The 3rd Annual Ohio University Music Festival at the Convo (April 27th & 28th 1973)

Who was there to watch/listen to:

Blood Sweat & Tears
The Eagles
Billy Preston
Joe Walsh
Dr. Hook
JoJo Gunne
MC Dirty
Jonathan Edwards AND
Bruce Springsteen?

What do you remember? Were other campuses bringing in talent like this for concerts/festivals?

WOW what a line-up!

I saw Santana in the last few year for reasonable money. As great as ever.

But today's college kids don't know who that is. They are busy listening to crappola like Poo Shiesty and Zed Zilla. A real shame.

Not here for this incredible show, but, unless Bruce was here twice, I did see Springsteen in Mem. Aud in the 70's.

Did anybody else see an opening act at Mem Aud called Clover around 1976 or '77?

Their singer was a guy named Huey Lewis that went on to sell a few records. Their guitarist joined the Doobie Brothers and has been with them for many decades.

I thought Clover sounded pretty good for a new group without their name on the tickets.

Queen's Brian May is pretty darned good.

Not true. There isn't any more going on the Convo now than n the 80s and 90s when we had lots of concerts. Peden is a possible venue too.

Nice to read about some behind the scenes! Thanks for adding.

I think there are longer and more individualized practices today that occupy a lot of time in the Convo.

Sweaty's as John and Jeff upstairs called it?

Was Buzzy Linhart playing? Or Secret Hotcakes?

Think about it - a concert for the region or an out of season "practice." Take it to Ping or on the outdoor courts.

One of my older brothers saw Bruce and ESB in Mem Aud during his freshman year at Ohio (April 1, 1976). My first Springsteen show was 3 years later. Seeing him tonight in Detroit after missing him in Columbus 3 weeks ago due to postponement.

From a Springsteen concert database:

01 Thunder road
02 She's the one
03 Born to run
04 Backstreets
05 Jungleland
06 Rosalita (Come out tonight)
07 Detroit Medley

Notes:
Partial setlist. Held in the school’s Memorial Auditorium. There was non-reserved seating for this show, which caused mayhem leading up to the venue opening its doors. The partial setlist above is from the confident recollection of BRUCEBASE reader Daniel, who further comments: "The concert was scheduled for around 7pm….folks started lining up outside at about 4:30pm. By 7pm I'd estimate there were over a thousand people outside and the doors were still shut. At about 7:10 there was commotion up front and I remember seeing one of the doors get literally torn from the hinges - and these were big, heavy wood doors! The next minutes were a blur, seeing one girl getting pushed into the glass marque-poster cases, seeing another girl who fainted getting passed overhead…the mad rush to get a good seat”. BRUCEBASE reader Bob, who also attended, comments: “Suddenly the doors opened and we were pushed in so I raced to the front and got two seats. I remember the show was a little too loud in the front row, but it was amazing. The night before the show Springsteen went to my favourite bar (Swanky's) and hung out. I didn't go that night. I saw his picture in the paper the next morning standing where I usually went to drink”.

You can put to rest your anxieties over the youth of Newark. The district is on break this week. But we're back in school next week which will make for a late night and early morning if I end up going up to Cleveland to see the band.


The following is about the show in 1973 from the same database:

06 Growin' up

Notes:
Festival appearance with Blood, Sweat and Tears, the Eagles and Billy Preston. A fairly impressive 9-artist roster with Bruce and the band receiving near bottom billing. They play early on the first day of this 2-day festival held indoors at the school's Convocation Center. The Eagles co-headline. Eagle Don Henley has commented on this show: "I'd first heard about Springsteen from Jackson (Browne), who raved about him. Then we ended up on the same bill as Bruce at a festival out in Ohio. So I sort of wandered in alone and checked out his set. He was just a warm-up act at that this show. After watching him I remember thinking to myself that this was a guy that wasn't gonna be warming up the crowd for us - or for anybody - for very long". The setlist is unknown, but a fan who was present said : "I was at the show April 27th, 1973 at Ohio University in Athens, Oh. I was going to school there, and my resident assistant at the dorm was on the concert board. He was telling me about who all was going to be on the bill for the festival, and I said that I had never heard of Bruce Springsteen. He told me that Bruce was going to be something big, and he gave me a copy of the "Greetings from Asbury Park" album so that I could listen to it. I was blown away. I went to the concert looking forward to hearing tunes from the album, and seeing what this new guy was all about. People in the audience were asking "Who is this guy?". By the time Bruce's set was over, they were converted fans. I don't remember many of the songs from that night, but I do remember "Growin' Up", and I also recall Bruce jumping up onto the piano and singing. What energy! The show was excellent. I have been a big fan ever since". Thanks Larry.

Brit Floyd is playing in Columbus soon. Awesome show they do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIASDcm49B8