My List of Big-Name Concerts at RPI

Posted by John Dojka on February 19, 2010 in
,

My post regarding big name concerts has been one of the most popular posts on this blog. There are some great comments about concert memories and tips that have led me to more information.  I have referred to "my list" of RPI concerts and it's about time I shared that list!  I put it in a pdf file so the blog is not barraged with extraneous concert searches.  If you remember any of these concerts or have information about concerts not on the list, please leave a comment!

Our List of Big Name Concerts

[Please note: We started at 1960 and moved forward so concerts from the last ten years have not been added.]

Comments

Barry
Fri, 09/09/2016 - 19:15 Permalink

I can t believe that no one has mentioned the monstrous snowstorm the night of Emerson Lake and Palmer. Our taxi got stuck in the snow.

GRAND PA ROCK'S
Sun, 10/08/2017 - 18:44 Permalink

Here is a list of what I have for the field house.
BLOTTO, THE DRONGOS & ROOT BOY SLIM - 9/15/1984
BOB DYLAN - SUPPORT ACT JASON AND THE SCORCHERS 10/27/1989
BOB DYLAN - SUPPORT ACT NATALIE MERCHANT 2/22/1999
BOSTON - 5/8/1977
EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER - 2/6/1978
FRANK ZAPPA - 4/26/1980
JETHRO TULL - 10/23/1989
NEIL YOUNG & THE INTERNATIONAL HARVESTERS - 8/15/1985
NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE - 9/24/1986
NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE SUPPORT ACTS - SONIC YOUTH & SOCIAL DISTORTION - 2/9/1991
POISON - 2/11/1989
ROBERT PLANT SUPPORT ACT JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS - 10/18/1988
ROD STEWART - 5/9/1989
SUPERTRAMP - 5/29/1979
CHUCK BERRY, THE CRICKETS, FATS DOMINO - 11/14/1957
THE SHIRELLES, THE JIVE FIVE, LINDA SCOTT - 10/13/1961
PAUL ANKA, CHUBBY CHECKER, DUANE EDDY, CLARENCE FROGMAN HENRY - 10/13/1961
RAY CHARLES - 11/3/1961
RAY CHARLES - 5/6/1966
THE DAVE CLARK FIVE - 7/25/1965
PETER PAUL & MARY - 4/30/1965
MANFRED MANN & PETER & GORDON - 12/6/1964
PETE SEEGER - 11/7/1964
SONNY TERRY & BROWNIE MCGHEE - 10/23/1964
THE BEACH BOYS - 9/4/1964
JANIS IAN - 11/8/1968
THE DOORS/ SUPPORT ACT TIM ROSE - 12/8/1967
WOODY ALLEN - 11/10/1967
THE LOVIN' SPOONFUL - 11/10/1967
MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS - 10/7/1967
THE RASCALS - 3/3/1967
SIMON & GARFUNKLE - 10/8/1966
SANTANA - 10/9/1970
THE PENTANGLE - 5/9/1970
TIM BUCKLEY - 5/8/1970
MC5 - 5/8/1970
TEN WHEEEL DRIVE - 5/8/1970
SONNY & CHER - 11/4/1969
IRON BUTTERFLY 10/17/1969
JOHNNY CASH - 10/11/1969
MELANIE - 4/14/1973
BETTE MIDLER & BARRY MANILOW - 2/23/1973
CHICAGO - 10/31/1972 - 11/1/1972
ISSAC HAYES - 9/29/1972
BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS - 10/16/1972
GORDON LIGHTFOOT - 5/1/1971
THE YOUNGBLOODS W/ SUGARLOAF - 2/26/1971
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 11/12/1978
GRATEFUL DEAD 5/7/1978
FRANK ZAPPA - 11/6/1976
JACKSON BROWNE - 10/10/1976
NEW RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE - 5/4/1975
AMERICA - 11/16/1974
SUPERTRAMP - SUPPORT GROUP THE MOTELS - 10/9/1985
HEART AND CHEAP TRICK - 9/10/1985
DIO - 9/4/1985
THE BEACH BOYS - 5/17/1985
SANTANA - 5/1/1985
NRBQ, GEORGE THOROGOOD & THE DESTROYERS - 4/17/1985
SLAYER W/ W.A.S.P. - 1/29/1987
IRON MAIDEN W/ YNGWIE J. MALMSTEEN - 1/11/1987
STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN - 11/30/1986
THE MONKEES - 10/10/1986
JUDAS PRIEST W/ KROKUS - 7/29/1986
BOBBY MCFERRIN - 4/22/1986
BAD COMPANY W/ DEEP PURPLE - 4/27/1987
BEASTIE BOYS W/ PUBLIC ENEMY - 4/17/1987
BILLY IDOL W/ THE CULT - 4/12/1987
BON JOVI, CINDERELLA, THE ALARM - 4/10/1987
FASTER PUSSYCAT W/ ACE FREHLEY - 11/13/1987
RUSH - SUPPORT ACT MCAULEY-SCHENKER GROUP - 11/12/1987
JETHRO TULL SUPPORT ACT FAIRPORT CONVENTION - 11/10/1987
THE HOOTERS - 10/10/1987
MOTLEY CRUE W/ WHITESNAKE - 8/14/1987
JIMMY PAGE - 11/5/1988
AMY GRANT - 9/28/1988
IRON MAIDEN W/ FREHLEY'S COMET - 7/16/1988
STING - 2/6/1988
YES - 12/15/1987
BO DIDDLEY - 11/19/1987
ALICE COOPER - 11/13/1987
HELLOWEEN - 5/8/1989
CINDERELLA, WINGER, BULLETBOYS - 5/4/1989
BRITNY FOX W/ KIX & RATT - 4/9/1989
METALLICA W/ QUEENSRYCHE - 3/15/1989
STRYPER 11/18/1988
STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN W/ JEFF BECK - 11/12/1989
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK - 11/11/1989
TELSA, GREAT WHITE, BADLANDS - 10/24/1989
ANTHRAX W/ EXODUS - 5/8/1989
TESTAMENT, SLAYER, LUSH - 2/11/1991
LIVING COLOUR - 11/3/1990
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS - 9/29/1990
ANDY WILLIAMS - 12/16/1989
JEFF BECK W/ STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN- 11/12/1989
SKID ROW W/ PANTERA - 4/12/1992
TELSA - 3/31/1992
PEARLL JAM W/ RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS & SMASHING PUMPKINS - 11/5/1991
JANES ADDICTION, PRIMUS, ANTHRAX, PUBLIC ENEMY - 9/27/1991
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS - 3/28/1998
MARILYN MANSON W/ L7 - 2/18/1997
LIVE - 2/17/1997
ALANIS MORISSETTE - SUPPORT ACT LOUD LUCY - 2/13/1996
OZZY OSBOURNE - SUPPORT ACT KORN - 1/27/1992
STEVE MILLER BAND - 4/27/1992
GUSTER - 3/18/2004
JOHN MAYER -11/25/2002
MOE - 10/31/2002
COUNTING CROWS - 10/4/2002
MATCHBOX TWENTY - 9/23/2000
DEF LEPPARD - 2/6/2000
O.A.R. - 11/19/2005
JEFFERSON STARSHIP (NO GRACE SLICK) SUPPORT ACT LIVE WIRE - 11/18/1979

