This is one of a series of posts expanding on my 50 States in 50 Dates blog by documenting the global touring adventures of George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers and the earlier years of their career.
- Part 1 – George Thorogood & the Destroyers’ 1981 Canadian Tour.
- Part 2 – George Thorogood & the Destroyers’ 1981 Canadian Tour.
Quick Links:
- Mar. 8, 1981 – Student Union Building Theatre. University of Alberta. Edmonton, AB.
- Mar. 9, 1981 – Convention Inn South. Edmonton, AB.
- Mar. 9, 1981 – Riviera Rock Room. Edmonton, AB.
- Mar. 10, 1981 – Eric Harvie Theatre. Banff, AB.
Student Union Building Theatre. University of Alberta. Edmonton, Alberta.
Date: March 8, 1981. The Destroyers performed two concerts at the University of Edmonton on this date.
Venue: Student Union Building Theatre. University of Alberta. 8900 114 St. NW. Edmonton, AB. T6G 2J7. Canada.
Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/S5er96KCwK3tCWtV8
Venue Exterior:
1984:
Source: University of Alberta. Evergreen and Gold Year in Review. 1984. Pg. 98.
2022:
Venue Interior:
1974:
Source: University of Alberta Department of Radio and Television. 1974.
Opening Act: Tom See.
Source: Owensboro Messenger Inquirer. Oct. 19, 1979. Pg. C1.
Poster / Flyer / Handbill: I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 shows at the University of Alberta Student Union Theatre. Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.
Press & Promotion:
Source: Edmonton Journal. Feb. 13, 1981. Pg. D4.
Source: Edmonton Journal. Feb. 13, 1981. Pg. D8.
Source: Edmonton Journal. Feb. 14, 1981. Pg. D14.
Ticket Price: $8.50.
Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub from these concerts. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!
Attendance: Unknown. The U of A SUB Theatre currently has capacity for 720 people. These concerts were sold out.
Set List: Unknown.
Were these Concerts Recorded? Unknown.
Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photos of the Destroyers performing in Edmonton on March 8, 1981.
Above: Photo of the lineup for Destroyers tickets at the University of Alberta. Source: University of Alberta Gateway. Feb. 18, 1981. Pg. 7.
Concert Reaction:
Allen Kellogg of the Edmonton Journal filed this mostly unflattering review of the Destroyers’ early show at the University of Alberta Student Union Building Theatre on March 8, 1981:
“As a colleague observed after George Thorogood’s first concert last night, every generation has to discover rock for itself. In this sense, Thorogood serves his purpose, and no one can deny the man’s current popularity. Coming out of music-biz ‘nowhere’ on the tiny Rounder record label, Delaware’s gift to entertainment has become a hot commodity. His original, one-concert Edmonton appearance has stretched to four sold-out shows over two nights.
Still, being old enough to have experienced rock and ’50s urban blues the first time around, I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the younger faces in the packed house. Thorogood’s particular bottle of Jim Beam is one watered-down drink, to borrow the white boy’s street talk he favors.
The first problem centres on the Destroyers, a three-man backup unit of drums, tenor sax and bass. Destroyers? More like Anyband, U.S.A. considering the numbing mediocrity involved…
The man himself works hard and deserves full marks on (literally) staying close to his audience, who he immediately invited to dance in the area fronting the stage. With a succession of Berry duck-walks, high kicks and flights out into the crowd, Thorogood understands something about showmanship, but it’s funny that even in this, the moves are as derivative as the music itself…
Edmonton newcomer Tom See opened impressively, with a fine selection of originals. Much has been made of See’s background as a top session player on the street of late, and the hype is deserved. This man will quickly become a big name in local circles — without a doubt.”
Source: Edmonton Journal. March 9, 1981. Pg. C1.
An unnamed editor from the University of Alberta’s Gateway student newspaper wrote a similarly unfavorable review about the Destroyers’ late show at the Student Union Building Theatre on March 8, 1981:
“Theoretically I should have loved the George Thorogood and the Destroyers concert at SUB Sunday. After all, the band’s taste in Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, good old rock ‘n’ roll and blues is mighty close to my own. Moreover, the band was suffused with exuberance, a prerequisite to any kind of good music, and their instrumental talents, to judge by the precision of their playing, were competent enough.
What dragged the show down was, first of all, the overwhelming sound level (my ears are still ringing). Second, every number save one (a sluggish and tortuous blues number as bad as anything done by the old Fleetwood Mac) was a jackhammer rocker.
Such freneticism exhausts one rather quickly. Even the healthy young motor maniacs dancing in the front of the stage showed signs of glycogen depletion after a few songs.
Thirdly, the songs might as well have been arranged by a neanderthal. Most of the time everyone seemed to be playing rhythm, and when someone finally did bust out into a solo it was generally skimpy on melody and heavy on rhythmic embellishment. I quickly lost track of the number of one, two and three-note guitar solos Thorogood played. Their uniformly blistering tonal quality also grated after a while.”
Source: University of Alberta Gateway. March 10, 1981. Pg. 8.
Other Notes: None.
Fate of the Venue: The University of Alberta’s Student Union Building Theatre (aka the Horowitz Theatre) continues to host live performances and other public events.
