Concert Photos, Historical Images, Travel Photos & Camera Collecting Blog

This show was on February 6th, 1976. It was the 3rd time I had the opportunity to see David Bowie and went there with my wife, Eve.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2017. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

This was the first time Eve, my wife and I saw the Rolling Stones. We had borrowed my brother Tim’s 1964 VW Bus and went to the show a day and a half before the concert so we could be first in line. We were right against the stage for the show, and got some great photos.

All image © Dan Cuny 2017. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

This show holds some many memories. Seeing Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham were a dream come true. My friends and I waited in line for more than 36 hours to get a great spot on the field to see the first Day on the Green concert. you can see more on the concert on the blog I contributed to here: https://britrockbythebay.blogspot.com/2010/08/led-zeppelin-june-1973.html. One of my good friends, Dave Miller also has a blog where he highlighted the concert here: http://britishrockmemorabilia.blogspot.com/2010/08/led-zeppelin-at-kezar-sf-6273.html.

All Photo by Dan Cuny © 2010. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

This was a show that my wife Eve and I went to in San Francisco and the 3rd time I saw them.

One of the best parts of this show was I took a sound movie camera to the show and actually got some surprisingly good videos which you can see here: Queen Movie

There was a second movie of the same show, but not as good I shot here: 2nd Queen Movie.

All Photos and Videos by Dan Cuny © 2017. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

Wings Over America Tour.

Another concert my wife, Eve and I spent more than 24 hours in line so we could be right up against the stage to have the best seats in the house. What a band, Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Jimmy McCulloch, & Joe English.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2018. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

Elton John was one of my favorite artists in the 1970s, and still is today. I can remember seeing him on television, doing "Your Song" and "Take Me to the Pilot" in the early 1970s. As a result of that show, I became an Elton John fan. When my friends and I saw that he was coming to the Oakland Coliseum Arena, we knew that we had to go there to see him, as his stage shows were getting more and more outrageous from what we read in Melody Maker.

We had pretty good seats for the show, as we normally do. The opening act, The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver, performed a forty-five-minute set, which we enjoyed. It was rare to see them on tour, and their set was tight.

You could feel the excitement when the lights went on after their set, and the roadies were putting things together for Elton John. To this day, I still remember Elton John coming on stage with his ELTON glasses, his cape, and his red, white, and blue suit. The crowd went crazy.

This was one of Elton John's peak times, as he was just about to release Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. I remember him playing "High Flying Bird," "Daniel," "Rocket Man," "Honky Cat," and Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting." I'm sure that he did others, but those stood out for me. Elton's stage presence was mesmerizing, and he really brought down the house when he kicked his legs in the air while playing the piano... a real magic moment.

One of the other things that I can remember, as clear as day, was Davey Johnstone's flowing blond hair as he was playing guitar. I was watching him quite a bit, along with Nigel Olsson, who had headphones on while he played and also wore gloves, which I had never seen at a concert before. Dee Murray's bass was excellent, as always. I got some really good shots at this show and I'm glad I did, as it was one my favorite shows.

I had heard George Harrison was coming to the San Francisco Bay Area, and this was one show I didn’t want to miss. I think this is the only concert I went to by myself. You can see more of my memories of the concert on a blog I did with my friends here: https://britrockbythebay.blogspot.com/2012/06/george-harrison-november-1974-part-2.html.

All Photo by Dan Cuny © 2017. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

This was one of the more anticipated shows that my friends, Michael Morton, Gary Hodges, and I attended that summer. Unfortunately, David Miller was on a backpacking trip, so he didn't go to this concert. Boy, did he miss a great show! We always made an effort to acquire good seats, and for this show we were in the eighth row, center. I can still remember going to the show with a 200mm lens on my camera, which allowed me to get a closer view of the stage and get tighter shots of the band.

When the lights went down and the band came on stage, it was truly electric. Rod Stewart was dressed in a silver sequined midriff top and matching trousers. Ron Wood was in a red satin shirt and sequined pants. If I remember correctly, they started the show with "It's All Over Now," which had Rod Stewart running from one side of the stage to the other, swinging his microphone and, at times, throwing it into the air. I had never seen anything like that before, so it was very exciting. Then they went into "Miss Judy's Farm," which was one of the songs I was most looking forward to hearing because I love Ron Wood's playing on that one. The concert was a good mix of Rod Stewart's songs and songs from albums by The Faces.

I also remember that Rod Stewart would run across the stage from one end, sliding on his knees at the other end. At one point, Ronnie Lane and Ron Wood were singing at one end of the stage, and while Rod Stewart was at the other end, Ronnie Lane let his microphone start to fall. Rod Stewart saw what was happening and ran to the other end, sliding and picking up the microphone just before it hit the floor, and continued singing. There was a lot of fun on the stage, with the band joking around. I remember Rod Stewart walking over to a speaker cabinet and picking up a bottle, looking over at Ian McLagan and pointing to it. Ian shrugged his shoulders and Rod took a big swig from the bottle.