Gary
Fri, 10/07/2016 - 02:20 Permalink

Who wants to help me with this one. My first concert ever was here at RPI Fieldhouse. It was 4 bands. Tesla, Badlands, Great White, need help with the last band.

Eric Maiwald
Fri, 02/19/2010 - 16:45 Permalink

I recall that Alabama played the Field House sometime during my time at RPI - I was there from 83 until 87 and I think it would have been 1984 maybe?

Also, there was the concert that wasn't - Heart and Kansas. One of the Heart singers had a sore throat so both groups cancelled. :-( This was in 1986/1987 I believe.

Christine Schultheiss
Sun, 02/21/2010 - 12:15 Permalink

From my father, Arthur, who attended RPI in the 70s:

"Here are some additional shows I attended which are not listed:

Jackson Browne and Orleans - September 14, 1976 (my first concert at RPI a week or two after I arrived):
http://cgi.ebay.com/Jackson-Browne-Orleans-1976-Concert-Ticket-Stub/270…

Boston May, 1977 - the night before the Math 2 final (which I flunked). Strangely there is no reference to this show on the internet. I swear I was there.

Emerson Lake and Palmer February 6, 1978 - sat 4th row in front of Keith Emerson, certainly one of the best rock keyboard players ever (Rick Wakeman may be better). Amazing show.

And the one I had 20 tickets for when their plane crashed October, 1977 - Lynyrd Skynyrd. Wish I had keep one of the tickets for the $10-12 I paid.

It is absolutely amazing the quality and quantity of concerts we had in and around the time I was at RPI.

They are also missing at least 2 other big ones in 1987. One was Rush and the other was Jethro Tull who opened their 1987 tour at RPI (I did not go back for either)."

