Art describes what he saw at the infamous April 9, 1977 Led Zeppelin show. He also tells us how five dollars got him into see Rush. That night Rush played their new album, 2112, in its entirety. Not bad for five bucks!
Art talks about his experience at the infamous April 9, 1977, Led Zeppelin show, when the concert had to be stopped and cancelled due to Jimmy Page collapsing on stage. He also tells us how a mere five dollars got him into Chicago's Riviera Theatre to see Rush. That night Rush played their new album, 2112, in its entirety.
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BANDS MENTIONED: 38 Special, ACDC, Alice Cooper, Bruce, and Lang, Cinderella, Climax Blues Band, Dockin, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Foghat, Foreigner, George Lynch, Jack Bruce, Kiss, Jay Giles, LA Guns, Led Zepplin, Leonard Skinner, Mahogany Rush, Michael Schenker, Mott the Hoople, Mr. Big, REO Speedwagon, Rick Derringer, Rush, West, Scorpions, Ted Nugent, UFO.
VENUES MENTIONED: Aragon Ballroom (Chicago), Chicago Amphitheater, Chicago Stadium, Comisky Park (Chicago), Desplains Theater, Riviera Theater (Chicago), World Music Theater (Chicago).
[00:00:00] Charles: Welcome to another episode of Seeing Them Live, a podcast featuring memorable concert stories from live music fans. Everyone has a concert story, and hopefully one day we'll hear yours. Today we are going to hear from Art.
[00:00:27] Art: You know, I know what they said in the news you know, that they had to cancel because of the stomach flu, but, you know, I love Jimmy Page, but he was, he was wasted.
[00:00:37] Charles: I'm also joined with our esteemed co host and producer, Doug Florzak, and Art, from what Doug tells me, you're you're into antiques. You have an antique business. I'm assuming it's furniture, but talk about it a little bit as a way of introduction.
[00:00:53] Art: Antiques nowadays, 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
[00:00:58] Charles: Oh, okay.
[00:00:59] Art: So and then sometimes the older stuff up on the North Shore.
[00:01:04] Charles: Okay. So, so like kind of a mid century sort of thing.
[00:01:07] Art: Yeah, exactly.
[00:01:09] Charles: Yeah. I love that stuff. That's cool stuff. But as, you know, it usually has a starting point. Art I you know, it seems that like where you're starting point is with the first concert, some of which one in particular was like one of your favorites, but did you want a... Did you want to start with like maybe Rush, you know, when you, at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago?
[00:01:32] Art: I'll start with Rush, yeah, yeah. So when we were, when Rush came out with the album 2112 I was in high school, had no money, and my friend John and I were going to the Riviera Theatre over on Broadway in Lawrence, and we were going to listen to the concert out, outside. Listen to the music outside because we didn't have any money to get in, right? Poor high school kids. So we're walking around waiting for the music to start. And I find a 10 bill in the gutter in the street. And I'm like, holy man, you know what, let's go see if there's any tickets left. So I go to the box office, the front, you know, box office and I go, how much are tickets?
[00:02:14] And they said $4 and 50 cents. So we got two tickets and a dollar left over and we saw Rush do the whole 2112 album a lot from the Working Man, Fly by Night album too. And that was the first concert. The second concert was it was either at the Amphitheater or the Stadium. I had money then, but I couldn't drive. I think I was maybe 15 and my mom drove us to see Kiss. That's embarrassing, but I did listen to Kiss in high school.
[00:02:50] Charles: Yeah.
[00:02:50] Art: And they, they had just come out with their Live album and the warm up bands were very interesting. I wish I would have seen them now as an older adult, but the warm up band was West, Bruce, and Lang, which is Leslie West from Mountain, and Jack Bruce, Jack Bruce from Cream. They didn't do any Cream songs, though, but they did do Mountain songs. And and then Mott the Hoople. Mott the Hoople, Ian Hunter warmed up you know, after West, Bruce, and Lang. So that's my second concert. So that was, that was a good one too.
[00:03:27] Charles: Yeah, you your, your mom driving to the concert. That's, that's pretty cool. My mom would do the same thing. And I know Doug had heard interviews about moms and such that we've had on here, but that's that's a real. You know, to have somebody take you there.
[00:03:44] Art: Well, actually, actually after that, my music tastes changed a little bit cause I'd never listened to this after that. And one of the greatest concerts I ever saw was at the Aragon Ballroom a year after that, and that was UFO warming up for Foghat. UFO had just come out with their Lights Out album, and Foghat just came out with their Fool for the City album. And it was just packed with great music. And UFO became one of my favorite, all time favorite bands. I've seen them probably six, seven times.
