How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (universities, castles)

[desertratz]

Originally Posted by Westside Willie

Thanks for the info guys.

I was compiling a list of all the concerts I went to back in high school and beyond and Im having a little trouble remembering some of the acts / supporting acts/venues and dates. I cant imagine why I cant remember...its all a smoky haze.

Anyway - maybe some of you can dig out those old ticket stubs you saved and share with us some of the concerts you went to, say between 1965 and 1985?

I'll get us started:
Led Zeppelin 4/18/70 Veterans Memorial Col.
Allman Bros 9/23/73 Feyline Field?
Frank Zappa 4/7/1973 Celebrity Theater
Kiss 8/17/76 Tempe Diablo Stadium

I wasn't at this one but here's a shot of Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker (Cream) performing at the Travel Lodge ( Celebrity) Theater on 3/17/68.

Were you there?

Please help Willie- my memory is a memory.

If only we all had the foresight to hang onto the ticket stubs and the other memorabilia we had in our possessions over the years.

The concerts that I'll always remember:

Canned Heat: VMC 1/1/68
Jimi Hendrix: ASU Sun Devil Gym 2/5/68 (my birthday)
The Who: Phoenix Muni 8/17/68 (see note below)
Jimi Hendrix: VMC 9/4/68 (quite stoned at that one)
The Doors: VMC 11/17/68
Steppenwolf: VMC 12/31/68
Iron Butterfly: VMC 5/22/69
Janis Joplin: Tempe Pilots Stadium 10/3/69
Lee Michaels: State Fairgrounds 12/6/69

At The Who concert at Phoenix Muni, there was an incident where fans outside the gates tried to crash the fence and get in and there was quite an altercation with Phoenix police. When I got home that night after the concert, I found out that my brother Dennis and my friend Glen were both in jail and needed to be bailed out. Seems as though they were part of this crowd and it seemed like a good idea at the time. Both had been Maced and clubbed and were charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Ah, the indiscretions of youth!

I do regret missing the Moody Blues when they were at the Coliseum in 71 I believe?

[Westside Willie]

Originally Posted by desertratz

The concerts that I'll always remember:

Canned Heat: VMC 1/1/68
Jimi Hendrix: ASU Sun Devil Gym 2/5/68 (my birthday)
The Who: Phoenix Muni 8/17/68 (see note below)
Jimi Hendrix: VMC 9/4/68 (quite stoned at that one)
The Doors: VMC 11/17/68
Steppenwolf: VMC 12/31/68
Iron Butterfly: VMC 5/22/69
Janis Joplin: Tempe Pilots Stadium 10/3/69
Lee Michaels: State Fairgrounds 12/6/69

Well remembered Grasshopper. Since you did your homework, here's is a little gift from Willie and the good folks at Photoflashbacks.com
All of these images were shot at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Other bands that appeared at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the ‘60’s include:

Jefferson Airplane 5/24/68 VMC
Alice Cooper (first of many) 5/23/69 VMC
Blind Faith 8/23/69 VMC
Blue Cheer 10/1/68 VMC
Blues Image 5/23/69 VMC
Cream-mentioned earlier
Creedence 9/19/69 (regret missing that gem) VMC
Delany & Bonnie 8/23/69 VMC
Donovan 10/1/68 VMC
Mothers of Invention 11/29/68 VMC
Poco 9/19/69 VMC
Simon & Garfunkle 8/22/68 VMC
Rolling Stones 11/11/69 VMC

Photoflashbacks.com has images from these shows too.

[AMIGIRL]

Thanks for sharing all your memories. I used to live in Mesa back in 1975/77 and have finally made it back to the Valley of the Sun 4 months ago. I am so happy to finally be back too. Some of the things I recall from back then, Sky Harbor Airport had an observation deck. You could stand outside on the top of a building and watch the planes fly in and out. That was so cool. Or how about the radio stations giving money out for the 5th caller etc. etc.??? Unless they are still doing that and I just haven't heard it yet?????

I also remember the Golf and Games, the go-carts on Hayden Rd., the greyhound racing (not that I was a fan of such) I also always wished I could have gone to the Seventh Veil Restaurant, their ads on the radio made it sound so tempting.

