Hide Article Text (OCR)
15The year’s worst concertOr, how Black Sabbath and their fans turned an auditorium into a war zoneBy KATHLEEN CABBLEThe Municipal Auditorium is packed both inside and out People are hanging around the grounds with their ears against the large outer windows. They’re unhappy because some security guard closed the drapes cutting off the only link the non-ticket holders had with the frenzied crowd insidePeople in torn jeans and leather jackets mill around the front doors shouting and cursing at the woman guard who keeps them from entering The concert is sold out, but no one gives a damn — there s talk of rushing the door as more security guards are stationed at the ticket window.I too am told to leave, as I'm grabbed by the arm and escorted toward the door 1 keep yelling “Daily Texan’’ and finally I’m allowed to enter the auditorium A word of advice from the woman guard *i wouldn't go in there if I were you I d hang on to those cameras.’’ She looked harassed and rightfully so.Van Halen had just finished and the crowd filled the lobby during intermission Black Sabbath T-shirts wereeverywhere Skulls and demons adorned hundreds ofchestsTHE OVERALL AGE GROUP was from about 10 vearswfto 19 years — somewhat younger than most other concerts I had shot There was a certain electricity in the*■place — people’s energy levels were incredibly high except for those who were nodding out against the walls and on the floor.I ve never seen drugs being sold and taken so freely in my life, and I go to a lot of concerts. Cops were everywhere but the crowd knew who had the upper hand Ten- and 12-year-olds pushing quaaludes walked around from group to group mumbling prices as hands dug into pockets for money It seemed so important to get just ashigh and just as crazy as the next guyI walked down to the stage and staked my claim near a policeman, then continued to study the crowd Did I act like this when 1 was that age'’ Looking back quite a few years substantiated my answer — no. Half of these kids were down and out and the rest were on their way.IT WAS ODD SEEING GIRLS - not women girls -being passed around from guy to guy Being groped and squeezed like it was a normal, everyday crowd occurrence I watched one approximately 14-year-old couple getting it on in their seats, then proceed to the middle aisle to finish things off If it hadn t been for clothes they would have succeeded il enjoy sex. too. but not in the middle of a concert hall *Adolescent screams and giggles were heard as joints were fumbled over and dropped One poor fellow searched the floor for signs of left over roaches, peeled them off the concrete and proceeded to smoke the remainsIntermission was unnecessarily long The crowd was getting restless They were tired of the blaring sound system that played cuts from Mahogany Rush and Aerosmith after they had paid to see Sabbath Angry threats from fans were directed at the roadies.FINALLY HOI SE LIGHTS flashed and. incredibly enough the energy level increased instantly The speaker volume increased and the sound of heavv metal blastedthrough the shouts Ozzie Osbourne screamed at his fans to get up — his eyes and actions were wild Crowds rushed the stage, falling over one another in the aisles. The police were helpless for 10 minutes, then decided to takecharge.But they didn't help matters any with their pushing and shoving — didn’t they realize that they were causing just as many problems as they were trying to solve’’ Temperaments are touchy during any concert, but this one resembled miniature sticks of dynamite ready to explode with the slightest provacation Between the antics of Black Sabbath the police and fans, it was a three-ring circusThe sound system, ves the sound system It was so loudW ■ ' «r Ft - - 'r~~~ «rthat it was distorted So is Sabbath s music — which meant the volume only heightened the effect. The crowd was up and dancing fists clenched and faces oddly contorted These kids were releasing energy — no, more like frustrations — they seemed to be angry at the worldTexan Sta*1 Photos by Berne BreathedFIGHTS BROKE OUT periodically and they loved it. They weren t there for the music but for the whole frenzied experienceAs I sat with my ears covered, thoroughly disgusted that Black Sabbath was billed as the greatest heavy rock group of our decade, the worst happened Technicalproblems set in which haunted the rest of the concert. A bad sound system accompanied by hypocritical apologies from the lead singer brought the evening to a climax.The concert ended early with Sabbath s playing a grand total of one hour excluding breakdown time. All in all the crowd shuffled out mad, still full of stored-up concert energy after screaming 'more to no avail for five minutes Hard-core fans stumbled out to the T-shirt counters, oblivious to the raw deal they had gotten.Others threw open auditorium doors loudly dicussmg their disappointment while beer bottles were strewrn about and fights continued on into the parking lots. It was an appropriate ending for my worst concert of the year
Newspaper Details
Austin Daily Texan
Austin, Texas, US
Mon, Dec 11, 1978
Page 46
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 12 Mar 2022
Other Publications Near Austin, Texas
Austin Daily Texan
Austin Semi Weekly Statesman
Austin Christmas American Statesman
Austin Daily Statesman
Austin American