In reply to by egglel

amythearchivist
Tue, 02/23/2010 - 13:12 Permalink

Christine, thanks for the concert information! I have heard from several sources that there was a Boston concert in May 1977, but I have not been able to find a primary source of information to pin down the exact date. I verified the Emerson Lake & Palmer concert and Jackson Browne & Orleans performed here October 10, 1976 so those have been added to my list. The Lynryd Skynyrd concert was scheduled for November 20, 1977 exactly one month after the plane crash. The Rush concert on November 12th was sandwiched between concerts by Jethro Tull on the 10th and Alice Cooper on the 13th. The Field House must have had some loose bolts after that week!

Jeff Stannard
Fri, 03/05/2010 - 10:27 Permalink

91? Poison
92? Ozzy and Smashing Pumpkins
92-3? Public Enemy, Anthrax, and Primus

Dewey Finn
Mon, 03/08/2010 - 21:56 Permalink

I did a Google search for tour histories and found the site http://www.songkick.com/. I went through all the venues listed in Troy, NY and came up with the following additions. Note that there were some other concerts listed, but I tried to concentrate on the significant acts. The obvious way to generate a comprehensive list would be to go through the Poly newspaper archives, which would be laborious (although you might just need to look for the events calendar page, or a page at the beginning of each semester giving the concert schedule).

Cyndi Lauper, November 9, 1984. (Confirmation: http://cyndilaupernews.com/documents/fun_tour_dates.html)

Neil Young and Crazy Horse with Sonic Youth, February 9, 1991.

Red Hot Chili Peppers, November 5, 1991. (Another site listed Smashing Pumpkins on this date. Either a double-bill or a mistake somewhere.)

They Might Be Giants, March 28, 1998 and September 29, 1990.

Jane's Addiction, April 27, 1991.

Van Morrison, April 11, 1970.

Bob Dylan, October 27, 1989. (Confirmation: http://www.bobdylan.com/#/tour/1989-10-27-houston-fieldhouse)

In reply to by egglel

amythearchivist
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 09:09 Permalink

Wow, Dewey, good find! I've used various web sites with tour histories, but had not come across this one. I HAVE done laborious searches through The Poly and that is how I generated most of my list. Thanks so much for this concert information. I'll add them to the list and post an updated version as soon as I can.

In reply to by egglel

amythearchivist
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 09:13 Permalink

BTW, I found information about the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert last week. The Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam all played here on 11/5/1991

kim
Fri, 03/26/2010 - 17:39 Permalink

I saw my first concert- Cinderella, Bullet Boys and Winger in 87? I am looking to find the exact year but am having a hard time, that's how I found your site!

catherine
Fri, 04/02/2010 - 09:59 Permalink

I just stumbled across this. I wanted to comment on the 1971 Blood Sweat and Tears Concert. Don McClean opened for BS&T. The next morning everyone on Campus was singing, "Bye, bye, Miss American Pie. .. ."

In reply to by egglel

Audrey Depelteau
Tue, 12/25/2018 - 01:33 Permalink

I was there!

paul
Thu, 04/08/2010 - 16:39 Permalink

i saw supertramp at the fieldhouse 4 days after my 19th b-day may 29th 1979. what a show! if i remember correctly it seems to me that it reminded me of a circus.

Erin L
Sun, 04/25/2010 - 03:06 Permalink

3/2/99- The Offspring. Opening bands were The Living End and Ozomatli.

I still remember, at the tender age of 9 or 10, mom saying "Wow, you kids are going to get contact high here"... it only took 8 years to figure out what the hell the funny smell, in conjunction with the comment, meant.

In reply to by egglel

amythearchivist
Mon, 04/26/2010 - 13:05 Permalink

Thanks for your comment about this concert. I'll add the information to the concert list.

Joe
Mon, 07/26/2010 - 02:55 Permalink

Thanks for compiling this list! The 1998 concert by They Might Be Giants was in the RPI Union (in the McNeil Room), and it's likely that the 1990 show was too, although I can't find my ticket from that one.

In reply to by egglel

amythearchivist
Thu, 07/29/2010 - 09:55 Permalink

Thanks for the correction, Joe. I'll check on the location of the 1990 show.

Janet
Wed, 12/01/2010 - 09:06 Permalink

Just stumbled on this - not sure if these qualify as "big names," but I remember seeing Bob Mould (of Husker Du) in the McNeil room and NRBQ in the West Hall Auditorium. Both were somewhere between 1989 and 1991.