[00:04:21] Charles: Yeah, I was reading kind of an old not too old, maybe 2013, Illinois Entertainer article, which was they were interviewing the guys from UFO and how they have this special relationship with the city of Chicago. The fans. They make, do a tour, they always, you know, play larger venues or more nights in Chicago because for whatever reason, I, I don't know if they could actually explain it they were very popular in the city of Chicago fan base.
[00:04:54] Art: Yeah. One of the big cities that they were very popular and actually on, when they came out with their live album they mentioned Chicago in one of the song, like they don't say lights out in London. They say lights out in Chicago on the live album.
[00:05:09] Charles: Yeah. Yeah. I recall that now that you mentioned it. Yeah. So that, that any particular reason why that, that show moved you the way it did as one of your, your best concerts or just...
[00:05:21] Art: You know, the Michael Shanker became one of my favorite lead guitarists. That album is probably on my list of all time favorite albums. You know, they've got Lights Out on there, Too Hot to Handle Misty Green and Blue. It's just a, it just became one of my favorites. And, you know, I've seen... Like I said, I've seen UFO and they just retired at the end of their farewell concert. Phil Maughan, the lead singer had a heart attack.
[00:05:50] Charles: Oh boy.
[00:05:51] Art: Yeah. So too bad. You know, he's a great guy.
[00:05:55] Charles: Yeah. I I saw UFO in 1982 maybe at the Amphitheater. I don't know, but yeah, it was a good show. I went with some friends from work and stuff. So that was, that was a great show. Now looking at some of these notes that you had provided us with prior to the interview you had mentioned, and we're.
[00:06:19] We, we want to, we want to hear about this, the infamous Led Zeppelin concert you went to, but I'm going to jump to the summer of '77 just for a minute the Super Bowl of Rock. And I, I went to one of 'em and, and I was curious, which, which one or ones did you actually attend?
[00:06:42] Art: So the Super Bowl of Rocket at Soldier Field I think it was the first one they ever had. There was Emerson Lake and Palmer. And that was, that, that was a, a really great concert. I was really young. I think I was like 16 years old when I, when I saw that let me think of who played with...
[00:06:59] Charles: I believe it was Foghat.
[00:07:01] Art: Yeah. Fog hat. Yeah.
[00:07:02] Charles: Climax Blues Band and Jay Giles, perhaps.
[00:07:06] Art: Jay Giles. That sounds about right. That sounds about right.
[00:07:09] Charles: So you, so you heard that show.
[00:07:11] Art: Yeah. And, and that was, that was okay. But my, my favorite one was Ted Nugent. Now Ted Nugent, this was, this was, this was the best. Cause I saw Leonard Skinner before the plane crash.
[00:07:25] Charles: Right, that's I was actually going to go to that concert with my mom because she had taken me to see Pink Floyd, which was the concert before that, which was unbelievable. But the line was so long to get tickets, we... You know famous words. She said, well, we'll see them next time they come to town.
[00:07:45] Art: Oh boy.
[00:07:46] Charles: Of course there was, there was unfortunately no next time, but yeah, it was Leonard Skinner, Ted Newton
[00:07:53] Art: Journey
[00:07:54] Charles: or journey. Okay.
[00:07:55] Art: Yes, yes. Steve Perry. Just got on with them like a couple of years and they had some great music and then REO Speedwagon and I think 38 Special.
[00:08:06] Charles: 38 Special. Yeah. Right. That that's, that's correct. Good memory, Art. So, so you out of that, that grouping though, you, you, you were, Ted Nugent was, was really a stand out there or, or Leonard Skinner as well, I would imagine.
[00:08:24] Art: Leonard Skynyrd. Yeah, that was I, yeah, I, I would've, I, you know, they're, they're still playing Van Zant's brother, I think, I don't know if he's still playing with them, but yeah, I know they still, they still come around.
[00:08:34] Charles: Yeah, they do tour still. Yeah.
[00:08:37] Art: One of the original guys, I think he was the bass player just died. I mean, that was the last original guy I, I'm pretty sure. But I'll tell you what, I think my favorite there was the World Series of Rock also.
[00:08:49] Charles: Yes. And I wanted to, I wanted to get your take on that. 'Cause I was also at that concert, but Go ahead, Comiskey.
