Nearly a year after their first appearance in Portland opening for Black Sabbath, Eddie, Alex, Mike, and Dave returned to the Civic Center on August 10, 1979.
We set up the PA on our One City Center patio overlooking the heart of the city. The sweet, magical music Jerry had given us for 30 years was filling the air under a bright, beautiful moon. I swear that I saw his smiling face in it.
When they returned to Maine for a third time in July of '86, new songs Like No Other Night and Somebody Like You were blastin’ on the summertime airwaves of WBLM.
On June 17, 1982, Clapton loving Blimpsters sold out Portland's biggest venue once again. He had with him as always, an incredible band of musicians including Albert Lee on guitar.
Blimpsters witnessed history with the fourth rock show ever at Portland’s biggest indoor venue. No one knew this would be the last time for the original lineup of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
37 years ago tonight, The Kinks played for the second and last time ever at the Civic Center. This was the State of Confusion tour here in Portland on the night before the album of the same name was released.
lt was extra special for Maine Clapton fans as this trip to Northeast New England was a two-night stand. The first performance happened in my hometown at the Augusta Civic Center the evening before.
Guitarist Brad Gillis of Night Ranger stepped up for the understandably tough gig and joined Ozzy for the rest of the Diary of a Madman dates. On that tour 38 years ago today, Ozzy Osbourne played his second show at the Civic Center in Portland.
The very first Maine headlining appearance from ZZ Top happened 45 years ago, two days before Dusty's 26th birthday in 1975. You can listen to to entire Lewiston show here.