U2 ZOO tv outdoor rehearsal Hershey PA 8/7/92

Before the Internet you had to hear about concerts and such on the ‘radio’ and go ‘wait in line’ at the ‘mall’ to buy ‘tickets’. 

One day I was going somewhere with someone when the DJ on the radio station we were listening to came on the air with a special report. 

U2 had just announced a special rehearsal concert in Hershey, PA to prepare for the outdoor portion of their ZOO tv concert tour. 

Tickets went on sale right that moment at the Ticketmaster outlet at the Park City mall in Lancaster, PA. It was located in either Bon Ton or Boscov’s. I can’t remember which one or the difference in general between those two outlet brands. 

We just happened to be driving by the mall at that very moment. We shrugged and pulled in to the parking lot, effortlessly purchasing tickets in minutes without any crowds. 

It sold out just a few hours later. 

I remember the show pretty well. It was just as you might remember ZOO tv. Flying euro cars, lots and lots of screens, intimate moments with the band on a small island stage in a sea of fans. 

Bono even made a phone call or two. 

The only thing that set it apart from an actual concert as opposed to a rehearsal was that they performed Pride (in the name of love) twice. 

Not really a U2 fanatic or anything. Just one of those once in a lifetime moments that we are sometimes lucky enough to fall into. 

Related:

U2 Rooftop Concert

Also on this date in 1975, The Devil’s Rain premiered in New York City. 

 

The Ramones Last Stand 8/6/1996

On august 6th, 1996 the Ramones played their 2,263rd and final show at the Palace in Los Angeles (for some reason) and not at CBGB’s in New York.

Special guests included Dee Dee who (for some reason) had left the band in 1989…

…to rap?

Eddie Vedder (for some reason) was the last guest of the evening singing chorus vocals on Anyway You Want It by Dave Clark 5.

The year previous I was able to see the Ramones for the first and only time. 

You may notice that I have ticket stubs for two separate shows.

I was not able to attend the first show in my hometown of Lancaster, PA at the Village nightclub. 

You see, I was in the all or nothing phase of my drinking career and had pregamed my way into a rolling brownout. 

I’d love to say I got “kicked out” but I never even made it through the front door.

I was flagged on sight. 

So I went home (about two blocks away) and changed my shirt. I went back immediately and was flagged a second time.  My stupid plan would have worked if I had just waited a while before returning. At least the friends I went with were able to enjoy the show without having to deal with my drunk ass. 

About a month later I went to a condolence show at the Stone Balloon in Delaware. I got just the right amount of drunk and was able to experience the ferocious energy that was a live Ramones show with the added bonus of leaving the pit with a bloody nose. 

I guess everyone who’s been to a Ramones show has a war story or two to tell. 

If not you probably did it wrong.

The Ramones last show 8/6/96

The Ramones First Show

Ramones - Ramones

Rock n Roll High School Forever

Richard Hell

Dr. Know

Sex Pistols Last Stand

The Beatles Last Stand

Also on this date in 1938, Paul Bartel was born. 

Adam Yauch

Adam Nathaniel “MCA” Yauch was born on  August 5th, 1964.

Forever filed under gone too soon. 

Adam “MCA” Yauch (8/5/64 - 5/4/12)

Young Beasties with a beardless Rick Rubin

Related:

Licensed to Ill

Also on this date in 1939, Bob Clark was born. 

Purple Rain

On this day in 1984, just over two weeks after debuting at #11, Purple Rain by Prince and the Revolution reached #1 on the Billboard charts and stayed there for nearly half a year. 

Prince and the Revolution

They also joined The Beatles and Elvis Presley in an elite club of performers to have a #1 album, single and movie on the charts at the same time. 

Purple Rain Vinyl with Poster

Apollonia Kotero provides vocals to the track Take Me with U. 

Let’s Go Crazy

Also in this date in 1923, Tom Hennesy was born. 

Massad Ayoob vs Bikini Machine Gun Fun

I found this Mail Order Video tape at a Habitat for Humanity recently. Of my collection of video tape oddities I’ve found some of the most bizarre were found at Habitat.

I really was hoping by the cover that this tape would contain some pretty crazy 1990 video graphics and gun fighting action.

Turns out it’s just this guy sitting on a couch in a gun shop talking about the finer points of successfully surviving a gunfight.

I could tell it was a gun shop by the frequent and distinct pop! pop! sound of the indoor firing range in the back.

The video is very informative and probably even relevant today with the exception of newer gun fighting technology. 

Massad said a lot of things similar to what I’ve heard other gun guys say in various other gun shops and courses. So no disrespect to retired Police Captain Ayoob for keeping it real and teaching proper technique. 

Unfortunately, I was looking to find something a little more entertaining than gun fight knowledge and common sense. 

That’s the thing about having a found footage hobby. Sometimes the most promising looking tapes are the most boring and vice versa. 

It wasn’t a total waste of 50 cents though. 

Thankfully the promos at the end of the tape provided the oddities I so enjoy: