Author: ttmj2016

1966: Winter Carnival at Marquette University

From: Hilltop, 1966, vol. 52

Johnny & The Hurricanes guitarist Leslie Todd McDonald Sr wrote:

“I was there that day in Marquette, 3-12-1966, when Simon and Garfunkle asked us if they could use our keyboards when they went on stage. Johnny and the Hurricanes (I played lead guitar for them) has a very distinct sound set up on that organ so our leader said, “NO !” Then they asked to use our drums and again the same answer. Too many times our stage instruments were messed up by others and we just could not afford to let that happen here. Besides, we had never even heard of these guys ! To my surprise the students, and they numbered about 800 to 1K, were there to hear these guys, more than us ! When we left that afternoon we still did not know who they were. That’s how early their debut date was.“

And answered to my question if Simon & Garfunkel were backed by The Cyrkle:

“I don’t remember their band at all. They had different dressing rooms and I think we had to move on to our next gig asap. I have a vivid memory of being asked to make an announcement, about an illegally parked car, to the entire crowd before going on stage. Nobody would volunteer to do it so I stepped up. This was during a bad era of Vietnam protests and colleges were at the helm of a movement to stop the nonsense going on over there. All of the students were seated on the arena floor. I said, ” May I have your attention ? “… My voice thundered through the massive speakers and echoed all ’round. Then I proceeded, ” Please stand for the ‘Pledge of allegiance to the American Flag ! “……… Dead silence and not one person moved. Not one… Then I told them calmly, the real message.“

1968: Simon Garfunkel in Rochester

The review of this concert, in The Pioneer of October 16, is one of the first I have read that was not just only praise.

First that the emphasis was on the new “Bookends” album and that left little room form their fine songs of the earlier albums.

But also “[ ] we saw another side of S&G [] “There was a noticable lack of stage presence, very little communcation with the audience. A mortal sin for any performer”.

The War Memorial was probably to large for S&G.. “War Memorial location seems to indicate not so much in entetaining as in accumulating quantity (people & money) on the part of the promotors”.

Bill Baird, the reviewer, also mentions: “Another uncontrollable factor was the number of very inconsiderate, boorish people who insisted on taking flash pictures despite S&G’s rewuest to refrain from doing so”. And Baird ends with: “Despite the aloofnesh that Art Garfunkel tried to show during the performance, they were given a standing ovation. This response may well have been not so much in appreciation for what had been don but a demand for more for their money”.