Events: 1971
PLEASE NOTE:
Although performances are noted here, all shows for the following venues are described in more detail on their venues pages:
- O’Shaughnessy Auditorium
- The Depot
- The Guthrie
Three Dog Night appeared at the Met Center on January 8, 1971, sponsored by the Junior Miss Stores of the Twin Cities area. Undercover Bloomington narcs dressed as hippies arrested 16 teenagers for possessing or selling pot.
Gypsy, opened by Copperhead, played at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium on January 10, 1971.
Tiny Tim played the Depot on January 10, 1971
Neil Young performed at the Guthrie on January 14, 1971
The Nashville Brass appeared with the Minnesota Orchestra on January 17, 1971.
Al Kooper was at the Depot on January 17, 1971
Mason Proffit was at the Depot on January 24, 1971
Sha Na Na at Depot January 31, 1971
Taj Mahal at Guthrie, February 4, 1971
Gypsy, O’Shaughnessey Auditorium, February 4, 1971 (?)
The WDGY Listen List for February 10, 1971, advertised professional Motorcycle Races indoors at the Minneapolis Armory, featuring riders from 6 states – added attraction, “Mini” bike races. The event was on February 20. Tickets were $2.
John Denver performed at Northrop Auditorium on February 18, 1971. Tickets were $3.
Sly and the Family Stone and the Mystics, February 19, 1971, Met Center
Savoy Brown & Grease Band & Small Faces, February 20, 1971, Met Center. Ken Schaffer’s group Dawn opened the show. Tickets were $4. The hippie rag Hundred Flowers published a story about a guy with no money who hitched a ride to the concert, sneaked in with a paying customer’s torn ticket, and complained about bad sound and capitalist pigs.
Richie Havens at the Depot, February 21, 1971
Tafi’s, a jazz venue, hosted Latin jazz musician Cal Tjader and his Quintet on February 22-27, 1971.
“Hair” played sold-out performances at the St. Paul Civic Center Theater, opening February 23, 1971, then the same cast returned for another engagement in May – the first show ever to be brought back to the Twin Cities for a second run in the same season. The February engagement broke box office records at the venue.
The Cowsills appeared at the North Hennepin State Junior College, 74th and 85the Ave. No. in Brooklyn Park, on February 27, 1971.
Leo Kottke appeared at the Whole Coffehouse on March 4, 1971, and got a good review from Hundred Flowers.
The Gopher State Timing Association presented its 15th Rod and Custom Spectacular at the Minneapolis National Guard Armory (6th and Portland Downtown) on March 5-7, 1971, as advertised on KDWB’s Top 36 for that week.
Ike and Tina Turner Revue at the Depot, March 14, 1971
Eric Burdon at the Depot, March 21, 1971
The Allman Brothers Band and the Litter played two shows at the O’Shaughnessy Theater on March 25, 1971.
BB King at Depot, March 28, 1971
Jethro Tull at Guthrie, April 1, 1971
Don Ellis at Guthrie, April 4, 1971
Procol Harum at Depot, April 4, 1971
Quicksilver Messenger Service with Brewer and Shipley appeared for two shows on April 7, 1971, at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium.
Ten Years After appeared at the St. Paul Civic Center Arena with Humble Pie on April 9, 1971. Produced by Greathall – CBA.
Minneapolis Tribune
James Gang at Depot, April 11, 1971
MC5 plus SRC, presented by North Country Music, were at the Minneapolis Armory on April 16, 1971.
Ad courtesy Wayne Klayman, owner of North Country Music
Some comments on this show from Facebook:
Mark: “I was one of the few there. AND I snuck in. Very small crowd, probably about 400 people. SRC was fantastic. MC5 were bummed because of the small crowd and it showed. Very cool to see that.”
Paul: “I was there and very surprised at the small crowd. They just weren’t a mainstream band.”
Another Mark: “I was there! I remember the MC5 doing a long version of Louie Louie that night.”
Arlo: “I saw this show and after the MC5 started there was a small riot in front of the band claiming it was not the real MC5!”
Blood, Sweat & Tears, Minneapolis Auditorium, April 18, 1971. 6,000 attended the concert, which was panned in the Insider.
Rod McKuen, Minneapolis Auditorium, April 23, 1971
The Grassroots and “special guest stars” at the Met Center on April 23, 1971. Carol reports that the lineup was Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids, Alice Cooper and then the Grassroots. She says, “Alice Cooper had huge fans onstage, and slashed open feather pillows, blowing the feathers all throughout the venue. They were pretty tame back then.”
Gypsy at the Depot, April 25, 1971
Laura Nyro, Guthrie, April 25, 1971
Leo Kottke, April 27, 1971
Brewer and Shipley at the Whole Coffeehouse, April 29, 1971
Kris Kristofferson at the Guthrie, May 3, 1971
Big Mama Thornton came to the Whole Coffeehouse on May 4 and 5, [5 and 6] 1971.
Chicago came to the Minneapolis Auditorium on May 9, 1971, presented by WOE.
Iggy and the Stooges at the Depot, May 9, 1971
Son House appeared at the Whole on May 10.
Emerson, Lake and Palmer at the Guthrie, with Mott the Hoople, May 11, 1971
The Association, Melby Hall, Augsburg College, May 15, 1971
Bread appeared at the St. Paul Auditorium on May 15, 1971
John Mayall at the Guthrie, May 16, 1971
Redbone at the Depot, May 16, 1971
The Carpenters appeared with the Minnesota Orchestra at Northrop Auditorium on May 23, 1971. An ad said that the emcee would be a personality from WWTC.
Johnny Winter appeared at the Depot on May 23, 1971.
Livingston Taylor at Guthrie, May 30, 1971
Tom Jones performed at the Met Sports Center on June 3, 1971
Edgar Winter at the Depot, June 6, 1971
The Depot closed for good on June 14, 1971.
The Jefferson Airplane appeared at the Minneapolis Auditorium as part of their farewell tour on June 24, 1971. The last time they were here Marty Balin and two roadies were busted at their motel in Bloomington. “Light show by Heavy Water.”
Ike and Tina Turner, with the Grease Band, appeared at the Minneapolis Auditorium on June 24, 1971.
Image courtesy Paul Pash
Jesse “Lone Cat” Fuller, a 75-year-old black blues singer and musician, performed at Eddy Hall Knoll, East Bank of the U of M, on June 30, 1971, reported the Star. “His performance on the guitar, kazoo, harmonica and fotdella (an invention of his own) is one of laughing, dancing, happy songs.” He decided on the one-man-band concept in 1951 when he wanted to form his own band but found it difficult to find dependable, capable musicians.
Black Sabbath and Bloodrock performed at the St. Paul Civic Center on July 5, 1971. This date has been difficult to nail down, but Alessandro in Italy found this sound bite from RadioTapes – after minute 18.
Steven Stills, August 7, 1971, Minneapolis Auditorium – cancelled
GYPSY – IN THE GARDEN
Gypsy’s second album, “In the Garden,” charted on August 7, 1971, reaching No. 173 on the Billboard Pop Albums charts in 1971.
Bonnie Raitt made an appearance at the Joint on August 8, 1971.
August 8, 1971, was KDWB’s 7th Annual Drag Festival at Minnesota Dragways.
Judy Collins, August 13, 1971, Minneapolis Auditorium
Big Mama Thornton appeared in front of Northup Auditorium on August 15, 1971.
THE WHO 1971
The Who, August 15, 1971, Met Center, also featuring LaBelle. Various reports are that gate crashers or an influx of phony tickets resulted in bedlam at every entrance, and the Bloomington Police Department used teargas for the first time. Most of it blew in the cops’ faces. Most of the show was songs from “Who’s Next,” which hadn’t been released yet. The sound of a synthesizer magically appeared, either from a guy behind the curtain or via tape. Ad below posted by Jim Froehlich. Wishbone Ash opened.
The second annual “Soul of a City: The Urban Environment” event was held the week of August 16-22, 1971, with arts events held in venues all around Minneapolis.
Meanwhile, the Old Guard was grousing. The St. Paul Musician, house organ for the St. Paul Musician’s Union, tried to make sense of it:
Some of our members who keep telling me that rock music is on the way out must be less than naive if the record crowds of over 25,000 customers who shelled out about $7.00 each to attend the recent rock concerts at Midway Stadium is any indicator. Hot or rainy weather, discomforts, and still they pack them in. On the other hand bands like Woody Herman or Count Basey [sic!] who are tops in the field of jazz, play The Prom in concerts can’t seem to draw more than 800 people at box office prices substantially less than at midway Center. It all adds up that the kids still want their favorite rock bands.
The Guess Who and Gypsy appeared at the St. Paul Auditorium on August 28, 1971.
Minneapolis Star
Genesis (the Genesis?) and Cree appeared at the Cedar Village Theater on August 28, 1971.
BOTTLENECK II
On Sunday, September 5, 1971, Loring Park was the site of “Bottleneck II & the First Minneapolis Open Air Resource Catalogue, organized by Barry Knight and sponsored by the Center Arts Council of the Walker Arts Center.”
