Events: 1969
Deep Purple appeared at Dania Hall in 1969, someone remembers.
Andy Williams and Roger Miller performed at the Met Sports Center on December 6, 1968, at a show sponsored by WDGY.
Blood, Sweat and Tears, January 16, 1969.
The Buckinghams performed at Hamline University’s Norton Fieldhouse on January 17, 1969.
Blackwood Apology appeared at Dania Hall on January 19, 1969.
The Brothers Four appeared at Augsburg University on January 24, 1969.
Wilson Pickett, Northrop Auditorium, January 25, 1969
Johnny Matthews did a remote “Pop and Head Show” on KDWB from the New City Opera House on February 2, 1969. It was sponsored by Trafficante Music Store.
The Grateful Dead appeared at the Labor Temple on February 2, 1969.
Jethro Tull and the Rotary Connection appeared at the Labor Connection appeared at the Labor Temble on February 9, 1969.
Buddy Miles appeared at the Labor Temple on March 2, 1969.
Sweetwater, supported by Blackwood Apology and Zarathustra, appeared at “Magoo’s New City Opera House” on March 7 and 8, 1969. “Stars of Miami Pop Festival – Album picked as one of ’68s 3 Best – The IN Group of 1969!”
Jokers Wild played a gig at Dania Hall on March 16, 1969.
The Association appeared at Melby Hall, Augsburg College on March 22, 1969.
Pete Seeger appeeared at the Guthrie on March 22, 1969.
The George Shearing Quintet appeared on March 23, 1969, possibly at Northrop Auditorium.
The Vogues appeared at St. Thomas College on March 29, 1969.
Mason Williams made a personal appearance at B.Dalton Bookstore at Southdale on April 3, 1969.
Vanilla Fudge and the Crazy World of Arthur Brown played the Met Center on April 11, 1969. Opening was The Stillroven.
Marshall Fine’s review was brutal, toward the venue and the performers. He deemed the Met Center perfectly fine for the North Stars, but “too much of a barn to play rock music in.”
His first scathing remarks were for local band The Stillroven: “The band showed a rare ability to take any good rock song and painfully decapitate it. They seem to work as alchemist in reverse, taking gold and turning it into tin.” Perhaps this review precipitated their breakup in July 1969?
He did like the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, who “put on a hell of a show.” The group consisted of an organist, a drummer, and himself. He called the music a weird combination of jazz and Gothic that could give you the chills. Brown changed costumes after every number, ranging from an orange velvet devil suit, to Papal robes, to a crown of flames. He ended his act with a puff of smoke, and Fine wished that the puff would have made Vanilla Fudge disappear, but unfortunately they showed up this time.
Fine had liked Vanilla Fudge on record, where they had taken old songs and completely renovated them in a good way.
In concert, however, they are simply offensive. They substitute obnoxious movements for true showmanship. And they replace musicianship with noise playing the amplifier rather than the guitar. Still it took gall to even come after they failed to show for their concert last August. (Minneapolis Star, April 12, 1969)
Ad from the Insider
The Iron Butterfly played the Minneapolis Armory on April 13, 1969. The show was opened by the Steve Miller Band and featured an early use of fire pots on stage.
Dick Winter at RW Music sponsored a Hootnanny on April 18, 1969, their second. KQRS had an RW Music Hour on Sundays at 9 pm.
April 23, 1969: Glenn Yarborough at Hamline University
Ravi Shankar appeared on April 27, 1969, possibly at Northrop Auditorium.
Grateful Dead, April 27, 1969
May 9, 1969: James Brown, Minneapolis Auditorium
Spirit at Labor Temple, May 11, 1969
Led Zeppelin, Guthrie, May 18, 1969
Deep Purple, Illinois Speed Press, Labor Temple, May 18, 1969
May 19, 1969, was the date of the 1969 Connie Awards.
Peter, Paul, and Mary performed at the Minneapolis Auditorium on May 24, 1969.
Rhinoceros and Aorta appeared at the Minneapolis Armory on May 31, 1969. “Ride the Space Waves of the Mind!” With light show by NOVA.
June 1, 1969: Albert King, Labor Temple. Didn’t show.
Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, the Peppermint Rainbow, and the Corporation appeared at the Minneapolis Auditorium on June 6, 1969. Also appearing were WDGY’s All-Americans: Johnny Canton, Jerry Brook, Scott Burton, Gene Leader, and Jim Dandy. Instruments were provided by B-Sharp Music. Puckett was born in Hibbing, spent a very short time in (was it Pelican Rapids?) and attended the U of M.
June 8, 1969: Who at Guthrie
Buddy Rich at the Prom, June 12, 1969.
