The date is Jan 27, 1973, the venue is the East Tenn. State Univ. Memorial Gymnasium, in Johnson City Tenn. - price $3.50, reserved, which broke loose when Eric rode the cycle onto the stage!

As far as I know - this was a replacement gig for the cancelled 23 Sept 1972 Kingsport Tenn date.

That was the first time I saw the guys, and it still ranks as one of the best shows ever in my concert history.

I can scan the stub for verification if you would like.

• "WABX/RAM Radio Broadcast"

February saw the release of "Tyranny and Mutation" but I don't know the actual official release date. Anybody know?

I do know, however, that it was released after the above Detroit Rooster Tail gig as they menton it's imminent release in their onstage chat.

This date is confirmed by the motorcitymusicarchives.com website.

Image courtesy of tickets.gogomag.com - it's thanks to them I know about this gig!! Cheers!

I think this a concert I went to. I don't remember much except that it was daytime concert, outside (at a speedway?) and I believe that Ritchie Havens was in the lineup. I do know that a riot of some sort broke out pretty close to us so we left before we got caught up in it.

If this is not that particular concert, I know it was within a year or so. If you could send me any information, I would appreciate it.

• George Geranios first gig...

Well, I know Deep Purple were headlining this short series of Florida gigs but other than BOC, I don't know who else was on this particular bill (looking at the next two, probably Billy Preston and Savoy Brown for starters)...

If anybody knows for sure, please let me know.

OK, I was at this show... have some photos...

Billy Preston cancelled,, replaced by ZZ TOP ( No beards then).. also on bill were BOC, Family, Savoy Brown, and of course, Deep Purple...

Was not impressed with Family... other bands were great.

Blackmore smashed his guitar at the end night, threw pieces to the crowd...

The first concert I ever went to was at Tampa Stadium. The line-up was Deep Purple, Blue Oyster Cult, Savoy Brown and Billy Preston.

Unfortunately, Billy cancelled. But on a good note a little band from Texas showed up to open. It was not long after that Tres Hombres was released.

• "Something New under the Sun" festival

• Schaeffer Beer festival

If you check out the page detail on the schedule above, you'll see that the original billing for the 16 July show was BOC supported by "Mason Proffit". The review for the show that I've seen says it was the "Brown Sugar/Lady Grinning Soul" herself, Claudia Lennear.

• "The Festival By The Sea"

The show was advertised as "The Festival By The Sea", a bit of Bull*t since the site was not within sight of the sea (a couple of miles away).

Stage was a couple of trailer beds pulled up next to each other. Festival site was the old, abandoned "Pungo Airstrip" a former Navy and then Coast Guard air strip. Site is still in existence today, used by a "hot rod" (auto) club and the current site of the "Pungo Strawberry Festival".

The day of the festival was brutally hot, sunny w/high humidity (Typical Tidewater Virginia summer weather). The festival was poorly organized. The concert goers sat on a concrete runway in the blazing sun all day with no shade available. Hundreds of people were treated for heat exhaustion and assorted drug overdoses.

The performances were generally good considering the conditions. ZZ Top and BOC stole the show. Both acts were largely unknown in Southside VA.

In 1973 BOC's set was excellent if a bit brief (40-50 min.) I recall an announcer (BOC's manager?) informing the crowd that BOC would be unable to perform an encore due to the heat. Security was over zealous with rented off-duty police, some with guard dogs and a large quantity of undercover narcotics officers who kept busy all day arresting pot smokers.

I'm still searching for more concrete info on this show (date, posters, newspaper articles, etc) If/when I find more info I'll pass it along.

I was there - just another "hot" fan. This concert changed my life. Was visiting Virginia Beach after the July 4th weekend and ended up with a bunch of partiers. I fell in love - We were smack dab in the middle of everyone.

I went back home to Morgantown, WV - divorced my husband, quit my job, bought a car and moved. I truly think that if we hadn't had that day in the sun - none of the "magic" would have been there. What information can you send me on this concert?

