman Brothers, they had just released their first album. You can either do that, or you will not have a place to change. The bands would come in cars -- just plain old cars -- and they'd get their guitars out and walk past you. The other was Municipal Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a show had been set for September 15 th. That was a lot of money. ", From bamamaam: "What about the lynyrd skynyrd concert at rickwood field in the '70's.? [Montgomery native and fellow Robert E. Lee graduate Tommy Shaw came back from Chicago to join the group, staying six months until getting a call to join Styx, who needed a replacement for a guitarist whod left as they were about to go on tour. . From Sell it to the tourists: "I saw an amazing Harry Chapin show at the BJCC Concert Hall in around 1978? But Brennandoes have many stories to share -- about preventing a fistfight between two starswho wanted theclosing spot in Birmingham, or example, or puzzling over two entertainerswho showed up in Montgomery, both claiming to be country singer Bobby Edwards.