Memory:Bruce Meinsen
One night in 2007, I was perusing YouTube and was thinking about what to look for. After looking at some forgettable stuff from a few other bands, it hit me to look for GG and when I typed it in, up came "Proclamation" and it began to play. I cannot tell you how great it was to see the boys in all their glory playing that song, which I had not listened to for many years. It reminded me of the lone time I had seen them in concert. The concert took place in the late 1970's at Woolsey Hall (Yale University) in New Haven, Connecticut (your website has a concert listed on November 6, 1977 - that must be the one). I remember it was cold and that it was a general admission show. The first thing I remember is waiting in the lobby for the hall to open; there wasn't enough room for everyone and as a result people were packed in there like sardines in an attempt to escape the cold. Also, in a scene I am sure will never be replayed, I witnessed several people who, while standing right next to two New Haven policemen, smoked marijuana out of a bong for several minutes. The policemen of course could not have avoided noticing, but nonetheless acted as if the smokers didn't even exist, ignoring them completely! My friends and I noted the whole scene with unbelieving eyes (who would actually have the balls to even try such a thing?!) The smokers finished in due course and put the bong away, continuing to enjoy the spirit of the gathering. Amazing!
Anyway, we were ushered in to the hall shortly thereafter and since we were there early, had third row center seats. My friends and I have argued for years about who the opener was - actually, they told me it was Eddie Money who opened for GG that night, and I told them merely that it most certainly was not - but could offer them no alternative. (I have since noted that Dr. Feelgood was probably the opener) I have read some of the other concert reviews and noted they were booed many times and this night was apparently no different. I don't actually remember booing them myself, but I do remember I did not like them at all and they most certainly did not like us after a very short time. I believe they left the stage early. After reading all the stories about them being booed everywhere, I feel terrible for them and embarrassed about our behavior. I am, however, amazed at their persistence in the face of continuously hostile crowds. My friends and do I agree, however - even after 30 years - that it was the finest concert we had ever attended. I had only been listening to GG for a year, loved their music, and knew I wanted to see them, but from the opening song to the encore I was absolutely enthralled in a way I could not have anticipated. Really, it was a perfect concert experience: I knew the songs well enough to recognize what they were playing, but the live aspect, their energy, and their virtuosity all combined to create an...experience. A new experience.
I remember a few details such as John wearing an Oakland A's jersey and Ray doing a violin solo with some kind of delay bouncing the sound from speaker to speaker in the balcony area. Also, as a performer, I was just constantly amazed by Ray in general. While all the guys were/are great talents in their own right, Ray just stood out. The crowd loved every minute of it and we clamored for as much as we could get right through several encores. After the show, my friends and I agreed that we just witnessed greatness. I recently sent an email to a friend who had attended that evening and he agrees that, almost 30 years later it was still the best show he had ever seen.
Thought you might like this story for your archives, so, if you still take submissions and care to post it: I give you permission to post this story on your Web page.