Hey, I was there. I was quite young and had the T-Shirt and poster from that concert for years, but it disappeared only a few years ago.

It was an awesome concert. I can't remember if BOC played that day. I saw them a few times after that, so I'm not sure. It was crazy, hot and lots and lots of drugs everywhere.

I was only 14 and left there alone, saw a couple of OD's and lots of other mind opening experiences.

I do remember Savoy Brown, Sabastian and ZZ Top playing. ZZTOP, I believe was the last show. Lots of pink faces at the end of the day due to the sun.

Regarding the date, it had to of been July 4th of 1973, but will double check with my sister who "dropped me off" there. I was 14 and remember telling everyone I was 16. I'm not sure why I thought that would make a difference. I seem to remember Savoy Brown breaking up briefly not long after that concert, but they got back together the next year.

From what I can see, it appears all of the bands were all over the place in 73, but from what I can tell, they were all in the area of Virginia Beach in July of 1973. Not so in 1972 or 1974.

I also remember it being a time where many of our guys were getting back from Vietnam. The base was full of military GI's getting blasted out of their minds to forget what they just experienced. Sad how history repeats itself.

Karen Banks mentioned she was visiting Virginia Beach after the July 4th weekend... now, July 4 was on a Wednesday that year, so I don't know if a "July 4th weekend" would come before or after July 4 if it falls on a weekday... I'd tend to think after... in which case, if she's right, then that'd suggest this gig maybe took place a little bit later than 4 July...

I'm 50 years old, at work, feeling nostalgic, and thought I'd search for information on the Pungo Airstrip concert.

I was there and to this day, I remember the heat and sitting on that hot concrete runway. I remember organizers were passing out salt tablets during the concert.

I thought I remembered one of the guitarists for ZZ Top passing out and going face first on the stage, just for a moment. I think ZZ Top was the headliner. They had 3 albums out by then and BOC had one, I think.

We went to see Bloodrock as much as anyone else. The actual date? No idea.

By the way, I was the stoned/drunk guy stumbling around my seating area, stepping onto and crushing everyone's Styrofoam coolers.

The following website - www.gogomag.com/tickets - lists the date of this show as July 21.

Regarding the headliner, I'm pretty sure Savoy Brown was the headliner. ZZ Top performed earlier in the day and Savoy Brown went on stage as the sun was setting. It's possible that ZZ Top was advertised as the headliner, but they went on before Savoy Brown.

I was there. Me and ALL my party-animal Navy buddies - stoned to the gills - nothing new for us.

I'm sure we "saw" all of you there. We were probably responsible for Karen's post-concert action.

Check out http://www.ussmullinnix.org/1973Music.html - that says it all about me, my friends, and 1973!

My second concert ever. Zeppelin played the Coliseum earlier in the year (my first).

Savoy Brown opened, followed by BOC, followed by the headliner ZZ Top.

Nice site.

I had noted that you didn't have it on there, yet there is a Tampa show in about the same time frame.

I will need to work on the dates... I have no records such as ticket stubs etc. But I do remember that it was at the Hollywood "Sportatorium" and the line-up order was

1. Spirit (w/Randy California!) opening
2. Bachman-Turner Overdrive
3. BOC
4. Focus headlined

I remember BOC playing Hot Rails to Hell with Joe on vocals, Cities on Flame with Eric bashing the symbols with a chain and Eric, Albert and Buck playing drums at one point, and Me 262 with the 5 guitars with Albert

If BOC played Tampa on Saturday Aug 18, as indicated on your site, then it would follow they played Hollywood the day before or after.

Did they really play Mommy live?

Oh yeah, they performed Mommy about a dozen or so times, it was rejected during the recordings of Tyranny & Mutation along with Buck's Boogie, and they never actually put any vocals on the Mommy track back then.... the version you have on the remaster is a new vocal track by Bloom...

Mommy and Born to be Wild were the encores of that show... sorry I forgot you need that added info...

Also, That was the Late Show, they did two sets that night, probably the same songs... who knows?

