Garrett Coliseum, in contrast, could hold 10,000+ for a single performance in Montgomery. ", From rtrmark: "Alice Cooper. I think we had at least 15,000-16,000 people there. WBAM Big Bam Shows; Dan's Dusty Discs WBAM; WBAM Pictures; Read more about this topic: WBAM-FM, History. Brennan estimates that 16,000-17,000 people came to Legion Field for the show, fulfilling the radio station's mission but falling short of blockbuster status. Beavers has played drums for various bands, including Doc Severinson, Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett, winning a Grammy Award for Best Performance by Duo or Group in 1994 while a member of Asleep at the Wheel. Consumate pranksters, duo Jan and Dean walk across the stage carrying a ladder to the surprise of Paul Revere and the Raiders' lead singer Mark Lindsey. Grier continued to sing with trios and orchestras, performing at wedding receptions and private parties. The following year 13 acts played in WVOKs Shower of Stars show at Legion Field in Birmingham. 1984 at the BJCC. Readers of AL.com have plenty of ideas. Welcome to my Nightmare in Huntsville Von Braun 1975 and KISS in 1976 at Von Braun. We'll have to ask him. Some of the concerts took place in a single location -- most often, Jacksonville. Bobby Dupree (L) and Sonny Grier of the Rockin' Gibraltars. "It was cold outside, show was to begin at 6 but began at 9; coeds from T-town waited for 2nd show which was to begin at 9 but began at about 2 next morning, had to get permission to stay in those days and freeze outside at Auburn University Coliseum. (L-R) Bob Corley, David Headley, Cary Green, Jeffery Johnson, Bob Pike, John Key. The bands would come in cars -- just plain old cars -- and they'd get their guitars out and walk past you. The football stadiumposed a few extra challenges, Brennan says, from seating assignments to sound quality to weather preparation. For an 18-year-old to take home a pillowsack full of dollars, that was quite a heady time.. Members: Mitch Alton (original member), Gregg Pappas, Ham Wilson, Bill Marshall , Dwight Williams, Rick Byrd, Orville Cain, Carl Tesh. Hes been in a few movies, raced sports cars and been inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. By today's standards, his solution to the latter problemseems charmingly old-school. He wanted us to sign a management contract with him, but we were still under contract with Marshall and . Its amazing the life we got to live.. Roy Orbison. Their most popular singles were It Will Stand (also recorded by The Showmen) and Bug of Soul. The groups members drifted back to Alabama, with the exception of Townsend and Sanford who formed the Sanford-Townsend Band and recorded the hit Smoke from a Distant Fire.. "Radio played the song every twenty minutes. It was elbow to elbow in there, remembered drummer Tommy Beavers. According to Ben Flanagan's story for AL.com, the band also played in Tuscaloosa at Memorial Coliseum, now Coleman Coliseum. So we had to delay the start of the show about 15 minutes or so while the carpenters came out and put these rails together. Prattville, Alabama 36066 (334) 358-9460 View Weekly Ad Hours Store Services Full Furniture with Mattresses Furniture Leasing Furniture Delivery Milk, Eggs & Grocery Featured Be a Backyard Bigionaire! In the 1950s and '60s, Montgomery, Alabama, was ground zero for many of the major events central to the civil rights movement in this country. He said, 'We're going to put both of them on.' The Four Seasons. Tickets were priced at$1.50-$5.50 per show, Brennan says, and artists' fees usually ran about $300-$7,500 per act. Kenny Rogers and the First Edition. Inicio Quines somos? ", From David Hester: "Eagles at Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville in 1975. He and his wife live north of Prattville in a 1930s shack, have three grown children and are expecting their first grandchild. When Peter Noone left Hermans Hermits in 1971, Hermits drummer Barry Whitwam keep going, and today continues to lead his own Hermans Hermits band (as does Noone performing as Hermans Hermits starring Peter Noone). It was great! Their friends were quite envious when they got to hang out with the Grass Roots, Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds, Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders, and rode around with Eric Burden and the Animals. Shower of Stars audiences were accustomed to seeing a mix of rock, pop and country acts on stage, and the lineup for every show had a pecking order. Packed house for a 1960s Big BAM Show at Garrett Coliseum. Formed: 1972, Tuscaloosa. "One of the the things we had to do, in order to provide bathroom facilities for all of the artists, we had a bunch of RVs, recreation vehicles, and they were all over the