I clearly remember them playing "Maggie May," "Stay with Me," "That's All You Need," and "True Blue." Ronnie Lane was a masterful bass player. Ian McLagan's playing on piano and organ was great, and Kenney Jones was powerful on drums. It was one of my all-time favorite shows, and one of the most enjoyable to photograph.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2013. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

I had the opportunity to see Blondie as one of the opening acts for Journey on this New Years Eve show. I hope you enjoy the images as much as I had listening and watching the band.

All photos by Dan Cuny © 2018. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

This was the second time my wife, Eve and I saw The Who. The first time was 4 years earlier with Keith Moon. The band included Pete Townsend, Roger Daitrey, John Entwistle, and Kenney Jones was the drummer on this tour. The band was tight and played many of their hits which included Baba O’Reily, Substitute, I Can’t Explain, Behind Blue Eyes and many more. Seated on the side of the stage made for some interesting photos which included the whole band.

All photos by Dan Cuny © 2018. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

Going to see Jethro Tull was always so much fun because I’ve always been a fan of their music and theatrics on stage. This was the second time for me to see this Jethro Tull, the first being 5 years earlier in 1975.

It’s funny that all of the information online has this concert at The Oakland Coliseum, but in actuality, it was at The Cow Palace in San Francisco, because I remember going to it with my wife, friend Mark Miller, and his girlfriend.

We had great seats for the show, left of center and about 10 rows back, which made it ideal for photographing this show. The band started the night with a slipstream intro and went into Black Sunday which is the reprise they also closed the show with.

The band was tight as they had been playing and touring for a few months at this point. This show holds quite a few fond memories as well as some great shots of Ian Anderson and the band.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2018. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

I don't know why I remember this, but it was a Tuesday night, and the first time my friends Gary Hodges, Dave Miller, Michael Morton, and I were going to see a show at the Cow Palace in Daly City. Ten days earlier, we saw an incredible show with Mott the Hoople at Winterland. I was excited to see The Faces again, as it had been a bit over a year since we had seen them at the Oakland Coliseum Arena. Rod Stewart and The Faces have always been one of my favorite bands. Their album, Ooh La La, had come out earlier in the year, and although in my opinion, it was not as good as A Nod Is as Good as a Wink... to a Blind Horse, it did have some great and memorable tunes.

Rory Gallagher had opened the show. His band put on a tremendous, though short, set of less than an hour. The anticipation of seeing Rod Stewart and Ron Wood was building. When the lights came on, and I could see the band, all I could think was how odd it looked not to see Ronnie Lane with The Faces and see Tetsu playing bass. We had seen Tetsu playing bass with Free at Winterland, but with The Faces, without Ronnie Lane, it just seemed (in my mind) that one of the cogs was missing.

The show itself was fantastic, but not quite as good as the first time we had seen The Faces. They were full of energy, their outfits were great, and the band played all the songs that I wanted to hear them play. Rod Stewart was moving about the stage, holding the audience captive while singing "Miss Judy's Farm" and other fantastic songs. Ron Wood, playing masterful slide guitar while running around the stage, was brilliant. I can remember looking through my telephoto lens, thinking that I had some pretty good shots, but you can never tell until you see them. Then to see them afterward, some of these images were among the best that I had ever taken.

Thank you, Rod Stewart and Ron Wood. Thank you for the show. I'll not soon forget, especially with these photos.

A fantastic show that Eve and I had the opportunity to see. This was from ‘Tour Of China 1984’ tour Peter Gabriel did with Line-up: Peter Gabriel – Vocals / Keyboards, John Ellis – Guitar, Jerry Marotta – Drums, Larry Fast – Keyboards, Tony Levin – Bass, John Giblin – Bass. This was the second time I had the opportunity to see Peter Gabriel. The first was with Genesis, on “The Lamb Lays Down on Broadway Tour which my friends and I did a blog post on, which you can see here: https://britrockbythebay.blogspot.com/2013/02/genesis-january-1975.html

All photos by Dan Cuny © 2018. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

I have always been a big fan of Eric Clapton from his Cream and Blind Faith days, but after that, when he was with Delaney and Bonnie, I lost some interest in him and his music. I liked Derek and The Dominoes, but I wasn't a big fan of Duane Allman, so I had mixed emotions in regard to that album. I remember that when "I Shot the Sheriff" came out, I liked the song, but it seemed very odd, and I wasn't familiar with reggae or with Bob Marley. Nonetheless, Clapton was coming to town, and I didn't want to miss an opportunity to see him.

Walking up to the Cow Palace, which was considerably larger than Winterland, the venue where we saw the majority of bands, I remember taking a photo of the marquee with Clapton's name. I wanted to remember this night for a long time. I was very excited to see the "best rock'n'roll guitarist in the world," who at that time was "God" in the eyes of many people.

The band Ross opened for Clapton. I had never heard of them, and to this day I still have no idea who they were or who was in the band. (Editor's Note: Ross released two albums in the 1970s and served as a showcase for the guitar and vocals of Alan Ross.)

I can remember when Eric Clapton came onto the stage. He was dressed in very baggy overalls, a floppy white hat, and sunglasses. I thought this was odd. I really wanted to see Clapton at his best. I don't remember Clapton playing lead on any songs. His band included George Terry on guitar, and to this day I'm convinced that George Terry played all the leads. Eric Clapton looked like he was either drunk, or stoned, or both, but in any case he was very laid back, and from what I remember he never took the lead, musically or emotionally.

