THE ABC IN CONCERT SPECIAL

[Vivian]

Now, for me, since I never had the opportunity to see this WONDERFUL PERFORMER, LIVE, MY concert experience came when I stayed up late that night just to watch what would become ONE OF THE MOST HISTORICAL PERFORMANCES in MUSICAL HISTORY!

I remember the INCREDIBLE JOY ;D I had that night! And the fact that I was SO CHOKED UP WITH EMOTION, I just BURST INTO TEARS! Was ANYONE here actually at that show! It was ALL I COULD DREAM about, back then!

Peace,Vivian

[Chris]

No Vivian, I never attended it. But I remember staying up late both times waiting all week for it to be shown. It was the second time I had ever seen him perform live and it was a real treat.

I saw the KCET when it was first aired on PBS. Were you able to catch it the first time around? I'll never forget the extra verse to Longer boats... what a treat ! My father wouldn't allow us to watch it at the house. M.A.S.H. was on or something similar to it which he wanted to watch. So my sisters, a few friends and I all packed up and went over to my brother and sister in laws house, where we had a little Cat party to watch Cat perform.  

Christine  

[Vivian]

No, Christine, unfortunately I never saw the TILLERMAN show until I found the video in the mid 90s! Which I TREASURE now! I KNOW Shirley was at that show! LUCKY GIRL!

Peace,Vivian

[Aisha]

Would you believe I saw a portion of it but don't recall much about it.  Sorry Yusuf, but old age is catching up with me.  No, I didn't remember it until I got a bootleg of some of the footage and saw him wearing the black shirt and then I remembered seeing him on the tube when I was 13.  It is amazing how something like a shirt can trigger a memory.  I think Momma made me go to bed for I didn't see the whole show   and I know I would have remembered seeing "Foreigner Suite" performed for I had just bought that album, my first Cat album.

It is hard to believe that it has been 29 years since then.

[Bootmiester]

Luckily I have seen the ABC In Concert, and for me the live version of Foreigner Suite is astounding, far superior to the studio version, and visually is amazing. The emotions throughout the track are mirrored by Cat's body language.
However, I would love to view some of Cat's early concerts especially around 1971. For me this period reflected the raw talent of Cat rather than the over-produced tracks that were evident as time progressed.

Bootmiester

[Chris]

I agree Bootmeister, I saw Cat in 76, but would have much rather seen him in 71 or 72. The simplicty of BBC 71 concert is a prime example of how pure and simple he was in those early concerts with his music. Just Alun, Cat and Larry very simple. I still I get the biggist smile when I watch the BBC concert and watch Cat place the guitar over his face as if to hide for a moment. But when he comes back down to earth to play, it is pure magic. This must be why I want to see video of the granada concert. To see if it is as simple and pure as the BBC.

On another note, when I saw Cat in concert in 76 the one thing I did notice was how much he really loved playing music. You could just see it, by the way he carried himself and delved heart and soul into the music he was playing.

[Vivian]

And I JUST LOVE IT when Cat forgets the words to BITTERBLUE! I just wanted to reach into my TV and hug him and smother him with LOADS OF

Peace,Vivian

[Aisha]

Has anyone ever noticed that Cat was notorious for messing up the words?  He did when he was singing "The Hurt" in the ABC special and I noticed some flubs on words on the Cleveland bootleg as well.  I love it.  It just makes him more real and in that 'Bitterblue' thing I just wanted to hug his neck and tickle him.  Did you notice that he was struggling to finish 'Bitterblue' with a straight face....priceless indeed.

[Chris]

You know the sad part about the bitterblue song. The UK Arena edited parts of that concert, including the part where Cat says almost sheepishly..

I should know it, I Wrote it  It's a shame they edited that part of it off.. because it is priceless.

[Vivian]

Now if only they release the WHOLE THING, then we can have that PRICELESS MOMENT to CHERISH FOREVER! And here are more  

Peace,Vivian

[Meowmaiden]

Well how bad am i; i can't even remember what YEAR i saw him, i can't remember if it was 72, 74, 75....and if i could figure it out it wouldn't matter much, as the concert to me is just one big blurrrrrrrrrrrrr.  After he acknowledged the gigantic and somewhat embarrassing teaser i gave him, i apparently lost consciousness or something; i remember crying, and that was that for that. he was wearing jeans and a white muslin shirt with big flowing sleeves; the only reason i remember that is because i promptly went out and bought as many of them as i could find :-) silly teenagers eh

[Vivian]

Man, DO I EVER REMEMBER CRYING! I remember, it was 1973, Cat came through Miami, I was a young 13 year old, and MADLY IN LOVE with CAT, and my parents wouldn't let me go see him! I was JUST SO DEVISTATED! I cried and cried and cried myself to sleep! It was later that year that I stayed up to watch the ABC special! And I remember HUGGING AND KISSING my TV screen!

