Thursday, March 04, 2010

Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY: Shows List 1970-1974

This show list is the work of Bruno Ceriotti. Help in putting this together has been provided by Greg Vick, Timothy J. Kelly and Don Adler, to whom I'm most grateful.


ca. January 1970: James Taylor / Charlie Brown "Opening Night"

February 6-7, 1970: Chambers Brothers / NRBQ

February 11, 1970: Three Dog Night / Hoyt Axton

February 13-14, 1970: Chuck Berry (13) / Sha-Na-Na (13-14) / The Coasters (13-14) / The Platters (13-14) / Albert King (14)

February 20-21, 1970: Iron Butterfly / Cold Blood

February 27-28, 1970: Richie Havens / Butterfield Blues Band

March 6-7, 1970: Grand Funk Railroad / Blues Magoos

March 13-14, 1970: Mountain / The Flock

March 20-21, 1970: Grateful Dead / Catfish

March 24, 1970: Jefferson Airplane / Hot Tuna / Roxy


March 27-28, 1970: Country Joe And The Fish / Steve Miller Blues Band / Hamilton Face

April 3-4, 1970: Ten Years After / Stone The Crows

April 10-11, 1970: Johnny Winter / Taj Mahal

April 17-18, 1970: Tony Williams Lifetime featuring Jack Bruce, John McLaughlin, Larry Young / Lee Michaels (cancelled) / Charlie Brown

April 22, 1970: Pink Floyd


April 24-25, 1970: Duster Bennett / John Mayall / Blodwyn Pig (the band didn't appear on one of the two days)

May 1-2, 1970: Savoy Brown / James Gang 

May 8-9, 1970: Joe Cocker & Mad Dogs And Englishmen / Brethren

May 10, 1970: "Music Festival '70" live satellite broadcast of John Lennon, Rolling Stones and George Harrison from London


May 15-16, 1970: James Taylor / Hamilton Face Band / Jo-Ann Kelly

May 22-23, 1970: Van Morrison / Flying Burrito Brothers / Country Funk

May 29-30, 1970: Mountain / Small Faces featuring Rod Stewart

June 12-13, 1970: Santana / John Lee Hooker

June 14-18, 1970: Sympathy For The Devil (The Rolling Stones's film)

June 19-20, 1970: Grand Funk Railroad / Mott The Hoople / Kinks

June 24, 1970: Grateful Dead

June 26-27, 1970: Traffic / Silver Metre / Swallow

June 28 - July 1, 1970: Sympathy For The Devil (The Rolling Stones's film)

July 8, 1970: Procol Harum / Livingston Taylor

July 28-29, 1970: Jethro Tull/ McKendree Spring / Livingston Taylor

August 8, 1970: Janis Joplin / Seatrain / Runt

August 9, 1970: Mothers Of Invention featuring Frank Zappa / Toe Fat / Head Over Heels

August 10-11, 1970: Ten Years After / Cactus / Haystacks Balboa

August 28, 1970: Arlo Guthrie

September 11-12, 1970: Mountain / Mylon / David Rea

October 2-3, 1970: Small Faces featuring Rod Stewart / Cactus / Chicken Shack

October 13, 1970: Chicago / Charlie Brown / Seals and Crafts (replaced Illinois Speed Press on bill)

October 14, 1970: Santana / Elvin Bishop Group


October 16-17, 1970: Frank Zappa And The Mothers Of Invention / Frost / Fat 

October 30-31 and November 1, 1970: Traffic / Brethren / Jake and the Family Jewels

November 5-8, 1970: Grateful Dead / New Riders of the Purple Sage

November 13, 1970: Jefferson Airplane / E Pluribus Unum

November 27-28, 1970: Johnny Winter / Edgar Winter’s Pure Trash / Tin House

December 4-5, 1970: Derek And The Dominos / Toe Fat / Hammer / May Blitz

December 18-20, 1970: Grateful Dead / New Riders of the Purple Sage (cancelled and rescheduled for February 1971)

January 20, 1971: Hot Tuna / Big Brother & The Holding Company / John Hammond Jr.