They played "Let It Grow," "Can't Find My Way Home," "Badge," and "Layla," which sounded pretty odd, as Clapton only played his own part and was silent for the part originally played by Duane Allman, who had recently passed away. It was a disappointing show for me. I have seen Eric Clapton a few times since then, and he's really shined, but at this show, he was not at his best.

All photos by Dan Cuny © 2012. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

Roxy Music was always a band I wanted to see, ever since their fist album release in the early 70’s. I’ve always been a fan of Bryan Ferry’s voice and this concert didn’t disappoint.

All photos by Dan Cuny © 2018. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

Here are my memories of seeing three performances by Humble Pie.

Photos are from the last show to the first.

Winterland, 1973 (Humble Pie, Slade, Steely Dan) I really liked seeing Humble Pie at this show, as we were right next to the stage, which is where we were for the majority of the shows that we saw at Winterland. Steve Marriott was in true form at this show, too. This show also had something different, as Humble Pie now had three backup singers, The Blackberries. I was surprised to see them, but they added another layer to the music. Humble Pie was touring on the Eat It album, so there were a few new songs played, but the old Humble Pie energy wasn't lacking. Many of the songs were the same as the other shows, as this was the third time I had seen the band in just over a year. Humble Pie was tight that night, and the crowd was eager to hear them. Slade and Steely Dan were great warm-up bands. I think the photos I took of Humble Pie at that show are some of my favorite shots of the band. We were very close to the stage, and most of the time Steve Marriott was standing right over us.

Berkeley Community Theatre, 1972 (Humble Pie, Frank Biner Band) Now this was a show that I was very excited to see. Steve Marriott and Humble Pie were one of my favorite bands by this time. I had been listening to Smokin' and their earlier albums. This show ROCKED!!! Steve Marriott was in true form that night. One of my fondest memories of the show is Steve Marriott getting angry with the sound because his microphone wasn't working properly. He slammed the mic to the stage and belted out the song with just his voice. We could hear him loud and clear. That was amazing. This little man in stature, with a huge voice and such stage presence, was one of my favorite performers. One of the sights I'll never forget is Steve Marriott with one hand on his hip and the other hand on the mic, singing his heart out. I know that Greg Ridley, Clem Clempson, and Jerry Shirley also were on stage, but Steve Marriott was the person I watched ninety percent of the time. "Hot 'n' Nasty," "C'mon Everybody," and "I Don't Need No Doctor" were among the highlights. It was truly a smokin' show.

Winterland, 1972 (Humble Pie, Edgar Winter, Osibisa) To be perfectly honest, I think Gary and I went to this show mostly to see Edgar Winter. I personally didn't know much about Humble Pie, apart from my older brother, Tim, saying that they had released an album, Performance Rockin' the Fillmore, the previous year. I hadn't heard any of their music, so I was very green to them. Smokin' had just come out, but I hadn't heard the album. At Winterland in 1972, I remember Greg Ridley and his bushy mustache, and Clem Clempson playing lead guitar right in front of me. The thing that really stands out to me was the excitement that Steve Marriott had on stage. That man could not only play guitar, but his voice was extremely dynamic. I remember leaving the show thinking that we had seen a band that had outperformed the other acts, and I wanted to hear more from them. I believe the next day, or soon after, I purchased Smokin', which was played heavily on my stereo. An outstanding show.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2010. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

In January, 1973, when I saw Traffic at Winterland again, heading a bill with Free and John Martyn, I felt like a seasoned veteran. The four of us had become close friends and were going to concerts together. We also had begun to take photos at shows. Gary had taken photos at some of the earlier shows we attended, and David, the real photographer of the bunch, was starting to take photos at shows, too. I used a camera that I had borrowed from my older brother, Tim.

The concert in 1973 opened with John Martyn, a British singer who played a fairly short set with his acoustic guitar. I remember thinking that he wasn't going over very well, on a bill with Free and Traffic. Free was great, but Paul Kossoff, their first guitarist, was no longer in the band. Paul Rodgers, their singer, had a great stage presence.

Traffic was outstanding. They were touring with Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory, which I didn't like as much as The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys or John Barleycorn Must Die, but I still regarded Steve Winwood as a musical genius. My future wife, Eve, attended this show, too, but we didn't know each other then. Traffic is one of her favorite bands. I can remember taking many of the photos shown here. I was really enjoying taking photographs of bands at this point.

All image © Dan Cuny 2013. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

My wife, Eve and I had the opportunity to see the ARMS Charity Concert which was held at The Cow Palace in San Francisco, CA on December 2, 1985. This was an all star concert with Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Paul Rodgers, Joe Cocker, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Kenny Jones, Ray Cooper and many more to benefit Ronnie Lane who was battling multiple sclerosis.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2017. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

This is a concert that I went to with Greg Copeland, my best friend in high school during my junior and senior years. He and I were into the same music as my other friends, Gary, David, and Michael. Greg, like me, was also into photography. We had purchased our tickets a few months before the concert, which was part of the tour that Genesis did with The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. I had missed the appearance by Genesis at Winterland in March of 1974 when Peter Gabriel did many costume changes. I wasn't going to miss this tour, especially since The Lies Down on Broadway was one of my favorite albums.