Erin Miller
Mon, 02/28/2011 - 22:46 Permalink

From my dad when I told him about the concerts listed,

Very cool!
(my memory was alittle fogged on the exact dates, but...

2/6/1978
Emerson Lake & Palmer
RPI Field House
5/7/1978
The Grateful Dead
RPI Field House
sold out in hours
11/12/1978
Bruce Springsteen
RPI Field House
rave reviews
5/27/1979
Supertramp
RPI Field House
11/8/1979
Jefferson Starship
RPI Field House
4/26/1980
Frank Zappa
RPI Field House
2nd appearance

MelissaA
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 19:38 Permalink

I took a look at the file of big name concerts at RPI and I think are still a few missing. I also remember seeing Wang Chung and Jefferson Starship/Airplane. I believe it was in the brief period of time when they were just called "Starship." Glace Slick did perform. I am pretty sure these concerts were at the Field House. I believe Wang Chung was the warm-up band for someone else at the time, so maybe whatever band that was is listed. I was at RPI from 1982-1986, so it would have been during that time period.

MelissaA
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 19:45 Permalink

A little research on when songs were released leads me to believe Starship/Jefferson Starship played at RPI in 1985 or 1986.

Joe
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 23:04 Permalink

Yes, Starship performed in the Field House on 11/16/85, on a double bill with Night Ranger. I still have the ticket stub from that one.

amythearchivist
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 08:52 Permalink

Melissa & Joe - thanks for filling in this missing information! I've updated the file. I'll see what I can find on the Wang Chung gig.

JohnD
Fri, 04/15/2011 - 19:35 Permalink

I seem to remember the group Boston playing there
in the late seventies

In reply to by egglel

amythearchivist
Tue, 04/19/2011 - 10:23 Permalink

Yes, there was a Boston concert on May 8, 1977.

Bob
Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:29 Permalink

A few I remember in the mid-70's (71 through 76...played either what was then "The Armory" or the "RPI Fiiedhouse".

> "The Carpenters" in the Armory
> "Chicago" in The Armory
> "Richie Havens" at the fieldhouse (way before the name change)
> America in The Armory

.......and I'm sure a few more.

In reply to by egglel

Audrey Depelteau
Tue, 12/25/2018 - 01:36 Permalink

Santana, Seals & Croft

lc
Mon, 07/11/2011 - 10:53 Permalink

Bob Mould was Fall 1990, Black Sheets of Rain tour. So, so, so, so loud and awesome

NRBQ and Buckwheat Zydeco was in the McNeil room in spring 1989, I think during GM week or right before finals.

Camper vanBeethoven was West Hall in Fall 1988.

In reply to by egglel

ML
Thu, 07/11/2019 - 15:05 Permalink

RE: Bob Mould... I remember one of Mark Sandmans bands opening up.., probably Morphine... but could have been Treat her Right. Great Freaking show!

CH
Wed, 09/28/2011 - 12:56 Permalink

Stryper & Hurricane - Nov. 1988
Attica, Testament & Slayer - early '90s (local band Attica filled in for Sepultura)
Marilyn Manson & L7 - mid '90s

All at the field house

Rich
Wed, 10/05/2011 - 15:55 Permalink

Seals and Crofts - Spring 1974 at the RPI Field House. My first date with my wife

klemen
Tue, 04/22/2014 - 09:24 Permalink

Zappa Concert: Stockholm 1973. The performance dates to a 1973 or 74 performance on a Swedish TV show called Oopoppa. There are videos of this performance floating about. Evidently there were 2 sets accomplished - one maybe for the "official" show, and a second videotaped set that was perhaps broadcast separately. ....http://frankzapppa.blogspot.com/2013/12/concert-stockholm-1973.html

Jennifer Moore-Warren
Tue, 09/02/2014 - 23:13 Permalink

I attended the Stryper/Hurricane concert at RPI but thought that it was earlier than 1988. I'm thinking like 86. I can't find any info on it and have been looking for a long time. It was the first concert I ever attended so one would think I would remember the date. Oh well. Anyhow it was a great a great concert, loud heavy metal music, lights, pyrotechnics and bibles, drumsticks, and guitar picks flying.

In reply to by egglel

Matt Henzel
Tue, 04/07/2015 - 20:50 Permalink

@Jennifer Moore-Warren:
You are correct.
The Stryper/Hurricane concert at R.P.I. was in 1986.
It was my first ever concert and I had a great time.
I still have the ticket stub! :)

Gary Perkinson
Tue, 01/14/2014 - 14:35 Permalink

An old thread, I know, but I saw the Dead at the Fieldhouse in May '78, Springsteen in December '78, and Supertramp in May '79...

