The original performance ever before held throughout the Coliseum, a couple of months following venue’s February 1964 starting, featured the fresh new Five Freshmen and Five Preps. (Which was, naturally, the new Greek Week reveal.) The latest Four Season did the original Homecoming show around for the Oct ’64 (my good friend Mindy Moore Bacon remembers heading, whether or not she was only into the junior high), and you will Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong put his All-stars around having a free of charge reveal in the February 1965, then followed about three days afterwards of the Johnny Mathis together with Young People in the us.

Ended up into a guy’s shoulders enjoying the incredible tell you

Because of issues towards music at the before reveals, the brand new university brought in Atlanta-mainly based Baker Songs (which in fact had over The fresh Beatles’ 1965 show at the Atlanta Stadium) to try to improve sound to have Armstrong, however,, believe it or not, truth be told there was not much they might carry out concerning the cavernous arena.

I asked folk We went to college having – although some exactly who grew up in Athens otherwise went along to UGA – to generally share a common concert recollections on reveal. Here are a few ones memories:

My classmate Tom Hodgson said the brand new Coliseum performance the guy searched forward toward really is actually Jerry Butler singing their hits of “The fresh new Freeze Man Cometh,” plus “Only the Solid Endure.” Tom told you he remembers “Jerry, dressed in a white match having a quartet out of beautiful women vocal harmony at the rear of. I really don’t remember just who my personal time is, but she wished I became just like the chill because the Jerry Butler, and i however need she try once the very hot due to the fact those individuals singers.”

On the other hand, Sam Heys mentioned that “my personal favorite and more than long-term memory is actually the newest Jerry Butler Homecoming concert towards the Oct. 24, 1969, because my personal blind big date, Tap Finley, has been with me more than a half-century after.”

Betz Tillitski have stunning recollections of these 1973 let you know because of the Allman Brothers, saying the interior of the stadium resembled a big bong. “I got seated and the lighting dimmed and, boy, is actually We stunned observe these unusual flickers out-of light most of the across the set. Eg smokes although flames resided better longer. I didn’t learn I found myself enjoying bones getting lit up. Not ever been near a combined prior to. Individuals were passageway everyone up to. Upcoming one uncommon but sweet smelling are almost everywhere. I thought I found myself at the Woodstock. I recall assured my personal parents don’t smelling it to my gowns when i had home.”

But, she said, “the absolute most enjoyable concert I went to there is about spring season regarding 1974, and i also saw brand new Coasters, New Platters plus the Tams. Endured on the floor ahead of the stage dance new whole big date. ”

From the considering, ‘Okay, so are your planning to reimburse the cash you had been repaid getting a rate you aren’t giving?

Not that all the shows during the Coliseum had been an excellent profits. Dan Pelletier recalls the night Karen and Richard Carpenter “had been stinking within the joint and also the audience booed, thus Richard walked off the phase when you look at the a beneficial huff. Karen came out and you may spoke for some of one’s leftover group and you will informed me they had become on the go and you may was in fact tired. ‘ No reimburse obtained.”

My personal late pal Rusty Gunn, just who grabbed a few of the images accompanying so it part, said a few years back that his first let you know within the fresh new Coliseum is actually as he are a beneficial junior inside the twelfth grade, and he and some relatives grabbed times to see Little Stevie Ask yourself and the Temptations. (Helen Castronis recalls Question nevertheless is energized given that “Little Stevie” during the time, and this appeared like “he starred all device into stage.”)