60 Survey for Week Ending 5/19/84 Talent In Action f uovidc* STAX FAMILY REUNION medley with the same vigor they brought to The Fleshtones put on an hour -long set, '84 their current Mercury single, "Freakshow On brightened by rich three -way harmony on "Out The Dance Floor." But by then the concert had Of The Blue" and "So Tired," which managed Mid -South Coliseum boiled down into a one -act bill, and the audi- to interpret the Stax horn sound on guitar. Bill Memphis. Tenn. ence was too tired to dance. Watching from the Milhizer's drumming was ever chunky (one Tickets: $1250 sidelines, a philosophical Wayne Jackson put it suspects he listens to a great deal of Ginger Boxscore best. Said the former Mar -Keys trumpeter: Baker at home), neatly propelling songs like For more than a decade Stax Records was "Stax is dead." LEO SACKS "Hexbreaker," the title tune of the group's re- the blood and guts of Memphis soul. The la- cent album. The following are among the top concert grosses nationwide reported through the survey week. Included are bel's headquarters at 926 E. McLemore Ave. act(s), gross, attendance, capacity of facility, ticket prices, promoter, facility, city, number of shows, number of For a finale, the ever- adventurous Zaremba was a local institution, a source of civic pride sellouts and dates(s). rushed around playing guitar amid the audi- whose heart and roots lay in the church and the WANG CHUNG ence. Someone should tell him that stunt LIBERACE, THE ROCKETTES, DANCING WATERS-$1,655,331, civil rights movement. Stax was the South's & In- House, works much better with a cordless amp. 80,414 (82,236), $25, $22.50, $18.50, $18 $16.50, answer to the slick Motown machine- Souls- The Palace, Los Angeles Radio City Music Hall, New York City, N.Y., fourteen shows, thirteen sell- ETHLIE ANN VARE ville, U.S.A., home of Otis Redding, Sam & Tickets: $10 outs, April 15 -29. Dave, and Booker T. & the MGs. Stax was AL JARREAU -$355,590, 17,000, $22.50, $17.50 & $12.50, In- Wang roots music. Chung opened here April 28 to the THE SUBURBS House, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, N.Y., three sellouts, May 4 -6 roar of a capacity crowd waiting to see the Brit- Now Stax is nothing more than a musical Tuts, Chicago YES -$323,242, 26,479 (32,000), $12.50 & $10.50, Cross Country ish band whose "Dance Hall Days" "Don't Let Concerts, Hartford (Conn.) Civic Center, two shows, May 4 -5. memory. The company compound is a shabby / Tickets: $5 Go" is in the top 10 THE GRATEFUL DEAD -$291,773, 25,962, $11.50 & $10.50, Frank shell of its original grandeur, battered and on the dance /disco chart. J. Russo /John Scher, Civic Center Providence, R.I., two sellouts, April What the 1,500-plus crowd witnessed was a Whether it was the lure of free records for the boarded up in the heart of a tough black neigh- 26 -27. new wave, power pop band that in concert first 100 concertgoers or just plain borhood. When the company closed its doors Suburb - THE PRETENDERS, THE ALARM -$268,863, 17,622, $15.50, In- places more of an emphasis on guitars than the mania that attracted a full house to Tuts April In 1976, most of the label's original artists had House, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, N.Y., three sellouts, May 1 -3 synthesizers that are heavily used on its album moved elsewhere, yet the dream of a reunion 27, the Suburbs' hold on the audience was em- THE SCORPIONS- $233,526, 18,278, $15 & $11, Nederlander, Pa- "Points On The Curve." The is concert was kept alive by a local music band propelled inently apparent. cific Amphitheater, Costa Mesa, Calif., sellout, April 28. booster. by drummer Darren Costin, who made rock - It was the Minneapolis quintet's first appear- YES -$230,224, 18,355, $13.50 & $11.50, Electric Factory Con- steady use of a combination electronic Perhaps it should have stayed a dream. /acous- ance in the Windy City since a sonically disas- certs, The Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pa., sellout, April 