November 12, 2018
I am frequently asked what is the best rock show I have ever seen.
It was asked again this past summer when my wife and I saw Alice Cooper with a group of friends. That was a really great show!
I have been photographing shows since 1971 (junior year of high school) for various publications and record companies. So there have been a lot of really good shows.
I think my favorite show is still The Rolling Stones, June 18,1972 at the Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington, MN. That show amazed me!
The stage had a huge dragon on the floor and the some stage lights were behind the band and then shot up to mirrors that bounced the light back onto the band. Nicky Hopkins played piano. Bobby Keys played saxophone and Mick Taylor played guitar. That combination of musicians is best version of the Stones to me. Stevie Wonder opened up the show. Even being on the side, seemingly a mile away, the sound was great and of course it was loud!
So yes, the Rolling Stones in 1972 was my favorite show but there are soooo many others that were just as awesome!
Here is my top ten after the Rolling Stones from 1971-
Queen-Uptown Theater in March of 1975. Just incredible and when they fogged the stage I fell off of a crew case in the pit where I was shooting from! Moved a few inches to get the shot I wanted and down I went! No one saw it and I got back up and kept shooting.
David Bowie-Milwaukee Arena October 1974. Even the rehearsal was amazing!
Joe Walsh with James Gang and Barnstorm. 1973 Summerfest. Also at the Milwaukee Arena and the Riverside Theater. He is a master at his craft.
The Everly Brothers at Pius grade school in Milwaukee in 1971. Unbelievable harmonies!
Steely Dan at Humpin Hanna's-Milwaukee 1972. The 14th show they ever played and we had drinks together after the show.
Pink Floyd-Milwaukee County Stadium 1977. Big, big show and the rehearsal was good too. During the actual show, it rained so hard but nobody left early.
The Who-Madison, WI 1975. Almost got crushed waiting to get in the doors. It was general admission and I wanted to be right up front.
Babe Ruth-Riverside Theater. Janitta Haan, Alan Shacklock and the rest of the band dazzled me!
Robert Palmer-Park Avenue club in Milwaukee. Very nice guy and the band was so good.
Metallica-2018 WorldWired tour-Madison and Milwaukee, WI. The stage and show design with a great band was something to see. Drones flew above the crowd! Cubes moved around from the ceiling with graphics and coming up from the stage turning into four drum sets!
I almost forgot my personal favorite photo from 1971 of Linda Ronstadt playing for Ramblin' Jack Elliott after she kicked the beer cans off the locker room bench and put her leg up to play! I was 17 and in a dressing room with Linda, Jack, Kris Kristofferson, Richie Havens, Earl Scruggs, Rosalie Sorrels and more. Learned about tequila that night with Kris Kristofferson!
There are many more I could list but these are pretty good choices I think.
What is the best show you have ever seen?? Let me know please.
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
December 10, 2012
After doing my blog last week, I realized that I forgot to include some black and white images that I really like.
So this week it's The Who, Part 2.
The black and white images did not age as well as the color images from last week, but it's nice to look at Keith Moon's smile and John Entwistle's spider necklace!
Enjoy the photos and on any orders for prints we would definitely cleanup them up for you.
The photos featured on the blog each week are for sale at $30.00 for an 8 X 10 or 8 1/2 X 11.
Thanks,
Rich
December 3, 2012
On March 13, 1976, The Who came to the Dane County Coliseum in Madison, Wisconsin.
After waiting in line outside with a very large crowd, for a very long time, my friends and I made it inside and ran to the front of the stage as soon as they opened the doors. We ran because we had to secure a good spot with our cameras since it was a general admission show and we had no backstage passes. We were glad to have made it inside because outside we were pushed into the glass entrance doors to the point that we could not breath! I remember being very scared that day.
The show was great! It was after all The Who, so the waiting and getting crushed outside was worth it!
They were on tour in Chicago this past week so I thought it was a good time to dig up these images from 1976.
The present tour of course does not have Keith Moon on drums or John Entwistle on bass, unfortunately. I was lucky to see and photograph The Who with the original band.
The photos featured on the blog each week are for sale at $30.00 for an 8 X 10 or 8 1/2 X 11.
Thanks,
Rich
