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Post by thinice on Aug 21, 2010 1:16:21 GMT -5
...one thing that stands out in my mind was I think during the Sealion song seeing a fake large Zebra come out on stage and somehow one of the band members (Jeffrey Hammond I think) got some white balls from the back of the zebra and began juggling the balls. Ian Anderson said "I bet you never thought you'd be seeing somebody juggling zebra shit". Please let me know if this really happened or if it was just in my imagination. After all these years I can't be sure. Jeff I was just playing an old YouTube video of Minstrel in the Gallery and got to thinking: I wonder if there might be any reference to this memorable quote from a circa '75 performance I saw in Portland. A quick search brought me here. Yes, the zebra juggling and Anderson's quote were definitely part of the performance. Another unique visual I remember were the 3 women in black dresses wearing old fashion white powder wigs on violin. What a great show! |
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donl
Claghornist
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Post by donl on Aug 22, 2010 8:49:32 GMT -5
a rainy night at shea stadium was my first show, too old tour july '76. saw them again at radio city music hall in january '77, showcasing the soon to be released songs from the wood album.
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Olias
Claghornist
Architect of the Moorglade
Posts: 34
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Post by Olias on Dec 24, 2010 16:09:56 GMT -5
The first time I saw them was on October 12, 2007 at the Uptown Theater in Kansas City. I was...fifteen or sixteen at the time, can't remember exactly. It was a great show, though I really wish I could have seen them in their prime. I love Ian to bits, and everything he's done, but his voice just doesn't sound the same.
Ah well. It was an excellent show regardless.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2010 19:37:46 GMT -5
The first time I saw them was on October 12, 2007 at the Uptown Theater in Kansas City. I was...fifteen or sixteen at the time, can't remember exactly. You can't remember how old you were 3 years and 2 months ago? ???Try subtracting 3 from your current age and that should give you the answer.  |
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RockTunz
Claghornist
Prog Rules!!
Posts: 7
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Post by RockTunz on Dec 28, 2010 18:38:53 GMT -5
My first Tull show was in 1972...I believe at either the Forum or the Sports Arena in L.A. The venue may be fuzzy...but my memory of the show is still quite clear! About 10-15 minutes before the show started, there were a bunch of people in long, beige macs milling about the stage. They weren't doing anything in particular...just acting as if they were all doing something oh-so important. As the minutes ticked by, the number of "stage hands" grew smaller and smaller until just one remained. Emerging from the shadows, this last guy approached the microphone and, just as the spotlight hit him, he reached behind him and pulled an acoustic guitar out from under his coat. He said...in that voice we all know and love: "Our first number is a rahhhther lengthy beast. It's cawlled....Thick as a Brick." And the show began!!  (Misspelling intentional...didn't know any other way to mimic his accent!) :-) About 90 amazing minutes later...Ian came back up to the mike and said: "For our second number...." Now...if I could only remember what that second song was!! At this point...does it really matter???  |
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Post by TM on Dec 28, 2010 20:45:15 GMT -5
My first Tull show was in 1972...I believe at either the Forum or the Sports Arena in L.A. The venue may be fuzzy...but my memory of the show is still quite clear! About 10-15 minutes before the show started, there were a bunch of people in long, beige macs milling about the stage. They weren't doing anything in particular...just acting as if they were all doing something oh-so important. As the minutes ticked by, the number of "stage hands" grew smaller and smaller until just one remained. Emerging from the shadows, this last guy approached the microphone and, just as the spotlight hit him, he reached behind him and pulled an acoustic guitar out from under his coat. He said...in that voice we all know and love: "Our first number is a rahhhther lengthy beast. It's cawlled....Thick as a Brick." And the show began!! (Misspelling intentional...didn't know any other way to mimic his accent!) :-) About 90 amazing minutes later...Ian came back up to the mike and said: "For our second number...." Now...if I could only remember what that second song was!! At this point...does it really matter??? Love it! Welcome aboard! Feel free to "plug" your site. We have a section specifically for that. Cheers, Paul |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2011 1:35:46 GMT -5
I'm surprised I haven't posted in this thread yet--I guess I missed it.
I've only even been to one Tull show--but am hoping that the boys (or at least Ian) come around to the east coast this summer to play a show. I couldn't afford the tickets last time he came around. I would like to see as many Tull shows as I can before they retire. If they ever do.
The show I saw was at the Strathmore in Gaithersburg/Bethesda MD on December 3rd 2007. Needless to say, I was extremely excited. When the show started the lights went completely dark and I remember the first thing hearing was a sharp, sweet harmonica ripping through the air. The spotlight showed Ian and Martin together playing Some Day the Sun Wont Shine for You. It was really cool, and an unexpected beginning to the concert.
It was just before their 40th anniversary year, so most of the songs consisted of their early material. I remember Doane Perry being completely batshit insane on drums--a better drummer than I ever thought he was. Martin played really complex and impassioned guitar pretty much as easy as riding a bike--less than that--as easy as pushing a button.
