1987: As usual, this page, as with a great part of the rest of the site, would not have been possible without the help of ex-BOC roadie, Sam Judd, and it's his notes which inform many of the facts contained herein...
Have you got anything to contribute to this page? Reviews, missing info, ticket stubs, posters etc etc - if so, let me .
As BOC were dead in the water for all intents and purposes during the first six months of 1987, I don't suppose anything much was happening from a band persepctive.
What did the band members actually do at this point? Maybe they got jobs?
If you walked into a used car show room and bought a car from Eric Bloom in early 1987, please let me ...
Well, BOC might have been dormant but Eric Bloom popped up on the radar on 26 April 1987 as a talent judge on an East Coast college battle of the bands final, specifically the first annual Energizer Rock-n-Roll Challenge at Villanova University in Philadelphia PA - here's a report from the 10 Apr 1987 edition of the "Harvard Crimson":
Rhythm Method to Go To Battle of Bands Final
By James H. Colopy, April 10, 1987
Rhythm Method, Harvard's newest music sensation, last week rocked its way to a berth in the finals of an East Coast college battle of the bands and a chance at a recording contract.
The four-month-old rock band, which includes two Harvard undergraduates, will compete against three other student bands April 26 in the first annual Energizer Rock-n-Roll Challenge at Villanova University.
To win a spot in the contest finals, Rhythm Method first was chosen along with three other area bands from among 150 entries to compete last Friday night in the regional semifinals.
The Harvard band, which has been playing the local campus and club circuit, then beat Brandeis' Bachelors of Arts, Boston University's The Promise, and the University of Rhode Island's That'll Learn Ya, according to Wendy Wertz, spokesman for the competition.
"I think we won because we tried to be as professional as possible," said John N. Axelrod '88, Rhythm Method's leader. "The other bands were really good, but they never tried to be better than a college band."
Rhythm Method, whose other members are John O. Sousanis '87, Warren Hill, and David Schommer, has already achieved local success. One of the band's original songs reached number five on the WFNX-FM Radio Beat Chart, and Beat Magazine named the group one of the top 10 bands in Boston, Axelrod said.
The contest's overall winner will receive $5000 in cash, a $5000 scholarship for its school, and a recording contract with the Nola Recording Studio, Wertz said. MTV is also considering airing the contest, she said.
To bring home the gold, Rhythm Method will have to beat the New Buicks from Georgetown University, the Beat Clinic from the University of Delaware, and Byzon Iz Pyzon from State University of New York at Fredonia, Wertz said.
The nationality known comic Sinbad, who has appeared on Star Search and The Cosby Show, will host the competition. A panel of celebrities, including Eric Bloom, lead singer of the Blue Oyster Cult, will judge the four college bands.
Axelrod said he thinks his young band has a good chance to conquer its competition in the battle.
It's worthy of note that it described Eric as "lead singer of the Blue Oyster Cult", not "ex-lead singer", since BOC were "unofficially" defunct (defunked?) at that particular time...
Clearly something finally happened in July - probably it started in June if not earlier - but BOC were enticed out of their de facto retirement by the offer of a couple of shows in Greece and a few German dates...
When some promoter started offering Shenck really over the top money to do that Greece gig, Tommy Z tried to hold Shenck up for a lot of money to go do it and just on a hunch, Steve called Allen to see if he wanted to take a fully paid vacation to Greece...
It just so happened Allen was reading the collected works of several Greek authors and poets at the time (he's such the f'ng intellectual), so he decided it was fate and agreed, then Steve only had to sell the idea to Buck and Eric...
After doing that show, they realized they could continue to make a living doing it and went back to work...
Bloom wasn't having much success selling cars anyway... he did that whenever the band wasn't touring for several years I believe... he also sells vitamin supplements and stuff...
It was winter of 1987, I was 17 years old.... one morning while I was going to buy a newspaper I saw a cartoon-style magazine promoting on the cover the beginning of a Blue Oyster Cult weekly-tribute (they had a 3-4 pages Music part in the middle of the mag which was running from a Heavy-Metal-Rock famous writer of that time in my country called Yannis Koutouvos).
I couldn't believe it. "How is possible " ? - I figured - BOC wasn't so popular in the middle 80s as they were in the past. Everyone knew Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath but no so easily BOC.... Anyway. . I started buying on a weekly basis that "cartoon"-style mag called "Agori" (means = "boy"). Actually it was a translation of the Albert Bouchard story-review I found years later on European music mags, but it had all the pictures and it was a good thing for us and BOC... but the funny story was that it kept for a long time... and I still couldn't believe it...