Peace,Vivian

[Chris]

What in the world did you do Vivian??? LOL  

[Chris]

OK.. I figured it out.... you tried to use the HTML code for your Pre text format.

For some reason it isn't working correctly. If you edit your post and remove the pre code. It should take this thread back to normal. Or you can just leave it as it is... There is nothing wrong with the BB itself, just that one particular code to make it jump like this.

[Lucy13]

Vivian said:

I KNOW Shirley was at that show! LUCKY GIRL!

Peace,Vivian

You know, I think I can spot Shirley in that video.  Have y'all seen her?  I'm almost positive it's her.

(how in the heck did this thread get so W I D E  anyway?)

I love how he says "space-ships" in the KCET concert.  "It's about 'spaice-ships' ".   "Spaice-ships"....

Then of course, there's the way he puts that guitar down by the stool and then steps over it.  Awww... he seemed sorta nervous.

P.S. Christine, I'm a shameless COPYCAT, aren't I... the moon thing and all... (but imitiation is the highest form of flattery, after all...

[Aisha]

If I remember correctly Shirley is the young dark-headed girl sitting on the floor near the piano.  

Lucky girl indeedy.  I want to meet him.  WAAAAH!!! (A'isha is stomping her feet like she is five again)

Love
A

[Vivian]

LUCKY GIRL, INDEED! I am going to have to watch that video CLOSELY and see if I can spot Shirley! ;D ;DNow, CAN YOU JUST IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD BEEN THERE! The studio would have been UNDER WATER AND TEMPS WOULD BE SOARING! ;D ;D ;D


[glow=red,2,300]TEPeace,VivianXT[/glow] hippie

[catfan4ever]

I remember the ABC Concert.......My best friend and I waited all day......and just cried when it finally came on!!! I've seen him 3 times in concert and each time I sat/stood there with my mouth hanging open in utter awe of the man and his talent! Oh my I still do that today!! Barb

[Vivian]

How did this thread get SO WIDE! Well, Lucy, I think I am the blame! I am just trying out all these do dads, and I just hit SOMETHING! LOL

Peace,Vivian

[that’sDOCTOR2u]

Would have been really something to have been there, sigh  
...kim

[KCCatDream]

Hello All,

A neighbor has moved in! Hey this is neat Christine, you've done a good job! Like the fun options ;D Well looks like I've got two places to be addicted too!

Hi Viv, I KNOW you're bummed about not being able to see Cat in concert--THANKFULLY I had that rare treat in Denver,February 76. It WAS AWESOME, I wish you could've gotten to a Majicat event. Cat was AMAZING working the stage like a consumate musician--seemed like he was playing every instrument on the stage that night! I remember getting away from my nagging sister cause she was in my face talking to me when I wanted to LISTEN to Cat, I fled up to the side of the stage at McNichols and watched him all by myself--just TRANSFIXED I was only 16 at the time and I was "dying but for him"!

As far as the ABC In Concert goes, I remember watching it live...believe in 73 it was. And like you Viv I've been searching out a copy of the event. I even wrote ABC for a copy...NO ANSWER...damn them! If anyone knows how to retrieve a copy of this...LET me and Viv KNOW! We're hopeless Cataholics that can't get enough!

Crazy for Cat in KC,
Janice ;D

[70sCat]

You guys are so lucky to have seen a concert! BTW, welcome KCCatDream!! It's good to see you here!

flower peace and love flower
Sakinah Susan

[KCCatDream]

Thanks Lilywhite, I'm glad to be here, this is a NEAT PLACE! Christine has done a SUPERB JOB! I'll be checking in often!!

One thing bad about seeing a Cat concert is that you're horribly hooked then! In Cat's words I will never forget that night!!

Till next time,
Janice

[Vivian]

Well it might have taken me thirty years, but FINALLY, my dream DID come true!! What a WONDERFUL FEELING it is to know that my childhood hero, knows who I am!

Peace,Vivian

[Chris]

Hey girls, try being on the ground floor and having a couple of love birds sitting directly infront of you with there heads on each others shoulders, blocking your view!!! I remember twitching in my seat trying to locate a view to see the stage. First I leaned to my left only to see his head, then leaning to the right only to see her head!! Finally sitting up real close behind them with my binoculars practically propped on top of there heads to separate them ... LOL

The nerve of some people trying to obstruct my view!! Ok OK so maybe it was only during a song or two and not the whole concert.... .