[00:08:59] Art: Yeah. Comiskey Park. That was, I mean that, the one that, that's was the standout, I think that was 1978. And that was Aerosmith. They, they were the headliner. Yeah, Foreigner. Foreigner, ACDC Rick Derringer, and I think Mahogany Rush.
[00:09:19] Charles: Yeah, yeah. That, that, that sounds about right, and...
[00:09:23] Art: I can remember the lead singer of Foreigner he's on stage, and there's this song that says, and I'll leave you my key. I don't remember which song. Well, Hot Blooded maybe, and I'll leave you my key, and he takes a keychain with keys on it and throws it to a girl in the audience.
[00:09:42] Charles: Huh. Okay. I wonder what, I wonder what his keys were for.
[00:09:47] Doug: Do you think that had his hotel key on there or something?
[00:09:52] Art: It's quite possible, Doug.
[00:09:54] Charles: Yeah. Huh. Wow. But yeah, Art, I've never talked to anybody else other than the friends that I was with. I was I think I was... 13 at the time.
[00:10:03] My mom took me and a bunch of my friends there to, and, you know, we, we were looking forward to seeing all the bands, but Aerosmith in particular, but I was really disappointed with their performance. The sound was terrible. And I was wondering if you had experienced the same thing. I, I've never talked to anybody else who was at that show.
[00:10:28] Art: Well, I got a couple of years on you and I was probably a little alcohol and under, under, you know under stimulated or over stimulated. And it probably didn't matter back then. Okay. So, you were 13, your mom wasn't giving you any beer.
[00:10:44] Charles: Nah, no, no, no, no, no, she wasn't. But...
[00:10:47] Art: So, I actually don't even, you know, I don't even remember. I don't know.
[00:10:52] Charles: Yeah, ‘cause it was one, they, they were playing and then finally after like the second or third song, I turned to my friend and it's like, do you know what song they're playing? I, and it wasn't until they started playing like Sweet Emotion that I kind of recognized it. But the sound, I don't know what was going on with the sound quality, but it was really bad.
[00:11:13] But anyway I was I was just curious about that. We're going to take a quick break. When we come back we're going to hear about this infamous Led Zeppelin show.
[00:11:29] Would you like to be a guest on seeing them live? If you have a concert story you'd like to share on this podcast, please visit our website at seeing them live. com. Once you're there, click on, become a guest in the main menu, then fill out the form and click the submit button. If you seem like a good fit for the show.
[00:11:51] We'll contact you via email. Everyone has a concert story. Let's hear yours. And now back to the show.
[00:12:02] All right. We are back with Art. And I mean, I was, I was reading, if you ever want to read a good book about Led Zeppelin, Art, by Bob Spitz, “Led Zeppelin,” the biography. And when you filled out your guest form, I had just kind of been reading it.
[00:12:22] And I asked Doug, I said, oh my God, was Art, did he happen to be at the show in Chicago on April 9th, 1977? And you were. And in that, in this book, you know, they talk about how Led Zeppelin would kind of set up shop at the Ambassador East Hotel and they're playing four nights in Chicago, but then they would fly in their jet to like Detroit, Minneapolis, St. Louis and do shows there. So they would, they would be at this hotel for quite some time. And in the book, I mean, the author literally says the third night in Chicago was one for the record books and I'll just, I'll let you tell a story. You had, you had really good seats, right?
[00:13:13] Art: Yeah. We had 12th row, off center main floor. And my friend Rich and I his brother got us tickets. I don't know how he got those tickets, but it was right off center. It was like, it was right in front of Jimmy Page. Okay. And we saw about an hour and 15, an hour and 20 minutes of Led Zeppelin. After about an hour Page was really wobbly, and he had hard time standing up. They brought a chair out on stage for him to sit down on to play. So he was playing from a chair, but he really didn't. He wasn't hitting his notes. He wasn't, you know, I know what they said in the news you know, that the, they had to cancel because of the stomach flu, but, you know, I love Jimmy Page, but he was, he was wasted.
[00:14:09] You know, I don't know anyone. I mean, you know, someone when they can't stand up and they can't play their guitar, you know, they're missing, missing the chords. So anyway, so they canceled the show after about an hour and 15 minutes. We all went home they sent us tickets again to reschedule.
[00:14:27] I don't remember, it was a year and a half, almost two years later, I think. We get, we get everything ready to go, and John Bonham drinks too much Jack Daniels, I don't know what he was drinking, and he dies you know, he, he vomits and aspirates himself and, and so they can't sit, they didn't play after that.