I can remember the band taking the stage, starting off with the opening of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, with Peter Gabriel in a leather jacket and makeup on his face. We were not sitting close to the stage, but we were near the center, so I had a good angle for taking the photos. The band performed well, with Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford mostly in the background. Steve Hackett and Phil Collins were a little more highlighted, but the main attraction and visual point definitely was Peter Gabriel. He did do a few changes of costume during the show, and there were some interesting visuals, but they generally stayed within the confines of the album.

When they left the stage, they were called back and did a couple of encores, which included "The Musical Box" and "Watcher of the Skies," a song from Foxtrot, and one of my all-time favorite songs by Genesis. This was an outstanding concert and something that I was really happy to see.

All Photos and Videos by Dan Cuny © 2013. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

I had the opportunity to see The Kinks for the 3rd time at this show. The first was at Winterland in April 1973, the at The US Festival in 1982. These aren’t the best shots I’ve taken, but there are some good shots.

All photos by Dan Cuny © 2018. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

I can remember this concert like it was yesterday. My friend Dave Miller was on a backpacking trip with some other friends and Gary Hodges, and Michael Morton when to see this show. Alan White had just joined the band replacing Bill Bruford. Jon Anderson was in great form as was the entire band who included Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, and Chris Squire.

I remember Jon Anderson talk about how the clouds were magnificent as was their music. I also remember them telling the crowd that they were in the process of recording “Close to the Edge”, and they played about 3/4 of the song, and then it broke down as they hadn’t finished it.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2018. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

Eve and I went to see The Police on November 24th, 1979. We had front-row balcony seats, so these aren’t my best shots, but they are pretty good for the seats we had. The band was tight and played a great set. Sting’s vocals were fabulous and Andy Summers's guitar and Stewart Copelands drumming was excellent. Pearl Harbor & the Explosions opened for The Police.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2018. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

This was a concert I went to with a friend that worked at the San Francisco radio station, KMEL Radio. He had to do some work there and took me along so I could photograph the band. I think some of the photos turned out pretty well.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2017. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

This was the second of 3 times both my wife, Eve and I saw Queen. The first time was a Valentine’s Day special which highlined Queen at Winterland in 1975.

This show they played at Berkeley Community Theater in March of 1976 and was one of the loudest shows I saw to that date. They were tremendous. One of the fondest memories was Freddie Mercury playing piano for the intro of Bohemia Rhapsody, as well as Brian May’s solo.

All Photo by Dan Cuny © 2017. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

Alvin Lee was someone that I always wanted to see, especially with Ten Years After. He was touring the United States in 1975 with his band, Alvin Lee and Company, which featured some of the musicians from his live album, In Flight. The middle act at Winterland, Gentle Giant, was another band that I had wanted to see, so it was a great show.

This was one of those shows that I remember more for looking through the camera lens and thinking about the images I was taking, as opposed to the music, because I really wasn't aware of many of the songs. Alvin Lee came out in his signature blue denim shirt, with his beautiful red hollow body guitar, and started playing with his band, who all were top musicians.

My focus was on Alvin Lee and getting good images of him for my portfolio. The one thing that I do remember was thinking about his guitar playing and thinking how he was different from many of the guitarists that we had seen in the past. He looked like he was really enjoying playing, as opposed to just going through the motions. I've seen others who seemed to really enjoy performing, such as George Harrison, Brian May, Robin Trower, and Eric Clapton. Maybe it was that they made it seem effortless and extremely smooth.

I also remember seeing Alvin Lee's hand flying up and down the frets on his guitar neck as he played solos, which was the main reason to go to see him. I wasn't disappointed in his guitar playing or in the images that I got from the show. You can see other memories of this show and others from my friends on our blog here.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2013. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

It was a thrilling and emotional experience to witness the legendary Procol Harum, a classic British band with a rich history dating back to 1967. As a long-time fan, I was excited as the lights dimmed and the band took the stage, making the evening's highlight truly unforgettable.

Arriving at the venue early, I was filled with anticipation and excitement. We secured a front-row view, with my place right in front of the piano, ready to be swept away by the music.

Procol Harum was touring on their new album, Grand Hotel, released in March 1973. They had the album and played many tracks during the show, including Grand Hotel, Bringing Home the Bacon, Toujours l'Amour, and For Liquorice John.

Procol Harum, masters of their craft, treated us to their classic songs. They led the show off with Conquistador, a timeless favorite, and continued to delight us with Shine on Brightly and Simple Sister, where Mick Gobham's lead was nothing short of fantastic. The evening was brought to a perfect close with Salty Dog, one of the two songs in their encore.

Gary Booker's voice remained strong throughout the evening. The rest of the band did a fantastic job, with highlights from Mick Gobham on many tunes. The rhythm section of Alan Cartright on Bass and B.J. Wison on drums did a tremendous job on all the songs.

