Tag Archives: University of Maryland

Wanted All Over the World – George Thorogood and The Destroyers – Maryland 1978

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:

Psyche Delly.

Date:  February 10 & 11, 1978.

Venue: Psyche Delly. 4846 Cordell Ave.  Bethesda, MD.  20814. USA.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/7raW73axDnwAuxyP7

Venue Exterior

1978:

2018:

Venue Interior:

1978:

Above: The Nighthawks perform at the Psyche Delly in 1978.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ February 1978 shows at the Psyche Delly.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion

Source: Evening Star. Feb. 10, 1978. Pg. C3

Source: Unicorn Times. Feb. 1978. Pg. 59.

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have yet to see a ticket stub for these concerts. If you have a scan or a photo to share, please send me a note.

Attendance:  Unknown. The Psyche Delly held 250 people in 1977.

Source: Washington Post. Jan. 19, 1983.

Set List: Unknown.

Was the Concert Recorded?  Unknown. Please get in touch if you have any information.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for photos of these concerts. Please get in touch if you know of any.

Concert Reaction: I have not yet found any printed reviews of these shows circa 1978.

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue:

The Psyche Delly closed in January 1983.

Source: Washington Post. Jan. 19, 1983.

No Fish Today.

Date:  February 12, 1978.

Venue: No Fish Today. 610 N. Eutaw St. Baltimore, MD. 21201. USA.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/suV1vv4rXrwuC4pd9

Venue Exterior:

1977:

Source: Baltimore Sun. Feb. 11, 1977. Pg. B1-1.

1977:

Source: Evening Sun. Sept. 22, 1977. Pg. 18.

2020:

Venue Interior:

Circa 1977:

1981:

Source: Baltimore Sun. Apr. 17, 1981. Pg. B1.

Opening Act:  Unknown.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ February 1978 show at No Fish Today.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion: I am still looking for any advertising to promote this concert. 

Ticket Price:  Unknown.

Ticket Stub: I have yet to see a ticket stub for this concert. If you have a scan or a photo to share, please send me a note.

Attendance:  Unknown. No Fish Today had capacity for 50 people “packed toe-to-toe and shoulder to shoulder”.

Source: The Evening Sun. January 22, 1981. Pg. 16.

Set List: Unknown. Please get in touch if you have any details to share.

Was the Concert Recorded?  Unknown. Please get in touch if you have any information.

Concert Photos: I am still looking for photos of this concert. Please get in touch if you know of any.

Concert Reaction: I have not yet come across a printed review of this concert. Please send me a note if you have any leads.

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue:

No Fish Today was heavily damaged in a January 1982 fire. The venue never reopened afterwards.

Source: Baltimore Sun. Jan. 27, 1982. Pg. D6.

University of Maryland Student Union Grand Ballroom.

Date:  September 8, 1978.

Venue: University of Maryland Student Union Grand Ballroom. 3972 Campus Dr. College Park, MD. 20742. USA.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/ftYdjCi1UMUot8Am6

Venue Exterior

1979:

Source: Terrapin Yearbook. 1980. Pg. 16.

2019:

Venue Interior:

December 1970:

Source: The Diamondback. Dec. 11, 1970. Pg. 1.

May 1984:

Above: The Slickee Boys perform in the University of Maryland Student Union Grand Ballroom. Source: YouTube.

Opening Act:  Rich Hall

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1978 show at the Grand Ballroom.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion

Source: The Diamondback. Aug. 21, 1978. Pg. 15.

Source: The Diamondback. Aug. 24, 1978. Pg. 11.

Ticket Price:  $3.50 for students; $5.50 for non-students.

Ticket Stub: I am looking for a ticket stub from this show. Please drop me a note if you have a photo or scan to share.

Attendance:  Unknown. The University of Maryland Student Union Ballroom had capacity for 1,000 people.

Source: The Diamondback. Feb. 21, 1979. Pg. 8.

Set List: Unknown.

Was the Concert Recorded?  Unknown. Please get in touch if you have any information.

Concert Photos:

Source: University of Maryland Terrapin 1979 Yearbook. Pp. 208-209.

Source: University of Maryland Terrapin 1979 Yearbook. Pp. 208-209.

Source: University of Maryland Terrapin 1979 Yearbook. Pg. 215.

Concert Reaction: I am still on the hunt for a printed review of this show circa 1978. Please drop me a note if you know of one.

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue: The University of Maryland Student Union was renamed the Adele H. Stamp Student Union in 1983. The Grand Ballroom continues to host public and school events.

Wanted All Over the World – George Thorogood and The Destroyers – Maryland 1979

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:

Maryland Theatre.

Date:  January 13, 1979.

Venue: Maryland Theatre (aka Maryland Theatre on the Square). 21 South Potomac St. Hagerstown, MD. 21740. USA.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/sGvMX661mxtPDqHs5

Venue Exterior

1977:

Source: Morning Herald. Apr. 5, 1977. Pg. 3.

2017:

2019:

Venue Interior:

Pre-1974:

I am still looking for a photo of the Maryland Theatre’s interior circa 1979 (i.e., after the fire in 1974 and renovation in 1978). Please get in touch if you can point me in the right direction.