[00:14:52] So, at least I got to see an hour and roughly 15 minutes of Led Zeppelin, which are my favorite bands, my favorite two bands are UFO and Led Zeppelin.
[00:15:02] Charles: I always, you know, cause I remember when John Bonham died you know, and I was kind of looking forward to trying, trying to get tickets, you know, that would be the challenge.
[00:15:13] But it was kind of like, you know, you lived sort of lived in the time of Led Zeppelin, even though I'd never. You know, we still enjoyed the music and the anticipation, maybe seeing them live. But yeah, then the book they, they talk about how Jimmy Page was on some sort of like smoothie diet.
[00:15:34] And the stomach cramps. But then they said, you know, smoothie with a bottle of Jack Daniels or some Quaaludes here and there, you know, probably isn't gonna make you feel great in front of people.
[00:15:46] Doug: Didn't they send you some sort of a letter or something? Regarding the tickets or something?
[00:15:51] Art: Oh, yeah, I gotta letter. The Wirtz family sent me a letter.
[00:15:54] Doug: So you want to talk a little bit about this letter?
[00:15:59] Art: Yeah, you know, we were looking forward so much to going back and seeing these guys, you know? And they got together for a couple of charity things, you know. I'm surprised it didn't take John's Bonham song and, and, and, and put it together, but I guess they. I just didn't need to, that was it, you know, so.
[00:16:19] Charles: Art, I just saw John Bonham's son, Jason Bonham over the weekend at whatever they call it now, what used to be the World Music Theater the Jason Bonham Led Zeppelin experience. It's kind of, yeah, it's kind of interesting, you know, it was...
[00:16:37] Art: Who was the lead singer?
[00:16:38] Charles: You know, I can't remember the guy's name but the the guitarist resembled Jimmy Page quite a bit and even his mannerisms and stuff so it was, it was fun, you know, they played like, I don't know, 10 Led Zeppelin songs or something like that. So yeah, it was, it was kind of cool.
[00:16:58] Art: Well, let me, let me tell you, if you've never seen Led Zeppelin 2, that's the name of the band.
[00:17:05] I go see them every year at the House of Blues. They play two nights. The first night is the slower stuff, the more ballady stuff, you know, they'll have ukuleles and banjos on stage. And then the second night is the harder, you know, the really good stuff, you know, the rock and roll stuff. They are incredible.
[00:17:27] I've seen those guys probably. 10 or 12 times, Led Zeppelin 2. Really.
[00:17:32] Charles: I'll have to check it out.
[00:17:35] Art: Yeah. They always play at the beginning of January to the middle of, no, the middle of January. I think that that that's Jimmy Page's birthday or something like that. Chicago House of Blues every year, you know, you can catch them. They used to play like you know, the summer fest stuff, like the taste of Lincoln park and stuff like that. But they become so big, they, they, they tour the world now.
[00:17:59] Charles: Yeah. I mean, it wasn't Led Zeppelin, you know, Jason Bonham's band, but I enjoyed it. You know, it was cool here. And the lead singer sounds a lot like Robert Plant. And, I thought it was pretty cool. You know, I, I enjoyed it.
[00:18:13] All right Art. Well, we're kind of winding down here a little bit. I know you seem like you're sort of an Alice Cooper fan. You had mentioned that, you had seen the band, Billion Dollar Babies, is that correct?
[00:18:28] Art: At The Aragon, yeah. I've never seen Alice though.
[00:18:32] Charles: You didn't really have any disappointing concert. Some people will talk about that, you know, but you, you did the Billion Dollar Baby concert was you were expecting to play some Alice Cooper songs.
[00:18:45] Art: Yeah, that was almost disappointing, because they didn't know, they didn't know Alice Cooper's songs. I saw all the guys, you know, that play with... You know, his name's not Alice Cooper, but, they didn't know Alice Cooper songs and they actually had this stage where it was a boxing ring. It was really weird. That's the only thing I remember about that. But I'll tell you, one of the last concerts I saw, well, last one was the Led Zeppelin 2, but my birthday, Michael Schenker.
[00:19:14] At the Desplains Theater, 50th anniversary, awesome, did all the UFO songs, Michael, did all the Michael Shanker songs. He didn't do any Scorpions songs because the one tour I saw him at the House of Blues, he did, he did Scorpions songs you know, cause he was on like two or three of their albums. I mean, his brother's in the band too, you know.
[00:19:36] Rudolph Schenker, I think. Well any, anything else, Art? Anything that we might have missed? Doug, anything can you think of anything we might have, we might have missed here?
