Today’s Blimp Time-Hop

The band that melded Southern Fried Rock with Arena Rock in the Eighties played at the Civic Center in Portland 31 years ago this weekend. That band was 38 Special, formed by childhood friends Donnie Barnes and Donnie Van Zant (Ronnie and Johnny’s Brother) in 1974. They came to Blimpville for the second time on their Strength in Numbers tour. It was July 8, 1986, with Canada’s Honeymoon Suite opening the show. New songs Like No Other Night and Somebody Like You were blastin’ on the airwaves of WBLM and we heard ’em live for the first time at the CCCC that night. Of course they also played Hold On Loosely, Caught Up In You, Rockin’ Into The Night and more. Slick suits, heavy riffs with a little twang, soaring vocals, and two drummers…yeeeee haw!!