AUGUST 30: On This Date in Nippertown Concert History
Photograph by Andrzej Pilarczyk
2017: Hot Club of Saratoga @ Shepard Park, Lake George
2016: Hair of the Dog @ Cook Park, Colonie
2015: Amourasaurus featuring Lake Street Dive, J.D. McPherson, Parsonsfield, And the Kids, Winterpills @ the Pines Theatre at Look Park, Florence
2014: Billy Cobham’s Spectrum 40 Band @ The Egg, Albany
2013: Playing With Sound, Lara Hope & The Ark-Tones @ Putnam Den
2012: Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Sarah Borges @ Club Helsinki, Hudson
2011: Stevie Nicks @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
2010: Blueberry @ Club Helsinki, Hudson
2009: James Taylor & the Boston Pops @ Tanglewood, Lenox
2008: Country Joe McDonald @ the Guthrie Center, Stockbridge
2007: “American Idol” Live @ Times Union Center, Albany
2006: The Mammals @ Colony Cafe, Woodstock
2005: Alan Jackson, Sugarland, The Wrights @ Pepsi Arena, Albany
2004: Norah Jones, Amos Lee @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
2003: Blue Man Group, Tracy Bonham @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
2002: B.B. King, the Fabulous Thunderbirds @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
2000: Britney Spears, BBMak, Sister 2 Sister, 2Gether Innosense, Take 5, PYT @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1999: Pangaea @ Siro’s, Saratoga Springs
1998: Bluz House Rockers @ Siro’s, Saratoga Springs
1997: Boston @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1996: Betty Carter @ Tanglewood, Lenox
1995: Doc Scanlon’s Rhythm Boys, Johnny Rabb’s Rockhouse, Big Smoothies @ Empire State Plaza, Albany
1994: The Paul Collins Band @ Tinker Street Cafe, Woodstock
1993: Dennis Miller, Rita Rudner @ Starlite Music Theatre, Latham
1992: Ozzy Osbourne, Motorhead, Ugly Kid Joe @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1991: Nancy Wilson, Joe Williams, Jimmy Smith, Stanley Turrentine, Freddie Hubbard @ Tanglewood, Lenox
1990: Joan Baez, Indigo Girls @ Tanglewood, Lenox
1989: Private Plain @ Palais Royale, Albany
1988: Bruce Hornsby, Melissa Etheridge @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1987: Gary Moore, Triffid @ Saratoga Winners, Cohoes
1986: Elton John @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1985: Motherless & the Merry Knights @ Pauly’s Hotel, Albany
1984: The Beach Boys @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1980: Charlie Daniels Band @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1979: Judas Priest @ JB Scott’s, Albany
1978: Neil Sedaka @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1976: Bobby Vinton @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1975: Sha Na Na @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1974: The Eagles @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1972: The Fabulous Rhinestones @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1971: Poco, Tom Paxton @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
I remember the 1988 SPAC Bruce Hornsby show with Melissa Etheridge opening. She was still pretty much unknown at that time and the amphitheater was practically empty, except for a mother-daughter chat team who were sitting near me in the front of the balcony. Finally I had to ask them to please keep quiet because I wanted to hear this new singer. Within a year she was headlining the Palace and the next year it was difficult to get anything but lawn seats for her show at SPAC (which was OK because she had a second stage set up at the bottom of the lawn.) As far as Hornsby, I remember him dribbling a basketball and playing piano at the same time. Those were the days, because I believe I paid about $8.00 for the ticket.
I was at the Blue Man Group show, The Charlie Daniels band in 1980 with Levon Helm and the Cate Brothers opening,and also Neil Sedaka in 1978 with Andy Gibb as an opener
The opener for Judas Priest @ JB’s was a (local?) covers outfit named Fury.