And someday in May I read somewhere that BOC were going to visit us in July for two !!! (yes, not one!!) shows in Athens... I couldn't believe it... I was having the best times of my life... I was waiting to find out where the tickets would be sold. And when I did,i run at once to the center of Athens to buy for both nights,of course....
Then it was a matter of time... actually I was a big BOC fan since 1983 when I firstly listened to the band's (not at their highs) LPs "Revolution by Night" and "Mirrors" (my first LPs)... it might be the mystery of the Kronos-logo that made me a big BOC fan. I don't know, but the sure thing is that I did the best choice in the age of 13 that could not have the experience to understand too many things in music. Anyway...back to our story...
And then the big day had come... 8th of July... I bought some famous newspapers and on my surprise I saw they had music - news and the BOC concerts were announced accompanied with some colour and pics from the their arrival at the airport (of course, still have those articles.).
I didn't have any t-shirt so I took a white-one and painted !!!! the Kronos logo in the middle, in black! I wanted to take a camera with me to take some shots, but since I didn't have a good one I asked from a next-door friend of our to lend me her camera as I wanted "better" quality (but see what happened later). I was waiting for the big moment and was counting-down the time when early in the evening a friend of mine of that time (he is not in life now) came to pick me up to go together. We went by bus and everyone was staring that little weird black thing on my t-shirt.... they couldn't know...
Anyway... we where there and when we entered the bands' staff was testing the instruments and I recall I saw some fans who must had been Americans as they were having bandanas with the Kronos logo (very very difficult to find such thing here,and especially that time. . ). I was noticing everything as that day was very important to me...
And suddenly when the night came the light-show started and a blue laser beam which was behind the crowd was lighting to the sky... and BOC appeared... unbelievable... I was seeing them for first time in my life... Buck Dharma, Eric Bloom, Allen Lanier but who were the other two?? I didn't know them but who cares ?? (it was Ron Riddle on drums and Jon Rogers on bass). They both had very long hair and looked cool... The set started with "RU Ready 2 Rock?". About 7000 fans were there... it was an old soccer arena called "Leoforos Alexandras" ("Alexandras Avenue") where the Hellenic soccer team "Panathinaikos" used to play there (and the last 2 years plays there again). The stage was not so close to the fans and there weren't any fans allowed to come close to the stage (the doors were closed).
The bad thing was that 50 guys tried to enter without a ticket and a big fight with the policemen started (I have to explain that it was a very bad time for rock shows in my country. The goverment didn't like rock concerts and when there was any rock concert -very occasionally- it was a very big event here for the fans but a good way for the politicians to prove that rock music a violent thing for bad guys etc so there were always policemen ready to attack)...
Some special-equiped policemen showed up on the field in the distance between the fans and the stage (if you have a look on my site called Hellenic Cult you'll notice a color picture showing Eric Bloom playing the guitar behind the policemen!!!). But there were some other policemen between the crowd and it was a bad experience for them as many fans attacked them and one of them was almost ready to use his gun to save his life (there is a black and white picture showing this).
Anyway, it was a great show... BOC played 13 classic tunes (we didn't know that time that this concert was the reason BOC re-joined - we never knew they were separated).
After the excitement of the previous night, the next was peaceful. There were only 3500 fans. Blue Öyster Cult played the same set.... I was very happy while I was taking shots (both nights) of the band and Eric on the Harley while playing "Born to be wild" etc... I couldn't wait to get them... when they were playing "Burnin' for You" I remember my self hanged on the fence and pointing the band when Eric was saying "for you" and then... he did the same.
When they came back for the encore I recall Buck playing "Roadhouse Blues" on a wrong key and then stopped for a moment made a grimace (he was pissed-off, of course) and started again. For those who don't believe this you can listen to the tape/CD I have from the concert. It is easily recogniseable.
The next day I bought all newspapers and many of them had a review from the concert,but most of them were describing the fightings wit the policemen. No concert pics. I was pissed off and waiting for the photos to be printed. I was very happy when I was going to the photo shop to get them when the guy told me "All photos were damaged" there is a problem on this camera... I had lost 10 years of my life when I heard it.
