Posted on Oct 13, 2010
We heard from dozens of alumni who recalled concerts during their time at Union, like the time an unknown Jimi Hendrix played in a backup band. Or when Bonnie Raitt recorded a song on a tape recorder as payment for some couch space. We loved the stories, but alas had to surrender to the constraints of space in the magazine. With our thanks for the outpouring, herewith are some of the concert stories that did not appear on the printed page. – Ed.
Mark Shugoll ’73
“We were always constrained by lack of a real concert hall,” recalls Mark Shugoll ’73, who chaired the social committee responsible for concerts between 1969 and 1973. “Almost all the shows were in Memorial Chapel, clearly not a [rock] concert venue.”
So they experimented with Memorial Fieldhouse, hosting Jethro Tull, Livingston Taylor and a British Invasion Show in a building not known for its acoustics. “Frankly, if you walked into the field house today, those concert are still echoing,” said Shugoll, CEO of Shugoll Research.
During Shugoll’s run, the committee never stopped looking for a larger space. They tried a concert with New Riders of the Purple Sage at Proctor’s Theater, but the venue also had a midnight horror movie. They shut down the concert — “still going strong,” as Shugoll remembers – to change audiences. The next day, the Schenectady Gazette ran a photo of the overlapping audiences with the cutline, “Freaks Meet Geeks.”
There also was the ill-fated attempt to us the Gerling Center, a picnic grove the College owned about a mile north of campus. A concert by the Band was set for Saratoga Performing Arts Center, but the group cancelled the tour.
What Shugoll remembers best were the interactions with the artists. Ian Anderson, the frontman of Jethro Tull, played Frisbee with students before the show. Bonnie Raitt slept on a couch in Fox Hall, and recorded a song into a tape recorder the next morning to return the favor.
And there were the “interesting” incidents: J. Geils Band refusing to get into a student’s car at the Albany Airport (They wanted a limo.), Seatrain booked for Memorial Chapel after a performance by the Dance Theater of Harlem (Trucks from both companies got stuck in the spring mud and delayed the concert until midnight.), and the search for the opening act for Taj Mahal (He was found in Rupsis’, and once on stage would not get off.).
Dudley Cate ’62
Around 1960 the responsibility for selecting the winning proposal for the sponsorship of party weekends resided with a small committee the name of which I have forgotten. A major part of that responsibility was passing judgment on the realism of the proposed budget. And a big part of that was trying to judge (guess?) whether the combination of ticket price and number of buyers for the concert would cover the cost of the proposed entertainment.
I was a member of that committee when folk music suddenly had surged into popularity. The new group that led that surge was the Kingston Trio. Selection of the winning bid for Fall Weekend was made in the spring. One bid (maybe the only one) proposed a new, then unknown, folk group called The Brothers Four. The selection committee normally was quite conservative and this sounded like a long shot, but we decided to approve the bid.
You can guess the rest of the story. By the fall concert, the Brothers Four were second only to the Kingston Trio in popularity, and the concert of course was a sell-out.
Richard Judelsohn ’63
For Spring Weekend 1963, the popular jazz group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross was booked to perform in Memorial Chapel. The week prior, while in Europe, the woman in the trio, Annie Ross, decided to resign. They scurried to find a replacement, and the new band, now called Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan made its debut at Union College. It was a smashing success. After the concert, I interviewed them for WRUC, and then invited them back to my fraternity house, Phi Sigma Delta, to join the party. We had live jazz and rock 'n roll at the house. Yolanda Bavan, from Ceylon, wanted to change out of her Sari, so she used my room (a no-no in those days) to put on a more casual outfit . Then they sang along with our bands. A spectacular night, and some priceless memories.
Jeffrey Hedquist ’67
My memories of concerts at Union are intertwined with my participation in them. Although a class committee usually sponsored them, many were promoted by WRUC and I remember creating the commercials with my cohort Dick Ferguson.
I even got to be the MC at several, introducing and meeting the stars. Some of the following dates and locations may be inaccurate because I’m relying on memory, and, after all it was the ‘60s and I was there.
In my years at Union we experienced some truly great performers and entertainment icons. In 1964 we had the Shirelles and the amazing Little Richard. His radio interview was as outrageous as he was.
