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.
Quick Links:
- Sept 27, 1974 – Sons of Italy Hall. North Adams, MA.
- Oct 2-6, 1974 – Mt. View Frolics. Chicopee, MA.
- Oct 11, 1974 – The Gallery (?) Springfield Technical Community College. Springfield, MA.
- Oct 14-15, 1974 – Bunratty’s. Boston, MA.
- Oct 16-19, 1974 – The Hide-A-Way. Granby, MA.
Sons of Italy Hall.
Date: September 27, 1974.
This concert date comes from Jeff Simon’s official list of Destroyers’ shows. At the time of this writing, I have very few details about this performance. Please send me a note if you have any information to share.
Venue: Sons of Italy Hall. 1492 Christopher Columbus Dr. North Adams, MA. 01247. USA.
Find it on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/yDsW2VkqQNjA2Sbc7
Venue Exterior:
1974: I am still looking for a good photo of the Sons of Italy Hall in North Adams, circa 1974. Please send me a note if you have one to share.
2022:
Venue Interior: I am still looking for a good photo inside of the Sons of Italy Hall in North Adams. Please send me a note if you have one to share.
Opening Act: Unknown.
Poster / Flyer / Handbill: I have never seen a poster, flyer, or handbill for this concert.
Press & Promotion: I am still looking for any print advertising used to promote this concert. Please send me a note if you know of any.
Ticket Price: Unknown.
Ticket Stub: I am still looking for a ticket stub from this concert.
Attendance: Unknown.
Set List: Unknown.
Was this Concert Recorded? Unknown.
Concert Photos: I have not yet seen any photos from this concert. Please send me a note if you have any to share.
Concert Reaction: I am still looking for a contemporary printed review of this concert, circa September 1974.
Other Notes: None.
Fate of the Venue: The Sons of Italy Hall in North Adams was put up for sale in 2006 due to declining group membership. At the time of this writing, the property is awaiting redevelopment.
Source: North Adams Transcript. Apr. 1, 2009. Pg. B4.
Mt. View Frolics.
Date: October 2-6, 1974.
These concert dates come from Jeff Simon’s official list of Destroyers’ shows. At the time of this writing, I have very few details about these concerts. Please send me a note if you have any information to share.
Venue: Mt. View Frolics (aka Mountain View Frolics; aka The Frolics). 20 Elizabeth St. Chicopee, MA. 01013. USA.
Find it on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/h6zuB9Jdk5bGB8Sh6
Venue Exterior:
1960s:
2019:
Venue Interior: I am still looking for a good photo inside of Mt. View Frolics. Please send me a note if you have one to share.
Opening Act: Unknown.
Poster / Flyer / Handbill: I have never seen a poster, flyer, or handbill for these concerts.
Press & Promotion: I am still looking for any print advertising used to promote these concerts. Please send me a note if you know of any.
Ticket Price: Unknown.
Ticket Stub: I am still looking for a ticket stub from these concerts.
Attendance: Unknown. Mt. View Frolics had a performance space on the main floor and a bowling alley and bar in the basement. Newspaper articles indicate the venue regularly held events for 125 to 200 people.
Set List: Unknown.
Were these Concerts Recorded? Unknown.
Concert Photos: I have not yet seen any photos from these concerts. Please send me a note if you have any to share.
Concert Reaction: I am still looking for a contemporary printed review of these concerts, circa September 1974.
Other Notes: None.
Fate of the Venue: A venue called The Northern Comfort was operating at 20 Elizabeth St. as of December 11, 1975. The Northern Comfort was destroyed (no pun intended) in a fire on December 15, 1976.
Source: Holyoke Transcript Telegram. Dec. 4, 1975. Pg. 19.
Source: Holyoke Transcript Telegram. Dec. 16, 1976. Pg. 19.
The Gallery (?)
Date: October 11, 1974.
This concert date comes from Jeff Simon’s official list of Destroyers’ shows. At the time of this writing, I have very few details about this performance. Please send me a note if you have any information to share.
Venue: The Gallery*. Springfield Technical Community College. Building 27. 1 Federal St. Springfield, MA. 01105. USA.
* This is a ‘best guess’ about the venue for this show. School catalog and yearbook entries from this time indicate that concerts and other student events on the STCC campus were regularly held in The Gallery coffee house / cafeteria space on the second floor of Building 27. If you have any further details about this show, please send me a note using the Comment box below.
Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/aUz7Gi43Jdk5Bbwi9
Venue Exterior:
1976:
Above: Building 27 on the STCC campus. Source: Springfield Technical Community College. STCC Catalog 1976. Pg. 127.
2021:
Venue Interior:
1981:
Source: Springfield Technical Community College. STCC Yearbook 1981. Pg. 106.
Opening Act: Unknown.
Poster / Flyer / Handbill: I have never seen a poster, flyer, or handbill for this concert.
Press & Promotion: I am still looking for any print advertising used to promote this concert. Please send me a note if you know of any.
Ticket Price: Admission to concerts in the Gallery was free for students and $1 for guests.