In 1973, the band underwent several personal changes, including the departure of some key members and adding new ones. The current members for this tour were Gary Booker, Piano and Vocals; Mick Grabham, Guitar; Chris Copping, Organ; Alan Cartright, bass; and B.J. Wilson, drums. Despite these changes, the band's performance was spectacular, showcasing their resilience and adaptability.

The other acts supporting the show were The Strawbs and Terry Reid, who were acts my friends and I were excited to see.

Back in August, 1972, my friends and I went to see Edgar Winter who was opening for Humble Pie. For the encore, Johnny Winter came out and played a few songs. Here are a few shots from that show.

All image © Dan Cuny 2018. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

In March, 1975, My friend Steve Fleischer and I went to go see Rod Stewart & The Faces at The Cow Palace, in San Francisco. When we arrived, we went toward the backstage door when we were met by a security guard. We had told him we were there to photograph the band for Melody Maker magazine, which was made up. He said he’d go check and left.

Steve and I thought we were going to get in trouble, but when the security guard came back, he said, “you’re as good as gold”, and to go get our backstage passes. We looked at each other and proceeded to get the passes.

Foghat was the opening act, and when we went backstage, they were warming up, so there are some before the show images as well as some during the performance.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2018. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

My wife and I went to one of the first Day on the Green concerts presented by Bill Graham Production in October 1976. The opening act was The Who, and the top bill was The Grateful Dead. Not being a Grateful Dead fan, we left after The Who.

The best story about the concert was, as you can see, we were pretty close to the stage so I could take photos of one of my favorite bands. Towards the end of one of the songs, Roger Daltrey threw his tamborine out into the crowd. My wife wasn’t watching, and it hit her in the head, and watching Roger Daltrey’s face when it hit her, he winced. Unfortunately, she didn’t get the tamborine.

This was a concert that I went with a good friend, Steve Fleischer who was a big influence on me in photography. We actually got backstage at the show because we told the backstage security we were there from Melody Maker Magazine to photograph the band. The security person left to go check on us, and when he came back, he said we were ,“good as gold”. Steve and I looked at each other and walked in.

Foghat was the opening act and when we got inside, They were doing their sound check, and will show photos of them at another posting.

The Faces were great and this was the 3rd time seeing them, but Ronnie Lane had left and Tetsu was now playing Bass. The photos are good, but not the best I did of The Faces. I’ll be posting other shows at a later date.

My memory of the show was his set was somewhat short, probably around forty-five minutes, but he was one of the best performers I've ever seen. He made playing the guitar look effortless.

I can remember him playing several songs from the Tattoo album ("Tattoo'd Lady," "A Million Miles Away," "They Don't Make Them Like You Anymore"), as well as some from Blueprint ("Walk on Hot Coals," "Banker's Blues"). Rory's slide work was magical.

Watching Rory Gallagher play, even for such a short time, I was hooked. He was a fantastic songwriter, guitar player, and performer.

Gerry McAvoy's bass playing and the drumming of Rod De'Ath were very tight. You could tell they had been playing for some time.

I was really excited to see one of my favorite bands in person. Having just released Wishbone Four earlier in the year, I was sure they were going to be promoting that album. It was the songs from one of my all-time favorite albums, Argus, that I really wanted to hear, and see performed. Like always, my three friends, Gary, David, Michael, and I arrived at Winterland early to secure a front-row seat (so to speak). More like a small plot of land in front of the stage, hoping the band's monitors weren't in our way.

While waiting in line at previous shows, we had learned that some of the bands used to stay at the Miyako Hotel, which was a few blocks away from Winterland. To be totally honest, I don't remember who I went to the hotel with, whether it was Gary, David, or Michael, as I’m sure we all have recollections of this and they are different. I know that when we did go to see if the members of Wishbone Ash were indeed staying at the Miyako Hotel, it seemed that the duty of asking "if" they were there squarely landed on my shoulders.

I remember picking up the white lobby phone, and with my heart pounding, asking the operator if Martin Turner was there. When, to my amazement, they connected me to his room, I didn’t know what to say. I remember saying something like, "We are really big fans of your band and would like to meet you and get your autograph." Martin said, "Sure, we're happy to meet you, just give us about fifteen minutes then come up to my room." I turned to the others and let them know. We went up to his room, and low and behold, there was Martin. Andy Powell, Ted Turner, and Steve Upton were in the room across the hall, watching Leave It to Beaver, and we got an opportunity to meet them as well. I really couldn't believe we were talking to these (in my mind) music gods.

When the show started and the band came on, I know they recognized us in the front row, because I remember them looking down and nodding. They did do some of the Wishbone Four album, but when they did songs like "The King Will Come," "Time Was," and "Warrior" from Argus, with their intertwining guitar solos from Martin Turner and Andy Powell, that just blew me away. Martin Turner's bass and Steve Upton's percussion were outstanding. I also remember them playing a few tunes from their first album Wishbone Ash, which I liked as well. I believe they played "Phoenix" and "Errors of My Way." Their vocals were tight, but I especially liked the two guitars weaving in and out of each others' notes. This is definitely one of the top ten shows, musically, that I saw. Wishbone Ash always holds a very special place in my heart, not only for the show they put on but also for being nice enough to meet us. I liked the images from this show, too. I think it portrays them well. Enjoy.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2017. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

This was the fourth concert that I ever went to, and it is one that I remember very well. Dave Mason's album, Alone Together, is one of my favorites to this day, and I still play it regularly. It was a show that just myself and my good friend, Gary, attended together.

