A NY audience's first experience of stage diving

Joined : 04 Sep 2008 Posts : 49 Location : Sweden

Another excerpt on another legendary show(s), the Stooges' NY debut, 39 years ago - Per N

In September 1969, the Stooges embarked on a brief tour in support of the debut album. Elektra financed a three-city East Coast tour intended to establish the band in three of the most important markets, New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. Kicking off in New York, the Stooges played two con¬certs at the Pavilion in Flushing Meadow Park, Queens, New York, Friday and Saturday, September 5th and 6th 1969. The Memphis blues band Moloch opened the proceedings, followed by Elektra’s David Peel and the Lower East Side, the Stooges, and the bill-topping MC5.

The Stooges’ New York debut was rather cooly received by the 2,000-strong audience. Some seemed fascinated, but others reacted with contempt, throwing drinks at the band. Regardless, Iggy, wearing only jeans cut down to shorts and sneakers, gave it everything he had, jumping up and down, writhing, caressing himself, rolling, squirming, hanging onto the microphone stand, putting it between his legs, rubbing up and down against it. At one point, he ran from the stage and leaped into the crowd, something which an audience had never experienced before at a rock show. They managed to get him back onstage. Iggy ambled around, finally to the other side of the stage, then off again running, out into the air headfirst into the crowd again. At the end of the show, he cut welts into his chest with the tips of Scott’s drumsticks as the Stooges created a loud, whining feedback. He closed the second show similarly, with the welts from the first night becoming bloody again.

The Stooges’ New York premiere generated a great deal of press. Calling Iggy “a burlesque parody of Jagger,” Billboard’s Fred Kirby thought the Stooges’ performance was an “erotic display.” He concluded that they would go over better in the more intimate surroundings of a small club. Karin Berg of Rock felt the Stooges “can be a little terrifying – they put on a great show, but the show is not a put-on. They can shake up, intimidate, excite their audiences – they can also anger them, sometimes make them hostile.” She drew comparisons with the Living Theatre. Similarly, Mike Jahn of the New York Times observed that the Stooges “probably belong Off-Broadway more than to the world of rock ‘n’ roll, but the group’s effect is nonetheless impressive.” He described the audience response, “Some seemed fascinated, if only for the same reasons that drive mobs to yell ‘jump’ at a potential suicide standing on a ledge. Others reacted with contempt, throwing containers of orange drink at the wriggling performer.”

Joined : 20 Jan 2008 Posts : 430 Location : London

There's a couple of pics of Iggy on drums at this show, maybe he was just showing Scotty the beat, but pretty cool nonetheless.

Hey mc put 'em up

waow cool review, thanks Pernil! sounds like it wouldve been something to see!

yeh post'em MC, i rmember reading iggy did somethinglike that, like showing scotty how to play something, and it pissed him off
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Away Beyond The Ishkabob
And Over The Propran Sea
You'll Find A Place Called Stoogeland
Where Very Soon You'll Be

Joined : 20 Jan 2008 Posts : 430 Location : London

NY Pavillion 1969 - Bottom two are Iggy on Drums!

yeh, thats the one in the stooges 2cd reissue, wel its only one picture

thanks for the pictures Mc

the crowds musta suspected something was up when a tiny guy with ripped jean shorts and a weird monk haircut came out onstage! lol
_________________

Away Beyond The Ishkabob
And Over The Propran Sea
You'll Find A Place Called Stoogeland
Where Very Soon You'll Be

great pics Mc! love the nose pickin one..hahaha

think this haircut was pretty normal for that time..a grown out Beatle do.. For the crowds it must've been more weird when Ig had the shorter cut...lateron at the Cincinnati gig.
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Immaterial Girl Joined : 17 Dec 2007 Posts : 1124

thanks for the photos mc - another great one of Ron!

and yeh, re-reading that Billboard review by Fred Kirby which talks about the band's 'erotic display' - he also mentions that Ron and ALSO Dave joined in towards the end...What, my sweet, shy darling Dave?? although of course no-one's sexier than he was, in my opinion, but still...
gawd I NEEDED to be there!!!!!!!!!!! Freaking Out

sure his photos put me in a swoon, but this....won't be able to sleep tonight for trying to imagine it....

ok I'd better go away and calm down

Joined : 20 Jan 2008 Posts : 430 Location : London

Dave at the Pavilion

great shot of dave, thanks mc
_________________

Away Beyond The Ishkabob
And Over The Propran Sea
You'll Find A Place Called Stoogeland
Where Very Soon You'll Be

Immaterial Girl Joined : 17 Dec 2007 Posts : 1124

thanks for that photo of Dave mc...I've calmed down a bit...he just looks his usual quiet self in this one
(and also gorgeous as usual Like a Star @ heaven

)
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