Source: Springfield Technical Community College. STCC Catalog 1975. Pg. 10.
Ticket Stub: I am still looking for a ticket stub from this concert.
Attendance: Unknown.
Set List: Unknown.
Was this Concert Recorded? Unknown.
Concert Photos: I have not yet seen any photos from this concert. Please send me a note if you have any to share.
Concert Reaction: I am still looking for a contemporary printed review of this concert, circa October 1974.
Other Notes: None.
Fate of the Venue: Unknown. I can find records of The Gallery up to the early 1980s, but the trail goes cold after that. At the time of this writing, Building 27 houses STCC’s Adult Education Center, Workforce Development Center, and support service departments.
Bunratty’s
Date: October 14 & 15, 1974.
Venue: Bunratty’s. 186 Harvard Ave. Allston, MA. 02134. USA.
Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/x3yHMxePiF37MUZc6
Venue Exterior:
1975:
Source: Boston Phoenix. Sept. 16, 1975. Pg. 18.
Date Unknown:
Source: Music Museum of New England
2018:
Venue Interior:
Unknown date:
Source: Music Museum of New England
Opening Act: Unknown.
Poster / Flyer / Handbill: I have never seen a poster, flyer, or handbill for these concerts.
Press & Promotion:
Source: Boston Phoenix. Sept. 24, 1974. Pg. 25.
Source: Boston Phoenix. Oct. 8, 1974. Pg. 25.
Source: Boston Phoenix. Oct. 8, 1974. Pg. 27.
Source: Boston Phoenix. Oct. 15, 1974. Pg. 26.
Ticket Price: No cover. No minimum drink purchase.
Source: Boston Phoenix. Oct. 8, 1974. Pg. 25.
Ticket Stub: I am still looking for a ticket stub from these concerts.
Attendance: Est. 350.
Set List: Unknown.
Were this Concerts Recorded? Unknown.
Concert Photos: I have not yet seen any photos from these concerts. Please send me a note if you have any to share.
Concert Reaction: I am still looking for a contemporary printed review of these concerts, circa October 1974.
Other Notes: None.
Fate of the Venue:
Bunratty’s operated at 186 Harvard Ave. until it was sold in the Summer of 1993. A new nightspot called Local 186 replaced Bunratty’s at that location in August 1993.
Source: Boston Globe. Aug. 12, 1993. Pg. 7.
The Hide-A-Way
Dates: October 16-19, 1974.
Venue: The Hide-A-Way (aka The Hide-A-Way Lounge). 148 West St. Granby, MA. 01033. USA.
Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/y1vG12YEbt7drLqVA
Venue Exterior:
1975:
Source: Holyoke Transcript Telegram. Feb. 8, 1975. Pg. 13.
2019:
Venue Interior: I am still looking for a good photo inside the Hide-A-Way circa 1974. Please send me a note if you have one to share.
Opening Act: From October 16 to 19, 1974, George Thorogood and the Destroyers opened for John Hammond at the Hide-A-Way.
Above: Photo of John Hammond, circa 1970. Source: Getty Images / Michael Ochs Archives.
Poster / Flyer / Handbill: I am still looking for any posters, flyers or handbills used to promote these concerts.
Press & Promotion:
Source: UMass Amherst Daily Collegian. Oct. 9,1974. Pg. 4.
Source: UMass Amherst Daily Collegian. Oct. 16,1974. Pg. 5.
Source: UMass Amherst Daily Collegian. Oct. 17,1974. Pg. 9.
Source: UMass Amherst Daily Collegian. Oct. 17,1974. Pg. 12.
Ticket Price:
- Oct. 16, 1974: $2.50.
- Oct. 17, 1974: $2.50.
- Oct. 18, 1974: $3.00.
- Oct. 19, 1974: $3.00.
Source: UMass Amherst Daily Collegian. Oct. 9,1974. Pg. 4.
Ticket Stub: I have not yet seen any ticket stubs from the Destroyers’ run of concerts at the Hide-A-Way in October 1974. Please get in touch if you have a photo or scan to share.
Attendance: Unknown. The Hide-A-Way had capacity for 215 people up to November 1974 when a mandated “occupancy capacity figure” limited capacity in the venue to 180. The occupancy figure was revised again in early 1975 to allow 255 people in the lounge and 95 people in the barroom.
Source: Holyoke Transcript Telegram. Feb. 8, 1975. Pg. 13 & March 12, 1975. Pg. 7.
Set List: Unknown.
Were these Concerts Recorded? Unknown.
Concert Photos: I have not yet seen any photos from these concerts. Please send me a note if you know of any.
Concert Reaction: I am still looking for any reviews of these concerts, circa October 1974. Please send me a note if you can point me in the right direction.
Other Notes: None.
Fate of the Venue:
From the time it opened in August 1973, the Hide-A-Way was mired in ongoing battles with the local town council, building inspectors, and complaining neighbors. Records show the venue remained in operation up to April 1975.
Source: Holyoke Transcript Telegram. Feb. 8, 1975. Pg. 13 & April 10, 1975. Pg. 14.
50 States in 50 Dates 