Stadium Mega Concerts
By: Brenden Duffey
Today,
concerts are known as huge events usually held in a stadium or an expansive
piece of land where people flock from all over to scream and cheer on their
favorite musical idols. However, concerts were not always like that. By the
turn of the 20th century, music was starting to become much more popular in
daily life as it brought recreation and enjoyment into many peoples black and
white lives. Families would sit by their
radios to listen and dance for hours to some of their favorite artists. In
addition, "radio was a live medium back then, and the stations sometimes
encouraged fans to come see the music made", which in turn, helped with
the building of many music halls and theaters (Music City Council, 2012). Around the 1950's and 60's
is when Rock and Roll hit its rise. This time was known as the "Golden
Age" of Rock. By now many big time rock artists and bands started to
become world icons as their music reached an all time high. You had the already
"King of Rock", Elvis Presley, stealing girls hearts and reaching out
to millions with his new style of music called rock that he had perfected.
However, about "45 years ago, the music business was turned on its
ear by four mop-topped kids from Liverpool who put on a concert for the
ages" (Avila, M. 2010). The Beatles started a revolution with their music.
They were so big and so popular that there was just no way any outdoor concert
or theater could hold all of their crazed fans. So "on Aug. 15, 1965,
The Beatles became the first rock band to perform at an American sports stadium
with their show at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York" (Avila, M. 2010).
This was revolutionary in the history of music concerts. Now instead of hosting
a concert where hundreds to thousands of fans could listen, these new stadium
concerts could hold upwards of tens of thousands of screaming, chanting people
of all ages! Ever since that Beatles concert in '65, the music business was
never the same. Bands were scheduling tours around the world to be hosted by
the most biggest and most popular stadiums around. The change was phenomenal.
Money poured into artists’ pockets and into owners of these stadiums. Obsessed
fans could now travel from all over to see their favorite singers perform in
front of a crowd of thousands of people who share the exact same interest.
Thanks to stadium mega concerts, the history of music has never been the same
again.
This is a video of The Beatles performing their song "I Feel Fine" during the first ever stadium concert at Shea Stadium in 1965. There were so many screaming fans that it was nearly impossible to actually hear any part of The Beatles concert.
This concert by The Rolling Stones in Wembley is ranked as one of the best rock concerts at all times. The Stones performed in front of about 90,000 which proves just how popular rock music became and how instrumental stadiums were to concerts.
Led Zeppelin has always been thought of as one of the top rock bands to ever exist. This video is from a concert they put on in Madison Square Garden in New York City. MSG is one of the most profound places in New York. Led Zeppelin did the unthinkable by selling out MSG three different times.
References:
Avila, Michael. "Which Band Headlined the First Stadium Rock Concert?"LifesLittleMysteries.com. N.p., 17 Aug. 2010. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. <http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/775-which-band-headlined-the-first-stadium-rock-concert.html>.
"History of Live Music." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. <http://musiccitymusiccouncil.com/history-live-music>.
Videos from YouTube