field out there," Brennan says. Alicia McLeod - Vocals. snapchat chat bitmoji peeking. Several readers made fond mention of multi-act shows presented by WBAM-AM, a sister station to Birmingham's WVOK-AM, during the 1960s and early '70s. The Beatles in Alabama? Ticket prices were $2 for shows in the early 1960s, gradually increasing to a top price of $5.50, a pittance by todays standards. Originally licensed in 1953 as WBAM, the station broadcast contemporary and country music before turning He remembers the Kove days with Harvest/Harmony fondly, not only for the bands music but the people who came to see them. Elton John played three different years and drew over 40,000 total. at 3126 Jasmine Road, was built in the early 1960s by William J. Oh, and some guy named David on slide. The Beach Boys. ", Also on his list: "Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, and Jesse Colin Young and The Youngbloods, Legion Field, sometime in the 70's. Categories . Skyping with a Hermit The band also played Birmingham in May 1977, according to this story by Madison Underwood. ", From dassani: "I was there Could not have been better! The concert series started around 1960 with such stars as Fabian and Brenda Lee. And if we hadn't had (Hurricane Dora), we would have made a lot of money. Formed: 1963, Troy. "Times have changed so," said a wistful Peek, the Shower of Stars devotee. From what we can tell, she appeared there in 1970, but the story mentions Dec. 3, 1970, as the date of her show. We were all so nervous we wore dark sunglasses so nobody could see how scared we were, said Dupree. Peter (Asher) and Gordon (Waller), Big BAM Show. The band has undergone several incarnations. Dupree served with the Army in Vietnam, worked as an engineer in Muscle Shoals, and has been an electrical engineer for the Alabama Legislature for 27 years. Gate Band Bobby Darin. "Rickwood Field, late 70's. The audience was huge, sold out, 10,000 or more. ", From REDSEA: "While I was going to UNA back in 81, I worked on the Stage Crew on these concerts at UNA: Atlanta Rhythm Section (pictured), Jimmy Buffett, Tom Petty, Hotel, Crystal Gale. With no sound checks between acts, group would run on stage and begin playing almost immediately. ", "Leo Kottke, Foster Auditorium, UA campus, about 1974," said 57939names. But Lewis went over his allotted time. Bell. The bands that performed were: The Beach Boys / lou christie / Ian Whitcomb / The Happenings / the hollies / peter and gordon. The most entertaining act? Anotherbrother, Bill Brennan, was the undisputed chief of the Jacksonville station, and had houses in Montgomery and Jacksonville. "In those days, you could go to a concert and there was only one back door. The other was Municipal Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a show had been set for September 15 th. The Brennan familysold itsstake in AM radio a few years later,and hemoved on to WRKK-FM, an album-rock station known as K-99. ", "I'm also inclined to mention 1982 at Boutwell when the Blizzard of Ozz played; Randy Rhoades' third to last appearance before his tragic death," said GmanGent. When Cher and Sonny first met in 1963, she was 16, while he was 27 and married (he and his first wife were separated). "One of my favorites was RUSH 1981 Mobile Municipal Auditorium," said tgfmiss. to see more entries, Posted on June 1, 2011 by bob in Features. To be honest, Brennan doesn't precisely recall what he said to the audience that evening, just before the mop-topped John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr took the stage. From au92536: "June Jam in Fort Payne - I know it's country BUT. No one came down to buy scalped tickets at the price everyone thought they were going to have to pay.. hehehehe .", From Mark Keppler: "Eagles 1977 Hotel California Tour Civic Center. fireworks at the end while playing freebird.??? Brennan bid farewell to concert promotion in 1973 --a necessary business decision, he says -- and for Birmingham music lovers, it was the end of an era. Bob was producing a medical documentary in Alabama, and also was a promoter for Evil Kneival and Chill Wills. That was a lot of money. WBAM signed on in 1953 as AM 740. Moody remembers Roy Orbison being one of the nicer, more polite performers, and the Grass Roots, Paul Revere and Buckinghams being easy to work with. From Sell it to the tourists: "I saw an amazing Harry Chapin show at the BJCC Concert Hall in around 1978? It was important to us.". In 1964 the Brennans booked the Beatles for a concert in either Legion Field in Birmingham, or Garrett Coliseum or Crampton Bowl in Montgomery. Chuck Berry was awesome and the Stones in their early days were unbelievable.". In the spring of 1968, we played the Big Bam Spring show in Montgomery and were seen