40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Pretty self-explanatory
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bronxapostle
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40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by bronxapostle »

April 1, 1979
April 1, 1979
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You see, so the story goes like this: MOST appearances at this FANTASTIC nyc music club were 2 shows nightly. I think 8 and 11:30. Dumb luck, i had POCO tickets for the late show that night of the 31st. With Elvis and Attractions the night before in Jersey, it was already a great weekend. But, then came the stellar news that EC would do THREE shows on April Fools. NO tix would be sold, but only given away thru a WNEWFM mail in contest if my memory serves. I DID NOT WIN!!! However, as a semi regular by then at the Bottom Line, i knew of their SRO sale of about 20 or so tickets nightly to sold out shows. With my POCO late show of Saturday night ending about 1:30 or so, i went home for a short night sleep. Pretty certain i was back down and parked by 10 a.m. for the 9 o'clock ATTRACTIONS show, prayerful to get in. The Rubinoos began their opening set AND ONLY THEN, did they start selling the SRO tickets!! Sure enough, my date and i were the LAST TWO to get into the show via this limited sale as the Rubinoos were doing their last four songs!! Sadly, i should have about 24 great Elvis pics wearing his infamous checkerboard blazer, but midway thru the set, Elvis' goon squad came and had me unwind my Argus and hand over the 35 mm roll of film. Oh well, win some and lose some. Mick Jagger was at this show too. A great nyc night. Imagine...seeing both Poco and Elvis Costello in two headline shows on the same calendar date of April 1, 1979 at the same great venue.
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sulky lad
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by sulky lad »

Brilliant story, BA, how great to be there on this most famous of nights - at least your camera wasn't smashed on the spot and your fingers crushed - all sorts of stories abound about the press gang tactics towards the end of the Armed Funk tour. Classic story of that mad period in Elvis' career. If only someone would do an audio retrospective celebrating 40 years :wink:
ice nine
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by ice nine »

Why is the Elvis ticket $7.50 and Poco only $6.50?
It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think that you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt
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bronxapostle
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by bronxapostle »

ice nine wrote:Why is the Elvis ticket $7.50 and Poco only $6.50?
:D :D Wait till you see my additional photo coming soon!!!

Okay ice....look what i saw 3 days later, AND THE PRICE!
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sulky lad
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by sulky lad »

What a succession of acts to see, BA !!
now, be honest, which act stirred you up the most ? :wink:
I saw them at the Hope And Anchor in 1978 but left early - not sure if I had to catch a bus or whether I was disappointed - it certainly didn't stay long in my memory.
bronxapostle
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by bronxapostle »

sulky lad wrote:What a succession of acts to see, BA !!
now, be honest, which act stirred you up the most ? :wink:
I saw them at the Hope And Anchor in 1978 but left early - not sure if I had to catch a bus or whether I was disappointed - it certainly didn't stay long in my memory.
Of course, as an equally rambunctious 19 year old to the Attractions verve, THEY WERE MY TOPS THAT WEEK and many more thereafter. I did dig THE COPS this night however. Also very emotive and yearning for a bigger stage. They had only the first great lp....they even had to repeat a song at encore time due to insufficient catalog. That night noone disturbed me and my camera. I think I was SRO that show too. I must find a good photo or two to share for the anniversary. Stay tuned 2 more weeks for the next great act i saw at the venue in April 1979 Sulky my friend. :D
bronxapostle
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by bronxapostle »

As i promised to share a photo, here is my favorite of the night. Sadly, my photos have aged poorly over the FORTY YEARS. Too bad i was not systematic to keep safe the negatives. Many tell me they would look much better made anew from them.

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emotional_fascism076
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by emotional_fascism076 »

I always enjoy hearing these stories and seeing pics from this period. Is there any more to the smashed camera crushed fingers story?
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bronxapostle
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by bronxapostle »

emotional_fascism076 wrote:I always enjoy hearing these stories and seeing pics from this period. Is there any more to the smashed camera crushed fingers story?
Well, only that upon exiting i got screwed again by missing out on the WEDNESDAY WEEK 45 giveaway. I had a dear Aunt Antonette (the Italian spelling!), who stepped to the plate for her beloved 19 year old nephew, and wouldn't you know, a short month or two later, in the mail, royal post from U.K. Radar Records came my two 7" 45s. So that about wraps my April 1st saga. But, what the heck....now that i know how to share photos here, i will try to keep you all amused with a few more photos of my fantastic 1979 concert going with camera. Glad you enjoy e_f my friend.
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by sulky lad »