Between Mesa and Apache Junction was of course farm land as was anything beyond Baseline. Tri-City mall was small, but it had "DIAMONDS" and that was good enough for me. Their Christmas decor within their stores with the mechanical dolls and the music was just incredibly awesome.

Things will never be the same as back then, but we at least have the memories which no one can take away from us except Mr. & Mrs. Alzheimers. But overall, the Phoenix-metro area is still a wonderful place to be. I'm not leaving again.....I'm here to stay.

[pbenjamin]

Originally Posted by Donalumni

Wasn't Tempe Diablo stadium originally the Seattle Pilots stadium?

Yes. It was apparently called Pilots Field and it was built for them.

Seattle Pilots - History - Interviews - Max Soriano

[jack swilling]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

There were two locations owned by Sheldon Swain, I was in his little combo in high school and played at dances. One was on Bethany Home next to McDonalds across from the theater and the other pictured on Camelback about 17the Street. No connection to Victoria Station. They may have bought the cars but I seem to remember they were there at the time also, maybe there was a fish restaurant there first. I think McDonalds bought the land and used the car as their playground, that one was painted yellow.

In the middle fifties, when I was in grade school, I took accordion lessons from Sheldon Swain. He chewed gum incessantly and he had a brother who played the drums. His father sold accordions, and my mother bought me a big one--red, I think.
We took lessons at his house or his family's house in far northwest Phoenix, or Glendale, or unincorporated.
We gave a concert at the Encanto Park bandshell and I had to play Song of Spring and I was a nervous wreck. Wouldn't you know--when the audience voted by applause, I was one of the finalists and I had to play the thing over. It was a very long afternoon. I flubbed the second playing of Song of Spring and finished last. The owl was flying low.
We also gave a concert at Gomper's Memorial Clinic up by the old Jungle Park Zoo.
You never know, Roosevelt, maybe we made great music together and we just forgot all about it. I wonder what happened to Sheldon Swain and the brother. Anyway, that hot afternoon at the bandshell....if it had been a movie filming, it would not be quite correct to say that no young accordionists were harmed. I did everything but soil my pants before that afternoon turned into evening, and the ducks went to the island.
Shortly thereafter, I put aside my souped-up open-go-shut and left the
art to Myron Floren and Mr. Welk.

[jack swilling]

Kachinas? Kachinas? Did I hear someone say kachinas a few pages ago? I remember the great collection of kachinas owned by Barry Goldwater. They were on permanent display in the Park Central Goldwater's. I think someone said he donated them to the Heard. Is this true?
I guess they say "Katsina dolls" now. Or maybe they just write it that way, and say it the way we do.

[roosevelt]

I'm not a baseball fan and do not know anything about this photo. Perhaps someone can give a history and a time period.

[jack swilling]

I think this is the old stadium in which the Arizona Senators played baseball in the fifties, maybe into the sixties, and maybe even the late forties. I also think it was later used for the occasional "professional" wrestling matches not held in Madison Square Garden. As I remember, it was very far south in Phoenix. In later years, the central, main structure seemed to sway slightly whenever the crowd became overheated. I suspect that structural integrity was the reason it became a thing of the past....that is, if I am correct in my identification.

[slowesthand]

speaking of concerts and Feyline Field, does anyone remember seeing the Grateful Dead there around '74 , I think it was. ?

[desertratz]

Originally Posted by jack swilling

I think this is the old stadium in which the Arizona Senators played baseball in the fifties, maybe into the sixties, and maybe even the late forties. I also think it was later used for the occasional "professional" wrestling matches not held in Madison Square Garden. As I remember, it was very far south in Phoenix. In later years, the central, main structure seemed to sway slightly whenever the crowd became overheated. I suspect that structural integrity was the reason it became a thing of the past....that is, if I am correct in my identification.

I believe you are right on that ID. It appears it might be the old Phoenix Municipal Stadium that was on the corner of Central and Mohave.

Below is a link to Minor League Baseball history in Arizona from 1915 to 1957. There is a picture of the old Phoenix Municipal field. There is no picture of the front of the stadium, but compare the outfield fences between the two pictures.

History of Phoenix Minor League Baseball