The show was in California at the Hollywood Palladium and the actual date was September 14, 1973. I still have the ticket stub! There were four bands in all, opener - Orphan, then BOC, then Joe Walsh, then Mott the Hoople

BOC played 7 or 8 tunes that evening - maybe 45 minutes max.

I believe they played all of side one from Tyranny and Mvtation along with COF, Before the Kiss, A Redcap, either Workshops or Transmaniacon(???) and a rolling stones cover of It's Not Easy. This would be very close to the actual set-list that night.

As for Mott the Hoople - Mick Ralphs had just left the band prior to that gig and lots of people were shouting where's Mick during the show that evening. He had just been replaced by very short notice with one Aerial Bender on guitar.

My first Mott the Hoople concert was at the Hollywood Palladium, August 1973. Opening acts were Cactus (I think), Joe Walsh and Barnstorm, and Blue Oyster Cult.

No seats resulted in "festival standing". Enjoyed the hell out of the night! Bummer of the night was that someone tried to break into my Vega.

• "Carney Rock II"

This date is confirmed by the Capitol Giglist on Moyssi's website.

The line-up for this gig was Aerosmith opening the show, BOC following them, and then Mott

At the time we figured Aerosmith were just another Boston band, and I decided that night they were another poor-man's-Stones outfit -- and never changed my mind.

The Hoople, on the other hand, had a big impression on me and I was an even bigger fan of Ian Hunter when he went solo.

This show is also listed on my concert blog:

• dorseylandmusicother.blogsome.com

Buddy Miles opened, followed by BOC, and Rare Earth was the Headliner. A strange combination, I know, but interesting and enjoyable. I'm a little foggy on the date, but I can do some digging.

The Special Events Center at the University of Utah still exists, now known as the Huntsman Center. It sits next to the 2002 Olympic Village.

The Huntsman Center was named after the Industrialist/Philanthropist, John Huntsman, who has donated large sums of his fortune to many causes at the University of Utah, and has several operations of his Worldwide Chemical Company in Great Britain. The Huntsman Corp. is the World's largest privately held company.

The venue was the Decatur Armory. The show was put on by the Decatur MacArthur High School booster club, and by the local head shop "Crystal Ship". There were several thousand in attendance, and the venue was like a gymnasium. One floor, no seats, we sat on the floor (it was too loud to stand up) I was 14.

It was my first concert, and we were already hard core BOC fans, having heard GTDTW and the first two records. Buck played the red (soon to be painted white) SG, and Allen and Eric played a lot of guitar that night, as well.

Some of the setlist included Stairway, Bucks Boogie, Hot Rails, Red and The Black, Diz, lots from the first two records, and whenever we'd yell out requests, Eric would respond "got ya covered".

The opener was "The Flock" and I think the lead singer played some kind of electric fiddle. They sucked, and when we chanted BOC during their set, and yelled for Bucks Boogie, he said, "Wanna Boogie?" people yelled Yeah! and he stuck his finger in his nose and replied "HERE"!... like I said, they sucked, and were the first band that my friends and I heckled off of the stage. My friend Jeff Turley was at that show, unbeknownst to me, and when he gets on here, he may have some other recollections. Also, I'll ask my brother to send me some more memories.

I have had reports that this gig took place a week later on 13 December!! If anyone knows for sure, please let me know.

• Iggy and The Stooges didn't play and were replaced by The Raspberries ...

While searching the archive, I found a review of an early gig from December 14, 1973 at the Chicago Auditorium that you questioned in the gig list. I think the author of the attached article got Buck and Eric mixed up. I doubt it was Buck in black, swinging a chain.

I can imagine the Raspberries fearing for their life though. BOC drew a pretty rough crowd. I remember some gigs at the Aragon Ball ( we used to say "Brawl") Room that got pretty rowdy.

BOC headlined at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago - the Raspberries opened and were treated very rudely. Iggy and The Stooges were supposed to open,but cancelled,so the very wispy Raspberries were brought in to face a near firing squad.