1965 brought The Drifters, The Coasters, Jimmy Soul and the legendary Ronnettes. The guitarist in the backup band was an unknown player we knew as “Jimmy.” You’ll recognize him from the photo. [#1] I remember being backstage with Jimmy Soul as he tried to modify Hendrix’s playing behind the Ronnettes. “Jimi, not so loud!” Yeah right.
In 1966, my early musical heroes The Kingston Trio entertained at the field house and Dick and I got to interview them afterwards. The photo shows that next to us, even they looked cool. [#2]
The Four Tops chapel concert in 1966 was huge for all the WRUC listeners because WRUC personality Paul Smith had developed such a loyal Motown audience with his Friday afternoon happy hour radio show. Ferguson got to drive several of the Tops back to the airport in his Rambler station wagon (ah, the glory days of rock & roll).
Gary “U.S.” Bonds was booked the next year to appear in the field house, but never did. Well, he actually did show up at 3 a.m. the next morning, but we didn’t qualify it as fulfilling his contract. However, while we all waited in the field house, his backup band, again with Jimi Hendrix, who now had taken charge and was playing every song under the sun with his guitar in back of his head, picking the strings with his teeth, playing between his legs…we were shocked. Almost as shocked when we realized whom he was the next summer when the Jimi Hendrix Experience launched.
1966 also gave us the Shangri Las (see classic photo of yours truly with the girls) [#3] and the Animals in the same concert. It was kind of a Brill Building music meets the British Invasion. It seemed ironic that in 1966 the Shangri Las were younger than we were. Eric Burdon was great and his guitarist Hilton Valentine tested our limits of pain with the loudest guitar any one of us had ever heard. [#4]
The Lovin’ Spoonful warmed up the chapel in ’67, and in Professor Curtis’ music room WRUC’s Ferguson and Hedquist helped them deal with their stage nerves. [#5]
And later that year in the space of two weeks we were entertained by the Beach Boys, The Buckinghams, The Blues Project and Otis Redding who performed almost 7 months to the day prior to his fatal plane crash.
Bob Saltzman ‘69 who has chronicled much of Union and WRUC’s history in photographic images took all the photos.
Bernard Cohen ’68
Back in the mid 1960s, when Motown was huge, Otis Redding came to play a concert at Memorial Chapel. Because I was the class treasurer, responsible for arranging such events, I got to meet him before the concert. Not having much else to say, I mentioned that one of my Chi Psi fraternity brothers had named his dog Otis in honor of the singer. Let's just say the human Otis was less than flattered. Nevertheless, the concert was great, and perhaps inspired by my comment, the singer did go on to do a song called "Dog," the lyrics of which included the memorable lines:
"Yea, let's do the dog
Then we'll walk the dog
Come on baby
Let's walk it one more time
Whoa, baby"
I definitely should have kept my mouth shut.
Robert Rinkoff ’69
I recall a concert by the Lovin' Spoonful at Memorial Chapel sometime during 1965-67. This may have been the first rock concert given at the Chapel. I remember the audience was told to remain seated and quiet at all times during the show. Needless to say, this did not happen.
Len Simon ’70
Rock and roll at Union does not span from Springsteen in 1974 to the present. There were great concerts in 1966-70, when I was a student and on the committee that booked events. The only problem is that it's been so long that I can't remember who appeared. Sam and Dave and several other Motown groups for sure. The Four Tops, or is that wishful thinking? The Youngbloods. The New York Rock and Roll Ensemble, a fascinating group of Juilliard students who played classical music in tuxes and then, during the concert, gradually changed clothes and instruments and morphed into a rock band. And many more that I’ve forgotten.
When I was a junior or senior, a freshman showed up who knew way more about rock music than any of us and pretty much took over the bookings. His name was Phil Galdston, and my Google search says that he “is a songwriter whose work has appeared on over 65 million records worldwide, and who has penned hits for artists like Madonna, Celine Dion and Earth Wind & Fire.” I also vaguely recall that Phil wanted to book James Taylor into Jackson Gardens and people said “James who?”