One of the high points in my experience of going to concerts was the first concert that I ever saw, again with Gary. It was Traffic (with J. J. Cale and Jo Jo Gunne) at Winterland in January 1972. During the first encore by Traffic that evening, Dave Mason came out and played with the band. If I remember correctly, they played "Dear Mr. Fantasy." I was extremely happy to see the original lineup of Traffic. For the second encore of that show, Carlos Santana came out and played with the band.

As usual, for shows at Winterland, Gary and I were front and center for Dave Mason in April 1972. The show started with Pamela Polland (at that time, I had no idea who she was), followed by Loggins and Messina and Taj Mahal. I was there to see Dave Mason, whose second album, Headkeeper, I had purchased after its release in February.

Dave Mason came out in slacks and a red velvet jacket. Strapped to him was his Stratocaster, and he proceeded to launch into songs from Alone Together and from his days with Traffic. I can clearly remember "World in Changes," "Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave," "Only You Know and I Know," and "Pearly Queen." The band was tight, and the backup singers, The Pointer Sisters, were great.

When Dave Mason did a few songs with an acoustic guitar, I can remember looking up at him through the viewfinder of my camera. I felt like I could reach up and touch him. He seemed larger than life in the viewfinder. This concert sticks in my mind, and when I look at the photos, it comes rushing back to me that it was one of my favorite shows.

These are my recollections of the concert and were taken from the blog my friends and I wrote from Britrockbythebay.

I had always wanted to see Mott the Hoople, ever since I had been turned on to them by a neighbor of mine who played me their first album, Mott the Hoople, on his reel-to-reel tape recorder. I always thought their music was fairly hard rock, but with roots in hard-working, blue-collar English society.

Being a huge fan of David Bowie, when Mott the Hoople released All the Young Dudes, I was very excited to see them at Winterland in September of 1973. I can remember being at the front of the stage, peering through my trusty camera at Ian Hunter, Ariel Bender (Luther Grosvenor), and Pete Overend Watts as they played many of my favorite songs. Overend Watts, with his knee-high boots and thumping bass, was fun to watch. Ariel Bender playing his lead riffs right in front of me was great to watch.

Frontman Ian Hunter wore a white suit and played his Guild guitar to the crowd of enthusiastic Hoople fans. His vocals were spot on, which made songs like "Sweet Jane" and "All the Young Dudes" come to life. I remember leaving the show thinking they were a very tight band that really seemed to enjoy playing their music together.

You can see more Mott The Hoople and many other bands on our blog post, BritRockByTheBay.

The opening act for this show was Steely Dan, who at the time were just starting out. Slade was the second act, preceding Humble Pie. I was pretty excited to see Slade, as I had their album, Slayed?, and really liked their song, "Mama Weer All Crazee Now." I can remember them hitting the stage. Their stage presence was pretty electrifying, with Dave Hill dressed in a blue/gold spacesuit with winged sleeves and SUPER YOB across his chest. He had glitter on his face, and his very short bangs gave him a distinct look. Noddy Holder had a top hat with mirrors on it, which reflected the spotlight all over the place. He was very 70s glam rock, with plaid pants and suspenders.

They all took the stage like madmen, with Dave Hill jumping off a pedestal, and Jim Lea rocking around the stage. I remember them playing some of the songs from Slayed?, such as "Gudbuy T' Jane" and "Mama Weer All Crazee Now," with a lot of enthusiasm. They were great to photograph, and one of the more entertaining bands that I saw. I got some good shots of the band, and the memory of that show will definitely be with me for a long time.

Five months later, we saw Slade at Winterland again and waited at the stage door after their performance. I had brought with me a 5x7 matted photo that I had taken at the previous show, hoping to have the band autograph it for me. One of their roadies saw the photo and took it to them to sign. I was extremely pleased to have it returned with all their signatures. Noddy Holder had drawn a little picture on the mat, which I couldn't make out. When they all came out of the stage door, I asked Noddy what he had drawn. He said, "It's a dog pissing on a tree!" I was a bit taken aback at first, but then I laughed. We got to talk with them for a while, which is always one of the fonder memories that I have from going to those shows.

These memories are from another blog, Britrockbythebay my friends wrote a few years back. You can see the original posting on the link along with other photos and memories.

This was a fantastic concert at Winterland in San Francisco. My friends, Gary Hodges, Dave Miller, and Michael Morton always tried to get to the venue early so we could get right up against the stage. This was for two reasons. First, we didn’t have people in front of us to block the photos, and second, it was cooler as there was fresh air coming from the stage.

The opening act for this show was the Dutch band Focus which I also have photos of. I was literally in front of Chris Squire, and slightly to my left was Jon Anderson, and further to the left was Steve Howe. This was their Close To The Edge Tour.

