The initial concert actually ever stored regarding the Coliseum, a couple of months following venue’s March 1964 starting, appeared the newest Five Freshmen and Five Preps. (That has been, obviously, the latest Greek Week reveal.) The new Four Year performed the first Homecoming performance indeed there from inside the Oct ’64 (my pal Mindy Moore Bacon recalls heading, even if she was only when you look at the junior highest), and you can Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong lead his All stars around getting a totally free let you know for the February 1965, used about three days later from the Johnny Mathis in addition to Younger People in america.

Finished up for the a guy’s shoulders watching the amazing reveal

Because of problems about the acoustics in the prior to shows, the fresh college or university earned Atlanta-dependent Baker Music (which in fact had done The newest Beatles’ 1965 show in the Atlanta Stadium) to attempt to enhance the voice having Armstrong, but, the truth is, here was not much they could create towards cavernous stadium.

I asked men I went to university which have – although some whom grew up in Athens otherwise visited UGA – to express a common show memories regarding the inform you. Check out ones memories:

My personal classmate Tom Hodgson told you brand new Coliseum performance he checked send towards really is actually Jerry Butler singing their attacks away from “The new Frost Guy Cometh,” as well as “Just the Good Endure.” Tom told you he recalls “Jerry, using a white suit that have a https://www.worldbrides.org/tr/avustralya-gelinleri quartet away from beautiful women singing balance at the rear of. Really don’t think about just who my personal date is actually, however, she need I became given that cool while the Jerry Butler, and i however need she are since hot because the those individuals vocalists.”

At exactly the same time, Sam Heys said that “the best and more than lasting memory is brand new Jerry Butler Homecoming concert toward October. 24, 1969, due to the fact my personal blind date, Pat Finley, continues to be with me more than a half-century afterwards.”

Betz Tillitski features vivid memory of that 1973 show of the Allman Brothers, stating the interior of the arena resembled an enormous bong. “We had resting together with lighting dimmed and you may, boy, was We stunned to see this type of unusual flickers out of white all over the place. Such as for example smoking cigarettes however the fire stayed lighter lengthened. I didn’t understand I found myself viewing bones becoming illuminated. Never been close a joint before. People were passing all of them up to. Following you to definitely uncommon however, nice smell was every-where. I imagined I became in the Woodstock. From the assured my personal moms and dads failed to smelling they back at my dresses whenever i had home.”

However,, she said, “one particular enjoyable show We attended you will find throughout the springtime off 1974, and that i saw the newest Coasters, The Platters as well as the Tams. Stood on the floor in front of the phase dancing the fresh entire time. ”

I recall thinking, ‘Okay, so might be you attending refund the money you had been paid having a speed you are not offering?

Not that all the shows within Coliseum have been an excellent success. Dan Pelletier remembers the night Karen and you will Richard Carpenter “was indeed stinking in the shared in addition to crowd booed, so Richard wandered from the phase from inside the a good huff. Karen came out and you can talked to some of the leftover crowd and you can explained they’d started away from home and you will had been worn out. ‘ No refund was given.”

My later friend Rusty Gunn, exactly who got some of the photo associated it part, told me a few years straight back that his first inform you during the brand new Coliseum was as he was a good junior when you look at the senior high school, in which he and some members of the family took dates observe Nothing Stevie Question plus the Temptations. (Helen Castronis recalls Inquire still is energized given that “Little Stevie” at the time, and this seemed like “the guy starred the device on phase.”)