The first performance actually ever kept in the Coliseum, months after the venue’s March 1964 opening, featured the Five Freshmen in addition to Five Preps. (That has been, of course, the new Greek Week let you know.) Brand new Four 12 months performed the first Homecoming performance truth be told there during the October ’64 (my pal Mindy Moore Bacon recalls heading, although she was just into the junior large), and Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong introduced his All stars there getting a free show into the February 1965, then followed about three days after by Johnny Mathis while the Young Us americans.
Karen made an appearance and you may talked to a few of your remaining group and you will told me they’d become away from home and you will was tired
Due to grievances regarding acoustics on before suggests, new college or university earned Atlanta-built Baker Tunes (which in fact had complete The fresh new Beatles’ 1965 reveal in the Atlanta Stadium) to try and help the voice getting Armstrong, however,, believe it or not, indeed there was not much they could manage in regards to the cavernous stadium.
I inquired someone We visited university having – although some just who grew up in Athens or decided to go to UGA – to talk about their most favorite performance recollections throughout the reveal. Below are a few of them recollections:
My classmate Tom Hodgson said the Coliseum show he featured forward towards very try Jerry Butler vocal his strikes of “New Ice People Cometh,” and “Just the Strong Endure.” Tom said the guy remembers “Jerry, wear a light suit with a good quartet out-of breathtaking female singing harmony about. Really don’t remember who my personal date is, however, she wanted I happened to be as the cool because the Jerry Butler, and that i however desired she is since very hot while the people vocalists.”
At exactly the same time, Sam Heys asserted that “my personal favorite and most long-lasting memory try the newest Jerry Butler Homecoming performance on Oct. 24, 1969, once the my personal blind time, Pat Finley, remains with me more than an one half-century later on.”
Betz Tillitski have stunning recollections of the 1973 reveal from the Allman Brothers, saying the within of stadium resembled a large bong overlegen side for internationale studerende. “I had sitting and the lights dimmed and you may, boy, is actually I stunned observe this type of strange flickers from white all of the along side set. For example tobacco however the flame resided brighter lengthened. I didn’t know I happened to be watching joints are lit up. Never been close a combined before. Individuals were passageway every one of them doing. I thought I happened to be from the Woodstock. I remember assured my personal moms and dads didn’t smell it to my dresses while i had household.”
But, she said, “probably the most enjoyable concert I went to there is certainly about springtime out-of 1974, and that i saw this new Coasters, The Platters therefore the Tams. Stood on the floor ahead of the phase dance the brand new whole go out. Finished up into the a good guy’s arms seeing the incredible let you know.”
Next you to uncommon but sweet smelling are every-where
Not too most of the shows on Coliseum was indeed a great victory. Dan Pelletier remembers the night time Karen and Richard Carpenter “was stinking within the joint and the audience booed, very Richard walked from the phase in a good huff. I remember considering, ‘Ok, so might be your likely to refund the bucks you were repaid to own a performance you aren’t offering?’ Zero reimburse got.”
My personal later friend Rusty Gunn, just who grabbed a number of the photos associated this section, explained a few years right back one 1st tell you within the fresh Coliseum is when he is actually a great junior into the high school, and then he and lots of friends grabbed times observe Nothing Stevie Wonder in addition to Temptations. (Helen Castronis recalls Wonder nonetheless are recharged because “Little Stevie” at the time, and this appeared like “he starred every software towards stage.”)