You can imagine what happened later (i spread some words to the girl who gave me her "better" camera...) For my good luck, one month later the Hellenic "HEAVY METAL" mag came with some very good color pics and interview (Eric Bloom).
Well, that was all I'm afraid... Blue Öyster Cult came back eight and a half years later (in a small club for 2 nights again) but that's another story....
Thirty years ago I went to this open air concert, actually to see Kansas. When I got there at about 12:00 AM, BOC were on stage blasting out Burnin' For You!!! They weren't even listed on the bill but totally made my day!
As I got there at 12:00 and BOC was playing, I guess that BOC was the opener. Then came Nils Lofgren, Bad Company, Kansas and Status Quo.
I left during the Quo set, because it wasn't really "Day In The Green", actually "Day In The Mud" and I already got my money's worth.
As far as I know ELP cancelled.
Emerson, Lake and Palmer didn't reunite until '91. Last gig Nov 1, 1986.
Helpfully, the covers-at-an-exhibition.de ELP boot site posted a letter provided by the Festival organisers explaining ELP's absence from the "Out in the Green '87" gigs and how Bad Company came to replace them:
Urgent Festival Information
Dear Festival Visitors
In the course of the day yesterday a very sad message reached us. Keith Emerson had a very unfortunate accident with his motorcycle on the way to his home from rehearsals with ELP, for the "Out in the Green Festivals", and he cannot play, under any circumstances, on instruction of his physician (see medical certificate) at these festivals.
With a heavy heart ELP announced their appearance as off, for which they had rehearsed several months in the studio. ELP and the organizers of the Festivals apologize in this way to you all for this unfortunate circumstance. Despite everything, we would like to stress however that nobody can be blamed for such a tragedy. We ensure you here, that ELP is most concerned by this, since these festivals should excite world-wide attention as a starting signal for their comeback.
ELP communicated to us the fact that they will reschedule their appearances at the earliest possible time in the context of a tour, and would like to submit to all visitors of the Festivals the following offer: Each visitor who submits a Festival ticket while attending the coming ELP tour, receives a reduction on the admission fee by 5 Deutsche Marks.
In spite of the unfortunate circumstances with all involved, we hereby wish Keith Emerson a fast recovery and a very successful tour. Although the time was very short, we managed to procure the group Bad Company to replace ELP. We hereby cordially thank Bad Company, who interrupted an American tour especially to make this possible and flew immediately to Germany. We are convinced that, with the appearance of Bad Company, a suitable replacement was found in lieu of ELP. We can only again express to you our regrets, and wish you just as great and peaceful a festival as in the previous year.
The Festival Team
Helpfully, the letter also provided the following new running order and timings for the upcoming gigs:
11.15 - 11.45: MGM
12.15 - 13.00: Nils Lofgren
13.30 - 14.15: BOC
14.45 - 15.45: Bad Company
16.30 - 17.30: Kansas
18.00 - 19.30: Status Quo
20.15 - 22.00: Barclay James Harvest
I'll stick with this running order for the other "Out in the Green '87" gigs unless I hear differently...
12 July Pferderennbahn Frauenfeld: This Open Air Festival took place in Switzerland not Germany. It lasted 3 days.
Other bands playing the same Festival (maybe not on the same day): Marillion, Status Quo, Barclay James Harvest, Eduardo Benato, Magnum, Kansas, Nils Lofgren, Bad Company and M.G.M. (Marsden, Galley, Moody).
Dr Lee's Status Quo site says Quo played on 12 July, and the main Barclay James Harvest site says they played also.
When you consider that the "Kansas Tour Dates Archive" (now offline) confirmed that Kansas also played on 12 July 1987, and looking at Urs' list above which included both Nils Lofgren and Bad Company, then I'm happy to stick with the band running order provided by the ELP site quoted above.
This is an interesting one. After the 12 July gig and the next date in the Out In The Green '87 series on the 18th, there is a five day gap.
That's a long time to be abroad without a gig, and the question is: did BOC play anywhere in the intervening period...?
For example, we know that Quo went off to Austria to play three gigs, thus maximising their time over there quite nicely.
We also know that Barclay James Harvest went across to East Berlin and headlined a gig in Treptower Park on 14 July, but who else was on that bill?
The now-offline "Kansas Tour Dates Archive" site says that Kansas also played that East German gig before returning to the US, and it also gave the info that it was "Out in the Green Festival w/Barclay James Harvest, Status Quo, Nils Lofgren, Blue Oyster Cult and Bad Company."
