Brit Rock by the Bay: MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND: JUNE 1974

July 20, 2010

MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND: JUNE 1974

Manfred Mann

Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Winterland, San Francisco, California
June 1, 1974

Photos by David Miller

Mick Rogers

Editor's Note: Photos and memories of an earlier performance by Manfred Mann's Earth Band at Winterland can be seen here.

David: I saw Manfred Mann's Earth Band perform twice at Winterland. The first time was February 10, 1974. They were second on a bill under Uriah Heep. The next time was only four months later, on June 1, when Kiss opened the show. Manfred Mann's Earth Band was, again, second to appear, and Savoy Brown topped the bill.

Colin Pattenden, Mick Rogers

In those days it was not unusual to see a rock band more than once within several years. I saw Peter Frampton and Robin Trower three times each, and many others twice. The performances tended to be very much the same, from show to show. The only difference being new songs that were introduced to promote a new album. Occasionally, a member or two had left and had been replaced with new blood, but most bands had a certain look and sound and stayed with it.

Manfred Mann's Earth Band was no exception to the rule. They seemed to be wearing the same outfits in both of the shows that I saw. Mick Rogers had his sharp white suit. Chris Slade was in the same Asian outfit with head band. Colin Pattenden wore the same flowery tunic. Manfred Mann had the same steel mesh vest and short-sleeved shirt. I couldn't help but think about the logistics of them having their clothes cleaned and pressed in time for the next show. Maybe they rotated their outfits and we just happened to catch the same ones twice.

I enjoyed their albums and thought the band was tremendous live. They had obviously polished their act. I probably considered not photographing them a second time, but I think I wanted to try and get better shots. It was always a bit of a crap shoot taking pictures at concerts. There were always obstacles, like bulky stage monitors, or a singer who never pulls his face away from a microphone or sits behind a piano. Some musicians never stand still for a second, and sometimes the lighting seemed to be designed more for a funeral than a rock concert.

Then there were the great concerts, where the band was well lit and stood in one place, close to the edge of the stage. I would feel like Cecil B. DeMille, framing a shot of my lead actor. The photos I took the second time I saw Manfred Mann's Earth Band are among my favorites. One particular shot of Mick Rogers, eyes closed, leaning forward with a leans flare off the back light, is iconic.

Chris Slade

More about Manfred Mann's Earth Band at David's Rock Scrapbook

Next: Led Zeppelin

1 comment:

Backin the dayApril 10, 2022 at 7:39 AM
I saw Boston open for Manfred Mann at Winterland, After Manfred played blinded by the light, everyone yeld for Boston to come back out, and they did. When was this?
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BRIT ROCK BY THE BAY

The Man Who Invented the Business of Rock 'n' Roll

Bill Graham (1931-1991) was a prime figure in the musical history of the Bay Area. In the words of Pete Townshend, "Bill changed the way rock evolved." Starting locally in the 1960s, with small venues in San Francisco, he soon established himself as the leading promoter in rock 'n' roll. He was known to be hardheaded in his dealings, but he also raised the general standards of the business, and, above all, he always worked to further the interests of musicians. He actively nurtured the full potential of the music, taking great pride in providing an experience of high quality to performers and audiences.

From the early 1970s onward, Bill Graham continued to promote frequent shows throughout the Bay Area. After he closed the famous Fillmore West in July, 1971, Winterland became his main venue, with top bands appearing every weekend. (Bill Graham later described Winterland as "the first place where I was able to do things a little larger.") He also promoted shows at Berkeley Community Theatre. Major performers (George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Cat Stevens, etc.) who required a bigger venue usually appeared at the Oakland Coliseum Arena, the Cow Palace, or San Francisco Civic Auditorium.

The Heyday of the 1970s

A second wave of British musicians, following closely on the heels of the first British Invasion that began in 1964 with the arrival of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Dave Clark Five, The Animals, The Kinks, The Searchers, Freddie and The Dreamers, Manfred Mann, Herman's Hermits and many others, regularly passed through the Bay Area in the 1970s. For dedicated fans of British rock 'n' roll, it was an exciting time of golden abundance, when leading performers from the United Kingdom, from Humble Pie to Mott the Hoople to Traffic to Fairport Convention to Yes, all appeared on local stages.

During that singular period of broad musicality, when British musicians were keenly pursuing varied forms of tuneful expression, frequent offerings of hard rock, glam rock, prog rock, and folk rock came out of the United Kingdom and were esteemed, embraced, and enjoyed by open-minded audiences at venues in San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley. It all happened within the wider context of a youthful community that eagerly drew musical sustenance from a hip network of record stores and radio stations.

In those bygone days before music became little more than a shallow commodity, when Ticketmaster and Live Nation had not yet gained the upper hand in the promotion of rock 'n' roll, and unbridled greed had not yet become the only rule of the game, a ticket for a musical performance in the Bay Area could be purchased for less than five dollars. Aside from programs and posters, there was little merchandise for sale at shows. The music itself, in all its honest glory, was still at the forefront.

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July 20, 2010

MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND: JUNE 1974

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