Page 29 - 1980

'T ' he dark floor reeked with the
* smell of smoke. From the top
deck a beer bottle flew through the air
and shattered on the floor. Fans
sat around,
smoking sweet­
sweeT music smelling, hand-
j cigarettes.
wrapped
This was the
scene at the Civic Auditorium during a
rock concert.
The groups that appeared at the
auditorium played music that varied
from hard rock and soul, to easy
listening.
Some of the more popular rock
groups that appeared in Omaha were:
Journey, Alice Cooper, Fleetwood
Mac, Ambrosia, Van Halen, Queen,
Cars, Black Sabbath, Molly Hatchet,
Kansas, and Head East.
Rock groups were not the only
performers there. Top soul groups like
SOS Band, Bar-Kays, and Cameo,
played to sold-out crowds.
Judy Collins, Melissa Manchester,
and Harry Chapin were also in concert
for the easy listening fans.
A new policy was added concerning
frisking. Frisking was not used on every
person who ente'red the stadium, just
those who were wearing bulky clothes,
or who were acting suspicious.
Liquor and drugs were confiscated
and thrown away, but one was still
allowed to see the concert.
But after all the hassle of dodging
bottles, getting smashed in a crowd,
and being frisked, when the group
came on, the crowd mellowed out and
the music took over.

Fleetw ood Mac played their hit song “Tusk" to a crowd of
11,873 The group performed on August 21 at the Civic Audito-
H eart performed at Rosenblatt Stadium to a crowd of 14.985
They co-starred with Head East and River City All S tars on
July 23

I