big bam shows montgomery, alabama

Garrett Coliseum Montgomery Concert Setlists City Montgomery, AL, United States Add Montgomery venue Address 1555 Federal Drive Montgomery, AL 36107 USA Opened 1963 Web Official Website Garrett Coliseum on Wikipedia Info Located at he Alabama Agricultural Center. ", From StolibGeezer: "Zevon played the Alabama twice. Competition was evident between the two bands, Brennan says, as the Beach Boys returned for their splashiest date at the Shower of Stars, and the Stones made theirBirmingham debut on their first U.S. tour. And didn't ever explain to the people what had happened. Ask anyone who was there. The early concert didn't begin until it was time for the second one, but it was worth the wait. Thanks to Donnie Brennan for the Elvis photos. "He said, 'Dan, I like to play for you here in town, but I don't want you to ever book me on a show like this again. "I remember the Rolling Stones came up to me, and they said, 'You don't really expect us to get into the same RV that the Beach Boys are in, do you?' Whitwam remembers little of that show, but subsequent performances are crystal clear. He pulls this at every one of our shows. . Blue arcs of electricity knocked him unconscious and the show ended 15 minutes early. Dan Brennan, center, with the Grass Roots. "Big Church Night Out" / Newsboys / Sidewalk Prophets / 7eventh Time Down / Blanca / Derek Minor / Brock Gill / Jeremy Willet . ", Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). And so he gave them -- the only show in the whole country that did this -- we gave them a flat $50,000, which was pretty good in those days. Herman's Hermits in the studio, Barry Whitwam on drums. Each episode had a specific theme, mission, or challenge which was accomplished by performing pranks, skateboarding, and enlisting the help of . If you have one, it's going to be way down the other part of the field.' "Ringo had a riser above the stage, and of course this is all outdoors, and the winds were blowing up to 70 miles an hour," Brennan says. The song actually topped the charts on WBAM in Montgomery, AL for a few weeks which gave us introductions to the British Invasion groups coming through Montgomery for the Big BAM shows held at the Coliseum for many years, like The Who, The Hollies, The Blues Magoos, The Kinks, and many more including American groups like The Beach Boys, The . ", All three Brennan brothers were ambitious businessmen who worked as a team. Brennanleft the radio business for good in 1982. Big Bam Fall Spectacular has had 1 concert. Montgomery resident Mike Vickery remembers getting a friends mother to drive him and others to the WBAM station to get tickets as soon as they went on sale so we could get them near the front on the floor. On one occasion, he accompanied some female friends to the Diplomat Inn where they spotted Lou Christie sitting by the pool, a secret one of them has never told her mother to this day.. Read reviews from world's largest community for readers. to see more entries, Posted on June 1, 2011 by bob in Features. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC. The bands would come in cars -- just plain old cars -- and they'd get their guitars out and walk past you. There are still a lot of local bands out there, said Sonny Grier, lead singer with the Rockin Gibraltars. Consumate pranksters, duo Jan and Dean walk across the stage carrying a ladder to the surprise of Paul Revere and the Raiders' lead singer Mark Lindsey. [2] Originally licensed in 1953 as WBAM, the station broadcast contemporary and country music before turning to sports talk under the WMSP callsign in 1995. If you were a teenager in south-central Alabama in the 1960s, chances are you danced the jerk, flirted with that cute boy, or made out in the corner of the high school gym to the music of a live band of local erstwhile musicians. But it was one of many concerts organized by the Brennans, as they sought to cement listeners' loyalty to WVOK in Birmingham, WBAM-AM in Montgomery and WAPE in Jacksonville. Louise Brennan, Cyril's wife, at the Beatles' press conference in Jacksonville. Elvis Presley. Renamed Rock Hull Band in 77 before reclaiming original name in 90. Garrett Coliseum, in contrast, could hold 10,000+ for a single performance in Montgomery. We would skip class and work setting up the stages for free admission and backstage passes. Rich Thomas Weather. At the time, though, Brennan was simply doing his job, helping the family's radio stations to connect with listeners in a vivid, concrete way. Brennan and his wife, Clara, who handled ticketing, estimate that one-third of the tickets for any Shower of Stars datewere purchased on faith, before the lineup was ever announced. Flintstone House. In Brennan's view, that's a satisfying legacy. ", "I don't know if it has been mentioned yet, but for the Alabama Theater I would definitely