Phil Arony ’70
I remember the Animals well but also remember attending an Isley Brothers concert at Memorial Chapel. It must have been spring of 1967 as I was still a freshman in Richmond. They played to a packed house of appropriately wild students as part of a major weekend on campus. Details are hazy but the energy of the occasion is still a fond Union memory. Another highlight was a Doors concert at the RPI field house a year or so later. We Union students were in the minority but very vocal. In contrast, the RPI crowd was less than responsive, prompting lead singer Jim Morrison to exclaim, “If this is Troy I'll go with the Greeks!” which didn't go over well with the crowd. Great concert, though.
Rit Gallucci ’71
I attended Union from September 1967 through June 1971. It's a little fuzzy, but I think I recall several concerts on campus during my years at UCol, although the only one I actually remember was a visit from the Isley Brothers, probably some time in 1968. Their "Twist and Shout" brought the house down.
The most incredible gathering we had during my four years at school, however, was when Muhammad Ali came to town, I believe very recently after changing his name from Cassius Clay. If I recall correctly, this actually was one of our convocations in Memorial Chapel; it was packed and it was rockin’. Ali was fabulous; he had the audience spellbound with his wit, wisdom and unrivaled charisma. The real treat for me, however, was when I came face to face with him as he attempted to avoid the mob that was waiting for him in front of the chapel by slipping out a side door. He gave me a big smile and proceeded to throw a series of shadow box punches at me that were at warp speed. He WAS the greatest!!!
John Perlstein ’74
My most enduring concert memory during my time at Union was one of the regular coffeehouses that we staged during the 1971-1972 school year. The performer was Bonnie Raitt, now a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and a legendary blues singer. I don't know if Ms. Raitt was at the very beginning of her remarkable career when she appeared at our coffeehouse, but I am sure that it was in its early stages. I can say that with certainty, as we were not able to pay very much to the performers, and Ms. Raitt slept on the couch of the common area of our room in Fox. I recall her as very talented, very pleasant, and very grateful to have the free accommodations.
My recollection is that we used [Old Chapel] for coffeehouses in the 70s. On occasion, the coffeehouses would be moved to Memorial Chapel if we had reason to believe that the larger space would be needed.
Joel Fisher ’76
My story is about the rock concert on campus I DIDN'T see. It was in 1974. During the days and weeks leading up to this show, so many of my classmates asked if I was going to see “so and so.” Everyone said this band was great and I should definitely go. I had never heard of this act and decided not to go. I remember on the night of the concert, sitting on the steps of Chi Psi. I was with a friend and I remember the chapel literally shaking. I said to my friend “what’s going on in there? The building is rocking.” Well, the rest is history. Everyone at the show that night said I had probably missed what would have been the best concert of my life. I’ve had the pleasure of working at Madison Square Garden since 1985 and have had the opportunity and luck to see numerous great concerts. To this day, I’d say that on that night in 1974 in the chapel at Union College, I know I did miss what would have been the best concert of my life! Oh, by the way, if you haven’t figured it out yet, it was Bruce Springsteen. Over the years, I have seen Bruce many, many times and have become a big fan.
Michael Patnode ’77
I was on the Social Committee during my college years of 1973 to 1977. The group was charged with adding to the social life that the fraternities offered. Larger concerts took place in Memorial Chapel, while others were in the old gymnasium or on the steps of Shaffer Library. We thought about the famous groups we could afford if the Fieldhouse were available, but the athletic department worried about a concert crowd damaging the floor.
I was not aware of Jon Landau’s May 1974 review “I have seen the future of rock and roll,” but remember Doug Alcaide walking into the Social Committee meeting with an LP of Springsteen’s “Greetings from Asbury Park.” The record was interesting, but the resulting October concert was an amazing experience. The dynamic range of the songs, from a whisper to powerfully loud, was unlike any rock band we’d seen. A violin accompanied several quiet songs. For one song, the only lighting was at the back of the stage, into the eyes of the audience and silhouetting Springsteen. The light show was as important to him as the music. We didn’t take the power requirements listed in the contract seriously, which would have required a generator, and I spent the concert standing next to the electrical panel, just in case.
The following fall, a group of us on the term abroad in Bath made the trip to see Springsteen's November ’75 London premiere. We felt very ahead of the world when Springsteen appeared on the Oct. ’75 issue of Time magazine, a year after he was at Union.