by a producer from Hollywood named Bob Hinkle. [Montgomery native and fellow Robert E. Lee graduate Tommy Shaw came back from Chicago to join the group, staying six months until getting a call to join Styx, who needed a replacement for a guitarist whod left as they were about to go on tour. go to da moon copy and paste. The Quad show was FREE! "Bill" Brennan, Billy Benns (Jr.) and Mrs. Luella B. Aldridge. Gary Puckett & the Union Gap. ", From Will-I: "Bruce Springsteen in Auburn in 1975. said donnna. . Once solo and once with a band. "We had to import parkas, raincoats from Taiwan, so that was our rain insurance," Brennan says, laughing. He was a very special guy. Find the answers to any question. The venue? Formed: 1966, Tallassee. Dan Brennan recalls the reaction from performers. We were very obnoxious to the security guard, who was the nicest guy, and of course, we would go in and outside all the time. The author recalls with fondness the casual neighborliness that existed within his community, the freedom that children enjoyed to roam and play, and the slower pace of life that prevailed. One big favorite, however, appears to be a '70s date at Legion Field. "We started in 1947, and if you think about it, you didn't have very much television in those days," Brennan says in a recent interview. 1973(?). A memorable night that I won't ever forget. Search the Largest Online Newspaper Archive. Yes, the Beatles' performance was "a really big show," as Ed Sullivan wouldhave said. Solid show during a year held in very high regard by a large number of Deadheads. When I got on stage the drum kit seat was way too high. The station is locally owned and operated by Bluewater Broadcasting Company, LLC But Brennandoes have many stories to share -- about preventing a fistfight between two starswho wanted theclosing spot in Birmingham, or example, or puzzling over two entertainerswho showed up in Montgomery, both claiming to be country singer Bobby Edwards. "Big Church Night Out" / Newsboys / Sidewalk Prophets / 7eventh Time Down / Blanca / Derek Minor / Brock Gill / Jeremy Willet . Big BAM Shows of the late 1960s and early 1970s featured all the biggest artists of the day, including Paul Revere and the Raiders, Lou Christie, Iron Butterfly, The Carpenters, The Monkees (as a group and individually), Tommy Joyce and Bobby Heart, The Grass Roots, and many more. FUNK-ON. While Gator Bowl officials relented to a desegregated audience for the concert, two other venues Epstein had chosen were problematic. Wish I had gotten one. ", From Art Meripol: "U2's Zoo Tour at Legion was pretty fun from the floor.". The Captain and Tennille Show became a network hit and featured guest stars such as John Travolta, Don Knotts, The Pointer Sisters, and Red Foxx. Go to the Archives And they accepted it, but we did get the total amount of the gate that came in. Rock 'n' roll had just started, and you were right in the middle of it.". The WMAQ slogan came from a contest where winners would have to answer the phone "WMAQ's gonna make me rich," so you had people using the phrase anytime. The station's transmitter is located in the town of Grady, Alabama. Its better than not being remembered at all.. (His moniker on the air: Dan the Music Man. The father of six and grandfather of two currently lives in Montgomery and plays with the Bama Breeze Band. The song actually topped the charts on WBAM in Montgomery, AL for a few weeks which gave us introductions to the British Invasion groups coming through Montgomery for the Big BAM shows held at the Coliseum for many years, like The Who, The Hollies, The Blues Magoos, The Kinks, and many more including American groups like The Beach Boys, The . Her harmonies with Eddie and Jimbo were legendary, and thus the group found its new name. Shop Patio & Garden, including exclusive patio furniture from brands like Broyhill. ); Lynyrd Skynyrd and Black Oak Arkansas, Rickwood Field (1975); Pink Floyd, Legion Field (1994); Peter Frampton and Robin Trower, Oak Mountain (1994); Rolling Stones, Legion Field (1994); Bruce Springsteen, BJCC, 2002; and, James Brown, Jubilee CityFest Montgomery (2003). "Elviswas an opening act," Brennan says. In the 1960s and early 1970s, the station sponsored a series of pop/rock concerts known as "Big BAM Shows" featuring acts ranging from Paul Revere and the Raiders, Lou Christie, and The Beach Boys to comedian Pat Paulsen. (In 1965, Legion Field could seat more than 68,000 people.) Butspeaking in general terms, each also hada specialty: Bill the visionaryentrepreneur, Cyril the tech-mindedpioneer, Dan the key concert producer and a smooth, recognizable voice at WVOK. Emerson, Lake and Palmer in QUAD sound - Tuscaloosa circa 1973. "To go to the concerts was huge. Western European Countries, Italian Restaurants In Sandy Springs, Contemporary Music For All Coma, Ford Bronco Reservation Login, Panoplie Dragoeuf Dofus Touch, River Radio Station, Nice In Korean, How Did Tamerlan Tsarnaev Die, Den Of Behemoths Boss, blues show montgomery, al 2021. guildford school of acting auditions; gilroy google font alternative; cuisinart steamer insert; Blog Post Title February 26, 2018. Classics such as Midnight Hour, (Wilson Pickett), Knock on Wood (Eddie Floyd), and Mr. Any of the Yes shows in Birmingham! Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis were on the bill, said Whitwam of their first performance at Garrett Coliseum. Instead, the concert was held at the Gator Bowl under the auspices of the Brennans Jacksonville station WAPE, the Big APE. A real commercial from the 60's with announcer Bill J Moody .Exciting times as a teen.growing up in Montgomery. REENADED . We try to introduce people to music maybe they werent aware of. Signature song includes Both Sides of the Road, about Perdido Bay, written by Ham Wilson. One of its earliest Big BAM Shows featured Elvis Presley as he ascended to fame, on the same bill with Roy Acuff. There were a lot of fun people.. With an amazing backing band, he proceeded to entertain the entire evening. The Buckinghams. Hal Hodgens of WVOK is second from left. One of Brennan's favorite anecdotes concerns a young Elvis Presley, making waves and jostling for position before a concerton Dec. 3,1955, at Garrett Coliseum. Skynnard (not really a fan) opening for Wet Willie - 1972-73(?). ", From ghostreader: "Springsteen, mobile civic center theater may 1976. He never asked forautographs. We didnt play where people sat around and drank. The WVOK Shower of Stars was a series of concerts sponsored by WVOK-AM at the Birmingham Armory and later at Birmingham's Municipal Auditorium.Program director Dan Brennan organized the shows, which gained national notice.. Concerts. Cosmic Slop was classic, turned that mother out. We had a fabulous time.. "Bill" Brennan, one of the owners of The Big Bam, Montgomery's renowned 50,000-watt radio station. The chips were glued into Dianes scrap book between photos of the Beatles. So it was a deliberate attempt to identify with people, and to recognize that they were requesting these songs. His clothes were all rumpled, and he said, 'Dan, I need to go on later in the show. Local garage bands (they practiced in their parents garages or living rooms) were found in almost every town in the United States in the mid-to late 60s, and the Montgomery area was no exception. Lou Christie was huge in Montgomery. Still, for radio listeners who tuned into WVOK back in the day, Brennan will always be Dan the Music Man. Published by at February 16, 2022. A close second would be Yes at the Concert Hall in 2013. The Byrds. A story by Ben Flanagan of AL.com, looking back at concerts at the coliseum, also mentions Joplin. By the time they came to get us we were pretty shozzeled.. Clipping found in Alabama Journal in Montgomery, Alabama on Mar 24, 1966. Big Bam Fall Spectacular has had 1 concert. Some of the items will go on exhibit starting Thursday at the Alabama. It will be the first time theyve have been together since a reunion benefit at a local club in 2007. shimano ep8 630wh battery range And didn't ever explain to the people what had happened. "We all felt very privileged," Bartoletti says. Top (l-r), Keith Brewer, Ed Sanford and Sonny Grier. Believing they could be the next stateside version of the Beatles, they went by a variety of catchy names: The Rockin Gibraltars, the Sweet Young Uns, The Drones, The Fabulous Shades, the Gate Band. That was one of my first big gigs - the Big BAM shows! According to Dan, the only surviving brother, it was Bill's decision to offer$50,000 to the Beatles for their appearance at the Gator Bowl. Competition was evident between the two bands, Brennan says, as the Beach Boys returned for their splashiest date at the Shower of Stars, and the Stones made theirBirmingham debut on their first U.S. tour. Fans would mail their orders to the station, requesting a specific showtime, and the envelopes often included suggestions for artists they'd like to see. Respi Mee Sup Sabahiiat. The eruption from the crowd was louder than expected but the lights were so blinding, we could not see the audience. The Rolling Stones. "We gave everybody who came a free rain parka. Cyril Brennan, who received a Top Program Director award from Billboard Magazine, is retired and lives in Pike Road. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Ticket prices were never more expensive than $4.00. "It didn't matter. The largest universities in Montgomery, AL are Auburn University at Montgomery (975 degrees awarded in 2020), Faulkner University (844 degrees), and Alabama State University (712 degrees). He wants to go on late in the show.' "I don't have any regrets," hesays. Hes been a school principal and now sells wholesale art, although business has been suffering due to the economy. The Big BAM was WBAM, the 50,000-watt AM radio station owned by the Brennan family, whose other Alabama station was Birminghams WVOK. Thousands of Beatles fans were ready to twist and shout in the Southeast, and the Brennan clan had made it happen. We stayed at the same hotel as them. I don't know, I guess people got to trust us. Things changed a little bit after that. All rights reserved (About Us). Bob Brennen gave me these. "Eight Days a Week -- The Touring Years. But he's sure the introduction was brief, wasting no time as Beatlemania raged. The Fab Four wouldnt play to segregated audiences, and at that time this was the case in Alabama. Tommy James & the Shondells. I'll never forget it. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Edgar Winter Group with the Frankenstein tour," said Rick Allen. Dan Brennan had the honor of introducing the Beatles. Brennan, who understands the pull of nostalgia, says he's heard similar sentiments from many Birmingham folkswho came of age at the Shower of Stars. (Photo courtesy of the Brennan family). If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Most recently they performed earlier this year for a benefit show for ailing former bandmate Keith Brewer, who died in April of cancer. Mosley tribes Lyndel . There was this woman who was playing the bongos who literally passed out playing. If possible, the Brennans liked to present the same lineup of artists in all three cities over a single weekend, offering three shows in Birmingham for the Shower of Stars, one in Montgomery. Dan Brennan at the mic introducing the Beatles at their Gator Bowl appearance in Jacksonville, Florida. "Marty Robbins came up to me, and he looked so sad," Brennan recalls. A buddy and I went down hoping for a miracle and some guy offered us two tickets for $10 bucks each which we gladly paid. Where else could you scream your head off while watching a dozen live acts play the hit songs you listened to on your transistor radio for the whopping ticket price of $2.50? It was everything. They actually were already signed to join, when Peace Concerts booked the January 31, 1975 show. We mostly had a lot of fun., They were especially known for their James Brown-style revue, with Grier wearing a cape much like the Godfather of Soul used while singing Please, Please, Please., The group got a break in 1968 when a Hollywood producer spotted them at the Big BAM show, and wanted to sign them to a recording contract. "There was a little office backstage, and I remember seeing my father and uncles back there with a security guard," Bartoletti says. That's how we put together our shows. Springsteen played the 'short end' of the the Beard-Eaves with the curtain up. It's not like now, where they have secret tunnels and drive right into the auditorium.". "Cyril's idea was, 'Tell them to sing, just a little bit, and make sure that we get the right one.' It was electric. Brennan had many encounters with celebritiesover his three decades as a concert promoter, but says he never felt famous -- not even when he was widely regardedas a household name in Birmingham radio. Alabama Shakespeare Festival 192 Theaters By Questovia Attended the production of Macbeth in this stunning theater and enjoyed every moment of it. ", Several readers mentioned Lynyrd Skynyrd as a given, pointing to various concerts throughout the state. ", From Ken Cole: "I was at Jerry Lee Lewis in Boutwell in the mid '60s when I was a kid. Read reviews from world's largest community for readers. The last concert at Big Bam Fall Spectacular was on September 30, 1966. And not just the concerts, but the whole experience building up to it. "Ringo had a riser above the stage, and of course this is all outdoors, and the winds were blowing up to 70 miles an hour," Brennan says. Ticket prices were never more expensive than $4.00. He didn't insist onphotos. Members: Original members John Key, David Headley and Bob Corley plus David Langford, Mike Mobley, Larry Hughes, Bobby Johnson and Rick Roper. ", From Eric Pendergrass: "Grateful Dead BJCC April 4,5 1995.". Several others mentioned seeing the Rolling Stones in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. ", "This is so subjective and there are way too many to pick from. Iron Butterfly. You are free to use the above map for educational and similar purposes; if you publish it online or in print . "There was a police line for the Beatles to run through, and the stage was built up so people couldn't get to them.". Canned Heat. The Grass Roots. "I'm also a little partial to Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Jerry Reed, Johnny Paycheck, when they played at Old York Farms in the late '90s," said Jeremy Don McCollough. Only concert I have ever been to where they had tee shirts for the guitarist in the band along with the band's shirts. $14 million dollar house maine; Of all the concerts I've been to in my lifetime, this one was the most memorable. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Uploaded 11 years ago Music 4; Photos 0; Interview . "You didn't have to know anything about guitar to realize that he was one of the best ever to take the stage. THE PROMOTIONAL POSTER OF THE WBAM, BIG BAM WINTER SPECTACULAR, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1967! He showed up about five minutes before his show was to go on. "I always had an idea about saving memories for people, and using the media that was becoming available, and that's what led me into this.". The band's management initially asked for 85 percent of the ticket proceeds or $25,000, whichever was greater, Brennan says. BOBBY GOLDSBORO. WVOK would produce another show at Legion Field before the station left the concert business -- the Osmonds and Springfield Revival appeared there on Aug. 15, 1973 -- but for the most part, Municipal Auditorium remained home base for the Shower of Stars. By 1972 the heyday of the big shows had passed. Reactions to these picks -- made by entertainment reporters Matt Wake, Lawrence Specker and Mary Colurso -- ranged from praise to anger, support to dismay. It was a clear channel station that covered over 90 counties in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and could be heard everywhere. ", From Larry Gilbreath: "I know it's been a long time ago but not one single June Jam in Fort Payne on the list unbelievable." By nature, talent and inclination, Brennanwasentirely suited to the family business; thousands of fans knew his voice and remembered his name. Readers shared fond memories of June Jam, the annual music festival that ran 1982-1997. The Temptations and The Supremes, The TCB Tour, Auburn University, 1972. Dislike Share. They played at YMCAs, American Legion halls, private parties, and dances all over south Alabama, Panama City, Savannah, and Greenville, Miss. At the time, Sonny was interested Cher's friend, not her. His family owned WBAM in Montgomery, and WVOK in Birmingham, both 50,000 watt clear channels stations back in the day. By March 15, 2021 No Comments. The Carpenters. Anybody else remember seeing Joplin in Tuscaloosa? WBAM, also known as Bama Country 98.9, is a country music formatted radio station that serves the Montgomery Metropolitan Area, broadcasting on the FM band at a frequency of 98.9 MHz and licensed to Montgomery, Alabama. 0. blues show montgomery, al 2021. Memorial Coliseum, now known as Coleman Coliseum. As a result, Captain and Tennille declined ABC's offer to do a second season. They moved to LA, minus Grier whod gotten married and had a new baby and didnt want to move. Brennan's memories of the showsare less starry-eyed and more businesslike, as befitsthe man who booked the acts, paid the bills and tallied the proceeds. I tried to get us all to dress up as the Fruit of the Loom guys but no one wanted to., For musicians who played together for years, there wont be a need to practice much, if at all. WBAM-FM/98.9 ("Bama Country 98.9") is a country music formatted radio station that serves the Montgomery Metropolitan Area, broadcasting on the FM band at a frequency of 98.9 MHz and licensed to Montgomery, Alabama. The resulting concerts -- which evolved into a series called the WVOK Shower of Stars in Birmingham, the Big BAM shows in Montgomery and the Big APE Convention in Jacksonville -- became enormously popular with radio listeners. Hisconcertseries rocked their worlds and shaped their music tastes, in tandem with WVOK. Flintstone House. ", From Denniswingo: "The Grateful Dead in 1978 at the Boutwell Auditorium. The Louvin Brothers. ", From bhamboost: "Parliament Funkadelic Mothership Connection 1976. Dan Brennan, center, backstage at the Shower of Stars with with Paul Revere & the Raiders. Men. ", "Rolling Stones in Auburn '69," said James Robert Chambless. At this point, Mick Jagger and his pals were poised to release"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," their first international smash. So I went out and introduced Bobby Edwards, and he sang songs, and I came back about half an hour later, and I said, 'Now, here's Bobby Edwards!' "He said, 'Dan, I like to play for you here in town, but I don't want you to ever book me on a show like this again. I always was impressed about how well the bands performed when they were live, even though the Coliseum acoustics werent so good..