January 22-23, 1971: Delaney & Bonnie / Allman Brothers / Bert Sommer

Feruary 18-21 and 23-24, 1971: Grateful Dead / New Riders of the Purple Sage

March 5-6, 1971: Leon Russell / Brethren / Freddie King

March 10, 1971: Mountain

March 13, 1971: Steppenwolf / Fat

March 26-27, 1971: Byrds / Mother Earth / Eric Andersen

April 1-3, 1971: Savoy Brown / The Grease Band / Small Faces featuring Rod Stewart (day 1 was cancelled)

April 27, 1971: Jethro Tull / Curved Air

April 28, 1971: Cat Stevens / Kate Taylor

April 30 and May 1, 1971: Johnny Winter / Mylon / Tin House

May 14-15, 1971: Bloodrock (cancelled)


May 21-22, 1971: John Mayall / Randalls Island / Baldwin & Leps

June 12, 1971: James Gang / Steel River / Edgar Winter's White Trash

July 14-15, 1971: Yes (14-15) / Humble Pie (14-15) / Holy Moses (14-15; cancelled) / Black Sabbath (14; cancelled 15) 

March 31, 1972: Ashman Reynolds / Savoy Brown / Fleetwood Mac / Long John Baldry (backed by Ashman Reynolds) "The British Are Coming"

May 6, 1972: Richie Havens / Batford & Rodney / The Fabulous Rhinestones

May 13, 1972: Melanie (canceled)

May 14, 1972: Poco / John Hammond

May 26, 1972: Malo / White Trash

June 10, 1972: Dave Mason / Blues Project

February 2, 1974: Blue Oyster Cult / Iggy & The Stooges / The Dictators

April 20, 1974: Electric Light Orchestra / Return To Forever 

November 16, 1974: Point Blank / T. Rex / ZZ Top


52 comments:

  1. Black Sabbath cancelled their July 14-15. Just Humble Pie and Yes played.

    The Stooges opened for Blue Oyster Cult.

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    1. Not true. Sabbath played the 14th, but not the 15th. I was there on the 14th.

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    2. I was there too... Had never heard of new band called Yes... They played great prig rock set... Then Humble Pie played great Brit Blues set... Then Sabbath sucked... Ozzy kept apologizing for his bad voice...

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  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. Iggy came out in ripped up black tights with a straw lulu skirt. Some folks threw stuff at him. Iggy shouted at the audience, "That's it man, if one more thing is throw at me, I'm leaving." After that, a whole sh!t load of bottles et al were thrown at him; even an egg that hit on the side of the head from backstage. They slammed threw their set anyway. I was 16 at the time and didn't know who Iggy was, but I remember admiring him for continuing on with their set. Sad part - no one clapped when they left the stage.

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  4. Bruno, I am the webmaster of marcbolan.com and am looking for info about the November 16, 1974 concert I attended at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, New York. The opening act was Point Blank (who had a hit many years later with "Nicole"), in the middle was T. Rex, and the headlining act was ZZ Top. I am hoping you or someone who reads your blog might be able to confirm a story that the concert was recorded, and I am looking for any photos of T. Rex from that show as well. Many thanks for any leads, Natalie McDonald natalie@shore.net natalie.mcdonald on Facebook

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    1. I was there and T. rex came out in a star that rose from the stage and Marc Bolan jumps out and starts jamming. Point blank was making their way up and ZZ Top store the show with waiting for the bus and Jesus just left Chicago. It was the intro of the Tres Hobres album

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    2. I was at this show too, 15 years old with a great head full of corkscrew hair, leaning on the stage for T-Rex. Marc handed me a tambourine. I had it for about 30 seconds before the bikers in the front row took it from me. That rising star was awesome and I haven't seen any video or photos of him using it anywhere else. My only souvenir was the concert poster and a handful of confetti I glued to it. I wish I had that still, and the tambourine, of course.

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  5. Black Sabbath was at that concert. A group called Holy Moses cancelled and Yes substituted for them in what was the group's first American concert. That's a fact

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  6. black sabbath cancelled on the 15th after getting booed offstage on 14th

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  7. The reason Black Sabbath cancelled was, the night before, they were booed off the stage after Yes and Humble Pie blew the place away! I was there. Sabbath proceeded to cancel the rest of the tour "due to illness."

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    1. I was on line the next night and they came around with a bullhorn "Black Sabbath Cancelled due to illness" I still havent gotten over that
      Had front row center for Yes and Humble Pie with Frampton
      Remember it like yesterday

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    2. I was there too... You are correct... Yes and Humble Pie blew down the house with terrific sets which sort of showed how simplistic and crummy Sabbaths song actually were... Ozzy kept apologizing for his bad singing saying it was the flu or something... I actually went to see Sabbath but was blown away by new band called Yes... Sort of reminds me of stories of the tour where Hendrix opened for the Monkees and was so good they had to switch order and have Hendrix close the shows while teenybopper girls scurried home with their mothers.... Ha Ha...

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  8. I don't believe that it was Yes' first American concert, but it was definitely on their first US tour.

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  9. Thanks Gary for share with all of us your great memories of the good old rock n'roll days!! About Yes, you're right, the band first US concert was a little bit earlier, on June 26, 1971 at the Seattle Coliseum.