Another concert we booked was Patti Smith, whose appeal we thought was more confined to the New York City area. A large number of black-clad audience members appeared on campus, showing us there was a hunger in the area for a diverse range of programming.
I remember also my roommate Marc Bober was doing the sound for Count Basie in the hockey rink, and Basie complained about the volume during rehearsals (“This isn’t a rock concert”). Marc explained why the sound level was appropriate, and Marc's father was beaming – “My son is telling Count Basie how it should sound.”
Bruce Bonanno ’77
My memory of seeing Bruce Springsteen at Union was etched in my mind forever … because I didn’t go!
Being from Belmar, NJ and hearing about someone coming to Union was a big thing for me. I was really excited to go see a “local” at Union.
But my best friend Todd Carr decided that he only had enough money to get the special on beer at the Rathskeller, so we didn’t go. Who knew how big the “Boss” would become.
Bruce Jacobson ’78
I remember Billy Joel giving a rousing concert in the spring term 1977 playing in Achilles Rink. There were some amazing jazz greats who played in Memorial Chapel such as McCoy Tyner and Sonny Rollins, performing separately during, I believe, the 1977-78 academic year. I remember also some other groups that were one-hit wonders at the time, such as Orleans. And there was also a performance at some point by a folk-rock group, based in Long Island, NY that had a decent following, called Aztec Two-Step. My biggest collegiate regret was missing Springsteen in fall 1974; I am a huge fan of the Boss and subsequently I’ve used this as an example to my own children that too much studying can be a bad thing.”
Gary Glauber ’80
I remember a wonderful concert by Joe Jackson and his band in Memorial Chapel. This was at the advent of the “Angry Young Man” new wave of music (Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello, and Graham Parker were the British new wave at the time), and Jackson probably was not yet at his musical prime. Still, he and his band (Graham Maby, Gary Sanford, and Dave Houghton) were spot on, playing music from his popular debut album “Look Sharp!” as well as several songs from the follow-up “I’m The Man.” Jackson was jumping around like a madman, and gave an enthusiastic performance. Since I was in the front row, I believe I actually got sweated upon, inadvertently.
It’s a little ironic that I recall Jackson’s concert that day, as I later went on to become (among other things) a reviewer of rock music artists. It was a pleasure to review a new release from Jackson’s original band (the same lineup I saw at Union) when they reunited for a CD release and an accompanying tour in 2003. My review of Jackson’s “Volume 4” CD actually is posted in the archives section of Jackson's own website (http://www.joejackson.com/popmatters_review.htm). Furthermore, I’m now also a high school teacher. With several of my former students now attending, Union, I hope they too will accrue many fond musical memories in their years there.
Tim Hesler ’85
I have two fond memories: Watching the Ramones in Alumni Gym in 1981. I remember a lot of hair and noise coming from the speakers. Needless to say, there were no acoustics. After a concert by The Band (probably 1984), I met Garth Hudson (from The Band) in the lobby of West College and we talked about Robbie Robertson.
Joel Musicant ’85
Of the many “pinch me” experiences I enjoyed while at Union, one comes to mind in the context of rock concerts. In the winter of — I believe it was my sophomore year — Mitch Friedman and I were on the Concert Committee. We were assigned to interview the band that was invited by WRUC to the Palace Theater. That winter it was the British Invasion originals and Rock And Roll Hall of Famers, The Kinks.
It was snowing as we arrived at the Holiday Inn at the Albany-Colonie airport to meet the ban. We found Ray and Dave Davies and two other band members relaxed at the hotel bar along with no more than three or four of what appeared to be regulars.
Mitch was a real Kinks maven and really did the whole interview as I tried to think of any good questions Mitch hadn’t asked. When Mitch finished his friendly interrogation, the now well-lubricated band provided an amazing and impromptu moment for us.
Ray and Dave and the guys staggered over to the abandoned piano, drums and guitar apparently left by the hotel’s ensemble. The rock and roll hall-of-famers began to play various holiday and winter standards for Mitch, me and a few locals who snoozed at the bar. Mitch and I looked at each other amazed by the moment and amused by the setting.
If only we’d had cell phones with digital cameras.