People were lighting their show programs on fire and throwing them on stage at the poor pretty Rasps! One of the funniest things I've ever seen at a concert. This show was some time in 73,I think.

PS: I spoke with Albert Bouchard at a 2005 Brain Surgeons gig in Wisconsin Rapids, and asked him if he remembered this particular gig. He told me that he indeed remembered it well, and said that BOC felt really bad for the Raspberries that night, because Eric Carmen "is such a nice guy".

I'll check it out, but my father told me he saw BOC in Chicago in '73, and that the warm-up act, a band called "The Raspberries", were booed off-stage. He may even have a ticket stub...

I have been sticking up for the Raspberries since my first concert. I believe it was the first night in the band for Scott and Mike.

The Berries were a late sub for Iggy Pop, backing up Blue Oyster Cult at The Auditorium Theater in Chicago. I spent every cent I had to get second row seats to see my favorite band and heard the BOC crowd start booing before they even got started.

The boys played great, but they had no chance. They started with "I Wanna Be With You" and ended with "Go All The Way". I think I was 12-13 at the time and I waited on hold for three hours to get on an all night radio station to tell the people how they deserved better.

One of the most prolific moments that affected my becoming a musician was sitting so close up front and seeing Eric Carmen backstage (while BOC was playing) shaking his head in disgust and dismay at the reaction they received. I left after four BOC songs. I will never forget that image.

I attended this concert and thought it strange that they billed The Raspberries along with BOC. I now know, thanks to your project, that The Stooges were supposed to play, but canceled. I remember Eric Carmen saying after 3 songs "I don't know about you people, but we're having a good time up here". Almost in unison from the crowd came "F--- Y-- Blue Oyster Cult!"

BOC started out with The Red And The Black while their BOC Logo flag was slowly lowered in the backdrop of the stage. It was all our rock and roll from there on out. We were in the 1st balcony, and somebody threw a lit package of firecrackers from the 2nd balcony, and it landed in this chicks frizzy hair and exploded. It was really a bizarre concert and one that I won't forget.

• Lynyrd Skynyrd were original scheduled as support (see ad above)

I first saw Blue Oyster Cult back in December of 73.

We were hanging out at Stoner Park in San Pedro, California. Someone said there was a concert that evening at the Long Beach Auditorium. We had never heard of BOC before, but what the heck.

We each scored a .75 cent "big mouth" quart of Coors beer at the local 7-11 and with a $10. three fingerbag of Mexican dirt weed we were off to Long Beach. Bus fare was .25 cent and the the concert tickets were around $5.

We were seated in the last row of the auditorium. We smoked our weed and rocked out to the music, what a show!

Then the guy seated in front of us turned to us and said "If you liked them, you're really going to like Blue Oyster Cult." He was right, we did and never looked back.

Later we would learn Eric Burdon was the opening act for the band that evening.

The Cowtown Ballroom was a Fillmore type venue that was popular around here in the early '70's... BOC was the headliner, with the Charlie Daniels band set to open. Daniels was late getting in, so BOC came on first. This was the first time I'd seen them. Little uncertain of the date on this one...

I think I've been able to pin a date on this one at last, thanks to Joe Heyen, who runs this great website:

• Cowtown Ballroom - That was Special [or try the Flash version]

Joe is currently engaged in making a documentary about the venue so if you ever saw a show there or have any photos or anything at all, visit the site and get in touch.

Just a curious note - Joe says the date was the 28th December - he says there's a poster he possibly can get access to in order to snap a copy to post here at a future date which will back this up, but there's an entry in the guestbook on his site [link] which says the following:

I found this interesting - for a start, the date mentions the 27th. not the 28th on the ticket. If they were being re-used, you'd have thought that might possibly indicate that the BOC gig had been cancelled?

Also - the fact that a Strawbs ticket was printed on the back of an "unused BOC ticket" seems just plain weird - but it also suggests that the BOC show on that date was cancelled and they just re-used the tickets by flipping them over and printing the b-sides...

