Stephanie Anderson Obituary, Articles B

The Big Bam shows in Montgomery were on my list," said Jack Boles. Other notable former personalities included Bill J. Moody, Paul Simpkins, Mark Robbins, Gene Hocutt and Joe Cook. the tall man aboriginal spirit; metadata api request failed: component conversion failed: file_ended; caleb foote sandlot No one came down to buy scalped tickets at the price everyone thought they were going to have to pay.. hehehehe .", From Mark Keppler: "Eagles 1977 Hotel California Tour Civic Center. He was lead singer of the Rockin Gibraltars, formed in 1965 by a group of students at Lee High School. We enjoyed all the years we spent in radio, said Dan Brennan, who now owns a video production company in Birmingham. Hank Williams was another frequent live on-air performer. It was everything. A buddy and I went down hoping for a miracle and some guy offered us two tickets for $10 bucks each which we gladly paid. Can you believe it? The Troggs. But theres not a whole lot of money because theres no place for them to play. There were a lot of fun people.. Where else could you scream your head off while watching a dozen live acts play the hit songs you listened to on your transistor radio for the whopping ticket price of $2.50? Elton John played three different years and drew over 40,000 total. Any of the Yes shows in Birmingham! Which concerts will go down in history at Alabama music venues? For this little kid from Wetumpka, that was a big, big deal, he said. The group recorded a few songs at Muscle Shoals FAME Studios, played around the Los Angeles area with big name bands like Vanilla Fudge and Three Dog Night, and once opened for Jimi Hendrix. Respi Mee Sup Sabahiiat. (It was free.) Cyril's wife Louise would make us outfits for the Shower of Stars, and we'd have on these big bell bottoms. They would buy so many tickets in advance, we didn't have to worry about whether they were going to come or not.". Alabama Shakespeare Festival 192 Theaters By Questovia Attended the production of Macbeth in this stunning theater and enjoyed every moment of it. The Big BAM was WBAM, the 50,000-watt AM radio station owned by the Brennan family, whose other Alabama station was Birminghams WVOK. ", From dassani: "I was there Could not have been better! You can either do that, or you will not have a place to change. Later acts included the Beach Boys, the Animals, the Dave Clark Five, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Tommy James and the Shondells and the perennial Montgomery favorite, Lou Christie. He would tear up the piano, Moody said, We couldnt find anyone to provide a piano, but he would put on a show. WBAM Big Bam Shows 7,142 views Nov 21, 2010 One of the big hit singers of the 60's and 70's working on a bit with me for a TV show..a little behind the scenes..Bobby is involved with art. "That was before he became very big. Its amazing the life we got to live.. ", From REDSEA: "While I was going to UNA back in 81, I worked on the Stage Crew on these concerts at UNA: Atlanta Rhythm Section (pictured), Jimmy Buffett, Tom Petty, Hotel, Crystal Gale. "Rolling Stones, October 5, 1989, Legion Field," said Emily A. Show Duplicate for Mar 22, 2013: Mar 08, 2013 Justin Moore: Garrett Coliseum: ", From bhamboost: "Parliament Funkadelic Mothership Connection 1976. Wed go all over, even the Old Dutch in Panama City.. "It was quite a thing.". That radio station had its concerts, too, dubbedJet-Fli Spectaculars, at the Soldiers &Sailors Memorial Auditorium. Consumate pranksters, duo Jan and Dean walk across the stage carrying a ladder to the surprise of Paul Revere and the Raiders' lead singer Mark Lindsey. In 1964 the Brennans Jacksonville, Florida station, WAPE, hosted the Beatles in concert at the Gator Bowl (see sidebar below). Id never seen anybody get an audience so excited, Dan Brennan remembered. I said, 'Elvis, I'm sorry, but we can't accommodate you, because it is his show.' In Birmingham, we know of only one man who's had the honor: Dan Brennan, a former radio host, station manager, concert promoter and prime moverat WVOK-AM. HOW COME PAUL GODDARD PUSHES HIS GLASSES UP THE BRIDGE OF HIS NOSE? Brennanleft the radio business for good in 1982. We made $100, remembers Grier. 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. Two years later WBAM went country and the station was later sold. Vocalist in Salem, Alabama 1,320 views on fandalism. WBAM signed on in 1953 as AM 740. Hisconcertseries rocked their worlds and shaped their music tastes, in tandem with WVOK. The other name band on the show was the Allman Brothers, they had just released their first album. This doesn't even scratch the surface! The 8:30 p.m. show -- which happened in the windy aftermath of Hurricane Dora-- came courtesy of WAPE-AM, a radio station owned by the Brennan family. We didn't make any money.". Carl Perkins. "We're big on memories," Brennan says. Several others mentioned seeing the Rolling Stones in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. "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.". Clapton! ", "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. Of all the concerts I've been to in my lifetime, this one was the most memorable. The Fabulous Shades "What's that Frank Sinatra song? The Rockin' Rebellions entered the big VOX (sound equipment) sponsored "WVOK Battle of the Bands" contest held at the Boutwell Auditorium in downtown Birmingham on May 20, 1967. . I remember some of them telling us they came to every show that whole year.". "Marty Robbins came up to me, and he looked so sad," Brennan recalls. The Animals. 2. Things changed a little bit after that. We would skip class and work setting up the stages for free admission and backstage passes. Roy Orbison. THE PROMOTIONAL POSTER OF THE WBAM, BIG BAM WINTER SPECTACULAR, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1967! From au92536: "June Jam in Fort Payne - I know it's country BUT. So many great City Stages performances: Chuck Berry (backed my some of Birmingham's finest), James Brown, Johnny Cash (right after Randy Newman! Dan Brennan recalls the reaction from performers. "I felt that I was lucky to be able to have the kind of job I had," Brennan says. A story by Ben Flanagan of AL.com, looking back at concerts at the coliseum, also mentions Joplin. ", From estevev: "Of the ones I attended, the most memorable ones were -- Ike and Tina Turner Review, Plush Horse, (1974? If possible, the Brennans liked to present the same lineup of artists in all three cities over a single weekend, offering three shows in Birmingham for the Shower of Stars, one in Montgomery for the Big BAM and one in Jacksonville for the Big APE. As Brennan recalls it, the Beach Boys were paid $7,500 for their performance, and the Rolling Stones received $5,000. "There was a little office backstage, and I remember seeing my father and uncles back there with a security guard," Bartoletti says. ", Looking back on it, Brennan realizes that bringing the Beatles to the Gator Bowl was a milestone event -- one firmly enshrined in Beatles lore and noted by Ron Howard in his 2016 documentary, "Eight Days a Week -- The Touring Years." I told Jimbo we should all come in with walkers, laughed Beavers. 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. Local garage bands (they practiced in their parents garages or living rooms) were found in almost every town in the United States in the mid-to late 60s, and the Montgomery area was no exception. 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. Tickets were priced at$1.50-$5.50 per show, Brennan says, and artists' fees usually ran about $300-$7,500 per act. The largest universities in Montgomery, AL are Auburn University at Montgomery (975 degrees awarded in 2020), Faulkner University (844 degrees), and Alabama State University (712 degrees). He never asked forautographs. The most popular group, both Brennan brothers agree, was Hermans Hermits (see sidebar below). If possible, the Brennans liked to present the same lineup of artists in all three cities over a single weekend, offering three shows in Birmingham for the Shower of Stars, one in Montgomery. big bam shows montgomery, alabamasmart search field in safari. ", "Rolling Stones in Auburn '69," said James Robert Chambless. There are still a lot of local bands out there, said Sonny Grier, lead singer with the Rockin Gibraltars. Ticket prices were $2 for shows in the early 1960s, gradually increasing to a top price of $5.50, a pittance by todays standards. The only multiple-act show in the country similar to what the Brennans offered were those produced by Dick Clark. All rights reserved (About Us). Joni Mitchell at Tuscaloosa 1975 would be third," said jarobertson. The other was Municipal Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a show had been set for September 15 th. Ticket prices were never more expensive than $4.00. But it never happened. In the spring of 1968, we played the Big Bam Spring show in Montgomery and were seen by a producer from Hollywood named Bob Hinkle. Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park 52 Theaters Parks By Meowy "Ringo had a riser above the stage, and of course this is all outdoors, and the winds were blowing up to 70 miles an hour," Brennan says. From what we can tell, she appeared there in 1970, but the story mentions Dec. 3, 1970, as the date of her show. George Howell, who as George the D.J. co-hosted Hubcap Classics, was a big fan of the BAM shows beginning in the 9th grade. ", From Steve Wayne: "Guns N' Roses at the Birmingham Race Course. By today's standards, his solution to the latter problemseems charmingly old-school. Go to the Archives Hes been in a few movies, raced sports cars and been inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Yet there was also a gentler side of the city that is rarely revealed within the pages of history texts. Members: Original members John Key, David Headley and Bob Corley plus David Langford, Mike Mobley, Larry Hughes, Bobby Johnson and Rick Roper. If you were a teenager in south-central Alabama in the 1960s, chances are you danced the jerk, flirted with that cute boy, or made out in the corner of the high school gym to the music of a live band of local erstwhile musicians. Tommy James & Ed Sullivan. Brennan's memories of the showsare less starry-eyed and more businesslike, as befitsthe man who booked the acts, paid the bills and tallied the proceeds. ", "This is so subjective and there are way too many to pick from. blues show montgomery, al 2021. guildford school of acting auditions; gilroy google font alternative; cuisinart steamer insert; Blog Post Title February 26, 2018. Cyril Brennan, who received a Top Program Director award from Billboard Magazine, is retired and lives in Pike Road. (L-R) Bob Corley, David Headley, Cary Green, Jeffery Johnson, Bob Pike, John Key. ", From cj75: "Grateful Dead, 5/17/77 in Tuscaloosa. 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. Lowell George in his prime," says Bingothatwuzagoody. Readers shared fond memories of June Jam, the annual music festival that ran 1982-1997. The Big BAM was WBAM, the 50,000-watt AM radio station owned by the Brennan family, whose other Alabama station was Birmingham's WVOK. The Beach Boys were fresh-faced headliners that night, riding high on the success of hits such as "I Get Around," "Surfer Girl," "Surfin' U.S.A,""Help Me, Rhonda" and "California Girls." Mountain 1971," said Billy Bromberg. Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys were the headliners that evening, and the billincluded Kitty Wells, Johnnie and Jack, Fred Wamble, Jack Turner and Buddy Hawk. We had a fabulous time.. "Cyril's idea was, 'Tell them to sing, just a little bit, and make sure that we get the right one.' Yes, the Beatles' performance was "a really big show," as Ed Sullivan wouldhave said. He was a very special guy. "Big Church Night Out" / Newsboys / Sidewalk Prophets / 7eventh Time Down / Blanca / Derek Minor / Brock Gill / Jeremy Willet . The Carpenters. "We gave everybody who came a free rain parka. That was a lot of money. 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. "Bill" Brennan, one of the owners of The Big Bam, Montgomery's renowned 50,000-watt radio station. WBAM Big Bam Shows Remembered 3,983 views Aug 25, 2013 A real commercial from the 60's with announcer Bill J Moody .Exciting times as a teen.growing up in Montgomery. Big BAM shows, Montgomery Several readers made fond mention of multi-act shows presented by WBAM-AM, a sister station to Birmingham's WVOK-AM, during the 1960s and early '70s. 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. $14 million dollar house maine; (His moniker on the air: Dan the Music Man. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). A real commercial from the 60's with announcer Bill J Moody .Exciting times as a teen.growing up in Montgomery. "Ringo said, 'I'm not getting up there unless you build me a bannister around this thing.' The venue? The Alabama band was the organizer and centerpiece, raising money for charity. A recent Skype video call to his U.K. home found Whitwam fondly remembering the Hermits Big BAM Show performances. "It was cold outside, show was to begin at 6 but began at 9; coeds from T-town waited for 2nd show which was to begin at 9 but began at about 2 next morning, had to get permission to stay in those days and freeze outside at Auburn University Coliseum. Roy Orbis. So we had to delay the start of the show about 15 minutes or so while the carpenters came out and put these rails together. Ticket prices were never more expensive than $4.00. ", From UABMBA: "One of the greatest concerts in Alabama was The Rolling Stones with Chuck Berry at Auburn Memorial Coliseum, November 14, 1969. Notable TV and Radio personality Jimmy Carter (from Montgomery, Alabama) has assembled a few videos featuring some photos, jingles, and air checks of WBAM in its heyday. ", From Eric Pendergrass: "Grateful Dead BJCC April 4,5 1995.". ", From rtrmark: "Alice Cooper. It will be the first time theyve have been together since a reunion benefit at a local club in 2007. "Rickwood Field, late 70's. Deep South was incorporated in late July of 1950 with a capitalization of $60,000.