Concert Flashback: August 11th, 1975. America. With opening act, John B. Sebastian. Illinois State Fairgrounds. Springfield, IL. Ticket price $3.00
It was a Monday. Exactly 50 years ago this evening. America in concert. Three singer-songwriter-guitarists, accompanied by a bassist and drummer, played the Illinois State Fair. John B.Sebastian, formerly of The Lovin’ Spoonful, opened the show.
America formed in 1970 when Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley, and Dan Peek, all sons of U.S. Air Force personnel, met in London. They began playing together and put out a self-titled debut album in 1971. It immediately went big with two hits from that debut record. “A Horse with No Name” and “I Need You.” Success and more hits followed. In 1975 they were touring to promote their fifth album, “Hearts.”
Sebastian had been the primary songwriter and leader of The Lovin’ Spoonful. That band broke up in 1968 after moderate success in the mid-60’s. Sebastian continued as a solo artist and did a well received set at Woodstock.
The America show was my fifth concert. I was 16 and had my driver’s license. Mom trusted me enough to turn me loose to drive from Pittsfield to an aunt’s house near Lincoln. I’d been no farther than Quincy or Jacksonville prior. I made the trip, then my cousin’s wife, another cousin, and I, backtracked to Springfield. America was not rock and roll. But the songs were well-written and the three harmonized really well. I liked their music.
Sebastian got things rolling, but times had changed. In 1975, there was a new feel in the air. Not all of the 60’s and early 70’s bands and artists were as popular The crowd was restless, at times impolite. Ironically, Sebastian had a resurgence soon after with the release of “Welcome Back,” an album with the title track that became the theme for the TV show, “Welcome Back Kotter.” But the audience was not having it this night.
Suddenly, near the end of Sebastian’s set, there was a huge increase in enthusiasm and applause. Was Sebastian finally getting his due respect? No. Not one. Not two. But three, limousines, pulled up to the left of the stage. America had arrived!
“Miniature,” a prerecorded piano instrumental, played as the band took the stage. Bunnell, Beckley, and Peek, along with David Dickey on bass, and Willie Leacox on drums. I had a Panasonic tape recorder sitting on my lap to record the show. On that bootleg, you can hear a vendor… “Ice cream, Ice cream…” And a an interested person responding, “Hey, ice cream!” as the opening notes of “Tin Man” hit the air.
They were off and running and didn’t let up. I knew the hits. Besides “Tin Man,” the next song to bring a a louder response was “I Need You.” They paced the hits throughout the show, mixing in a lot of “deep tracks” from their catalog as well. The sound was decent for and open air venue. One drawback. The stage was across the race track and the audience was in the grandstands, separated by a wire fence. Some distance. It affects the interaction and energy level between the performer and audience.
“Can you get out here,” Beckley asked, between songs. “Nooooo”, groaned the crowd. “Can you dance in your seats,” Beckley responded. There was a smattering of “Yessss.” “You ever heard of The Wailers,” said Beckley. The band tore into “Woman Tonight,” a song with a heavy dose of reggae influence.
A couple of huge hits from the current album brought things to the end. “Daisy Jane” and “Sister Golden Hair.” Then, they came back for the fist encore with one I hadn’t heard before. “Sandman”. The final encore, and 22nd song of the show, was where it all began for them. “A Horse with No Name.”
Dan Peek left the group in 1977 and passed away in 2011. Bunnell and Beckley are still out there, playing smaller venues. They were huge in 1975. Looking back, I believe I caught these guys at the top. One of a handful of groups or artists that I was lucky enough to see live, at the absolute zenith of their careers. The set list, a fair promo piece, and my original cassette are below.
America. August 11th, 1975. Illinois State Fairgrounds. Springfield, IL
1. Miniature
2. Tin Man
3. Muskrat Love
4. Baby It’s Up to You
5. Moon Song
6. Old Man Took
7. Old Virginia
8. I Need You
9. Lonely People
10. Don’t Cross the River
11. Ventura Highway
12. Glad to See You
13. Woman Tonight
14. The Story of a Teenager
15. Midnight
16. Company
17. Hollywood
18. Seasons
19. Daisy Jane
20. Sister Golden Hair
21. Sandman (encore)
22. Horse With No Name (encore)