[00:19:49] Doug: When you went to the Michael Shanker show, did you get to meet him or anything? Behind the stage.
[00:19:55] Art: No, but I met Ron Inesti. You know, the guy that owns the Arcata and Desplains Theatre. I stopped him and I go, Ron, I wanted to thank you. And he goes, why? And he goes, because the shows were all sold out. Shanker shows were all sold out. And he opened the Desplains Theater up to standing room. I wasn't planning on going, and I called, like, the day before, and I, and there's like... Because I was calling to see if anybody gave their tickets up, you know, because it's my birthday. It was on my birthday, you know, and I thanked him. I said, Ron, thank you for opening it up the standing room only. Really, man, this is so cool. And he goes, it's your birthday. And I go, yeah, really? And I showed him my driver's license. And I'm like, this is a great birthday. He goes, where are all your friends and girlfriend? And I go, They don't like this music. I love this music.
[00:20:49] Doug: Just for our listeners, the Arcata, that's, that's St. Charles, right? St. Charles, Illinois.
[00:20:53] Art: Yeah, the Arcata is in St. Charles which is a great venue. I've seen LA Guns there. I've seen Cinderella, which is Tom Kiefer now. I saw George LynchDockin yeah, it's a good venue. I like Desplains, too.
[00:21:10] Doug: I saw Sweet at the Arcata.
[00:21:14] Art: Oh, that's right. I Yeah, that's right. You went with me. Yeah.
[00:21:17] Doug: So, the other thing that's interesting about that place is the restaurant that's, that's above there. Do you remember that? It's, it's in the form of a speakeasy, like an old 1930s speakeasy. Remember that we had, I don't know if it would be early dinner maybe or something like that there. And that was a lot of fun too. So if anybody goes to that . I would recommend the restaurant. It's a nice experience.
[00:21:43] Art: Definitely. You know, in the Desplains Theater, they put a bar in there. So, you can sit at a bar and they have drinks before or after the concert. Actually, there was a, the band that warmed up Michael Shanker the lead singer from Mr. Big. It was in I can't think of his name. They had like two or three hits and he warmed up for Shanker and they were, his band was there having drinks, you know, and everybody was talking to him and I was like, nah, it's not Shanker. I don't need to talk to you.
[00:22:12] Doug: But you, you could have, if you wanted to, right?
[00:22:15] Art: I could have. Yeah. It was, it was kind of cool, you know.
[00:22:18] Charles: When you went to this Michael Shanker concert by yourself, Art is that what you're?
[00:22:24] Yeah, I've been seeing more things about that. Like don't, you know, don't miss a good show. Go by yourself, you know it's, and I've done that too. And it's first couple of times, you know, it's a little, it's a little weird just being there by yourself, but, you know, you get to see the band and, you kind of have freedom then too. You're not, people aren't tagging along with you and, and you kind of do your own thing, sort of, you know?
[00:22:49] Art: Well, I'll tell you what Chuck, I make friends there. Honest to god, I had a blast. I mean, it, I was hanging out at the House of Blues. I was hanging out with these two girls from Poland. I mean, it, it was great. It's a big, it's a big party.
[00:23:01] Charles: Yeah, that's that's a good way of looking at it. So Art We've got a couple more minutes. Anything else you want to touch on? Your antiques you'd mentioned that right? Anything regarding that or that you want to plug before we sign off?
[00:23:19] Art: Oh, well, I've got this store up in Northfield at Heritage Trail Mall. And, I've got the one in Chicago. I lease space from Andersonville Antiques. Right at Foster and Clark street. So I'm in both of those spots and they're, they're great, great places.
[00:23:38] Charles: All right. Well, everyone go go check out Art's mid century stuff and Art, this has been a pleasure and really appreciate your time and sharing these stories with us.
[00:23:50] Art: Absolutely. That's been fun.
[00:23:52] Charles: All right. Take care. We got it done!
[00:23:56] Art: Alright, yeah!
[00:24:02] Charles: That's a wrap for our show. I want to thank today's guests for sharing their concert stories with us. Make sure to check out our show notes at seeingthemlive.com for links to websites, photos, and other artifacts mentioned in the show. I also want to thank my producer, Doug Florzak. The theme music for the show was composed by Doug, and is featured on his album, Flagstone. If you have a concert story you'd like to share on our podcast, please visit our website and click on "Become a guest" in the main menu, then fill out the form and click the submit button, if you seem like a good fit for the show, we'll contact you via email. I guess it's time to head for the exits.
[00:24:50] We'll see you next time on Seeing Them Live.