Great story, BA,. Back in 1979, there was a rush on the freebie Wednesday Week/ Talking In the Dark single in London and I couldn't afford the going rate on my £220 a term student loan so I came home in the summer, went to a record fair in the Guildhall in Plymouth and picked it up for about 50p ( about 9 cents in modern values !!) The chap selling it was really grumpy and said new wave music wouldn't last very long and we'd all come crawling back to genesis and Led Zeppelin :roll:
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by bronxapostle »

Okay then, to fully share my 1979 concert going that i did reasonably well to capture upon film, i must go back to a couple that i missed sharing. First up, March 16, 1979 at NYU....the great PETER TOSH with a supreme band featuring SLY & ROBBIE and the guitarist extraordinaire MIKEY CHUNG. Non stop puffing the whole show while juggling microphone, spliff and lighter were a sight to see. But, seriously, one of the BEST sets of music i EVER did see LIVE.
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bronxapostle
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by bronxapostle »

Been trying to add photos from 4/20/1979 of Joe Jackson at the Bottom Line and having NO SUCCESS. It keeps displaying FILE TOO LARGE. HELP DOC....
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by docinwestchester »

bronxapostle wrote:Been trying to add photos from 4/20/1979 of Joe Jackson at the Bottom Line and having NO SUCCESS. It keeps displaying FILE TOO LARGE. HELP DOC....
Image

Image

Image
Harry Lime
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by Harry Lime »

Look at that skinny fellow!

These pictures are great--thanks for sharing!
Who put these fingerprints on my imagination?
sulky lad
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by sulky lad »

Joe looks like Gary Numan sans eye shadow :shock: Great close ups, BA!
bronxapostle
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by bronxapostle »

Thank you doc for getting these resized to fit AND to all who enjoyed seeing them. As 1979 was such a monster year in my camera/concert going, i will continue it here unless implored to stop. Sorry my two ARMED FUNK TOUR shows were taken away. I WAS THISCLOSE both times too :twisted: :twisted: .... AND SORRY that i am not a blogger. so please, READ AND SEE ME HERE instead. :D :D :D WITH SOME GREAT DOC ASSISTANCE.
emotional_fascism076
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by emotional_fascism076 »

Those photos of Joe are great. Thank you for sharing them. What a year that was for music.
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krm
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by krm »

bronxapostle wrote:Thank you doc for getting these resized to fit AND to all who enjoyed seeing them. As 1979 was such a monster year in my camera/concert going, i will continue it here unless implored to stop. Sorry my two ARMED FUNK TOUR shows were taken away. I WAS THISCLOSE both times too :twisted: :twisted: .... AND SORRY that i am not a blogger. so please, READ AND SEE ME HERE instead. :D :D :D WITH SOME GREAT DOC ASSISTANCE.
Thanks for sharing ba
sulky lad
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by sulky lad »

I can understand ( and almost agree with) the principle of taking away someone's recording equipment at concerts, particularly in Elvis' case when new, unrecorded and possibly un-copyrighted material might end up in circulation but I'm not so sure why photographs taken by fans on small "instamatic-type" cameras should ever pose a threat to artists integrity.I know Elvis suffered from a photo of him and Bebe in Hyde Park taken by a fan and ending up in one of the National music paper and that's understandable but to ban photos from a concert seems a little harder to understand. I'm sure there are less people interested in a snapshot from a gig at that time than in a recording with an unreleased or rarely heard song. Thank heavens a few hardy folk DID persevere and we've had so many decent recordings from that time. Glad it was a good year for you BA and thanks very much for these unique images. :)
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by verbal gymnastics »

There were a few times when I had a small Kodak Instamatic camera and Elvis deliberately posed for me.

One particular instance was when he came to the front of the stage (I was front row) at the Royal Albert Hall for a Confederates show in January 1987.

I'd have to dig out photos from the Royalty Theatre in 1986 (which are not great but has a picture of Elvis trying to calm down a fight which had broken out) and the Confederates show (which are good). Then I need to find someone to upload them...

I could take them to the next meet up (which reminds me. :wink: )
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bronxapostle
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by bronxapostle »

40 years tonight...left to right: Ronnie, Mac, Keith and Stanley: THE NEW BARBARIANS. i LOVED Ron solo lps and got to see much this great night. :D :D Best i could do at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. Still a fun click i think.
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by bronxapostle »

40 years ago this minute, SQUEEZING OUT SPARKS tour at the Copacabana NYC, A VERY HARD TICKET to get: Graham Parker and the Rumour. My pal Doc will help with photo attachment.
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by docinwestchester »

bronxapostle wrote:40 years ago this minute, SQUEEZING OUT SPARKS tour at the Copacabana NYC, A VERY HARD TICKET to get: Graham Parker and the Rumour. My pal Doc will help with photo attachment.
Image
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Re: 40 years ago today, April 1, 1979 my story

Post by FAVEHOUR »

Saw this show May 12th in DC, 2nd row center. One of the best ever.
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