They played most of the songs from Close To The Edge, many from Fragile, and The YES Album. It was fantastic to be so close to them and get such nice photos.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2019. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

I still remember seeing Asia, one of the progressive rock supergroup with my wife, Eve, and another couple at The Warfield on a Friday evening in San Francisco. This band had some of my favorite performers, Steve Howe, Guitar, John Wetton, Bass and Vocals, Geoff Downes on Keyboards, and Carl Palmer on Drums. While we didn’t have the best seats, I still wandered up close to the stage to get some decent photos.

The band was tight that evening. Steve Howe had some fantastic solos and John Wetton voice was very harmonic. I’m happy to have photographed them on their first tour. Here are some of the images from that show.

All image © Dan Cuny 2018. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

This is a concert I remember very well. My good friend, Paul Vincent, who was a DJ for KMEL in San Francisco (Rockin the Bay) was to do an interview with Steve Perry before the concert. Paul asked if I wanted to go with him and photograph the show. I’m not one to turn down a free concert. Also at the show was some of the San Francisco 49er’s who were in a playoff game the next day. This is also the show that while I was taking some photos backstage (no flashes were allowed), Dwight Clark, one of my heroes on the 49er’s walked up to me and introduced himself to me. What a great day.

I remember seeing Phil Collins at Berkeley Community Theatre with my wife Eve just over a week from Christmas, 1982. We left our son with Grandma and Grandpa and had a lovely evening listening to some great music. This was during his “Hello, I Must Be Going” Tour which had some great musicians like Daryl Stuermer on guitar, Mo Foster on bass, Peter Robinson on keyboards, vocoder, and Chester Thompson on drums, percussion. We didn’t have the best seats but some of the images are good. I hope you enjoy them.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2017. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

Free was one of the all-time great shows that we went to see. Traffic headlining, Free the second act, and John Martyn the opening act. John Martyn put on a short and very great set to start the evening. I didn't know much about him at the time, but I did buy a few of his albums afterward, as I liked his acoustic style.

We only got to see half of Free, however, which was disappointing, personnel-wise. I was a massive fan of this band. I liked Paul Kossoff and his long, sustained notes when he played the lead, and the rhythm section of Andy Fraser on bass and Simon Kirke on drums always laid down a strong beat. Paul Rodgers was a very distinctive singer with a powerful voice.

I remember the album Heartbreaker was recently released, so we might have known that there were new members. Paul Kossoff was ill, and Andy Fraser was forming a new band, Sharks. John "Rabbit" Bundrick was on the new album, and they had a new bass player, Tetsu Yamauchi.

I can remember the anticipation of seeing a band that I had always liked. When the lights came on, all I kept thinking was, this is not the band I had anticipated seeing. The guitarist (Wendell Richardson) played heavily on the wah-wah pedal. The guitar solos were not what I had expected. I liked seeing Paul Rodgers, who had a powerful stage presence. His vocals were in top form, and he was the focal point that night. Simon Kirke laid down a great beat. It was just odd seeing Tetsu, but we also saw him later with The Faces.

I did get some pretty good photos, primarily focusing on Paul Rodgers. I was pretty upset that they weren't the original band when we saw them at this show. I remember talking to my friends Michael, Gary, and David, about how much better the older band would have been. Nonetheless, Paul Rodgers was great.

Argent was the opening act for Jeff Beck Group at Berkeley Community Theater on a warm summer night in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Argent was popular that summer from their hit, "Hold your head up," which was off their album, "All Together Now." It seemed like the radio stations often played the song due to the very catchy organ and guitar riff and great vocals

The band is Rod Argent from The Zombies on keyboards. Jim Rodford, Rod Argent's cousin on bass, Russ Ballard the guitarist, and Bob Henrit on drums played with The Roulettes and Unit 4+2.

They played about a 45-minute set that included their hit, "Hold your head up," and "Tragedy," written by Russ Ballard. They did many songs from "All Together Now" and a few numbers from their album, "Ring of Hands."

The lighting on their set was not very well light, but their music was tight. I liked their stage presence. Russ Ballard and Rod argent played some great solos. The vocals from Rod, Russ, and Bob were enjoyable and on key.

Uriah Heep plays Winterland in San Francisco, CA on February 10, 1974. Singer David Byron, keyboardist Ken Hensley, Lead Guitarist Mick Box, Gary Thain on Bass and drummer Lee Kerslake wowed the crowd on an electric evening.

Some of the best memories I have of seeing Uriah Heep are of the electric atmosphere that filled Winterland, San Francisco, California, on that chilly night of February 10, 1974. The anticipation was palpable as we waited for David Byron and the rest of the band to take the stage. And when he did, it was a spectacle to behold. They opened the set with their iconic track, 'Stealin,' off their Sweet Freedom album. The beginning of the organ and David Byron's powerful vocals set the tone for the night, and his singing was stellar.

David Byron's bright pink pants, wild hair, and infectious stare were a sight. The vibrant hue of his pants seemed to radiate energy, his hair bounced with every move, and his intense gaze drew you in. Having him right in front of me allowed me to capture some outstanding shots of his dynamic performance. His connection with the audience was tremendous. He'd reach over the sound monitor and point and reach out to the people in the crowd, allowing them to feel more involved in the concert.