30. tic kit. BILLY $201,340, 13,799, $15 & $12.50, Bill Graham Pre- Hampered by poor promotion and the conspic- trous show last December at a north suburban JOEL- sents, May 5. Nick Feldman, who doubled on bass and ballroom unequipped to handle their amplifi- Oakland (Calif.) Coliseum, sellout, uous absences of key Stax contributors, the VAN HALEN, THE VELCROS -$191,025, 14,150, $13.50, Avalon At- keyboards, also gave a solid performance, ers' output -and it was every bit as rewarding production staged April 28 at a half -empty Mid - tractions, Seattle (Wash.) Coliseum, sellout, April 30. though not as flashy as Lead South Coliseum was little more than a bitter- expected. vocal- as the previous stint was disappointing. Every- ist and guitarist Jack Hues a VAN HALEN, THE VELCROS -$173,140 (221,621 Canadian), sweet evocation of a halcyon era. shined with thing from their punched -up background horns 16,327, $13.50, Brimstone Prods., Northlands Coliseum, Edmonton, Al- While strong, hard-edged rock'n'roll voice. to Beej Chaney's and Chan Poling's inter- a backup band led by Marvell Thomas berta, sellout, April 28. Although the set was relatively short, the locked, slightly menacing vocals sounded and consisting of such Stax alumni as Steve VAN HALEN, THE VELCROS- $162,080 (207,463 Canadian), band was generally received. Cropper, Duck Dunn, Wayne Jackson, Andrew well Still, the crisply formidable. 15,500, $15.50, Brimstone Productions, Olympic Saddledome, Calgary, quality of the group's live performance Love, Floyd Newman, Jack Hale and Ben Cau- doesn't The Suburbs showcased much of "Love Is Alberta, sellout, April 27. match their work, witnessed ley was tight and idiomatically perfect, the fea- studio as by their The Law," their first major league album VAN HALEN, THE VELCROS- $162,080 (207,463 Canadian), 12 -inch and album. tured soloists sang tentatively at best. Here (they've put out nearly a dozen independent re- 15,330, $13.50, Brimstone Productions, Olympic Saddledome, Calgary, The evening reached a and there, a vocalist caught the ear: Mavis Sta- crescendo with leases), including the raucous thigh -slapper Alberta, sellout -house record, April 27. "Dance Hall Days." the VAN HALEN, THE VELCROS- 11,626, $13.50, Beaver Pro- ples sang a robust "Respect Yourself" and "I'll But crowd's enthusi- "Rattle My Bones" and the pensive "Rainy $156,951, asm dissipated with the ductions, Idaho State Univ. Mini -Dome, Pocatello, Idaho, sellout, May 5. Take You There" with the Staple Singers; encore, an emulation Day." Both songs exhibited the group's f irst- DAN FOGELBERG- $155,353, 10,972 (14,439), $15 & $12.50, of the Talking Heads' hit rendition of Al Green's rate musicianship and skewed sense of pop Johnnie Taylor swiveled to an energized Schon Promotions, The Met Center, Minneapolis, Minn., May 5. "Take Me To The River." The trio was "Who's Making Love;" Albert King played and joined songwriting. Their quirkiness thankfully hasn't by Grhem Pleeth JOHN DENVER 10,384 sang gutbucket blues; Carla Thomas sounded on keyboards. abated since the group signed with Mercury, -$155,157, (12,500), $15 & $12.50, Frank J. Russo, The Centrum, Worcester, Mass., April 14. FAYE ZUCKERMAN but they have managed to make their charged - as innocent and cheerful performing "Gee VAN HALEN, THE VELCROS -$152,539 (195,250 Canadian), up, idiosyncratic compositions a tad more pal- Whiz" and "B- A -B -Y" as she did 20 years ago, 14,463, $13.50, Avalon Attractions, Dive Coliseum, Vancouver, B.C., atable to the uninitiated ear. preceding her 67- year -old father, Rufus, FLESHTONES sellout, May 1. The Suburbs' visual image, too -stylish but whose loose- jointed steps, sequined costume The Palace, Los Angeles VAN HALEN, THE VELCROS-$151,801 (194,306 Canadian), not off- puttingly so- provided a useful lesson and booming voice were simply galvanic. Tickets: $8.50 13,878, $14, Brimstone Productions, Winnipeg (Canada) Arena, sellout, Other parts of the program, however, failed for some of