Memory:John Harper
I saw G.G. twice and regret that I did not make more of an effort to see them again! The first show was in August 1975 at the Boston Garden. G.G. was the opening act for Peter Frampton and Steppenwolf. My best friend from high school had turned me on to G.G. a few months before the show. We walked right up to the Garden ticket window that afternoon and for $4.50 we had our tickets (they were only $3.50 if we had bought then in advance!). I remember my friend asking the ticket window lady for tickets to the Gentle Giant show and getting back a puzzled look from her. She kept saying there was no show offered for Gentle Giant and the show was that night! Finally, I said "Steppenwolf" which was the main attraction and we got our tickets.
When the show started, the place was about a third full but it was a hard core group of G.G. fans! My friend and I kept talking about there was no way they were going to be able to re-create the sounds from the records in concert. Boy, were we wrong. We sat there with our mouths open in amazement as all the band members seemed to play a different instrument on every song. We could not believe the level of musicianship displayed.it was like nothing I had ever seen and still to this day, 30 years later, have ever experienced.
The 2nd show was in October of 1975 in Waterbury, CT as the opening act for Rick Wakeman. This was a smaller venue and a better place to experience the music. I am a big YES fan and originally would have been geared up to see Wakeman. But now, after seeing G.G. just a few months earlier, I could have cared less about Wakeman. As I am sure you would expect, G.G. blew Wakeman away that night.
I'll be honest. I haven't listened or thought about G.G. in twenty years. I don't know what prompted me to type their name in my search engine and go on the web site but I am totally re-energized to start listening again to the most complex, amazing, interesting music I have ever heard in my life!