At one point in the show, he stood on the speakers in the back as explosions went off, highlighting his presence and the band. David Byron was indeed a great showman and principal member of the band. Still, like others we've had the opportunity to see, he kept involved with the other band members, giving the attendees the sense that they genuinely enjoyed what they were doing. Their smiles and laughter between songs were a testament to their love for performing and their appreciation of the audience.

 Legendary Mick Box, the lead guitarist, had several outstanding lead riffs that were great additions to the songs. His fingers flew up and down the neck of his guitar, playing strong riffs that complimented Ken Hensley's keyboards. He was standing on the left side of the stage but would wander around the stage and interact with David and Gary Thain, the bassist. His flowing mane was a great deal of fun to watch.

Ken Hensley, on keyboards, was always my favorite band member. His strong songwriting skills were evident in many of the songs they did at the show. His organ influenced the band's music while he was mainly in the background and mostly in shadows. I remember watching him as he was watching a wizard behind the keyboards. His long hair and wild hand gestures told me he was brewing a potion behind the keys. 

Gary Thain was glam and a great showman. He provided an excellent bass beat that perfectly matched Lee Kerslake's hard drum beat.

I own many of their albums, and I've always been drawn to the band's unique blend of hard rock and progressive rock. Uriah Heep's music is raw and edgy, which is what I love about it. Uriah Heep mixed older songs from their Wonderworld album (Suicidal Man, Wonderworld, So Tired) with their Magician's Birthday Album (Sweet Loraine and Sunshine). They touched on a great mix of newer and older songs.

The band's interaction with the audience created a unique and memorable experience. Uriah Heep's music, combined with their stage presence, created an exhilarating and intimate atmosphere. I'll always hold a fond memory of this show.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2017. All Rights Reserved. Copyright laws and international treaties protect this work.

I was thrilled when I first heard that John Mayall and The BluesBreaker were coming to the San Francisco Bay Area. But when I discovered that the band included John McVie on Bass and Mick Taylor, a guitarist I've admired for years, my excitement reached new heights. The prospect of seeing these musical legends, along with Colin Allen on drums, was a dream come true.

 Back in 1973, my friends and I had the unforgettable experience of seeing John Mayall at Stanford's Maple Pavilion in Palo Alto. The band included Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Freddie Robinson on guitar, Victor Gaskin on bass, and Keef Hartley on drums. 

 In my view, Mick Taylor was the driving force behind The Rolling Stones in the late 1960s and into the 1970s. His contributions to their big albums and hit songs were unparalleled, and he was the one I was most eager to see.

 This was my first time at Keystone Corner. The stage was small, and the band was pretty close together. Having the living legend John right in front of me was tremendous, as you could see he was enjoying his time on stage. Mick Taylor was amazing but pretty much stayed in the background and out of the spotlight, and John McVie and Collin Allen were solid in keeping the rhythm section rocking the blues.

 They played an excellent set, and while the lights weren't very bright, I got some decent photos.

I can remember going to this show mainly to see John Entwistle. I had all of his previous albums (Smash Your Head Against the Wall, Whistle Rhymes, Rigor Mortis Sets In), and I liked his music. Mad Dog, his fourth album, had just been released, and while I thought it wasn't his best album, I was looking forward to seeing him perform live. In my opinion, he was one of the top two or three bass players in rock 'n' roll, and having the opportunity to see him was very exciting. At this time I hadn't seen The Who, but I did get to see them with Keith Moon at the Oakland Coliseum in 1976.

John came out on stage, larger than life. A very big and tall man who didn't do a lot of jumping around, but his set was solid and the band was tight. He opened with "My Wife," and then went into "Boris the Spider," which I thought was great. I remember him doing "Cell Number 7" from Mad Dog, and a few numbers from Rigor MortisSets In. I didn't know his band mates, except for Mike Deacon who also played keyboards in Vinegar Joe, another great band.

I do remember mostly watching John Entwistle play his bass like the master that he was. Since they were the second act, they just played nine or ten songs, which was enough for me to want to see more of them. I also remember leaving after I saw them, as I wasn't a big fan of The J. Geils Band.

You can read more about John Entwistle and his band on the Brit Rock by the Bay website.

All Photos by Dan Cuny © 2017. All Rights Reserved. This work is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.

Focus was the opening act for Yes and Poco on the bill on April 7, 1973.

Fosus’s most famous song, Hocus Pocus on the radio, was a big hit earlier that year. It was written by keyboardist, flutist, and vocalist Thijs van Leer. His yodeling and Jan Akkerman’s brilliant guitar work were highlighted. The song was featured on their second album, Moving Waves.

Although their set was fairly short, I still remember Jan Akkerman’s fingers flying up and down the neck of his guitar, as his guitar work was outstanding. Thijs van Leer’s voice was crisp, even during his yodeling, which the crowd loved.

I went to the concert with my friends Gary Hodges, Dave Miller, and Greg Morton. As usual, we arrived early so we could be right against the stage to watch the concert without other people getting in our way.

I always brought my camera to the show so I could photograph the band. We sometimes would wait until after the show to see if we could meet the band members to get their autographs and possibly have a short chat.