Dan Rabinovitz ’86
In 1985, I was associated with the Concert Committee in a capacity that escapes me at this moment. However, I do recall that a decision was made to pool all of our budgeted funding and only hold one concert that year – in the springtime. The concert was an outdoor event, just in front of the West. The concert bill was a reggae band called “Black Sheep” followed by Otis Day and the Knights, of Animal House fame, with the closing act, James Brown. I would say that at that time 80 percent of the student body had no idea who James Brown was, except that the great Eddie Murphy was in the midst of making a career out of imitating him on Saturday Night Live. (You may remember the great “Hot Tub” sketch in which Eddie Murphy kept dipping his toes into the hot tub and letting out James Brown-like grunts and howls.)
I was extremely excited at the prospect of being able to meet the legendary James Brown. When his tour bus rolled up to the outside of the stage, as Otis Day and the Knights were just beginning their show, I was the person who greeted the musicians coming off the bus. Never in my life had I seen a group of more tired, grumpy and rumpled looking musicians – all dressed in tuxedos that they looked like they had been sleeping in for weeks. (The days of James Brown firing musicians for having un-shined shoes and wrinkled trousers were obviously well behind him). As each member of James’ band got off the bus, I greeted them by saying “hello” to which they replied with a grunt, groan or simply by glaring at me. After the last band member exited the bus, I asked the bus driver if Mr. Brown was still on the bus. The bus driver simply said “James ain’t here yet.” I thought to myself, “Okay, plenty of time left before James’ show time, no problem”.
Approximately 20 minutes later, I returned to the bus and asked the bus driver if Mr. Brown had arrived yet. I received the same reply: “James ain’t here yet.” At this point, I became fairly worried. We had publicized to the entire school that the legendary James Brown was coming. There was now 20 minutes left in Otis Day’s show and James Brown was nowhere to be found. My excitement to meet James Brown had turned into a mini-panic that James Brown was going to stand us up.
Otis Day and the Knights finished up their set and James Brown’s band took the stage and began to play a series of instrumentals. I returned to the bus one more time and had the same pleasant discussion with the bus driver that I had before: “James ain’t here yet.”
After the 2nd or 3rd instrumental, the MC bellowed into the microphone “Are You Ready For…….Startime!” The band then went into what I recognized as the traditional James Brown entrance music (for those readers who are James Brown fans, I am referring to the chromatic walk-up of “hits” by the band, following the names of individual songs being shouted out.). As this was happening, I looked all around in amazement because I still did not see James Brown. When the MC got to letter “B” as he was screaming out “Jaaaaaames Brown, I looked across campus and saw a white stretch limousine screeching for the stage. The limousine skidded to a stop within a few feet of the stage, James Brown, clad in a skintight, red tuxedo with an open-chested shirt, sprinted out of the limousine and up onto stage, grabbed the microphone and let out one of his famous bloodcurdling screams. James then proceeded to funkify the crowd for the next two hours; singing, dancing, doing splits and “doing what James do.” At the conclusion of this 2-hour frenzy, James ran back into the limousine, which promptly sped off into the sunset. While I did not get a chance to meet James Brown that day, it was the greatest entry and exit I have ever seen any artist make.
Ken Lesnik ’87
I was on the Concert Committee from 1983-1987, and chairperson from 1986-1987. This time was a very rich time for live concerts on campus. Acts that performed on or near campus were a veritable who’s who of 80’s music including Billy Idol (Proctor’s), Thompson Twins, Echo and the Bunnymen, Eddy Grant, Spyro Gyra, Stanley Jordan, and the Band (ok, not really an 80s band but still very cool). Concerts that I promoted on campus were Suzanne Vega (Memorial Chapel), Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes (Fieldhouse), Squeeze (Proctor’s), and a Camp Union that included Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and The Smithereens. Lorraine Marra was the Student Activities Director during this time and she was as influential to me as any professor. In fact, after graduation, I went to work for the legendary concert promoter, Ron Delsener, and spent the next 20 years in the live entertainment business. To say that my Union Concert Committee experience wasn’t instrumental in my career choices is an understatement.
Bradley Flansbaum ’87
I was on the concert committee and remember James Brown at Camp Union. The horns were pumping, the whole lawn in front of West was just filled with gyrating people. The funk was totally palpable and off the charts.
Backstage I could see how into it James Brown was, and I heard him say a number of times how good a time he was having and that he did not want to leave. How about that?
Read More
