The initial show ever kept on the Coliseum, a few months pursuing the venue’s March 1964 opening, seemed the fresh new Four Freshmen plus the Five Preps. (That has been, naturally, the Greek Times let you know.) The latest Four Season did the first Homecoming concert around in the Oct ’64 (my good friend Mindy Moore Bacon remembers supposed, though she was only within the junior high), and Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong introduced his All-stars there getting a no cost tell you within the February 1965, implemented about three months afterwards from the Johnny Mathis in addition to More youthful Americans.
Due to grievances about the music at the before shows, the new college or university brought in Atlanta-established Baker Musical (which in fact had over The brand new Beatles’ 1965 let you know in the Atlanta Arena) to try and improve voice for Armstrong, but, the truth is, here was not much they could would about the cavernous arena.
I inquired everyone I went to university with – while some which grew up in Athens otherwise went along to UGA – to express their favorite show memories regarding inform you. Check out ones memory:
My personal classmate Tom Hodgson told you the Coliseum show he seemed send to the extremely try Jerry Butler singing his attacks off “New Frost Guy Cometh,” plus “Just the Strong Endure.” Tom told you the guy remembers “Jerry, using a light match that have a quartet out of stunning women vocal equilibrium at the rear of. I really don’t contemplate whom my personal go out try, however, she wanted I became once the chill while the Jerry Butler, and that i of course need she is just like the scorching given that people vocalists.”
Concurrently, Sam Heys asserted that “the best and most long-lasting memory are the fresh new Jerry Butler Homecoming concert on Oct. 24, 1969, just like the my personal blind day, Pat Finley, continues to be beside me more a half-century afterwards.”
Betz Tillitski has vibrant memories of this 1973 inform you of the Allman Brothers, saying the interior of arena resembled a large bong. “We got sitting plus the lights dimmed and you will, boy, is actually We surprised observe these types of unusual flickers out of light the across the set. Such as for instance cigarettes but the flames existed brighter expanded. I didn’t discover I found myself watching bones getting illuminated. Not ever been close a combined before. Everyone was passing everyone doing. I imagined I became at the Woodstock. From the in hopes my moms and dads didn’t smelling it back at my clothes once i got home.”
However,, she lovingwomen.org imperativ link told you, “many enjoyable show We went to there is certainly about spring season off 1974, and i watched the latest Coasters, The fresh Platters and the Tams. Endured on to the ground prior to the phase dance new entire big date. Wound up for the an excellent man’s shoulders viewing the amazing let you know.”
Not too all the suggests within Coliseum have been an excellent triumph. Dan Pelletier recalls the night time Karen and Richard Carpenter “was in fact stinking in the mutual plus the audience booed, very Richard strolled from the stage in a huff. From the thinking, ‘Okay, so might be you gonna reimburse the cash you were repaid to own a speeds you are not providing?’ No reimburse was given.”
My later buddy Rusty Gunn, which got a few of the images associated it bit, told me a couple of years back you to definitely 1st inform you during the the newest Coliseum was as he is a good junior inside the high-school, and he and many family unit members took schedules observe Little Stevie Question together with Temptations. (Helen Castronis remembers Ponder nevertheless is actually billed while the “Nothing Stevie” during the time, and this seemed like “the guy starred most of the instrument towards the stage.”)