include Warren Zevon's show in, what?.1986 or '87?, said earman1. According to Ben Flanagan's story for AL.com, the band also played in Tuscaloosa at Memorial Coliseum, now Coleman Coliseum. ", From David Hester: "Eagles at Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville in 1975. Prattville, Alabama 36066 (334) 358-9460 View Weekly Ad Hours Store Services Full Furniture with Mattresses Furniture Leasing Furniture Delivery Milk, Eggs & Grocery Featured Be a Backyard Bigionaire! "They would be paying the acts, literally, in cash. One big favorite, however, appears to be a '70s date at Legion Field. He founded his own company, Brennan Video Productions, in 1982and he continues to work there, transferring VHS tapes, old films and other retro footage to DVDs. Our four-piece horn section sets us apart, said Key. Some of the concerts took place in a single location -- most often, Jacksonville. WBAM Big Bam Shows; Dan's Dusty Discs WBAM; WBAM Pictures; Read more about this topic: WBAM-FM, History. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. And the Brennans knew how to put on a show.. I'm sure they were totally confused.". pigella miraculous ladybug power. Birmingham on May 20, 1967. "Bill" Brennan, Billy Benns (Jr.) and Mrs. Luella B. Aldridge. The venue? THE PROMOTIONAL POSTER OF THE WBAM, BIG BAM WINTER SPECTACULAR, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1967! Gobs of people have asked us when were going to do another reunion. More on the Grateful Dead's 1995 shows in Birmingham, from AL.com's "Lost Stories" series. By the time they came to get us we were pretty shozzeled.. "There was a police line for the Beatles to run through, and the stage was built up so people couldn't get to them.". I have such fond memories of coming to Alabama. Members: Original members Larry Hoyle, Johnny Hassett and Ron Howard, plus Chris Seymour, Johnny Long, Jr. and Craig Young. The Rockin' Rebellions entered the big VOX (sound equipment) sponsored "WVOK Battle of the Bands" contest held at the Boutwell Auditorium in downtown Birmingham on May 20, 1967. . "There was a little office backstage, and I remember seeing my father and uncles back there with a security guard," Bartoletti says. The . The concert series started around 1960 with such stars as Fabian and Brenda Lee. And if we hadn't had (Hurricane Dora), we would have made a lot of money. That radio station had its concerts, too, dubbedJet-Fli Spectaculars, at the Soldiers &Sailors Memorial Auditorium. Canned Heat. 3. +40 (724) 307.599 Lu - Vi: 9:00 - 18:00; big bam shows montgomery, alabama A guy during intermission pulled his hankee out of his pockes and a gun fell out and fired a round into the row od seats in front of us. Bell. One show in particular stands out. Their first gig was at the Wetumpka Recreation Center where admission was $1. ", "I'm also inclined to mention 1982 at Boutwell when the Blizzard of Ozz played; Randy Rhoades' third to last appearance before his tragic death," said GmanGent. In 2020, the median property value in Montgomery, AL was $121,100, and the homeownership rate was 54.1%. (It was free.) "(Listeners) would tell us what they liked and didn't like. Many who danced the night away to the Rockin Gibraltars or who nursed a beer and smoked a cigarette listening to Harmony, recall those days with particular fondness and with nostalgia for a time that wont likely return. Oh, and some guy named David on slide. We try to introduce people to music maybe they werent aware of. Signature song includes Both Sides of the Road, about Perdido Bay, written by Ham Wilson. "Times have changed so," said a wistful Peek, the Shower of Stars devotee. She remembers her father's words with startling clarity, along with the thrill she experiencedwhile sitting in the front row. Alabama State Coliseum (1951-1963) Garrett Coliseum (1963-) Oct 5 2019 We played a lot of soul music, the Beatles, the Stones, he said. His clothes were all rumpled, and he said, 'Dan, I need to go on later in the show. "I felt that I was lucky to be able to have the kind of job I had," Brennan says. "It was cold outside, show was to begin at 6 but began at 9; coeds from T-town waited for 2nd show which was to begin at 9 but began at about 2 next morning, had to get permission to stay in those days and freeze outside at Auburn University Coliseum. I dont feel like well have any problem (remembering their songs). Its a good bet theyll play some Steely Dan, Crosby, Stills & Nash, a favorite, Sweet Magnolia, and Bill Hinds rendition of Joe Walshs Rocky Mountain Way.. . The band has undergone several incarnations. In the 1950s and '60s, Montgomery, Alabama, was ground zero f. The Other Side of Montgomery book. "Elviswas an opening act," Brennan says. Studio Phone Number: (334) 244-9898. Business Office/Studios 4101-A Wall Street Montgomery, AL 36106. By nature, talent and inclination, Brennanwasentirely suited to the family business; thousands of fans knew his voice and remembered his name. Bobby Dupree (L) and Sonny Grier of the Rockin' Gibraltars. 1984 at the BJCC. In most cases, the concertswere multi-act affairs, featuring the hottest names the radio stations could secure. The station is locally owned and operated by Bluewater Broadcasting Company, LLC "We never had a flop," Brennan says, "but we had some shows that were a little bit bigger than others. He was replaced by Johnny Townsend from Tuscaloosa, who was living with Duane and Gregg Allman in LA. It will be the first time theyve have been together since a reunion benefit at a local club in 2007. In 1964 the Brennans Jacksonville, Florida station, WAPE, hosted the Beatles in concert at the Gator Bowl (see sidebar below). In one fell swoop, he was in hot demand. April 8, 1967: State Coliseum, Montgomery, AL with Electric Prunes, Buckinghams, Lou Christie, Brian Hyland and The Jokers, Tommy James and The Shondells, Royal Guardsmen, The Blues Magoos, The Casinos and others "WBAM presents Big Bam All-Star Spring Show" April 14, 1967: University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA with Freudian Slip Shop Now "We had to import parkas, raincoats from Taiwan, so that was our rain insurance," Brennan says, laughing. In 1964 the Brennans booked the Beatles for a concert in either Legion Field in Birmingham, or Garrett Coliseum or Crampton Bowl in Montgomery. I tasted my first grits there my very first grit (laughs). One of the Beach Boys told me it was the biggest talent show hed ever been in!. In the 1950s and '60s, Montgomery, Alabama, was ground zero f. Home; My Books; Browse . The Brennans often picked up and drove band members to and from the airport and hotels, quite a thrill for Diane Brennan Knapp and Donnie Kay Brennan, daughters of Cyril Brennan and teenagers at the time. Dan Brennan had the honor of introducing the Beatles. "We all felt very privileged," Bartoletti says. ", From Jeremy Don McCollough: "Guns N' Roses played the Birmingham race course, it was a muddy mess. The largest universities in Montgomery, AL are Auburn University at Montgomery (975 degrees awarded in 2020), Faulkner University (844 degrees), and Alabama State University (712 degrees). Cyril's wife Louise would make us outfits for the Shower of Stars, and we'd have on these big bell bottoms. We rode up the . To be honest, Brennan doesn't precisely recall what he said to the audience that evening, just before the mop-topped John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr took the stage. (His moniker on the air: Dan the Music Man. Rare Earth. (L-R) Bob Corley, David Headley, Cary Green, Jeffery Johnson, Bob Pike, John Key. WMSP (740 AM, Sports Radio 740) is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The mothership landed in the BJCC that night. BB King's penultimate show at the Alabama (sitting but still playing and not drifting into non sequitur land). Many of the artists told me these were the biggest shows theyd ever done.. Saturday, April 8, 1967 Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, AL Blues Magoos Brian Hyland Lou Christie The Buckinghams The Casinos The Electric Prunes The Royal Guardsmen The Turtles We'd be there from the crack of dawn until midnight. Wed have them in the spring, summer, fall and winter, said Dan Brennan, known on-air as Dan the Music Man hosting Dans Dusty Discs, who also announced acts on-stage. WBAM was a powerhouse at 50,000 watts, covering much of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.From its earliest days, WBAM put on concerts for the Montgomery area. "Two guitars and a stool. The 7 p.m.show-- billedas a music battle between the England and the United States-- also includedtheRighteous Brothers, Marty Robbins, Sonny James, Skeeter Davis, Del Reeves, Archie "Rindercella" Campbell and Cannibal and the Headhunters. In the spring of 1968, we played the Big Bam Spring show in Montgomery and were seen by a producer from Hollywood named Bob Hinkle. It wasnt concerts where you played and 500 people sat down and listened to you. Bob Brennen gave me these. "I'm so. by Lenore Vickrey If you were a teenager in south-central Alabama in the 1960s, chances are you danced the jerk, flirted with that cute boy, or made out in the corner of the high school gym to the music of a live band of local erstwhile musicians. Clayton, Hayward and Gradney. Or Nirvana at Boutwell in 1993?Or Roger McGuinn at Merrimack Hall in 2014? Big Bam Show Montgomery, Al 1960s F.U.N. 1973(?). Their big prize was three VOX . The Beach Boys were fresh-faced headliners that night, riding high on the success of hits such as "I Get Around," "Surfer Girl," "Surfin' U.S.A,""Help Me, Rhonda" and "California Girls." The Grass Roots. I said, 'Elvis, I'm sorry, but we can't accommodate you, because it is his