This Day in Music
On August 19, 1964, The Beatles kicked off their first North American tour at San Francisco’s Cow Palace. Playing to an audience of 17,130, the band performed a 12-song set, including such hits as “Twist and Shout,” “All My Loving,” and “Can’t Buy Me Love.” The Righteous Brothers, Jackie DeShannon, The Bill Black Combo, and The Exciters all served as support. One of the very first tours of its kind, the 25-city run included 32 shows all around the US and Canada, including stops at the Hollywood Bowl, New York’s Forest Hills Stadium, and Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens.
In 1972, David Bowie, billed as Ziggy Stardust, played a pivitol, sold-out concert at London’s Rainbow Theatre. The theatrical show, which incorporated a variety of media, wowed critics and audiences alike, including Mick Jagger, Elton John, Rod Stewart, and Alice Cooper, who were all reportedly in attendance.
In 1977, The Sex Pistols kicked off a six-date undercover UK tour as “The S.P.O.T.S.” (Sex Pistols On Tour Secretly). Due to their rowdy reputation, the band knew that they were unlikely to be booked in clubs (or would be shut down by the police) and so, they assumed a different name in each venue (including “Tax Exiles” and “A Mystery Band of International Repute”)
In 2005, a life-size bronze statue of Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott was erected in the singer, songwriter, and bassist’s home city of Dublin, Ireland. Lynott, who died in 1986 at 36, was celebrated during an unveiling ceremony, which was attended by his former Thin Lizzy bandmates, including Gary Moore, Brian Robertson, and Scott Gorham.
In 1988, it was announced that Patsy Cline’s “Crazy” and Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog were the most-played jukebox songs of the past 100 years.
BORN ON AUGUST 19
1939: Ginger Baker (Cream)
1940: Johnny Nash (singer-songwriter)
1945: Ian Gillan (Deep Purple)
1951: John Decon (Queen)
1969: Nate Dogg (rapper)
1989: Lil Romeo (rapper, actor)
