samstone
99 posts
Oct 10, 2010
3:34 PM
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Hara was a treasure when it came to music, back in the day. Just the right size for sound and view. I've seen many concerts in my life but Emerson Lake and Palmer, at Hara, is still the best I ever saw. IMO
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AllenN71
97 posts
Oct 10, 2010
5:17 PM
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This is what I mean about the Miami Valley in the late 60s and early 70s being the best time and place in history for a teenager to grow up. Five bucks to see Thw Who? Nine bucks to see Hendrix? Today when the Stones come to town anywhere, scalpers run up the price into the thousands, sometimes. If Eric Clapton comes to DC, he better be able to sing the hair back onto my pate and the lard off my butt, or else I'm not going to pay the tariff.
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jvc-cw1969
11 posts
Oct 11, 2010
10:52 AM
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Not my first but close, BB King at the Hara Silver Ballroom, New Year's Eve 12-31-70 or 71. Seems like that place would have held maybe 3,000 if full. This night it was not full, maybe 1,200 or 1,500 people. I remember being one of about 20 white people. People brought their own bottles and you could buy soda and ice. Listening and dancing to BB King for hours was really big fun.
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ejbrown
4 posts
Oct 12, 2010
3:02 PM
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I saw Robin Trower and J. Geils at Hara in about 1976. I only had two 8 tracks at the time and they were Robin Trower Live and J Geils Live. I had no choice but to go to the concert when they came to town together. I saw Robin Trower's limo going down Main St. on my way home and got them to roll down the window and talk while waiting on a red light. What a thrill.
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fairmontchick
11 posts
Oct 26, 2010
12:41 PM
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I hate to admit it, but I saw David Cassidy for my first concert. The second one was Grand Funk Railroad.
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samstone
102 posts
Oct 26, 2010
1:26 PM
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fairmontchick. We'll forgive you for David Cassidy, since you went to see Grand Funk.
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Bigmo
44 posts
Oct 27, 2010
8:57 AM
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If we include the worst concerts...
I saw Bobby Sherman and John Davidson for free at the Ohio State Fair in different years. Truly awful.
But I also saw Ike and Tina Turner Review, Lovin' Spoonful, Herman's Hermits, The Statler Brothers, Al Green at the Fair.
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fishers1951
22 posts
Oct 27, 2010
7:42 PM
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not sure if it was my first, but we saw Paul Revere & Raiders at Montgomery Co Fair - my girlfriend jumped up on the stage! Forty years later I saw Paul Revere & Raiders in Jackpot Nevada just recently. Was great show both times!!
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jvc-cw1969
15 posts
Oct 28, 2010
8:00 AM
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Hey 'ejbrown'! Did you attend E.J. Brown school? I finished 8th grade there in 1965, on to Colonel White. Hara Arena was a great spot for concerts back in the day.
Jeff Crews
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AllenN71
145 posts
Jan 11, 2011
1:08 PM
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To the person who saw the "Lovin' Spoonful": Are you aware of what the group's name stood for? (Hint: It ain't Mary Poppins' "Spoonful of Sugar") Ick.
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maxed out
211 posts
Jan 11, 2011
2:10 PM
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AlleN71....I never got that connection about the Lovin' Spoonful. But I do have a story about them... It must have been maybe 1971 when I was stationed at Eielson AFB , Alaska...Fairly close to Fairbanks Alaska. The Lovin' Spoonful were to have a concert at the Univerity of Alaska and us guys at the base wanted to make the trek to go see them. Not sure what month it was but there was a snow blizzard. We made it to the college, very few of us made it. Maybe 50 or so. Only 2 of John Sebastians group made it ,but he was kind enough to still give us a concert.
He actually gave a complete show for maybe 50 or so people. He came down to the front of the audience and sang his heart out. What a great show it was.I will never forget that.
Last Edited by on Jan 11, 2011 2:13 PM
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KennyE11
26 posts
Jan 11, 2011
11:26 PM
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AllenN71 - According to the Phil Brodie Band - Origins of Rock Band Names website (http://bittersuiteband.com/music_band-name-origins.htm), the Lovin' Spoonful listing indicates "It's slang for sperm, but the name is from the lyrics of John Hurt's "Coffee Blues".
Is that what you had in mind?
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Bigmo
48 posts
Jan 14, 2011
2:06 PM
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I'm the one who first mentioned seeing Lovin' Spoonful, I think, and no, I have no idea what it referred to. When I saw them, Summer in the City was number one on the charts.
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kbarr11
14 posts
Jan 15, 2011
5:38 PM
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The first concert I ever saw was the Grass Roots, must have been around 1970. Don't remember where!
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Hugha
4 posts
Jan 16, 2011
9:59 AM
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My first concert was Rush at UD Arena. I ended up in the front row.
A couple years later Steppenwolf had a free concert downtown (around 1987 or 88). It was an ecletic crowd - guys in their 50 and teenagers.
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Pattie076
2 posts
Feb 03, 2011
8:17 AM
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Areosmith!!! My stub says Nov. 14th 1974, Hara Arena, ticket # 0200. 5.50 advance 6.50 day of show. I was 16 and had never heard of them till the day before I got my ticket. To this day they are among my favorite bands. The other bands I saw at Hara, Humble Pie 1975, Areosmith 1975, Joe Walsh 1975, Fog Hat 1976, Marshall Tucker 1976, I then graduated from Colonel White and moved to PA. where I still live.
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F16 1UB
11 posts
Mar 17, 2011
7:52 AM
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Sly & The Family Stone at Hara Arena. He was 2-3 hours late. By the time he arrived I think everybody was stoned. Magic in the air BIG TIME. In the words of Bill Clinton "I never inhaled". My story and .....
Last Edited by on Mar 17, 2011 7:54 AM
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alabama
21 posts
Mar 19, 2011
3:40 PM
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My first concert was the Beatles in Cincinnati at Crosley Field. I was 13 years old. I remember my dad drove me there and picked me up after the concert. I went all by myself. Couldn't do that nowadays.
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marty58
6 posts
Mar 25, 2011
4:55 PM
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late 70's cincinnati..lynard skynard, ted nugent AND santana...wow what a first and what a lineup. must say santana brought the house down!!!
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Perry401
33 posts
Mar 25, 2011
8:36 PM
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October 3, 1973 it was Elton John at the "new" UD arena. I had been called in to fix some cables used in the concert, and Elton wrote me a nice note, thanking me for my work and for helping him to present a "world class" show. I still have that note of course.
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oldrndirt
2 posts
Mar 26, 2011
8:57 PM
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My first concert was Black Sabbath at Hara in July of 1972 - opening act was supposed to be some band named Groundhogs but they canceled and were replaced by Ramatam - nice upgrade!
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clamper
21 posts
Mar 26, 2011
9:05 PM
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The Beach Boys which I believe was at UD Arena..opening act was the Lovin' Spoonful..Also Roy Buchannan but I dont recall where...somewhere close to UD campus (hey c'mon it was 40 years ago)!! And yes alleN71...I know about the name...kinda like 10cc
Last Edited by on Mar 26, 2011 9:10 PM
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Bigmo
55 posts
Apr 26, 2011
1:04 PM
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oldrndirt, I also saw Black Sabbath in July '72 and I remember Bloodrock opening for them. Bloodrock had the song "DOA" which they refused to play. My memory is not perfect on Ramatam. Don't remember them.
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JeffN
381 posts
Apr 27, 2011
11:22 AM
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The concert I remember most vividly was Kiss at Hara back in '77. Bob Seger opened for them and basically was booed off the stage.
Last Edited by on Apr 27, 2011 11:22 AM
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PaulH
16 posts
Apr 27, 2011
3:50 PM
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I am really going to date myself with this one. How about the Glen Miller Orchestra led by Tex Beneke at the NCR auditorium. My Mom took me there after being invited by a friend of hers. I like Big Band era music. Along with my rock stuff, I have collections of GM's music along with the Dorsey Brothers and Artie Shaw.
I can't seeme to remember who my first rock concert was. Might have been the Edgar Winter Group, or Santana.
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Oldav
6 posts
Oct 03, 2011
3:01 AM
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- James Taylor at Hara in March '71. Sweet Baby James was already a hit and that was the week Time Magazine had him on the cover. Opener was Carole King, I had never heard of her- nor did it seem had most of the restless audience- but actually liked her show more. She opened with "I Feel the Earth Move" and basically sang all of Tapestry, which had been released a couple of weeks before and went on to become one of the best sellers ever. Did a couple of nice duets with James later.
- Jethro Tull the night Ian Anderson got pissed at the people in the audience screaming during one of his early flute solos, stopped, and shouted "Will you ----ing pouts to shut up?" before giving a mini-lecture on how to behave at a concert. That was the Aqualung tour.
- did not attend but does anyone remember time the Rolling Stones played Hara and there weren't even 200 people in the audience? There was an article with picture about it in the DDN the next day.
Best Ohio show for me ever was a few years later. Bruce Springsteen was not recording and apparently into contractual hassles after Born to Run. A friend heard he was playing Miami Univerity's gym/field house and we went down it wasn't a large place and they'd actually blocked off only half of the place. You could tell he was in the mood to play his butt off. Amazing evening
of music from a genius entering his prime.
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Oldav
7 posts
Oct 03, 2011
3:12 AM
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Correction to Ian's rant: "----ing louts."
One bit of music trivia is an interview with Little Richard I read in which he recalled breaking in a new guitarist at the Diamond Club and getting impatient because the guy was playing rifts directly from his old records. Richard said something like, "Son, you're playing THEN. I want to hear NOW!"
So Jimi Hendrix cranked it up and let loose.
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rinspd1
4 posts
Oct 04, 2011
6:25 PM
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Earl Scruggs and the Earl Scruggs Revue, the Agora in Columbus, 1974.
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rinspd1
5 posts
Oct 04, 2011
6:27 PM
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Hey EJ Brown--I was at the same J. Geils and Robin Trower concert. I don't remember seeing you there. :)
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wolfcreek
20 posts
Oct 05, 2011
5:50 PM
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Black Oak Arkansas (!) at Hara, autumn of '73.
Then saw Bowie at Hara june of 74, and lots and lots of bands thereafter, either at hara, u.d. or Riverfront: aerosmith, zz top, frampton, led zep. Etc etc.
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Sandy62
5 posts
Oct 22, 2011
11:29 PM
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Elvis - Sunday - May 27, 1956 - University of Dayton Fieldhouse - 2:00 p.m. show - My sister still has her ticket stub. She was 14 and I was 11 years old.
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pat68
4 posts
Dec 27, 2011
12:18 PM
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Monicat71, The Beach Boys were at Hara Arena in 1965. I also saw Paul Revere and the Raiders hat Hara Arena on April 29, 1966. I remember it well because it was my 16th birthday and my friend and I spent the entire show backstage with Marc Lindsey. Tommy Rowe and Gene Pitney also performed, as well as the Where The Action Is dancers. I still have the ticket - it was $5.00
My first concert was Roy Orbison at the Caverns under Forest Park, which later became the Golden Lion and the She.
There were so many concerts at Hara Arena - I saw the Rolling Stones in 1965; the Temptations and the Four Tops in 1966; Gary and the Pacemakers; a show that included Tom Jones and Sonny and Cher (I think that was the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars). Then in the 70's it seems we went to a concert every week.
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kbarr11
19 posts
Dec 27, 2011
12:43 PM
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The Grass Roots when I was sixteen
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delcodude
214 posts
Dec 29, 2011
7:32 AM
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JeffN:
I was at Kiss for the Alive! tour. I can't recall the date because my ticket stub is missing that portion of the ticket.
I was a sophomore at Patterson and usually ate lunch at one of the may eateries along 1st and Main Streets. One day as I'm eating a hotdog walking through Sears I figure I'll kill some time by going to the record dept. As I walk through I'm spellbound by all the facing LPs in the racks. They have 'all' been replaced by Kiss Alive Albums. A hundred at least. And I've never seen nor heard of them. I was hooked.
So that summer ('75) they come to Dayton and my Mom drives me (15 yrs old) to Hara Arena and drops me off because none of my friends are allowed(?) to go to the concert. I don't recall an opening act. The crowd is lined up all the way around the rear of the building. As I get close to entering I see that the glass has been broken out of at least one of the doors and there's blood on the floor inside. A lot of blood. Fitting.
Well, I've studied them by now and know all of their antics. The blood display by Gene Simmons during 'Cold Gin'. The fire display during 'Firehouse', where I managed to snap a pic from my trusty 126 Kodak camera the instant the fireball was in the air. Oh, yeah. Wait til they see this, I thought. I got several pics from my spot on the floor, center stage, five or six rows back.
After seeing hundreds of concerts during my lifetime this one still is ranked at the top as most memorable..for a lot of reasons....
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wolfcreek
34 posts
Jan 04, 2012
8:44 PM
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delcodude, if you're mistaken by a year, and the Kiss concert you attended at hara was in august of 76, then the opening act was Bob Seger. I was there too.
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delcodude
217 posts
Jan 10, 2012
11:57 AM
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wolfcreek:
I think you may be right. I was trying to count the years in my head as I've lost a bunch of old concert stubs. And, now that you mention it, Bob Seger sounds familiar, though I saw him one other time. That may've clouded my memory. Thanks..
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kathy1
2 posts
Jan 14, 2012
10:53 AM
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Peter Frampton in Cincinnati w/D. Fleenor Fairmont West 1976(?)
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wolfcreek
37 posts
Jan 14, 2012
9:27 PM
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Saw that one too, Kathy1. If i'm not mistaken, Roxy Music, fresh off their hit "Love is the Drug," opened for Frampton.
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JJflash2012
2 posts
Apr 07, 2012
6:28 AM
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Guess Who and Savoy Brown at Memorial Hall - my Dad dropped us off, I was madly in love with a girl in my 7th grade class (musta been around 69) - she liked the Hippies/Freaks and I was damn sure gonna be one!
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beckynews1208
4 posts
Aug 08, 2012
1:21 PM
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In 1964, my Dad surprised me with tickets to see the Beatles at Cincinnati Gardens. It was my very first concert and I remember standing on a chair and hugging a pole and screaming!
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luv my dayton
103 posts
Aug 10, 2012
5:52 AM
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Elvis Presley at Hobart Arena in mid 50's. The sreaming was so constant and loud through the entire show I really am not sure if we heard anything of him and he mostly laughed and gyrated. All in my group had lost our voices for a day or so which made the siblings and parents happy little campers.
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Calhoun
58 posts
Aug 14, 2012
4:49 AM
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First concert was the Eagles in 1974 in Cincy at the old UC field house. Most memorable concert was ELP and a 77 piece orchestra in Cincy (Riverfront). Only time I saw rock concert goers in tuxes and formal gowns. This concert was the night after the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire, you could still smell the smoke the next day along the river.
Favorite places to see a concert in Dayton are still Canal Street and McGuffies. Worst concert venue in town is UD Arena, the acoustics are terrible!
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marilee59
3 posts
Oct 09, 2012
9:54 AM
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My first concert was Tina Turner at Hara Arena in 1974. I then started attending pretty much every concert that came into town at Hara. I remember great concerts at U.D., Palace Theatre too. I was always one of the first few in line before the doors or gates opened and I remember seeing Jackson Browne and band members walk out of the Palace Theatre to get a meal at Wendy's on the corner nearby. He was wearing dark glasses and most people didn't even notice it was him. I was awe struck! Love music...great memories!
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blue J
60 posts
Oct 10, 2012
9:22 AM
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I'm going to date myself here, but...my first show ever was (gasp!) Huey Lewis and the News, at Timberwolf Amphitheater at Kings Island, in 1984. I was eleven years old. My tastes have gone in all kinds of different directions since then.
Regarding the Kiss show(s) at Hara, can anybody verify if Rush ever played as opening act for Kiss there? If it was Bob Seger in '76, then I imagine it would have to have been '75 or possibly '77. A friend of mine says he went to that show but he, umm, doesn't remember any of it. I've seen Rush five or six times, in later years (starting in 1990).
I saw Bob Dylan at UD Arena in 1990; it wasn't a particularly good show on his part.
UD Arena doesn't really host live music anymore, does it?
I saw Jeff Beck and Stevie Ray Vaughan together at Hara in 1989, and it was fantastic. I saw a lot of different acts at Hara in the 80s to mid 90s- David Lee Roth (hahahaha!), Phish, Smashing Pumpkins, etc.
The first show I ever saw at Memorial Hall was the Black Crowes- August 11, 1992. And the next time they returned to play in Dayton, in 2009 at the Fraze, I was front and center (I saw them nearly 50 times in other places in the interim).
Neil Young at the Nutter Center, by himself, all acoustic, September 9, 1992. Unbelievable!
James Taylor at Millett Hall in Oxford, 1993. Also great.
Grateful Dead, about 20-25 times in various places. They played Hara on 11/30/1981, and again, a friend of mine went to that one, but not me. Wasn't aware of them yet.
A few people/groups I would love to have seen, but never got to:
Joni Mitchell
Led Zeppelin
Jeff Buckley (or Tim Buckley, for that matter)
Tim Hardin
----------
Suddenly you were gone
From all the lives you left your mark upon
8/25/1967 - 7/23/1986
All I know is she sang a little while,
And then flew on
6/12/1970 - 10/15/2008
Last Edited by on Oct 10, 2012 9:41 AM
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Kurtz 26
2 posts
Oct 10, 2012
7:21 PM
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The Allman Brothers band at Hara Arena in 1971, who could forget.
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tuckerone
3 posts
Oct 13, 2012
5:27 AM
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Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, in the old UD field house in 1969
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delirious1
23 posts
Oct 23, 2012
1:19 AM
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The first concert for me was Boston at Hara Arena.
Sammy Hagar opened. I wouldnt know because I spent that time getting sick from about 6 too many. Since it was the Red Rocker,I knew I wasn't missing anything.
I have seen Metallica a few times. The loudest concert I ever attended was Sonic Youth..
My biggest regret Is missing Nirvana when they came to Dayton in 93.
I also missed Jeff Buckley the most beautiful music ever.. Grace is a classic.
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KennyE11
88 posts
Oct 23, 2012
9:29 PM
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When I was a kid, my Mom used to take me to Gospel concerts at Memorial Hall. I saw acts like the Oak Ridge Boys before they went Country, and The Stamps before they toured with Elvis.
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osurickbee
2 posts
Nov 08, 2012
6:46 AM
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The Osmond Brothers at Hara Arena in April 1971 was my first rock concert type experience. My first "real" concert was at the HydroBowl (Eastwood Lake) in '76 featuring Seals & Crofts.
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bentz
77 posts
Nov 08, 2012
10:20 AM
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It was Wings in I think 1976, what a great show it was:)
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