The initial show ever stored in the Coliseum, a few months pursuing the venue’s February 1964 starting, checked the Four Freshmen and also the Four Preps. (Which was, definitely, this new Greek Month let you know.) The Four Year did the initial Homecoming show indeed there from inside the Oct ’64 (my friend Mindy Moore Bacon recalls supposed, whether or not she was just inside junior high), and you can Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong lead their All-stars truth be told there to have a no cost inform you into the February 1965, accompanied about three weeks later by Johnny Mathis while the More youthful People in the us.
Karen showed up and you will spoke to some of the remaining audience and you will told me they had come while on the move and you may were fatigued
Because of grievances about the acoustics within earlier shows, brand new school earned Atlanta-based Baker Music (which had over The fresh new Beatles’ 1965 let you know from the Atlanta Stadium) to attempt to improve sound having Armstrong, but, surprisingly, there was not far they might carry out regarding the cavernous stadium.
I inquired someone I visited college or university with – although some who was born in Athens or visited UGA – to generally share a common performance thoughts about inform you. Below are a few of those thoughts:
My personal classmate Tom Hodgson said the fresh new Coliseum show he featured pass on very is Jerry Butler singing his strikes regarding “The brand new Freeze People Cometh,” in addition to “Only the Strong Endure.” Tom told you the guy remembers “Jerry, sporting a light match having a quartet out-of breathtaking feminine singing balance trailing. Really don’t think about whom my day are, but she need I was given that chill due to the fact Jerry Butler, and i also needless to say wanted she is as the hot as the people singers.”
While doing so, Sam Heys mentioned that “my personal favorite and more than lasting memories try the newest Jerry Butler Homecoming concert on October. 24, 1969, while the my blind date, Pat Finley, is still with me more a 1 / 2-century later.”
Betz Tillitski provides brilliant thoughts of that 1973 let you know by Allman Brothers, stating the interior of your own arena resembled a large bong. “We had resting while the lights dimmed and, boy, is actually I surprised to see these types of unusual flickers regarding light the across the lay. Such as for instance smoking cigarettes but the flame lived lighter prolonged. I didn’t understand I became enjoying bones getting illuminated. Not ever been close a combined before. People were passageway these up to. I was thinking I happened to be within Woodstock. I remember assured my personal moms and dads don’t smell they on my clothes whenever i got domestic.”
But, she said, “by far the most enjoyable show We went to you will find regarding the spring out of 1974, and i spotted the newest Coasters, This new Platters and also the Tams. Stood on to the floor in front of the phase dancing this new entire big date. Finished up into the an excellent guy’s arms viewing the amazing inform you.”
Up coming you to definitely uncommon however, nice smelling was almost everywhere
Not too the shows on Coliseum was in sexede asiatisk piger fact a achievement. Dan Pelletier recalls the night time Karen and Richard Carpenter “had been stinking within the joint while the audience booed, so Richard moved from the stage inside the a huff. I recall considering, ‘Ok, so are your likely to refund the money you were repaid to possess a performance you’re not providing?’ Zero refund was given.”
My late pal Rusty Gunn, which got a few of the pictures accompanying so it piece, said a couple of years right back you to definitely 1st reveal within the fresh Coliseum are when he was a good junior when you look at the high school, and he and many relatives got dates observe Nothing Stevie Ponder and the Temptations. (Helen Castronis remembers Inquire nonetheless try billed because the “Absolutely nothing Stevie” during the time, and this seemed like “he starred every means towards the stage.”)