Opening Act:  Rockett 88 Blues Band.

Source: YouTube.

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1979 show at the Maryland Theatre.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion

Source: Frederick News. Jan. 6, 1979. Pg. 31.

Source: Frederick News Post. Jan. 10, 1979. Pg. F1.

Source: Frederick News Post. Jan. 10, 1979. Pg. F1.

Ticket Price:  $6 advance; $7 at the door.

Ticket Stub:

Attendance:  The Maryland Theatre held 1,500 people in 1979. This concert was sold out.

Source: Frederick News Post. Jan. 10, 1979. Pg. F1.

Set List:

  • House of Blue Lights.
  • One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer.
  • Ride on Josephine.
  • Cocaine Blues.
  • It Wasn’t Me.
  • The Sky is Crying.
  • Madison Blues.
  • Who Do You Love?
  • Johnny B. Goode.

Before the start of Cocaine Blues, George reads a list of license plate numbers from illegally parked cars outside the theatre that are about to be towed.

Was the Concert Recorded?  Yes. This concert was broadcast on the radio.

Concert Photos:

Source: Flickr.com. Click the link for a gallery of photos from this concert.

Source: Facebook.

Concert Reaction: I am still looking for a print review of this show. Please get in touch if you know of one.

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue: The Maryland Theatre continues to operate as a concert venue. The site underwent a major renovation in 2018 to knock down an adjoining building and expand the facility into that space.

Source: https://www.themarylandtheatre.com/history

University of Maryland Student Union Grand Ballroom.

Date:  February 16, 1979. The Destroyers played an early and a late show at the U of M on this date.

Venue: University of Maryland Student Union Grand Ballroom. 3972 Campus Dr. College Park, MD. 20742. USA.

Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/ftYdjCi1UMUot8Am6

Venue Exterior

1960s:

1979:

Source: Terrapin Yearbook. 1980. Pg. 16.

2019:

Venue Interior:

December 1970:

Source: The Diamondback. Dec. 11, 1970. Pg. 1.

May 1984:

Above: The Slickee Boys perform in the University of Maryland Student Union Grand Ballroom. Source: YouTube.

Opening Act:  The Charlottesville Blues Allstars (aka The Allstars; aka The All-Stars).

Poster / Flyer / Handbill:  I have not (yet) come across a poster, flyer or handbill for the Destroyers’ 1979 shows at the Grand Ballroom.  Please get in touch if you have a scan or a photo that you can share.

Press & Promotion

Source: The Diamondback. Feb. 1, 1979. Pg. 3.

Ticket Price:  $6.50 for students; $7.50 for non-students.

Ticket Stubs:

Attendance:  The Destroyers played to “two packed houses of 1,000 apiece” on this night.

Source: The Diamondback. Feb. 21, 1979. Pg. 8.

Set List:

  • Who Do You Love?
  • It Wasn’t Me
  • Delaware Slide
  • Madison Blues
  • One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer

Source: The Diamondback. Feb. 21, 1979. Pg. 8.

Was the Concert Recorded?  Unknown. Please get in touch if you have any information.

Concert Photos:

Source: The Diamondback. Feb. 21, 1979. Pg. 8.

Source: The Diamondback. Feb. 21, 1979. Pg. 8.

Concert Reaction:

Larry Williams of the University of Maryland’s Diamondback newspaper recapped the Destroyers’ 1979 performance at the Student Union Grand Ballroom:

George Thorogood and the Destroyers pump the best rockin’ blues since Chuck Berry duck-walked out of the limelight playing guitar just like a-ringin’ a bell.  And Friday night in the Student Union grand ballroom this thumping trio from Delaware had two packed houses of 1,000 apiece bobbing in the kind of ecstasy that can only be generated by what one fan termed ‘music that cooks’. 

Head chef and guitarist Thorogood, homespun and unpretentious as a pair of old socks, was the star of the evening. Sporting his ubiquitous black t-shirt and color-coordinated brown guitar, perspiring copiously, [Thorogood] drove the music – and the audience – to furious heights with a combination of blistering solo licks culled from Elmore James and Chuck Berry, and an awesome stage presence.  The boy was hot.  The music […] was raw, spirited, thundering.

Thorogood strutted like a lord before the waving carpet of heads that filled the Grand Ballroom like a wind-blown wheat field.  For his famous Chuck Berry riffs, he paraded across the stage on one bent knee. his other foot tapping out a path before him. During more intense moments, he dipped to almost a crouch, or leaned over the audience on the tips of his toes. His guitar was slung sideways, almost to the floor or behind his head.

Unfortunately, program scheduling compelled the Destroyers to partially abort their first show. Thorogood reportedly told his promoter when informed that it was time to quit, “Sh*t, we’re just getting started.” 

Source: The Diamondback. Feb. 21, 1979. Pg. 8.

Other Notes: None.

Fate of the Venue: The University of Maryland Student Union was renamed the Adele H. Stamp Student Union in 1983. The Grand Ballroom continues to host public and school events.