The problem with that info immediately becomes obvious when we consider the fact that the inclusion of Status Quo in that line-up has to be erroneous as apparently they were in Austria at the time...
So if Quo is wrong, can we trust anybody else on that list...?
I'll list this gig as a "possible" for now, but I have no real belief it's actually true - I'm sure I'd have heard of an East German BOC gig before now if it was...
As usual, if anybody can confirm/deny the line-up for this Treptower Park gig, please let me know...
There is nothing about BÖC in this article.
You have ELP and Kansas listed for this show - they didn't play - their substitutes were Bad Company and Meat Loaf. The same must be for the 11 July show also.
First act was Nils Lofgren. He played solo only sometimes accopanied by a drum-machine. A big "let-down" for us, as we expected a full band show. The only noteworthy memory was a fine version of "Keith don't go" as closer.
BÖC were second around 2pm. They only did a 45min. "Best of". Another disappointment to us then die-hard BÖC fans (nowadays I'm more into Grateful Dead/Jazzrock). The songs I can remember were ETI, Shooting Shark, Harvester of eyes, Burnin' for you, Reaper (not in that running order) and show closer was Born to be wild, during which Eric drove up on a Harley borrowed from a MC. Not sure that they played Godzilla, maybe one or two from the weak CLUB NINJA album.
After BÖC came BAD COMPANY, who almost drove us out of the football stadium. They were ear-bleeding loud.
Another let-down, same with MEAT LOAF, who wasn't in good shape that time. But he made us all laugh, when he tried to do a Roger Daltrey Microphone-Lasso-Effect, only to be missing the thrown item, which cracked the ground with a loud blast. Hahaha...
To our surprise STATUS QUO were simply rocking and fun to watch. The were the clear winner of that festival. We left after them, as BJH is simply boring music, nobody of us 5 buddies liked.
Thankfully it was only an 1 hour drive home, aber a festival I just could've missed with a tear in my eye...
Thankfully the BÖC show in 1988 in Münster's Jovel was some different story. Full 120 min show, only to be topped by 1992 Bielefeld appearance, which was the best BÖC show I've ever attended...
"Out in the Green" seems to have been spread across three venues in July 1987. The one at the Odenwaldring (near Babenhausen in southern Hesse) was a two-day affair, and BOC appeared on the second day.
The "rockstage-riot-rheinmain.de" site has reviews of both Day 1 and Day 2 by "Micha", but it's in German, so I'll reproduce the review here in English, or, at least, something approximate to English, courtesy of Google Translate - but check the German pages out anyway as the guy's taken some great photos of BOC:
A Blast From The Past! - The Out in the Green Festival 1987 - Part 2
Slightly cold and freshly rested after a night in the bunk at home, we threw ourselves into the turmoil of the second day of the event at much more pleasant temperatures, which had to report a few line-up changes.
Before that, however, we couldn't avoid it, in the (unfortunately since to eat a rustic breakfast in a sausage and burger joint near the AfE tower of Frankfurt University that was blown up in 2014. After 35 years, I can no longer understand whether this was because of our special connection to the oriental sandwiches made there or because the rice pan on the concert site at the Odenwaldring seemed too greasy and too expensive.
Without a doubt, however, we later witnessed the performances of subsequent musicians, for example MGM. These three letters stood for Messrs Neil Murray, Mel Galley and Bernie Marsden. That was something special in so far as none of the trio, which only existed for a short time, released it there are recordings.
As a fan of the DEEP PURPLE successors WHITESNAKE, I was of course familiar with these personal details: All three refined the sound of the British band with their string playing Instituton before their boss, David Coverdale, succumbed to the lure of the US market and transformed his blues-heavy hard-rock squad into a teased west-coast hairmetal combo.
He also rearranged songs co-written by guitarist Bernie Marsden - who, before joining WHITESNAKE, was already well known as a guitarist for UFO or PAICE ASHTON LORD. TOTO singer Bobby Kimball was also part of this formation - whether that day but that was also the case, I cannot say. My photo diary noted too harshly that the music was "complete nonsense", which unfortunately cannot be verified. However, judging by the fact that I felt (and still have) great respect for all three players behind the letters MGM, I'm inclined to trust my 35-year-old judgement.