[KCCatDream]

Christine how bout flying in from KC to Denver specifically to see Cat and your mean older sister living in Denver at the time (that knows the reason I was coming) doesn't buy the tickets for you. I freaked! The show was SOLD OUT and I was without a ticket!! I frantically called radio stations that were giving away last minute tickets but couldn't get in...BUSY--you know the deal with DJs!!

My sister seemed to think I came to town only to see her and she KNEW different, at least she had the sense to drive me to the outside of McNichols just before showtime. Here comes the amazing part...

Outside of the arena there were three girls with tickets, they couldn't go to the show and they sold two of them to us for 25 bucks--I'm was SO HAPPY and relieved! I was in! The tickets were GOOD too. Center lower middle row. I sat with extreme anticpation for when he hit the stage. I had no idea what to expect. Geez the opening!! The majic boxes stacked in four and then out
POPPED Cat! PHEWWW!!

He began the show and then my darn sister gets in my face and begins TALKING! I was there to HEAR Cat ! For some reason she always hated my attraction to Cat, she was a big Elton John fan at the time and would say say he was the better artist--I'd tell her there was no better all around musician than Cat--musically and LYRICALLY!! And I've always been more drawn to the songWRITERS! Anyway back to the concert...after about 15 minutes of putting up with her interuptions, I had HAD IT!! I quickly LEFT my seat and ran to the upper side of the stage where I could see the stage and part of the backstage--it was by far a better seat than I had--especially considering what I was having to deal with!

So I sat transfixed all by myself in a seat separate from the crowd and watched as he played guitar, then ran to the piano...then worked other instruments on the stage..I was fascinated!! I even remembered the songs he sung in order and wrote them down after the show.
But I've now lost that list.

But here is the most amazing part...he took an intermission and just before he came back I saw him behind the stage standing to the side I was on...I almost could swear he was LOOKING MY WAY! I was taken back...my childhood idol may have been eyeing me!!

He diidn't do an encore that night and that disappointed me, but it was an AWESOME concert just the same! Then my older sister found me...she started to yell at me, saying "where were you? I could've got you to see Cat Stevens in the tunnel as he left!" I didn't really care I got to see a truly EXTRODINARY TALENT at work! You don't want to know what happened AFTER the concert, but my sister put me through hell, at one time having her hands around my neck choking me...I kicked her in the stomach to push her off me, called a taxi and got to the airport quickly...I was back to KC after a night of HEAVEN and also of Hell.

How's that for a Concert story?
Till next time,
Janice

[Vivian]

That is quite an amazing story, Janice! And I can remember Cat coming through Miami in 1973, and I was DESPARATE to see him, but my parents wouldn't let me go! I was SOOOOOOOO DEVISTATED! I cried my eyes out for a WHOLE WEEK! But, I was SOOOOO TRANSFIXED with the ABC SPECIAL, that I imagined myself right into the TV set and into the FRONT ROW DEAD CENTER of that concert! I SWEAR, that night, I flooded my whole bedroom in a giant puddle of tears!

Peace,Vivian

[kimmer]

;)hi everyone, this is my 1st time here. great place, glad i found it. i just love the cat so much as you all do. i was very lucky to see him at the cobo hall in detroit. the best concert i have ever been to. how hot can a man be???he sure made me ppppppprrrrrrrrrrrr kimmer

[lateboomer]

ABC In Concert... LOL... Man, oh man oh man... I sat up with my little Panasonic tape recorder at midnight and recorded the show. I still have that cassette, complete with tweenie-teen me applauding and trying to stifle my emotions ... I clearly remember being mesmerized at his intensity ~ watching him perform had a profound effect on me and I was unable to sleep for hours after I went to bed.

One of my dreams was to see Cat perform live, and nearly got my chance when he played Massey Hall in Toronto... Alas, my parents wouldn't permit me to go! What a disappointment that was... [/color]

[Vivian]

lateboomer said:

ABC In Concert... LOL... Man, oh man oh man... I sat up with my little Panasonic tape recorder at midnight and recorded the show. I still have that cassette, complete with tweenie-teen me applauding and trying to stifle my emotions ... I clearly remember being mesmerized at his intensity ~ watching him perform had a profound effect on me and I was unable to sleep for hours after I went to bed.

One of my dreams was to see Cat perform live, and nearly got my chance when he played Massey Hall in Toronto... Alas, my parents wouldn't permit me to go! What a disappointment that was...

[/color][/quote]

You and I were in the same boat. I also sat up all night watching that wonderful show, and when he came through Miami, my parents wouldn't let me go either.

Peace,Vivian