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  10. Blodwyn Pig cancelled the night I went (either April 24 or 25, 1970, don't recall the show I attended), but they may have played the other night.

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  11. Replies
    1. Bruno-
      I recalled going to a Faces/Stewart show where they were the headliners and because of bad weather, they played one long set and not two shows, as originally scheduled. I do not recall if anyone else was on the bill, but I think they were the only band that played (maybe because of the weather). I recalled it was in February, 1971. I checked around the web and found a Ronnie Wood database, which referenced a February 18, 1971 show at the Capitol, which is consistent with my memory and that show is not listed above. You have the Dead for that night and I think that is not correct. My friends and I were not Dead fans and doubt they'd be on the same bill as Rod/Faces. Thoughts? D

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    2. I don't know Donster. If you see around the net every sources you can find says that the Dead played there on February 18, 1971 (there's also a bootleg of this show). Maybe the Ronnie Wood database (that I know and it is terrific!!) is wrong that time.

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    3. I have emailed the Wood database webmaster and am waiting for a reply.
      Everything you say and what I have seen, including an advertisment for that run of shows at the Capitol, lsits the dead for the 18th, so I am puzzled.
      Donster

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    4. yep, let me know what the Wood database webmaster say.

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  12. Strange indeed. I checked the Farmer's Almanac for weather conditions on that date and it was icestorm/sleet/snow and that is also consistent with my memory of the weather. Wood site lists other gigs in that area around that time. I would have been a high school senior, 17 years old, and able to drive there with my friend Alan in his car. More research needed by me.

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  13. MY FIRST CONCERT SAVOY BROWN. GREAT SHOW.

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  14. Further thoughts- I now recall seeing Duster Bennett as an opener, probably in Spring 1970 (although I have seen references to "March 22, 1970", but not sure about that).

    BTW, no "e" at end of Livingston (Taylor).

    Don Adler

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  15. Further to my post @ 9:38 above, wikipedia states that Bennett was part of Mayall USA tour in "Spring 1970" which would coincide with April 1970 show that I attended but I don't have indpendent memory of him. I do remember Mayall and Blodwyn Pig (who canceled and was the band I went to see) and would not have known about Bennett, so probably didn't register at time.

    Don Adler

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    1. Thanks Don!

      So, if I understand, you think that Duster Bennett was the opening act for the shows on April 24-25, 1970 with John Mayall and Blodwyn Pig (the latter I think cancelled just one day, but the other they play right?)

      Cheers,
      Bruno

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  16. I think so about Duster being opener. Don't know about Blodwyn Pig on other night; the show I went to Pig canceled. Sorry Bruno-

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  17. Amazing stuff about Sabbath and the Stooges. Perhaps my fellow Port Chestrians were not as forward-leaning...
    The Dictators also played that BOC/Iggy show, their first show in NY prior to becoming the proto-punk icons of the CBGB scene.
    Any more show data post-1974?

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    1. Thanks man! Great news about The Dictators also on the bill on Feb 2, 1974.

      Post-1974 data? for now no sorry!

      Cheers,
      Bruno

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  18. There was a benefit for The Capitol at The Capitol - 1971 I think? - that's not listed. The only artists I recall from the show were Manhattan Transfer and Al Kooper. Anyone else remember the artists or exact date? Thanks for publishing this list!

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  19. somewhere in there during 73-74 i did see al stewart & wishbone ash at the cap in pc

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  20. Speaking of cancellations, are you sure that the 70/08/09 Mothers show happened? They weren't touring the east coast that month. And they played the Capitol Theatre just two months later, on 70/10/16-17.

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    1. Charles the show was listed on Billboard (August 8, 1970 edition) but I'm not sure if it finally happened or not.....

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  21. Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter's White Trash and Tin House. What a night. My first time seeing my favorite guitar slinger Johnny and totally taken with both opening acts. A rare time when they were all at their peaks. One of my all-time top shows of about 500 over the years. Some of the ushers wore British Bobby (police) uniforms. What a hoot.

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  22. Electric Light Orchestra played there on April 20, 1974, supporting their On the Third Day album, with Chick Corea and Return to Forever as the opening act.

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  23. I went with two of my closest friends to see Derek and the Dominoes on December 5, 1970 at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY. We had 4th row seats! Toe Fat and Hammer played and they were amazing but I don't remember 'May Blitz' showing up or playing in the show. Derek and the Dominoes were amazing and Clapton put his cigarette into the strings at the top of his guitar and at some point Eric struggled to hit it to get it out of there in the middle of a song because it was burning his famous Brownie strat! I'll never forget seeing Bobby Whitlock sing. He had such a strong voice and a huge vein on the rt side of his neck would pop out when he sang. During Layla, Eric accidentally spit a little bit into the audience and it hit my black jeans! My friends were amazed and told me never to wash my jeans again! Ha! What a night! The Capitol Theater was a great place to see bands and had excellent acoustics. When the guitarist in Hammer played, they shone a blue light on him giving him a blue bluesy aura as he played. The following year in October my best friend Buffy that came with me died in a terrible tragedy when he fell off a cliff at Haines Falls, NY during a camping trip. So, I cherish this memory at the Capitol Theater even more because I was able to enjoy it with him.

