Aerosmith Glasgow Apollo 1976
I’d read a lot about Aerosmith. They were being hailed as the new major rock band from the USA, and being compared to The Stones. So when they announced their first UK tour I was tempted to go along and see them. As was the case with many US bands at the time, the tour covered a few UK cities, Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham and London, missing out the North East completely. I decided at the last minute to go and see them in Glasgow and drove up to the gig without a ticket. When I arrived in Renfield Street and joined the queue outside the Apollo, I found myself surrounded by a bunch of kids from a local reform institution, accompanied by a couple of social workers. Listening to them talking, they had all been brought along on an outing to see the band. I bought my ticket in the stalls, and took my seat in the half full hall. Clearly Aerosmith were not that well known in Scotland.
Support came from Phoenix, a band formed by John Verity who had just left Argent. I don’t recall anything about their set I’m afraid. Aerosmith were good, and Steve Tyler did look, and perform, like Jagger. The Rocks lp had just been released, and the set will have consisted of tracks from that album, Toys in the Attic and their earlier albums. I’d heard Dream On, but not much else, but was pleasantly surprised by the songs they played that night. Steve Tyler had many scarves tied around his mike stand as has become his trademark, and guitarist Joe Perry was impressive, the two of them working together very closely. I’m pretty sure that the encore was Train Kept a Rollin’. I saw quite a few gigs at the Apollo around that period: The Moody Blues, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Genesis, The Stones. It was a great venue with one of the best crowds in the UK. And they sold lovely scotch (mutton) pies. Its sad that its gone. Happy days.
15 Feb
Aerosmith Glasgow Apollo 1976
Posted February 15, 2012 by vintagerock in Aerosmith. Tagged: blues, concert, concerts, folk, gig, gigs, heavy metal, pop, prog rock, psych, rock, rock n roll. 6 Comments
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Posted by Craig Jackson on July 8, 2020 at 12:04 am
Funny story about the reform school kids on their good behaviour outing! Me and my mate Sam were mad on Rocks when it came out, still think it holds up as a great hard rock record. Didn’t actually see them live until they came to the City Hall in 1989 around the time of Pump, their big comeback album, and I have to say they tore the roof off of the place. Saw them again when they played the arena in 1997, and they were excellent again, though lacking the intimacy given the setting. Finally, I saw them for a 3rd time in 2010 at the O2 Arena in London with my son, who’d never seen them, and despite the cavernous setting I was pleasantly surprised by how good they still were, Tyler could still wail! Did you ever see them again?
Posted by vintagerock on July 8, 2020 at 9:39 am
Hi Craig
I think I saw them at the Reading Festival in the early days, but I haven’t seen them since. Looking back I wish I had. Great band
Best wishes Peter
Posted by Al Thomson on August 11, 2022 at 2:58 pm
Saw them at Reading and the Apollo happy days
NB
Camie! if your out there, times getting on ,don’t die on me.
All the best
Tottie
Posted by vintagerock on August 12, 2022 at 11:15 am
Happy days Al they were great back in those days. “Dream on” was just fantastic. Happy days Peter
Posted by adam evans on January 10, 2023 at 12:35 am
quite the thing to have seen aerosmith back in the 70’s, they’re not one of my fav bands but I saw them at the city hall when they came here in 89 and they were great, a then up and coming thunder were the support, never been moved to see them again, I’m not actually sure if they’ve played here since, but they were class that night
Posted by vintagerock on January 10, 2023 at 12:52 pm
Hi Adam yes I made a last-minute decision to go to Glasgow that night and I am so glad I did so. I was foolish missing the 1989 concert however! Best wishes Peter