Matt Henzel
Tue, 04/07/2015 - 21:41 Permalink

CORRECTION... It was actually 1987.

After some extensive searching I am now 100% sure of this.

My ticket stub has the date cut off. but it says "7:30PM TUE"
I kept searching for "Stryper Hurricane RPI", but came up short.
I then found Timothy Gaines' list of old tours and found this:
"200. 03-10-87, Poly Institute, Troy, NY."
Then looking up March 10th, 1987, and it is in fact a Tuesday.. BINGO!
That's where I was on that day as a 15 year old Stryper fan. :)

In reply to by egglel

Lou Lambruschi
Mon, 03/18/2019 - 22:48 Permalink

I met Carl Palmer a couple years ago - he remembered that night..."snow was blowing into the dressing room" at the fieldhouse. I lived close enough to walk home!

Rich Turner
Sat, 07/07/2018 - 00:57 Permalink

Looking for anything from the 11/06/1976 Zappa show, like a poster, ad or ticket stub. My first date with my wife-to-be. :). Thanks!

John
Fri, 11/17/2017 - 13:10 Permalink

many thanks for the list! brings back a flood of memories. I saw the Grateful Dead, ELP and Frank Zappa at RPI in the mid to late 70's. always a great time there. the only downside was the night of ELP was a nasty upstate NY snow storm.
really liked growing up in that area. seemed that all the colleges (RPI, Russel Sage, Albany State, Sienna and Union) would try to out do the other for bands. don't know if they do that so much anymore.

In reply to by egglel

Jen
Fri, 10/13/2017 - 08:19 Permalink

Wow - Thanks!

In reply to by egglel

Francis Bossolini
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 11:51 Permalink

I remember working the show backstage (c 90-01), but I don't remember the 4th act. It was a Tesla/Great White double-bill, with Badlands (Jake E. Lee, guitarist).

Don
Tue, 01/03/2017 - 15:16 Permalink

Neil young and the international harvester band late eighties and Supertramp in the same one period

steve
Mon, 07/20/2015 - 16:17 Permalink

A couple more to add: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jeff Beck played a show from their joint tour in Fall of '89 (I forget the exact date). I think it was SRV's last tour. Also, NRBQ played the McNeil Room at least a couple of times in the late 70s/early 80s. And then there were the Blotto shows... :)

Greg
Sun, 08/20/2017 - 09:32 Permalink

I have half a ticket stub from Dick Clark's American Bandstand Tour, which visited the Fieldhouse in 1989 and featured The Guess Who, The Association, The Drifters and The Spinners. All I can tell is from the half-stub is that it took place on a Friday, likely during a month starting with M. Would love to suss out the actual date.

Francis Bossolini '89
Tue, 02/23/2016 - 23:57 Permalink

Also - Robert Plant and Jimmy Page (separate tours) c. 1989. I think Michael Schenker opened for Page. (i worked t-shirt security at the time and led Jimmy to the stage)

Greg
Thu, 03/10/2016 - 22:35 Permalink

I remember my first Field House show as being Mahavishnu Orchestra with Frampton's Camel. Anybody else got any idea about this one?

Lonnie Lykins
Tue, 08/20/2019 - 10:17 Permalink

Rolling Stones beer and blanket show (no seats, just the floor of Field House) 1964 or 1965. Carry in a blanket and all the beer you want! Stones walked off stage twice, once when someone threw a beer can onstage, and once when someone yelled a slur which also is the name of a bundle of sticks. Both times they were talked into returning. They were touring the Northeast US at about that time.

paul caglione
Thu, 10/31/2019 - 00:11 Permalink

Shows I attended @ RPI FIELDHOUSE were: Paul Mauriat Orchestra - Don McLean - The Doors - Emerson,Lake & Palmer - Bruce Springsteen - Bette Midler w/musical director/pianist Barry Manilow - Stevie Wonder - Blood,Sweat & Tears Night Ranger - Bo Diddley - Jefferson Starship - Richie Havens
@ TROY ARMORY/RPI : Jimi Hendrix Experience w/Soft Machine - Chicago (2 nights) - The Beach Boys (original members) w/ New Colony Six & ? -
@ McNeill Room : Maynard Ferguson - Orleans ? - others? (sorry)

Jeffrey Buxton
Thu, 04/16/2020 - 13:11 Permalink

I could SWEAR I saw Heart in 1977. Anyone else remember ? Maybe it wasn't at the field house ?

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