They did a really wonderful performance of Budapest and Locomotive Breath. They had three female accompaniments--i think they all had violins or violas, but one may have had a cello or something. They did a great medley of songs from the wood and heavy horses. Ian and Martin would come in from backstage here and there to add some parts.
Ian made some dirty jokes which made the little kids in the audience go "EEWWW!" which was cool. The whole thing was awesome--it was hard to believe I was really seeing him in person, which may seem like nothing to some of the people on the board who have actually had conversations with him!
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Post by tullfan on Mar 1, 2011 19:37:07 GMT -5
I'm sorry I'm replying late on this thread.My first tull show was awesome. I think it was in the 90s or maybe late 80s as I was really young. I don't know what the place was called or anything.I'm totally blind so I can't see any signs of what the vinue was. The show was a suprize from my mom and dad and I didn't know I was going to it. When I got there, someone said something about here comes old ian or something like that, so I figured it was a tull show as I've been listening to them since I was three or so. The only song I think I remember was thick as a brick. I've been to another tull show, but that was my first. sorry about the fuzzy details.
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Post by tlittle on Jun 1, 2011 12:51:08 GMT -5
July 16, 1973. Tarrant County Convention Center, Ft. Worth, TX. A Passion Play had been out only a few days. The show started with the small white dot on the screen pulsating to the heartbeat sound, growing in size and turning blood red. Then dissolved into the image of the dead ballerina. Suddenly a girl in the audience lets out the most blood curdling scream. The ballerina's hand had slowly moved. She gets up and dances into the looking glass and the music starts with a flash of light and smoke. All onstage except Ian, who then comes out hopping on one leg and twirling his flue. Up to then, I had never understood what "Beatlemania" was all about, but the electricity that just exploded in the crowd response was something that I had not experienced before, or since that night.
A memorable first concert!
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Post by TM on Jun 1, 2011 13:00:26 GMT -5
July 16, 1973. Tarrant County Convention Center, Ft. Worth, TX. A Passion Play had been out only a few days. The show started with the small white dot on the screen pulsating to the heartbeat sound, growing in size and turning blood red. Then dissolved into the image of the dead ballerina. Suddenly a girl in the audience lets out the most blood curdling scream. The ballerina's hand had slowly moved. She gets up and dances into the looking glass and the music starts with a flash of light and smoke. All onstage except Ian, who then comes out hopping on one leg and twirling his flue. Up to then, I had never understood what "Beatlemania" was all about, but the electricity that just exploded in the crowd response was something that I had not experienced before, or since that night. A memorable first concert! That must have been something to see Tom. I remember the electricity in the Madison Square Garden crowd 1978. Those were the days when Ian we turn to the audience behind the stage and the entire section would rise to it's feet. Even though the seats were always crappy for those earlier shows, it was pretty intense feeding off all that energy of those earlier shows. |
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jrpipik
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
There was a little boy stood on a burning log, rubbing his hands with glee
Posts: 193
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Post by jrpipik on Jun 1, 2011 17:14:07 GMT -5
I saw Tull on the Stormwatch tour at Richfield Coliseum outside Cleveland, an old barn of a building and a terrible venue. Loved the show, though. Everyone swinging around on sail rigging and all. Molly Hatchet opened.
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frenchlegend
Claghornist
You're never too old to Rock'n'Roll
Posts: 15
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Post by frenchlegend on Oct 21, 2011 16:21:28 GMT -5
April (I believe) of 1972. My very first rock concert at the local university where I attended school.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2011 19:43:52 GMT -5
"On stage, there they are matchless!!" (Text from an article I saw about Tull in 1970)
In June of 1971 I was 15 and my friends had been telling me for some time that Tull was great live and that summer was filled with great concerts for me. This was a week after school let out so it was the opening shot of a great summer.
There was about 5 or 6 of us going to the show all in the same row. Tickets were $3.75. I live south of LA, and my friend Allan and I hitch-hiked to the show and had to go through Watts to get to the Forum, without a thought for the bad part of town (It's not the safest place to be, they'd had a bit of a riot there a few years before and
things were still kind of empty and burnt.) We didn't care though, we did the 20 miles in 3 rides down one boulevard.
Livingston Taylor opened for Tull and was very nice and set a very mellow tone, the last song (I believe) he played was "Somewhere over the Rainbow" which was just perfect for our state of mind. Whenever it was just an acoustic guitar playing, the lights were a soft blue. I really don't remember him ending and Tull coming on. I was paying too much attention to friends and other things and my buddy sitting next to me, Ed kept nudging me and telling me that "You're going to want to see this pay attention". I'd been to a few concerts and I loved seeing live shows but I'd never seen Tull before and Ed had. So he knew something that I didn't, he'd been the year before and knew this song.
There was a guy with a giant mountain of hair sitting on a stool playing acoustic guitar and there was a soft blue light on him and the rest of the stage was dark. It was Ian Anderson and he was playing the opening lines of My God. I
had just recently picked up that album but I hadn't burned them into my memory yet and I recognized the song but for some reason the record didn't quite convey the dynamic I was about to experience.