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    1. I was at the Late show on 12/4 and the early show on 12/5. Years later I read an interview somewhere with Eric (maybe Guitar Player) and he claims that weekend in Portchester were the only good shows they ever played as a live band. I also remember that during Toe Fat's 12/4 late show performance, there was someone dressed up as a Japanese military person and spent the entire show behind the amps swirling a Samurai Sword. No idea what this was all about.

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  24. I attended the BOC / Stooges / Dictators show in 1974. It was my first concert and it was snowing. I remember waiting in line for the doors to open and this short man with bleached blonde hair went to the front of the line and tried to get in. Someone said "he's with the band" and they let him in. It was Iggy Pop.
    During the Stooges set people threw jawbreakers candy at Iggy. He called the audience "swarthy New Yorkers". I doubt that we even knew what that meant.
    BOC put on a great show; at one point all the members played the drums.
    The weather was so bad that they invited the audience to stay for the 11:00 show. Being only 16, I couldn't. I heard that the members of BOC played the guitars during their set.
    Years later, maybe 2004, I saw BOC at the Wolf's Den at Mohegan Sun.

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  25. Hi Bruno, Greg, Timothy and Don.

    I'm fortunate to have gone to the Capitol often. Thanks for the memories!

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  26. I remember the dictators, iggy, BOC show very well. Went to see BOC, just 16 at the time and was blown away by iggy and the stooges. Crowd (including the morons I was with) were really rough on them and the dictators too, probably cause BOC fans without open minds. Really opened my eyes up to greater music and will never forget that show. Thanks to crappy weather and thin crowd got to see both early and late sets 2 for 1 and the way I remember it iggy sets completely different early and late

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  27. sabbath was booed off stage sad to hear my fellow PC people did that ,they just finished up their farewell tour saw them 5times in the last couple years i haven't heard any of those other bands doing a farewell tour anywhere near what sabbath has accomplished in 46 years funny how things work out ��

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  28. Hi Bruno....was just going thru my tapes and found a live FACES show on April 2, 1971...the tape opens with a backstage chat with Woody and Rod...brought back some great memories....


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  29. Sounds like Sabbath was booed in NY, more than cheered. I was at the Sabbath/Bedlam concert at Nassau Coliseum in early 1974, and Blue Oyster Cult cancelled, and was replaced by...for their 1st NY appearance, Lynerd Skynerd! TYhey came up to kick Black Sabbath and some Yankee ass, and did just that! Sabbath knew they couldn't top that,and they needed to close the show...they left the crowd waiting for over an hour, until Sabbath freaks lit bonfires on the cement floor, then the carpeted isles. it was hairy. I stuck to hippie shows after that.

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  30. Bonnie Raidt played the Capitol. Taj Mahal played there, too. I attended both shows but don't remember the exact dates.

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  31. I terrific memories of those grey benches of the capitol of 1974, I attended many shows including Point Blank, T Rex and ZZ Top. I remember Tommy Bolan of TRex entering the stage and his tremendous display of talent. Then being blown off my feet by ZZ Top... couldn’t hear due ringing in my ears for 4 days the night was incredible!!!

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  32. I have 2 ticket stubs dated Monday, May 11, 1970 for Joe Cocker - but it looks like he played there on May 8-9, 1970 instead. There is nothing at all listed for May 11. How is this possible?

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    1. He was advertised to play there on May 8-9, and actually Port Theatre rock concerts were always on Friday and Saturday, but Monday? never heard about it, strange you have a ricket stub for that date, maybe Joe Cocker's shows were postponed?

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  33. I have a clear memory of seeing Albert King and Jethro Tull play the same night.It's remotely possible that I saw them on different nights but I would be shocked. I only see Albert King up once and he played with The Platter, Coasters,Chuck Berry. Surely I would have remembered them. I've never seen them. Jethro Tull front man Ian Andedrson came out with his iconic white star shirt w blue and red body/sleeves and they essenitaiily did their foundational Aqualung songs. I was just getting out of high school and I spenta lot of time in Port Chester because that's where the youth of Fairfield County, Connecticut did their drinking. I'd been going to Port Chester since I was 16. The age in CT was 21 and NY 18.An oasis. Please, tell me I'm not crazy.

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