Chicago's own overly fashion -con- April 25. scious homegrown bands. All in all, the Sub- VAN HALEN, THE VELCROS-$138,938, 11,115, $12.50, Avalon At- to generatè the intensity that should have made New York's Fleshtones have been together urbs are what you call a class act. tractions, Portland (Ore.) Coliseum, sellout, May 2. the show a wholly contemporary experience. since 1976, but the manages quintet still to YES -$135,416, 11,015 (12,100), $12.50 & $11.50, Frank J. Rus- Luther Ingram, William Bell, Jean Knight and MOIRA McCORMICK sound like they only learned to end the song all so, Civic Center, Providence, R.I., May 6. the Temprees were professional but unexcit- at the same time last Wednesday. To these CULTURE CLUB, THE KILLER WHALES-$128,587, 10,287, $12.50, ing; Eddie Floyd was but not perform. JIMMY & THE MUSTANGS billed did guys, "garage" is a compliment and "hook" is Beach Club Concerts, Charlotte (N.C.) Coliseum, sellout, April 19.. The most prominent no -show was keyboardist BEAT FARMERS a dirty word. And there were at least a few hun- ANNE MURRAY -$121,326, 10,051, $12.50 & $10.50, Frank J. Rus- Booker T. Jones. Also missing were J. Black- dred Angelenos who agreed with them the Music Machine, Los Angeles so, The Centrum, Worcester, Mass., sellout, April 29. foot, the Soul Children alumnus whose "Taxi" night of April 21. Admission: $Z50 VAN HALEN, THE VELCROS-$113,152, 8,393, $13.50, Beaver Pro- recently single topped the black chart; the Peter Zaremba is the hyperactive front man ductions, Boise (Idaho) State Univ. Pavilion, sellout, May 4. Jimmy & the Mustangs entered the music Emotions; big, bad Isaac Hayes; the Dramat- of the band (as well as the host of MTV's "The OZZY OSBOURNE, ACCEPT -$103,875, 8,327 (9,406), $11.50 & ics; Sam Moore, who last month his scene with a bang: a national performance Co., Worcester, Mass., chronicled Cutting Edge "), a performer whose singing $10.50, Frank J. Russo /Don Law The Centrum, on the trials as a heroin addict in the pages of People; spot defunct sitcom "Square Pegs." May 2. style is as dated as his shirt. After one knee - his Prater. Then carne a couple of years of nothing much, DAN FOGELBERG-$92,731, 7,022 (10,372), $13.50, Contemporary and former singing partner, Dave punishing number, he romped offstage to grab Mad and now the group returns with an EP on MCA. Productions, Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa, May 4. Only the Lads and the Bar-Kays effort- a roll of tape and anchor his mike more firmly to Originally as DAN FOGELBERG -$85,284, 6,814 (9,470), $14 & $12, Sound Sev- lessly matched the intensity of a '605 soul re- tagged a rockabilly band, the its stand, "else l'lt bust it to pieces." He might enty Productions, Inc., Municipal Auditorium, Nash., Tenn., May 1. vue, the latter group attacking an Otis Redding Mustangs show on stage that their range is far have, too, the way he was flinging it around. THE OAK RIDGE BOYS, MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY broader than one subgenre. -$83,620, It's easy to poke fun at the Fleshtones' in- 7,635 (7,986), $11.50 & $10.50, In- House, Five Seasons Center, Ce- In front of a small crowd -and hampered by tensely derivative Seeds /Them /Shadows Of dar Rapids, Iowa, April 13. one band member who was suffering a bad Knight music, but at the same time they play it THE MUSIC case of strep throat -the Mustangs moved en- THE OAK RIDGE BOYS, MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY-$80,849, very much on purpose, and with verve and af- ergetically from 'billy to pop to rock'n'roots. 