Even more respect afterwards for Nils Lofgren , who played in Neil Young's band at the age of 17 and still does (with interruptions). Just like Bruce Springsteen. His guitar duel with Young on "Like A Hurricane" in 1982 at the 5th Golden Summer Night Concert on the Rheinwiesen in Wiesbaden belongs in my top ten list of the most intense goosebump moments at live concerts.
In addition to his engagements with these rock giants, he still found time in the 80s for a couple of solo albums, whose sound rather semi aged. "No Mercy", his most commercially successful number, still works well and was also part of his mostly acoustic set that early afternoon. Is that why the agile guitarist renounced his legendary somersault when playing? Unfortunately I can't remember.
Also about the question of whether both headliners that appeared that day (at least in my heart), who transferred the DOORS classic "Roadhouse Blues" to their repertoire on their cult live double albums, served it on day 2 of Out in the Green, I have memory gaps. BLUE OYSTER CULT did, says Setlist FM - my photo album confirms this with a timely note. But such a thing is missing in the am early evening performance STATUS QUO.
This seems to have been very important to BOC, as their set, which in any case only consisted of seven tracks, was fed with two cover versions. In these seven pieces, they left nothing to chance and threw a condensed guide to ecstasy among the people, including the legendary Harley on stage.
In the 80's BOC were one of the busiest and most engaging live bands on the local stages until the New Yorkers made themselves extremely rare in the early nineties and were only present in their homeland until Sweden Rock 2012.
Next up were the line-up changes, the reasons for which I don't know anything. ELP (actually EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER, but in the 80's more EMERSON, LAKE & POWELL) were missing, as was the prog KANSAS, which suited me as an ignoramus of such tones quite well.
The legendary BAD COMPANY acted as a replacement, but they performed with a highly unlegendary line-up - without the vocal miracle Paul Rodgers (who played music with Jimmy Page as THE FIRM for a short time at the time), but with ex-Ted Nugent voice Brian Howe. With this BAD COMPANY tried to score commercially with profileless A(merican)T(op)-40-Rock and screwed up their legacy completely. I deliberately do not quote my old photo diary here, but I was right.
Poor prog fans. First insubstantial commercial stuff as a replacement for the unusual top-class and then even one who had his current record produced by Frank Farian. You know, Frank Farian? The man behind BONEY M. and MILLI VANILLI? Whose widescreen disco sound was sold with straw dolls who didn't even sing themselves? Well, that certainly didn't apply to the following MEAT LOAF.
His 1986 album Blind Before I Stop was zeitgeisty in a way that made fans of his collaboration with Jim Steinman cringe. Synth drums (ubiquitous in the 80's, they even had Bruce Springsteen), undemanding rhythms, guitars clogged up in the reverb and a female background choir almost made you forget that MEAT LOAF was actually a rock'n'roll performer - albeit one who didn't exactly indulge in minimalism.
But you know what? I love this record (the A side at least) as did the previous one, "Bad Attitude". Something I don't say about the Bat Out Of Hell trilogy. Under these circumstances, his performance was a celebration for me, the "second highlight of the day after BOC" says my diary from 1987.
As far as I can remember, there was no sign of overproduction. This once again revealed the class of such compositions as "Execution Day" or "Rock'n'Roll Mercenaries", whereby, as so often, one prefers the cloak of silence about the lyrics of the recently deceased Republican Michael Lee Aday, as MEAT LOAF was actually called, should lay.
The rock 'n' roll medley at the end of the set could be seen as an attempt to determine where they stand or as compensation for the Farian sound on record, whereby this of course represented a lost labor of love with the program item that was to follow.
Enter STATUS QUO: Best party rock band this side of AC/DC - for several decades. farewell tour of the cult-original line-up in 1984 (that's when I first saw them because I thought I'd never see them again); from 1986 onwards a new line-up, with frontmen Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi continuing to rock ambitiously with fresh personnel.
Again, one can argue about the value of most of the following record releases, but live it was always a celebration, at least until Parfitt's death in 2016 or turning to largely acoustic renditions of their hits and covers made of their own.
The enthusiasm at the Odenwaldring also spread to the stage hands, who supported the Boogie Rock of the British, often accused of being dull, with their tools on the side tower. No wonder with a set list that includes hits like "Whatever You Want" for Warm up and closed the bag with hits like "Rain" or "Caroline". And yes, John Fogerty was also covered as always (in the general perception "Rockin' All Over The World" has long been a STATUS QUO song) as well as the DOORS' "Roadhouse Blues", if Setlist FM speaks the truth.
