Category: Live Performances

Few bands that came out of the 1960s San Francisco rock scene had the staying power and influence of the Grateful Dead. Known for their musical virtuosity, extended jams, and their loyal fans lovingly called “Deadheads,” the Grateful Dead were one of America’s most successful live acts for decades.

Founded in the Bay Area in the mid-60s by guitar player Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead utilized a unique blend of traditional country, blues, jazz, and rock. Garcia, joined by fellow guitarist Bob Weir, bassist Phil Lesh, multi-instrumentalist Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, drummer Bill Kreutzmann, and percussionist Mickey Hart would make up the group’s classic lineup.

While they would record several acclaimed and commercially successful studio albums, the widely recognized core of the Grateful Dead experience was their live concerts. Renowned for their group improvisations, the band would stretch out, or jam, with their wide repertoire of standards and originals to the point where some songs reached 20 minutes or more in length. They were also celebrated for their “segues:” seamlessly transitioning to the next song without breaking. The popularity of their live performances were spread through the trading of bootleg tapes, a practice encouraged by the band. These characteristics can be seen in numerous groups active today, such as Phish and Dave Matthews Band.

After building a solid fan base in California, the Dead took their act across the country, beginning their journey to becoming one of the most toured bands in music history. This would include a stop at the legendary Woodstock Festival in 1969 and a tour of Europe in 1972. This string of success was not without some serious challenges. In early 1970, the group’s hotel room in New Orleans was raided by the police, which resulted in drug possession charges. A couple months later, Lenny Hart, Mickey’s father, who managed the Grateful Dead, skipped town with the band’s money. This conflict would lead to Mickey Hart briefly leaving the group before returning in the mid-70s. Most tragically was the death of keyboard and harmonica player Ron “Pigpen” McKernan in 1973 to liver disease.

However, thanks to a rotating series of musicians, a highly devoted fanbase, and a constant touring schedule, the Grateful Dead maintained their success throughout the decades. In 1977, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert featured excerpts from the newly released Grateful Dead Movie. The movie was a concert film documenting the Grateful Dead live experience.

Unfortunately, tragedy would strike the band again in 1995 when Jerry Garcia, long considered the heart and soul of the Grateful Dead, passed away after some years of declining health. The group would survive in various incarnations over the years, including The Other Ones and The Dead. Bob Weir and Phil Lesh still perform the music of the Grateful Dead with their band Furthur.

In 1994 the band was honored with an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Grateful Dead’s impact on music goes without question. Throughout their 30 year run, few bands did as much to elevate the status of the rock concert from mere entertainment to an experience of collective spirituality.

Last Thursday we received the sad news that Bob Welch, former Fleetwood Mac member had passed away at 65 years of age.

Welch was a guitarist and vocalist for Fleetwood Mac from 1971 to 1974 during the group’s pre Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham era.  In 1974, the original Fleetwood Mac line-up (except for Peter Green), Mick Fleetwood, John & Christine McVie and Bob Welch appeared live on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert.

Don Kirshner presented the band by saying “Tonight, we re-introduce a group that’s a standard in the rock n’ roll field. That group is Fleetwood Mac in their first live performance in over a year. Here they are Fleetwood Mac.”

That night, they took over the Rock Concert stage with enthusiasm and passion. They performed some of their early hits including “Bermuda Triangle,” “Spare Me a Little of Your Love,” and “Black Magic Woman,” a hit that in 1970 became more closely associated with Santana.

During Bob Welch’s time with the band, Fleetwood Mac enjoyed modest success.  However, it was not until the mid-70’s, following Welch’s departure and Nicks & Buckingham addition to the band, that Fleetwood Mac truly took off and experienced massive success. Among their biggest accomplishments is their 1977 album “Rumors,” which to date has sold over 40 million copies worldwide, making it the eighth highest selling album of all time.

Fleetwood Mac did not perform live for a second time on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, however the band’s new line-up was featured on Rock Concert twice in subsequent years — in 1978, when the show aired a film promo for their hit song “You Can Go Your Own Way” and then again in 1981 with another promo for their album “Tusk.”

Despite not being included in some of Fleetwood Mac’s major accomplishments, such as their induction into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, Bob Welch certainly contributed to Fleetwood Mac’s success.  After he left the band he went on to pursue a solo career, formed the British rock group Paris in 1976, and had hits including “Sentimental Lady” in 1977 and “Ebony Eyes” in 1978. Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham did backing vocals on “Sentimental Lady,” which reached No. 8 on the Billboard chart.

Fleetwood Mac’s appearances on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert prove that nearly every big act of the 1970’s appeared on the show.  To this day, Fleetwood Mac continues to be unquestionably among the best rock groups of all time. RIP Bob Welch.

We are truly saddened by the passing of the beautiful and multi-talented disco pioneer Donna Summer.  Summer lost her battle to cancer at only 63 years old.

Summer was born LaDonna Adrian Gaines in Boston, Massachusetts. Before she became the “Queen of Disco,” she first rose to superstardom in the early seventies not in the U.S. but in Germany, Austria and the rest of Europe where she starred in several musicals such as Hair and Godspell and joined the Viennese Folk Opera.  Just a few years later, she would conquer American audiences and ultimately the rest of the world with iconic hits like “Last Dance,” “Hot Stuff” and “Bad Girls.”

In 1976, Donna Summer performed live on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert. Accompanied by a full orchestra, Summer performed “Come With Me,” “Could It Be Magic (a hit by Barry Manilow),” “The Man I Love,” “I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good,” & “Some Of These Days.” Don Kirshner talked shortly about Summer’s career background before her act stating, “Donna Summer’s story was different from other artists, because she had first become a star in Europe and not in America. When Neil Bogart from Casablanca Records released her song ‘Love to Love You Baby’ she captivated the American audience and she is now firmly in the galaxy of recording stars.  Here is the Queen of Disco!”

Wearing a blue, flower design leotard with a white fabric wrapped around her hips, she took the Rock Concert stage with her powerful mezzo-soprano voice and her sensual style of singing.  Even by performing her less well-known songs, Summer clearly demonstrated why she was known as the “Queen of Disco.”

Donna Summer defined the dance music era of the 1970’s and influenced acts like Duran Duran and David Bowie to enter the disco genre. Her groundbreaking use of synthesized backing tracks marked the path for the dance music we are all so familiar with today.

Among her many career highlights are included five Grammys, six American Music Awards, three multi-platinum albums and an original song Oscar for her smash hit “Last Dance” in the film “Thank God It’s Friday,” in which she also acted.

It was an honor to have Donna Summer perform on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert’s stage.  She will be truly missed; however we are left with nothing but fond memories of the disco star and an incredible music legacy.

Rest in Peace Donna Summer.