show.' From Brian Willis: "Any of Alabama's June Jams. The Rockin' Rebellions won top honors - beating out 67 other bands from throughout Alabama. Shop Patio & Garden, including exclusive patio furniture from brands like Broyhill. So we had another beer. Memorial Coliseum, now known as Coleman Coliseum. A buddy and I went down hoping for a miracle and some guy offered us two tickets for $10 bucks each which we gladly paid. At the time, Sonny was interested Cher's friend, not her. I missed a bunch more, though!". The original investors in the company were William J. (The Beatles' popularity in the U.S. exploded in 1964, and that year's tour was a watershed moment for the band.). Several members still play in other bands for private parties, or solo at local restaurants, and on June 9, several members of Harmony plan a reunion show at the Blue Iguana in Prattville. ", Jerry Tavin/Photo courtesy of Everett Collection, From mcarter3: "Uhh. Where's Jimi Hendrix's concert at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa in 1969? It was a clear channel station that covered over 90 counties in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and could be heard everywhere. From Billy Bromberg: "Led Zeppelin 1973, Coleman Coliseum." Tickets were priced at$1.50-$5.50 per show, Brennan says, and artists' fees usually ran about $300-$7,500 per act. I tried to get us all to dress up as the Fruit of the Loom guys but no one wanted to., For musicians who played together for years, there wont be a need to practice much, if at all. Dan'sbrother, Cyril Brennan, who lived in Montgomery, held several titles during his tenure at WBAM: chief engineer, station manager and program director among them. That one was epic alright, unlike any other! "People were going crazy, and you couldn't hear anything because the girls were screaming so loud," Bartoletti says. The concertlater gained a secure foothold in Alabamamusic history -- fans here still ooh and aah about it -- but it wasn't a money-making proposition. ", From Art Meripol: "U2's Zoo Tour at Legion was pretty fun from the floor.". It would be tough going back to ballrooms and small clubs after this. Jones, now 59, also played school dances and armories in a group called The Drones. It was elbow to elbow in there, remembered drummer Tommy Beavers. "Fairgrounds Bham. A real commercial from the 60's with announcer Bill J Moody .Exciting times as a teen.growing up in Montgomery. I don't know, I guess people got to trust us. With an amazing backing band, he proceeded to entertain the entire evening. Hes been a school principal and now sells wholesale art, although business has been suffering due to the economy. Deep South was incorporated in late July of 1950 with a capitalization of $60,000. But from the . Tommy James & the Shondells. Roy Orbison. But in the minds of Alabama listeners, WVOK and WBAM ruled supreme, and the stations were closely linked by their concert series. The show is a spin-off from MTV 's Jackass, in which Margera and most of the main cast appeared. The Big BAM was WBAM, the 50,000-watt AM radio station owned by the Brennan family, whose other Alabama station was Birminghams WVOK. Anybody else remember seeing Joplin in Tuscaloosa? Sonny Grier is another longtime Montgomery band member who still plays music. Think it was 1977," says Craigmo. ", From Will-I: "Bruce Springsteen in Auburn in 1975. Both stations played Top 40 hits of the day, and the concerts were the Brennans gifts to a loyal radio audience. By today's standards, his solution to the latter problemseems charmingly old-school. ", From dassani: "I was there Could not have been better! So we had to delay the start of the show about 15 minutes or so while the carpenters came out and put these rails together. Their annual Big Bam shows, and Show of Stars were traveling medicine shows and featured Lou Christie, Roy Orbison, The Animals. Still, for radio listeners who tuned into WVOK back in the day, Brennan will always be Dan the Music Man. He was lead singer of the Rockin Gibraltars, formed in 1965 by a group of students at Lee High School. recent post listing 31 of the greatest shows, according to this story by Madison Underwood, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. WBAM Big Bam Shows 7,142 views Nov 21, 2010 One of the big hit singers of the 60's and 70's working on a bit with me for a TV show..a little behind the scenes..Bobby is involved with art. The resulting concerts -- which evolved into a series called the WVOK Shower of Stars in Birmingham, the Big BAM shows in Montgomery and the Big APE Convention in Jacksonville -- became enormously popular with radio listeners. WVOK would produce another show at Legion Field before the station left the concert business -- the Osmonds and Springfield Revival appeared there on Aug. 15, 1973 -- but for the most part, Municipal Auditorium remained