I was pretty much through by now, my arrogant 1987 self had long since stopped nagging and both of us, buddy Stefan and I, were ready for the journey home. Which meant we ditched BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST at the end. However, looking at them would still not be an option today, regardless of the age-related wisdom we have gained. Who knows, maybe in a few years a remorseful attitude will develop.
Micha
Check out Micha's BOC Flickr photostream - there are some great shots from this gig included...
One show - three titles!!
The second ticket stub above lists the bands as BOC/Badfinger/Meatloaf/Foghat/Black Oak Arkansas - dunno if that listing has any relevance to the running order on the day?...
It's been too long for me to remember the set list, but Dominance and Submission was a highlight of the performance for me.
Security stopped the band from bringing a motorcycle on stage for the encore so there was none, but I imagine from the bike that they intended Born to Be Wild, though maybe Feel the Thunder.
In any case, the encore didn't happen.
This gig was originally scheduled for Sat 29 Aug - here's what happened according to the The Boston Globe from that same day:
'Summer Jam' concert put off until tomorrow
Due to bad weather, today's "Summer Jam" concert in Kingston, N.H. has been postponed until tomorrow. All of today's scheduled bands - including Blue Oyster Cult, Meat Loaf and Badfinger - will perform tomorrow at Kingston Fairgrounds.
The decision was made yesterday at noon, when a film crew - which will be recording the show for MTV - cancelled due to forecasts of rain. "When they cancelled, we realized that the bands and the crowd wouldn't want to be out in that temperature," said Kathel Logue, assistant to promoter Mark-O Hlldonen.
Aug. 29, 1987: Kingston Fairgrounds, Kingston, N.H. w/ Foghat, Badfinger, Black Oak Arkansas...
I know Foghat definitely came out 1st, but I can't confirm the order between Badfinger or BOA. I know BOC, of course, headlined... but if memory serves me well, lets say BOA came on before Badfinger.
Set-list:
What happened in September? If you know, please let me ...
Atlanta hosted the first Dragon Con across the weekend of October 2-4, 1987, and is notable to BOC fans because not only were two of the attendees Eric Bloom and Michael Moorcock, but also, at one point, they both appeared onstage together. Here's what Dragon Con's wiki has to say on the subject:
The 1987 inaugural Dragon Con took place at the Pierremont Plaza Hotel, drew 1400 fans, and featured Guest of Honor Michael Moorcock, Lynn Abbey and Robert Asprin, Robert Adams, Ultima creator Richard "Lord British" Garriott, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons Gary Gygax and Toastmaster Brad Strickland. Miramar recording artist Jonn Serrie delivered his keyboard arrangements from within a real NASA flightsuit and Michael Moorcock performed onstage with Blue Oyster Cult's Eric Bloom, singing "Veteran of the Psychic Wars" and "Black Blade". Thomas E. Fuller's Atlanta Radio Theatre Company performed H. P. Lovecraft's Call of Cthulhu, which was broadcast via radio live from onsite.
I also have a clipping from an unknown magazine which provides a little more info on the collaboration:
It was a rare meeting of titans from the fields of SF and rock & roll when British writer Michael Moorcock took the stage with Blue Oyster Cult guitarist Eric Bloom at Atlanta's Dragon Con '87. Although the two men have collaborated over the years on a number of well-received B.O.C. songs, this was their first ("first and only," according to Moorcock) appearance together on a concert stage.
During a dance on the con's second night, local Atlanta rock band Blitz was joined during mid-show by the grinning Bloom, who performed one tune with them before being joined by Moorcock (and several pickup musicians). Together, the unlikely ensemble thundered through two Moorcock-Bloom compositions, "Veteran of the Psychic Wars" (from the Heavy Metal movie soundtrack) and "Black Blade" (a tune inspired by the author's Elric stories).
The event was roundly judged a major success and convention chairman Ed Kramer promises to engineer an equally unique surprise for next year.
Gregory Nicoll
Just an adjacent footnote regarding a potential second Atlanta-based convention appearance by Mike and Eric...
Three years later, the Thursday 27 Sep 1990 edition of "The Atlanta Constitution" gave notice that a "Georgia Fantasy Con '90" would take place at The Radisson Hotel that weekend (Fri 28-Sat 29 Sep), featuring, amongst others, Michael Moorcock and Eric Bloom.