It was a kind of living Whole Earth Catalog, if you remember that, with about 50 groups at tables handing out literature and educating people on topics like recycling, the arts, food, technology, health, and housing. Members of the Nancy Hauser Dance Company “frolicked,” and music was provided by the Whole Earth Rainbow Band, the Bumblebees, and Michael and Anthony Hauser.
Jackson 5, opened by the Commodores, Met Sports Center, September 8, 1971
James Gang, Minneapolis Auditorium, September 12, 1971
Howlin’ Wolf appeared with Chase, Minneapolis Auditorium, September 18, 1971
David Crosby and Graham Nash at the Guthrie, September 19, 1971
John Baldry with Madura performed at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium on September 19, 1971.
George Shearing was at the St. Paul Civic Center on September 24, 1971.
The Bee Gees with the Ian Forrest Orchestra and Tin Tin, September 24, 1971, Met Center
Don Ellis and Friends appeared at O’Shaughnessy Auditorium on September 25, 1971.
Dave Ray and Big Mama Thornton at Whole Coffeehouse, September 25, 1971
Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids and Cree at Augsburg College, September 29, 1971
On October 12, 1971, WCCO aired “Moore on Tuesday” at 9:30 pm with a segment on the Minneapolis music scene.
Three Dog Night with Gayle McCormick (from Smith, now with the Underhand Band), October 15, 1971, Met Center. Wolfman Jack was working with Three Dog Night, and Johnny Canton introduced him.
Hank McKenzie recalls:
It was memorable because while we were in enjoying the concert, there were a number of disgruntled fans outside who couldn’t get in and the police were called. When we came out of the concert we were confronted by police and told to move on. I explained that we were waiting for a ride home and were to meet our ride in front of the auditorium. The cop told me that I could not meet them there. We ended up walking into downtown to catch a bus back to Robbinsdale where my driver was extremely angry as my friends were ‘under age’ so to speak. All was smoothed out the next morning when the news came on about the riots at the concert the night before.
Crow and Willie and the Bumblebees appeared at O’Shaughnessy Auditorium on October 18, 1971. (?)
Jesus Christ Superstar, October 19, 1971, Met Center
The Grateful Dead, with New Riders of the Purple Sage, at Northrop Auditorium on October 19, 1971.
Jerry Garcia warming up on his steel guitar, which he played with the New Riders of the Purple Sage later that day when they opened up for the Grateful Dead. Photo courtesy Gary Schwartz
Jeff Beck and BB King, October 22, 1971, Minneapolis Auditorium
Grand Funk Railroad and Ballin’ Jack, October 27, 1971, Met Center. Concerts West Presents an Historic Event!
Joan Baez came to Northrop Auditorium on October 28, 1971.
Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Statler Brothers, Met Sports Center, October 29, 1971
Donovan, November 5, 1971, Minneapolis Auditorium
Elvis, November 5, 1971, Met Center See Elvis in the Twin Cities.
The Insider advertised that Roberta Flack would appear at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium on November 6, 1971 for two shows, but there is no evidence in the Minneapolis newspapers that this actually happened.
Whole Earth Rainbow Band, the Joint, November 9, 1971
DOORS AT AUGSBURG
The Doors played Melby Hall at Augsburg College on November 13, 1971. The Spencer Davis Group opened the show.
It was the first tour of the Doors since the death of Jim Morrison, who died in July 1971. This show was the second show of the tour, presented by Schon Productions.
A partial setlist for the Doors was:
- Tightrope Ride
- I’m Horny, I’m Stoned
- In the Eye of the Sun
- Close to You
- Love Me Two Times
- Light My Fire
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL REVIVAL
There was a Richard Nader Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival at the St. Paul Civic Center on November 14, 1971, featuring:
- Chuck Berry
- Bill Haley and the Comets
- Bo Diddley
- The Shirelles
- The Dovells
- Gary U.S. Bonds
- Bobby Comstock and the Comstock Ltd.
Jose Feliciano, November 14, 1971, Minneapolis Auditorium. The Tribune highlighted the show with a drawing by Dick Guindon. The text said that Feliciano had been here in 1965, at a Twin Cities supper club.
Bonnie Raitt did a stint at the Whole Coffeehouse on November 17-20, 1971.
The Lettermen were at the Minneapolis Armory on November 19, 1971.
Beach Boys at the Guthrie, November 21, 1971
John Hartford was at the St. Paul Civic Center on November 28, 1971.
Pentangle was at the O’Shaughnessy, also on November 28, 1971.
Randy Newman at the Guthrie, December 5, 1971
The Doors, minus Jim Morrison, appeared at Melby Hall, Augsburg College, with the Spencer Davis Group, December 13, 1971. Tony Glover does not appear at this show, but did appear with them on November 23, 1971, at a concert at Carnagie Hall in New York.