The Doors played the Minneapolis Auditorium on June 15, 1969. The Staple Singers were also on the bill. An internet account indicates that members of the 8,500 audience called out for Jim Morrison to repeat his “Miami performance,” which had led to a charge of obscenity.
Photo below from the www.mildequator.com web page.
June 16, 1969: Walker Arts Center
June 29, 1969: Johnny Winters at Guthrie
Percy Faith appeared as guest conductor in the fourth concert of the Summer Pops Jubilee with the Minnesota orchestra on July 9, 1969, at the Minneapolis Auditorium.
Three Dog Night appeared at the Prison on July 9, 1969.
The Village of Mendota had its first Jazz Festival, July 11-13, 1969. Mendota was the home of the Hall Brothers Emporium of Jazz and the epicenter of Dixieland in the Twin Cities. Guest artists were Kid Thomas and his Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
July 13, 1969: Mothers of Invention, Guthrie
July 18, 1969: Dionne Warwicke
The New Christy Minstrels performed at a Hootenanny with the Minnesota Orchestra at the Minneapolis Auditorium on July 23, 1969.
The Buckinghams played the Prison on August 9, 1969.
August 23, 1969: Sir Douglas Quintet
August 30, 1969, was the date of the Jackie Awards.
Lee Michaels and the Mystics played the Prison on August 30, 1969.
In mid-1969 radio stations started presenting “underground” programs, usually late at night. Jimmy Reed and Tac Hammer did theirs on KRSI, and George Fisher had a Nightwatch show on KQRS.
Paul Revere and the Raiders came to Augsburg College on September 5, 1969.
On September 18, 1969, KDWB sponsored the Association at the Minneapolis Auditorium.
The Soul of a City Community Arts Festival was held on September 18-21, 1969, organized by Lonnie Morgan and the Center for Creative Communications. The festival included art, music, film, plays, dance, painting, even cooking.
In an October 1969 article in the Insider, frustration was expressed about high schools opening up their dances to non-students, taking business away from the teen clubs.
There was also discussion in the Insider about the fact that downtown clubs would not book bands with black members for fear that it would be labeled a black-only club and draw trouble. A solution offered was to have more than one to avoid concentration. This was a very controversial subject and discussed in detail in the Insider.
There was a fire at the Red Baron in October and the Paisleys lost all of their equipment. They took all of their insurance money and had their instruments replaced at Traficante’s music store.
Buddy Miles Express played the Prison in Burnsville on October 10 and 11, 1969.
Mason Williams appeared with the Minnesota Orchestra at Northrop Auditorium on October 12, 1969
Steve Miller appeared at the October 12, 1969.
Doug Clark and the Hot Nuts played at the Bank in October 1969. Really, follow the link.
Duff’s house band the Titans recorded “Ode to Billy Martin,” dedicated to the Twins Manager who had just been fired. It was on the Duff’s label. Didn’t find it on Youtube – probably a collector’s item!
Santana kicked off a new policy of national acts at the New City Opera House on October 16, 1969. Also appearing were Triad and the Paisleys.
Johnny and Edgar Winter appeared for a Homecoming Concert at Northrop Auditorium on October 18, 1969.
Judy Collins appeared at Stem Hall at the St. Paul Auditorium on October 19, 1969.
The Fifth Dimension played the Minneapolis Auditorium on October 21, 1969.
The First Edition and Pat Paulsen appeared at Augsburg College’s Melby Hall on October 31, 1969.
Pacific Gas & Electric played at the New City Opera House on October 31, 1969.
John Gary performed at the St. Paul Auditorium on November 5, 1969.
Joe Cocker appeared at the Guthrie on November 9, 1969.
Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and O.C. Smith played the Met Center on November 21, 1969.
Three Dog Night appeared at the St. Paul Auditorium on November 23, 1969.
Arlo Guthrie, November 23, 1969.
The Nice, November 26, 1969
The New Colony Six appeared at the New City Opera House/Magoos on November 29, 1969.
James Brown brought his “Popcorn Festival” to the Minneapolis Armory on November 29, 1969. Wikipedia says “The Popcorn” is a 1969 instrumental written and recorded by James Brown. It was the first of several records Brown made inspired by the popular dance of the same name. Released as a single on King Records, it charted #11 R&B and #30 Pop.”
Incredible String Band, November 30, 1969
1910 Fruitgum Company appeared at the New City Opera House on December 5, 1969.
Glen Campbell, Jackie DeShannon, and comics Gaylord and Holiday appeared somewhere – possibly the Minneapolis Auditorium – on December 6. WDGY’s Johnny Canton was the emcee.
Chambers Brothers, December 7, 1969