6,534 (10,375), $12.50, $11.50 & $10.50, New West, Municipal Au- INDUSTRY fection. The band's two IRS albums have at- ditorium, Kansas City, Mo., April 15. Lead singer Jimmy Haddox shone on a cover tracted a loyal cult following, and the crowd on BARBARA MANDRELL, LEE GREENWOOD -$80,503, 8,522 (9,813), AT YOUR FINGERTIPS! of Baker Knight's "Bring My Cadillac Back" the dance floor responded warmly. $12.50 & $10.50, Lon Varnell, Dane County Coliseum, Madison, Wis., and the band's original rockabilly number Unfortunately, this was not a good night to April 28. "Justine," even though bassist Jeff Cranford's JUDAS PRIEST, catch the boys. Saxophonist Gordon Spaeth GREAT WHITE -$79,528, 7,085 (12,096), $11.50 & dyed platinum nub -cut hairstyle blows that '50s $9.50, In- House /Stone City Attractions, University of Texas at Austin was laid up with a broken ankle and wrist, his image. "Pressure's On" and Bobby Womack's Frank Erwin Center, April 29. place taken (sort of) by Carl Grasso, IRS Vice oft- covered "It's All Over Now" showed other CULTURE CLUB, DOUG SHAW -$78,792, 4,963, $16.75, Cellar Door president of creative services. The poor desk facets of their musical vocabulary. Productions, Knight Center, Miami, Fla., sellout, April 22. jockey had no idea what to do with his hands, MERLE HAGGARD, The promising note of the 45- minute set JOHN ANDERSON -$73,294, 5,479 (6,900), his feet or his maracas. $13.50 & $12.50, Wild West Productions /Rock'N Chair Productions, came with two new Mustangs tunes, neither on Selland Arena, Fresno, Calif., May 4. their album. "Don't Lie To Me" showed that the TED NUGENT, DARE FORCE- $72,728, 7,219 (7,500), $11.50 & band has a way with hard -edged radio pop, $10, Schon Promotions, The Met Center, Minneapolis, Minn., May 4. while "The Special" used a touch of psyche- deo NIGHT RANGER, THE PUBLICITY delic guitar (from ailing Marshall Rohner) and LITTERER BAND -$63,552, 8,000, $10 & $7.75, New World Concerts, LaCrosse Center, LaCrosse, Wis., sellout, Sad Qav6es nice harmonies. If the best stuff is the new stuff, PRINTS April 19. K the band may have a future. LARRY WILLOUGHBY- $51,984, 5,548 (7,200), In- House, Western Roeodilers uthowwnea on Heavy moss Stock Unfortunately for the.Mustangs, they were all Hall, Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois, April 14. BLACK & WHITE 8x10's vs ane but blown off the stage by an unknOwn and un- OZZY OSBOURNE, ACCEPT -$50,793, 5,050 (6,782), $10.50 & M orm 500 - $55.00 1000 - 80.00 signed foursome from the -small farming com- $9.50, Sunshine South, Civic Center, Charleston, W.V.A., May 5. P eocws COLOR munity of El Centro, Calif. The Beat Farmers DAVID SANBORN -$43997, 3,589, $13.75, DiCesare -Engler Produc- tions, Stanley Theater, Pittsburgh, Pa., Ne 1000 - $376.00 may be the best rock -country-blues band to sellout, May 5. JOHN DENVER -$41,993, 2,493, $17.50 & $15, Frank J. Russo, Above Prices include Typesetting 8 Freight come down the pike since Creedence Clear- PIUS...a 40 city North American Symphony Hall, Springfield, Mass., sellout, April 9. Send 8x10 Photo - Check water Revival. travel guide. designed especially or M.O. TED NUGENT -$38,881, 3,381 (6,500), $11.50, Beach Club Con- the entertainment biz! With a clean, tight attack, the Beat Farmers certs, Charlotte (N.C.) Coliseum, April 18. for Full Color & B/W Posters boast some impeccable slide guitar licks (Bud- DAVID SANBORN- $38,712, 3,097 (3,402), $12.50, Brass Ring Pro- Composites - Cards - Other Sizes Want to see more? dy Blue) and three capable lead vocalists, in- ductions, Royal Oak (Mich.) Music Theater, two shows, May 4. Call or write today! Send For Catalog & Samples cluding one basso (drummer Dick Montana) who makes Johnny Cash sound like a tenor. Album Copyrighted and compiled by Amusement Business, a Billboard Publications. Inc. Publi The Network PICTITRES Their material fits no- pigeonhole, moving from 8265 Sunset Blvd. cation. Boxscores are compiled every Tuesday. If you wish to file your concert report. 1867 E. Florida, Dept. BB rockabilly to blues to cowpunk to humorous please call Melinda Newman in Nashville at 615/748.8132: Ancil Davis in New York at Hollywood. CA 90046 Springfield, MO 65803 originals custom made for the bar trade. Keep 212/764 7314: or Linda Deckard in Los Angeles at 213.8595338. (213) 656-9910 (4171869-9433 or 869 -3456 an ear on these ouvs. ETHLIE ANN VARE www.americanradiohistory.com