Of course, it COULD mean that the show was originally scheduled for 27 Dec and then got rescheduled for the 28th, and new tickets got issued for that - but if these promoters were so mean that they re-used already-printed BOC tickets for a Strawbs gig, then SURELY they'd have re-used the 27 Dec BOC tickets for the 28th show!!

Re. the Strawbs ticket, much was weird back then. Venues changed, dates changed or were added, just about anything was possible.

It's concievable that the tickets for the 27th were printed in error, and - to save money - the paper simply was flipped over to print the Strawbs tickets. Or that unused BOC tickets were simply reused, AND the concert was slipped from the 27th to the 28th. Or... (speculate freely here).

I don't see any mention of the New Years show at the Academy of Music aka Palladium. When they played there it was Kiss first ever {big time} show, and they were 1 of four bands, Kiss opened, Teenage Lust then Iggy Pop then BOC.

Don't think Iggy would remember anything as he fell off the stage into the lighting, he was so F'ed up he couldn't stand.

Like i said about Kiss it was their debut in Rock and i'm pretty sure they could help on this one. You were actully allowed to take pictures back then and i still have the Kiss pictures but have lost the BOC ones. Tis a sad sad day when i think about not having them.

Anyway since your interested i will search for old freinds and i even have all the Circus and Hit Parade and many other rock magazines from back then with the tours of bands in them every month,

Will go over them and get back to you.

I think also that these date(s) were played in 1973 - if you have any info, please let me know:

A buddy of mine was in his 3rd year at Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana & I decided to drop in on him on a rainy fall afternoon in 1972. He's got some jams playing on the stereo & we enhanced our conversation with a little pick-me-up so we were having a good time just jammin' along when a neighboring housemate stopped by to check out what we were doing. He had just been out to the local Record store & had about 3 or 4 new albums to check out, so we started looking at his new stuff & one album was so different & cool that we put it on right away.

It was Blue Oyster Cult, with the fantastic cover drawings that made us wonder what kind of new band they were (Gawlik seemed so mysterious), & where they were from. Well, from the start of Transmaniacon MC we were hooked by the guitar army sound and thought the lyrics were so cool as we cranked the volumne up.(Saddam's Boytoy's hogs, no pig at all, you know)

We spent that afternoon listening to this great new record by a band we had no idea of who they were, but we really dug the music. Every song seemed to have it's own killer way of rockin', and by the time Redeemed finished we knew this was a good rockin' record, and band. In fact, Thereof Came The Last Days Of May became THE song of the album for me, it was just so bluesy the way the notes just dripped from Buck's guitar against the beautiful simplicity of the song structure. It wasn't long until that song became one of my alltime favorites, and is to this day.

Onward, we'll fastforward about 6 months to late winter/early spring 1973 and the local Sunday newspaper lists the upcoming concerts in Indianapolis. When I see that BOC is coming to town, I immeadiately tell all my friends about it & make plans to go. The day comes & we get there early enough to get right up close to the stage. We were well prepared for a great show & man did we get it.

By the time they 1st played Indy, their second album, Tyranny & Mutation had came out, so we were treated to a set list from the 2 albums that night, and I mean they pulled out all the stops. I was within 10 feet of Buck (I didn't realize it was the Buck zone yet), and after the full guitar assault through Dizbusters & Hot Rails, they came back with Buck's Boogie & the Red and the Black. Mere words cannot convey the effect & emotion of seeing & hearing this incredible band up close. After the crossed guitars we were all bowing to a new master. They kicked our a** like no other band ever had.

I remember standing there thinking that this was what a Rock & Roll band should look and sound like. Mysterious, intelligent lyrics sang by a leather clad singer, with twin killer guitars that were led by this little a** kicker with ice water in his veins that played so effortlessly. Natural born killers on a rock stage, oh yeah, I was hooked.

I've never been the same since that night, and I've followed them everywhere that I could to see them play. It was a few more years before I got to meet them. I've seen them all over the Midwest & California, in every edition of the band. Thank God they're On Tour Forever.