home base for the Shower of Stars. Its magic, said Beavers. Most recently they performed earlier this year for a benefit show for ailing former bandmate Keith Brewer, who died in April of cancer. Hisconcertseries rocked their worlds and shaped their music tastes, in tandem with WVOK. One of the most powerful Shower of Stars events happened on May 7, 1965, when WVOK brought the Rolling Stones and the Beach Boys to Legion Field. DMX. He wanted us to sign a management contract with him, but we were still under contract with Marshall and . ", From estevev: "Of the ones I attended, the most memorable ones were -- Ike and Tina Turner Review, Plush Horse, (1974? I just went to the Coliseum for the music. In the 1960s and early 1970s, the station sponsored a series of pop/rock concerts known as "Big BAM Shows" featuring acts ranging from Paul Revere and the Raiders, Lou Christie, and The Beach Boys to comedian Pat Paulsen. Hank Williams was another frequent live on-air performer. "It was quite a thing.". We mostly had a lot of fun., They were especially known for their James Brown-style revue, with Grier wearing a cape much like the Godfather of Soul used while singing Please, Please, Please., The group got a break in 1968 when a Hollywood producer spotted them at the Big BAM show, and wanted to sign them to a recording contract. I can sing as good or better now than I did then, said Grier. The detailed map shows the US state of Alabama with boundaries, the location of the state capital Montgomery, major cities and populated places, rivers and lakes, interstate highways, principal highways, railroads and major airports. "We gave everybody who came a free rain parka. Several readers made fond mention of multi-act shows presented by WBAM-AM, a sister station to Birmingham's WVOK-AM, during the 1960s and early '70s. After helping escort her safely away from an unruly crowd, she rewarded him with a big kiss. Skyping with a Hermit Top (l-r), Keith Brewer, Ed Sanford and Sonny Grier. Packed house for a 1960s Big BAM Show at Garrett Coliseum. If you were a teenager anywhere near Montgomery in the mid-60s and early 70s, the concert scene didnt get any better than the fanfests known as the Big BAM shows. ", Several readers mentioned Lynyrd Skynyrd as a given, pointing to various concerts throughout the state. Instead, the concert was held at the Gator Bowl under the auspices of the Brennans Jacksonville station WAPE, the Big APE. Once solo and once with a band. The station is locally owned and operated by Bluewater Broadcasting Company, LLC. We had enough left over that, for a lot of our promotions after that, people would get free raincoats.". The Brennan kids were popular during the concert years, as you might expect, and Bartoletti says she, her four siblings and her cousins were fixtures at the WVOK shows, seated in the front row. Formed: 1972, Tuscaloosa. In the 1960's WVOK, in Birmingham Alabama, would have the top bands play at one huge concert. According to Dan, the only surviving brother, it was Bill's decision to offer$50,000 to the Beatles for their appearance at the Gator Bowl. Toni loved doing the show, but Daryl, who never enjoyed being on camera, did not. They played at YMCAs, American Legion halls, private parties, and dances all over south Alabama, Panama City, Savannah, and Greenville, Miss. In the 1950s and '60s, Montgomery, Alabama, was ground zero for many of the major events central to the civil rights movement in this country. A close second would be Yes at the Concert Hall in 2013. Lowell George in his prime," says Bingothatwuzagoody. From au92536: "June Jam in Fort Payne - I know it's country BUT. The Rogues recorded the 45 in February of 1966, for MBM Records, a Birmingham, Alabama label that goes back to the early '60s. "What's that Frank Sinatra song? "We're big on memories," Brennan says. "It was rewarding, because people seemed to respond to some of the things I was doing. Rock 'n' roll had just started, and you were right in the middle of it.". I was very happy with doing the work I did. "Best concert I caught in this state was at Memorial Coliseum in Tuscaloosa in 1978 Lowell George and Little Feat. My personal favorite concert of all times was Billy Joel at the BJCC Concert Hall. Instant Help Questions? He must have played an hour and 20 minutes or more. Members: Original members John Key, David Headley and Bob Corley plus David Langford, Mike Mobley, Larry Hughes, Bobby Johnson and Rick Roper. Tommy James, of Tommy James and the Shondells, describing his appearance at the WBAM and WVOK Summer Shows in 1966 (from Me, the Mob and the Music). White guys playing soul music!, Most of the stuff we played was music you could easily dance to, said Dupree. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. By 1972 the heyday of the big shows had passed.

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