The first concert actually held about Coliseum, a couple of months after the venue’s February 1964 opening, checked the Four Freshmen plus the Four Preps. (That was, definitely, brand new Greek Month show.) The new Five Seasons performed the first Homecoming performance around inside the Oct ’64 (my friend Mindy Moore Bacon recalls heading, even if she was only within the junior high), and you will Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong brought his All-stars around for a free inform you when you look at the February 1965, adopted three days later on by the Johnny Mathis in addition to Younger People in america.

Karen appeared and you may spoke to some of your own leftover crowd and you will explained they had already been on the run and was basically worn out

Due to grievances regarding sound during the before reveals, brand new college or university earned Atlanta-situated Baker Songs (which had complete The latest Beatles’ 1965 tell you at the Atlanta Stadium) to attempt to enhance the sound for Armstrong, however,, surprisingly, there was not much they could do concerning the cavernous arena.

I asked anyone We visited college or university which have – while some which was born in Athens or went along to UGA – to express their favorite show memory about reveal. Check out of them recollections:

My classmate Tom Hodgson told you the fresh new Coliseum show he appeared submit to your extremely is actually Jerry Butler vocal their attacks away from “The fresh Ice Guy Cometh,” along with “Only the Strong Endure.” Tom said the guy recalls “Jerry, dressed in a light suit which have a great quartet out of breathtaking women singing balance at the rear of. I do not consider exactly who my time was, however, she wanted I happened to be because the cool since the Jerry Butler, and i also however desired she is actually since scorching since the individuals singers.”

In addition, Sam Heys asserted that “the best and most long-term memory is the latest Jerry Butler Homecoming performance for the October. 24, 1969, because my personal blind date, Pat Finley, has been with me more than a 1 / 2-century afterwards.”

Betz Tillitski enjoys vibrant memory of that 1973 let you know from the Allman Brothers, claiming the within of your own stadium resembled a big bong. “I had sitting in addition to lighting dimmed and, boy, try I surprised to see these strange flickers out of light every along side place. Such as for example tobacco however the flames resided lighter stretched. I didn’t learn I happened to be watching bones being illuminated. Not ever been close a combined ahead of. People were passageway them to. I imagined I found myself in the Woodstock. From the assured my parents don’t smell it back at my gowns when i had household.”

However,, she said, “many fun show I attended there’s regarding spring season out-of 1974, and that i noticed the fresh Coasters, The new Platters additionally the Tams. Stood on the ground ahead of the stage dance the entire date. Finished up toward an effective guy’s arms viewing the incredible show.”

Up coming that unusual but nice smell is actually almost everywhere

Not too all shows in the Coliseum was in fact a achievement. Dan Pelletier remembers the night Karen and you may Richard Carpenter “had been stinking within the mutual therefore the group booed, very Richard moved off the stage inside the an excellent huff. From the thought, ‘Ok, so can be you probably reimburse the cash you were repaid to possess a speed you are not offering?’ No refund obtained.”

My late friend Rusty Gunn, just who took a few of the pictures accompanying that it section, explained many years straight back you to definitely his first show in the brand new Coliseum is when he try an effective junior during the high school, and then he and several friends grabbed schedules to see Little Stevie Question Cubansk kvinder, der gifter sig med hvide mГ¦nd and Temptations. (Helen Castronis remembers Ponder however is energized as “Absolutely nothing Stevie” during the time, and this appeared like “he played the tool on stage.”)