Check this link out:
However, as BOC were playing Hickory NC on 27 Sep, Winston NC on 28 Sep and Winston-Salem NC on 29 Sep 1990, I don't see how Eric could have been in Atlanta to attend.
I found a listing for this gig in the 21 Nov 1987 edition of the "Asbury Park Press":
Stone Pony - Hit the Ground Runnin', The Blue Oyster Cult, today;
913 Ocean Ave, Asbury Park.
Stone Pony gig. I was at this concert, somehow I found an ad for the show, bought a couple of tickets and went.
Stone Pony is a dumpy but "legendary" bar on the Jersey Shore. "Legendary" because it has somehow managed to stay in business for so many decades and thousands have bands have played the place. Bruce Springsteen played early gigs there while building a career.
Either way, the place is not huge. I got there early enough that I was close to the stage, it was standing room. My girlfriend was getting crushed in the audience and I had to tell a couple of guys to give her space. Beer was making them think "closer is better", she was getting crushed.
Band played very well as usual. Years later, a youtube video went up that had an audience tape that ran that night.
Fun show but not so fun to stand around in a crowded bar for 3 hours.
I found a listing for this gig in the 21 Dec 1987 edition of the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette":
Blue Oyster Cult will appear in concert Nov. 24 at Graffiti. The group has had 13 albums and such hits as "The Reaper" and "Godzilla." Arlazja, a local band, will open the show at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at National Record Marts, Kaufmann's, Heads Together, Graffiti and by calling 682-4210.
I found a listing for this gig in the 27 Nov 1987 edition of the "Poughkeepsie Journal":
Blue Oyster Cult at The Chance
Blue Oyster Cult plays The Chance, 6 Crannell St., Poughkeepsie, tonight at 10. The group is best known for its hits "Don't Fear The Reaper," "Godzilla" and "Burnin' For You." Tickets are $12.50.
I think this listing on the day of the gig itself is reasonably acceptable proof that the gig occurred on this date.
I mention this because the original gig lists on boc.com listed these three gigs:
Fri 27 Nov 1987: The Chance, Poughkeepsie NY
Sun 20 Dec 1987: The Chance, Poughkeepsie NY
Thu 31 Dec 1987: The Chance, Poughkeepsie NY
I've examined all the issues of the "Poughkeepsie Journal" over this period, and the only gig mention I can find a mention for is this one on the 27 Nov.
As I didn't think that they all three gigs could have taken place, I previously thought that the two December gigs must have been "Phantom Gigs". However, I have since received evidence that the 31 Dec gig did indeed take place.
Furthermore, Bolle Gregmar actually says he has a setlist for the 20 Dec gig!! As I didn't think that gig could have taken place if the 31 Dec show was now considered kosher, I switched Bolle's 20 Dec setlist and attached it to this gig.
However, I'm now not so sure and am currently investigating further...
Page 9 of the 5 Nov 1987 issue of "The Oswegonian" lists "Mama's Boys" as the support act for this show.
The 27 Nov 1987 edition of the "Syracuse Herald-Journal" lists "Slang Girl" as the support:
OTHER BRIGHT spots on this fairly quiet holiday weekend: Slang Girl opens for the hard rocking boogie of Blue Oyster Cult at the Lost Horizon Saturday, while latest incarnation of CNY legends 805 play there tonight.
OK, I'll stick with Slang Girl for now as that reference is nearer to the gig date - the day before, in fact - so is more likely to be accurate.
Here's a preview from the Thu 26 Nov 1987 edition of "The Citizen" [Auburn NY]:
BOC at Horizon Friday
Go, Go Godzilla! Yes, the originators of that familiar rock tune and many others, Blue Oyster Cult will bring their newly vamped show to the Lost Horizon in Syracuse this Friday night.
BOC fans will remember their hot rockin' appearance at the Weedsport Speedway a few years back, and this show won't be any different. Buck Darma and friends haven't lost a lick (but he has lost a "h", by the look of it), and only get better with age. They have a new LP coming out real soon, so stop to the Horizon Friday night, this show should be great.
I found a listing for this gig in the 27 Dec 1987 edition of the "The Baltimore Sun":
Bayou, 3136 K St. N.W. (202) 333-2897.
Hard rock. Call for cover.
