I was working for Bill Lacy's ad agency that summer of 1969 and Rod Kennedy was a client of ours. We produced the promo materials for the concert at Palmer that featured Blood Sweat and Tears, BB King, etc. Thanks to our connections, I had two great seats. A friend fixed me up with a really cute date. Two things I remember -- one of the BS&T mics got lost or they claimed, stolen, and an angry roadie got on a hot mic and vented his frustrations. They finally fixed things and the concert went on. Also, from my vantage point, I could see into the stage left wing. While BB King was playing, I could see Hugh Masekela standing there offstage, rocking out and smiling ear to ear. Funny how some snippets of time stay with you.
The Rock Festival at Clark Field on 9/12/70 was the first open use of free floating weed smoking I remember on campus. EVERYONE appeared to be openly smoking and walking around with joints in their mouths and puffing away…and to their credit…the campus cops were totally cool about it. I don’t recall any harassment or arrests.
Totally peaceful scene with several thousand students spread out on blankets covering Clark Field and grooving to the Allman Brothers and Leon and Co.,etc. Attendees could walk along the open perimeter pathway to the foot of the stage which was right in front of Billy Goat Hill. Nobody crowded the area and if you wanted to stroll within ten feet of Duane Allman in all his glory…you could…same with Leon. The most harmonious concert I ever attended.
The 1966 Longhorn Jazz Festival was an eye opener for me in my last year in high school. Stan Getz with a young Gary Burton was certainly an eye opener to see live after hearing Getz Gilberto in 1963. Was not Brazil 66 not also on the bill?
Saw Lightning Hopkins and Cleveland (Clifton's cousin?) Chenier at the 12th door often There was also a harmonica player too that Hopkins would routinely fire by the second set when Hopkins was so inebriated he could not sit on his stool any more. But he could still play his blues.
so many great musicians Austin has had over the many decades to attain the rightful moniker “the live music capital of the World” and I think you reported Springstein saying something similar when he introduced SBSW one year and Austin’s many many bands
Thanks, I saw that right after I sent out the newsletter, which is not the time to do proofreading. My eyes have been off for a couple months, but I just got my post-cataracts glasses yesterday and everything's almost too clear.
Oh, and for perspective, almost no national touring acts came to Austin back then. The exception was the Beach Boys who always brought another act with them to perform between sets. Herman'Hermits (Peter Noone), Chad and Jeremy and The Loving Spoonful (John Sebastian) were some I remember. Hendrix played San Antonio but never Austin. Most national acts hit Dallas and Houston and called that Texas.
I was working for Bill Lacy's ad agency that summer of 1969 and Rod Kennedy was a client of ours. We produced the promo materials for the concert at Palmer that featured Blood Sweat and Tears, BB King, etc. Thanks to our connections, I had two great seats. A friend fixed me up with a really cute date. Two things I remember -- one of the BS&T mics got lost or they claimed, stolen, and an angry roadie got on a hot mic and vented his frustrations. They finally fixed things and the concert went on. Also, from my vantage point, I could see into the stage left wing. While BB King was playing, I could see Hugh Masekela standing there offstage, rocking out and smiling ear to ear. Funny how some snippets of time stay with you.
The Rock Festival at Clark Field on 9/12/70 was the first open use of free floating weed smoking I remember on campus. EVERYONE appeared to be openly smoking and walking around with joints in their mouths and puffing away…and to their credit…the campus cops were totally cool about it. I don’t recall any harassment or arrests.
Totally peaceful scene with several thousand students spread out on blankets covering Clark Field and grooving to the Allman Brothers and Leon and Co.,etc. Attendees could walk along the open perimeter pathway to the foot of the stage which was right in front of Billy Goat Hill. Nobody crowded the area and if you wanted to stroll within ten feet of Duane Allman in all his glory…you could…same with Leon. The most harmonious concert I ever attended.
I regret never seeing Hopkins live . Good story and some real history there.
The 1966 Longhorn Jazz Festival was an eye opener for me in my last year in high school. Stan Getz with a young Gary Burton was certainly an eye opener to see live after hearing Getz Gilberto in 1963. Was not Brazil 66 not also on the bill?
Saw Lightning Hopkins and Cleveland (Clifton's cousin?) Chenier at the 12th door often There was also a harmonica player too that Hopkins would routinely fire by the second set when Hopkins was so inebriated he could not sit on his stool any more. But he could still play his blues.
Billy Bizor was the harmonica player when Lightnin' played 10 straight nights at the 11th Door.
Hey, thank you for that one . I probably saw one of those nights. I saw a New Year's Eve gig Lightning performed there.
Of course Billy Bizor a ki ways came back, but I think he was shocked at his treatment. Maybe it was an act or just ingrained behavior.
so many great musicians Austin has had over the many decades to attain the rightful moniker “the live music capital of the World” and I think you reported Springstein saying something similar when he introduced SBSW one year and Austin’s many many bands
Thank you! Good read.
Robert Flack headlined the 5th and final LJF? Was that Roberta's brother ;)
Thanks, I saw that right after I sent out the newsletter, which is not the time to do proofreading. My eyes have been off for a couple months, but I just got my post-cataracts glasses yesterday and everything's almost too clear.
Oh, and for perspective, almost no national touring acts came to Austin back then. The exception was the Beach Boys who always brought another act with them to perform between sets. Herman'Hermits (Peter Noone), Chad and Jeremy and The Loving Spoonful (John Sebastian) were some I remember. Hendrix played San Antonio but never Austin. Most national acts hit Dallas and Houston and called that Texas.