The band had been waiting in the dark and at just the right moment. KABBOOM!!! the place erupted in yellow
orange and wow my ears!!! Anderson jumped up like Errol Flynn and kicked the stool over. I felt like I'd been pushed back into my seat and my hair was flying back. Wow was all I could think, then Ian picked up his flute and did "the solo"!! What a trip! and this was just the first song. Jeffery was jumping around as much as Anderson was. Sometimes just walking up and back two steps, he was kind of freaking me out lol. All due respect to all bass players that were to follow but Jeffery was an entertainer in his own rite and added so much to the visual. Martin Barre looked so quiet and was tapping his foot off the beat yet he was operating an ear splitting buzzsaw, the comic Harpo/John Evan behind the organ or piano at either end of the stage, which he kept threatening to fall off of, rounded out a musical 3 ring circus. It was a candy store for my head, eyes and ears. I would look over to check in with my friends once in a while and they all had the same smiling mouth agape look on their faces and would look back at me like "Isn't this great?!" Later we would laugh ourselves silly till dawn listening to Tull records over these completely inadequate little tiny stereo speakers. It was a night of just exceptional music that I'd never experienced the same way with any other band.... until I could get to the next Tull show!
By the time the next one rolled into town I had picked up everything Tull I could get my hands on, including the plain sleeved "My God!" boot. TAAB came out and was sooo different from all the other albums, I was not completely convinced this was going to be as good as the last time I saw them.....well...... I was sooooo wrong! This time like so many other years (almost every one!) to follow they would completely exceed expectations and push the bounds just a little further.
There is some very amazing folks making music out there, different styles and levels of skills and showmanship, then and now. BUT there was nothing like Tull.
I had just recently aquirred both the 71 & 72 LA shows that I attended and I was a little concerned that I was going to be let down and that my memory was "rosier" than the reality. Happily both were as exciting and close to the mark of my memories.
So that is my story, and whichever year that any of you "checked in" to a Tull show you know why I have been a fan all these years.
Darin
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2011 9:48:09 GMT -5
[
That is a great story, I think that seeing Tull for the first was an adventure, an experience that none of us forget. No other band's kept you wondering what was going to happen next.
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frenchlegend
Claghornist
You're never too old to Rock'n'Roll
Posts: 15
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Post by frenchlegend on Oct 22, 2011 20:24:13 GMT -5
LOL, rocktunz. I recall something very similar to that. Once the coat came off, there was this wild haired musician in knee high boots and...blue tights(?)....or something along those lines, along with bandmates playing some incredible music for a very enthusiastic and somewhat stoned college crowd.
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Oldghost
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
Posts: 114
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Post by Oldghost on Feb 10, 2012 9:29:38 GMT -5
It was 17.10.1991, when I first saw Tull live in Munich Olympic hall, where they played for the last time, before they were pushed to smaller venues. It was Catfish tour ofcourse and quite a decent gig, which will stay in my memory forever. Afteral it was the first time for me (what an excitement) seeing my favourite band live on stage.
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Post by b2hammond on Jun 20, 2014 17:19:51 GMT -5
...one thing that stands out in my mind was I think during the Sealion song seeing a fake large Zebra come out on stage and somehow one of the band members (Jeffrey Hammond I think) got some white balls from the back of the zebra and began juggling the balls. Ian Anderson said "I bet you never thought you'd be seeing somebody juggling zebra shit". Please let me know if this really happened or if it was just in my imagination. After all these years I can't be sure. Jeff I was just playing an old YouTube video of Minstrel in the Gallery and got to thinking: I wonder if there might be any reference to this memorable quote from a circa '75 performance I saw in Portland. A quick search brought me here. Yes, the zebra juggling and Anderson's quote were definitely part of the performance. Another unique visual I remember were the 3 women in black dresses wearing old fashion white powder wigs on violin. What a great show! Zebra shit you say?....  |
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Post by Biggles on Jun 20, 2014 22:49:22 GMT -5
I was just playing an old YouTube video of Minstrel in the Gallery and got to thinking: I wonder if there might be any reference to this memorable quote from a circa '75 performance I saw in Portland. A quick search brought me here. Yes, the zebra juggling and Anderson's quote were definitely part of the performance. Another unique visual I remember were the 3 women in black dresses wearing old fashion white powder wigs on violin. What a great show! Zebra shit you say?.... View Attachment ..well after Jeffrey successfully juggled those Zebra balls of shit without dropping one, Ian added, "It just goes to show you, Tull has it's shit together" |
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Post by b2hammond on Jun 21, 2014 9:13:24 GMT -5
..well after Jeffrey successfully juggled those Zebra balls of shit without dropping one, Ian added, "It just goes to show you, Tull has it's shit together" Or, something along the lines of "Well boys & girls I bet that's the first time you ever saw somebody juggle with Zebra shit, I mean boogies!" |
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(Misspelling intentional...didn't know any other way to mimic his accent!) :-)