Nov. 30: Blue Oyster Cult
Dec. 1: Lizzy Borden
Dec. 3: Urban Blight
This gig was listed as having taken place in the original giglists on boc.com.
However, as explained in the entry for 27 Nov, I currently think that this gig did not take place. But if you know I'm wrong, please let me know...
The setlist that was originally listed with this gig has now been ascribed to that 27 November gig.
I found a preview for this gig in the Fri 25 Dec 1987 edition of the "Observer Dispatch" [Utica NY]:
Blue Oyster Cult In Rome tomorrow
By STEPHEN ROBERTS
Coleman's on Erie Boulevard, Rome, will present the acclaimed rock band, Blue Oyster Cult, tomorrow night. The opening act is Mere Mortals.
Blue Oyster Cult, currently on a nationwide "mini-tour" has long been one of the hottest rock bands on the circuit. The group has gained recognition and fans for its high-energy concerts, as well as for its well-received albums and songs.
Among the most recognizable of the band's songs are "Don't Fear the Reaper," "Burnin' for You," "Godzilla" and "Take Me Away.
Opening for the Blue Oyster Cult will be the Utica-based Mere Mortals, a band that has lately been gaining national attention. They have released two albums and recently have appeared on nationwide television.
The doors at Coleman's will open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance, and may be purchased at O.C.J.'s, Tony's T-Shirts or the Last Unicorn in Rome; at the Griffiss Air Force Base's recreational center, at Perry's Music in Sangertown Square, and at local Ticketron outlets. Tickets at the door are $12.
I found a listing for this gig in the 20 Dec 1987 edition of the "Democrat and Chronicle" [Rochester NY]:
Some heavy metal in a light week
Christmas week is generally a light week for concerts - even the most jaded rocker likes Christmas at home.
But veteran heavy-metal band Blue Oyster Cult will be at the Penny Arcade, 4785 Lake Ave., for a performance Dec 27.
Once known as "the thinking man's metal band," the band is best known for its 1975 ode to suicide (Don't Fear) The Reaper.
Show starts at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance, $14 at the door.
I found the following mention in the 24 Dec 1987 of the "Hartford Courant":
Monday Dec 28
It's been a long time since we've heard from Blue Oyster Cult, masters of of satirical metal classics such as "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," "Godzilla" "Joan Crawford (Has Risen From The Grave" and "Burnin' For You." The band's last album, "Club Ninja," came out almost two years ago, but fear not, air guitarists: BOC has been hard at work in the studio and is back on the road promoting "Imaginos," scheduled for release sometime in March 1988. The new lineup - Eric Bloom on guitars and vocals, Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser on lead guitar and Allen Lanier on keyboards, synthesizers and guitar, assisted by newcomers Jon Rogers on bass and Ron Riddle on drums - plays a 10 p.m. show at Toad's Place, 300 York St., New Haven. Tickets are $12.50 in advance and $13.50 at the door. Doors open at 8 p.m.; no opening act is booked.
Information: 562-5589.
I found an advert for this gig in the 29 Dec 1987 edition of the "Philadelphia Daily News":
Charles Gioffre's
Kenwood Tavern
2317 Haines Road, Levitttown, PA 943-1010
Appearing Tonight In Concert!
Blue Oyster Cult
This gig was confirmed in the Wednesday 30 December 1987 edition of the "Daily Press" [Newport News VA]:
Blue Oyster Cult will play the Boathouse at 8pm tonight. Tickets are $9.
It's worth noting that all previous gigs at this venue have been under the "Soft White Underbelly" name.
I previously thought this gig must have been cancelled due to the scheduled 27 Nov and 20 Dec gigs here - surely there couldn't have been three gigs at The Chance in a month??!!
However, I've now seen used tickets and newspaper ads for this date and am now happy to concede that this gig definitely occurred.
Now, about the other two... :-)
I think also that these date(s) were played in 1987 - if you have any info, please let me know:
Got this email a while ago but the guy didn't mention what gig it was - just that it was 1987...
Hemmy opened this show. BOC was great! Buck stepped on my hand and spilled a pitcher of beer on me - I dont think he even noticed as there was a large breasted blonde with me with her tits hanging all over the stage...
Great show but effects were scaled down quite a bit...
I always welcome any emails about any BOC gigs, but please - gimme a chance!! - at least tell me something about the gig to help me add it to the correct page in the site...