Convention Inn South. Edmonton, Alberta.
Date: March 9, 1981.
Venue: Convention Inn South. 4404 Calgary Trail. Edmonton, AB. T6H 5W6. Canada.
Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/pQc4sWa7jqao2HQcA
Venue Exterior:
1975:
Source: Edmonton Journal. July 7, 1975. Pg. 8.
2015:
Venue Interior:
1980:
I am still looking for a good photo inside the Convention Inn South’s ballroom, circa 1981. Please send me a note of you have a lead.
Opening Act: Unknown.
Poster / Flyer / Handbill: I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ March 9th, 1981 show at the Convention Inn South. Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.
Press & Promotion:
Above: Newspaper article mentioning the Destroyers’ added show at the Convention Inn South on March 10, 1981. The date was changed to March 9, 1981 soon after. Source: Edmonton Journal. Feb. 24, 1981. Pg. B9.
Above: This listing of Edmonton-area concerts also has the Destroyers’ Convention Inn South show happening on March 10, 1981. Source: Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. NAIT Nugget. Feb. 26, 1981. Pg. 7.
Source: Edmonton Journal. March 5, 1981. Pg. B16.
Ticket Price: $9.00.
Ticket Stub:
Attendance: Unknown. The Convention Inn South’s ballroom had capacity for 2,000 people in 1975.
Source: Edmonton Journal. July 7, 1975. Pg. 8.
Set List: Unknown. Please send me a note if you have any details.
Was the Concert Recorded? Unknown.
Concert Photos:
Source: Facebook.
Concert Reaction: I have not (yet) found a contemporary printed review for this concert, circa 1981. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.
Other Notes: None.
Fate of the Venue:
The Convention Inn South was sold in 1997 and rebranded as the Delta Edmonton South in 1998.
Source: Edmonton Journal. Aug. 28, 1998. Pg. F2.
Riviera Rock Room. Edmonton, Alberta.
Date: March 9, 1981.
Venue: Riviera Rock Room. Riviera Hotel. 5359 Calgary Trail NW. Edmonton, AB. T6H 4J9. Canada.
Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/C4CBTQ6TS9JeuVyt9
Venue Exterior:
1960s:
2020:
Venue Interior:
1972:
Above: The Riviera Rock Room in its previous incarnation as the Fantasia Room. Source: Edmonton Journal. Feb. 8, 1972. Pg. 14.
1979:
Above: The BowSharonas pose for a group photo inside the Riviera Rock Room. Source: Facebook.
Opening Act: Unknown.
Poster / Flyer / Handbill: I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Riviera Rock Room. Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.
Press & Promotion:
Source: Edmonton Journal. Feb. 27, 1981. Pg. D4.
Source: Edmonton Journal. Mar. 5, 1981. Pg. B16.
Ticket Price: Unknown.
Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!
Attendance: 250.
Source: Edmonton Journal. Feb. 27, 1981. Pg. D4.
Set List: Unknown.
Was this Concert Recorded? Yes. This concert was broadcast on CIRK-FM radio.
Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photographs of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.
Concert Reaction: I am still looking for a contemporary printed review of the Destroyers’ concert at the Riviera Rock Room, circa March 1981.
Other Notes: None.
Fate of the Venue: The Riviera Rock Room was open until at least 1992.
Eric Harvie Theatre. Banff, Alberta.
Date: March 10, 1981.
Venue: Eric Harvie Theatre. 107 Tunnel Mountain Dr. Banff, AB. T1L 1H5. Canada.
Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/eLN5ZUeZs8uhMbgc7
Venue Exterior:
Circa 1970:
Source: Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies.
2015:
Venue Interior:
Pre-2021 renovation:
Opening Act: Unknown.
Poster / Flyer / Handbill: I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1981 show at the Eric Harvie Theatre. Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.
Press & Promotion:
Source: Calgary Herald. March 5, 1981. Pg. D3.
Ticket Price: $9.00 advance; $10.00 at the door.
Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen a ticket stub to this concert. If you have a photo or scan to share, please get in touch!
Attendance: Unknown. The Eric Harvie Theatre had seats for 1,000 people in 1991.
Source: Canadian Encyclopedia.
Set List: Unknown.
Was the Concert Recorded? Unknown.
Concert Photos: I am still looking for any photos of the Destroyers in concert at the Eric Harvie Theatre in March 1981. Please send me a note if you have any to share.
Concert Reaction:
A year after the fact, writer Bob Jamieson mentioned the Destroyers’ concert at the Eric Harvie Theatre in a 1982 article about skiing in Alberta and British Columbia:
“Nighttime on Banff Avenue. I’m drunk and loose in the ski town at the base of the romantic Canadian Rockies. That night we took in George Thorogood and the Destroyers in concert in the Banff School of Fine Arts theater. The music was wild, of course, but that George, I couldn’t understand him. First he drives the Chicklet chompers wild, then when they crawl onto the stage to do unspeakable things, he gets his hands to toss them back into the audience.”
Source: Ski. March 1982. Pg. 48.
Other Notes: None.
Fate of the Venue: At the time of this writing, the Eric Harvie Theatre continues to serve as a venue for the performing arts.
50 States in 50 Dates 