Date: 8/19/1978 Location: Bay City, MI Venue: Summer Celebration / Bay City Central High School's Elmer Engel Stadium Lineup: Bandit, Van Halen, Bob Segar (Cheap Trick had to cancel)
Best Bootlegs
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This site is not affiliated with Van Halen, their management or record label. The only goal of this site is to share, celebrate and chronicle Van Halen's history from 1973-1985. The resources and documents presented here are strictly for archival purposes only. This site does not condone the sale of unauthorized recordings. Photo credit has been given when known. If there's a photo you want credited or removed, please let me know: info@themightyvanhalen.net
The Mighty Van Halen
I was 5 feet from Eddie. I lived 5 blocks from the stadium. Was a Mind blowing Ear Melting Performance.
This was unbelievable to me but my guitar teacher was the main lead in the cheap tricks band, he tell me stories about this concert and stuff about Eddie, ITS SO COOL!! I’m 15 😅
Couldn’t be because Cheap Trick backed out the night before the show, and was replaced by Mark Farner, lead singer of Grand Funk Railroad. Cheap Trick did not play this show.
Still have the frisbee. Wish I could find a poster. I was 17 at the time and came from Saginaw. Seger had the light show but I thought Van Halen stole the show. Opening act, Bandit, lead singer had his back towards crowd and held a mirror up looking at the crowd. We all thought that was strange.
Bandit was not one of the acts featured for that show. It was COUTURE – a band from Saginaw – who opened the concert. I definitely remember the mirror thing.
Correct, and Cheap Trick also did not play, replaced by Mark Farner, native of Flint and lead singer of GFR.
I was there and took photos # 2 and 3 (featured here) with my old instamatic. I still have the originals and more!
Wow! Would love to see more pics.
just seeing your reply. Do you have an email address that I can send a few more images to?
I would like to see some more , I was up front also
As I recall, Cheap Trick didn’t show up for this concert.
Correct
Just now seeing some of these replies, apologies. Hopefully this image gets through. It’s a collage of sorts. I wish my Seger pix turned out, but the flash took a shit last minute and Bob started in the dark. Brian Haenke of COUTURE is playing a killer V in one shot-wish I had taken more of that band! ADMIN, please contact me if the image I attached does not appear.*EDIT* image did not attach, hopefully admin gets my email.
Email to admin failed, here’s a shot I added to Imgur.
Note: the two people at bottom directly to the right of Eddie’s “spaceship” (in 2nd image) are Alto Reed and Drew Abbott of the Silver Bullet Band. Brian Haenke of COUTURE playing a FLYING V….super talented dude right there!
John
https://imgur.com/a/zyrHOcY