During freshman year at Holy Cross High School in Bayside, Queens I discovered Jrthro Tull and they quickly became my favorite band. While my Aunt Pat gave me my first album as a gift, “Meet the Beatles” when it was first released, and my father bought me the Moody Blues “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour” after that, the first rock album that I purchased on my own was Jethro Tull’s “Warchlld”. I was pretty miserable at the all boy school and the wild haired rock and roll flautist with his eclectic band became an instant diversion from teenage angst.
I had been anticipating seeing Jethro Tull in concert for seemingly forever but on the day of the first Madison Square Garden show the word was out that Ian Anderson was ill and would be playing a shortened set.
As I recall, this was supposed to be a “greatest hits” tour supporting one of Jethto Tull’s compilation albums.
James Taylor’s younger brother Luvingston was added on as an opening act which turned out to be a big mistake.
Livingston Taylor took the stage alone with his acoustic guitar and the Madison Square Garden Tull fans were none to pleased.
As Mr. Taylor began to strum his guitar and play, an angry crowd began to pelt him with anything they could find. I told this story to an acquaintance years later and it turned out that he had been a pretzel vendor at the Garden; Mike told me that this was the best night he ever worked at MSG as people were buying pretzels just to throw at Livingston Taylor.
Livingston Taylor tried to continue playing while dodging and ducking the increasing bombardment but it was too much to ask and he quickly gave up and fled the stage.
We watched from midway up to the left of the stage and when Taylor ran off of the stage we were excited that this might mean Jethro Tull would come on earlier and play a longer set.
Unfortunately all the commotion was for naught as Livingston Taylor’s quick exit just meant a longer intermission and Tull apparently played as planned.
Nothing is Easy
Rock on
GQ
You failed to acknowledge the fact that after getting hit in the head with a bottle, Livingston left, then Ian Anderson walked out, started calling everybody “F’n Assholes” and said he “didn’t even want to play for the crowd.” Hats off to Ian for defending a fellow musician. I was there, and I remember it well. A sad day for true concert goers that respect all performers, good and bad. I was ashamed for the crowd.
I was there too. I don’t remember Ian Anderson’s exact words, but yeah, he had some string ones for the audience, or the part that was responsible. The rest of us … there was nothing we could do to make it stop.
There was also perhaps some slight irony in the fact that Taylor was doing a cover of the Beatles song “With a Little Help from My Friends” at the time (and no, he wasn’t singing out of tune).
I was there too (and not one of the assholes booing). If I remember, Taylor was doing a solo acoustic cover of the Beatles’ With a Little Help from My Friends, which made it a little ironic.
I was also at the show when livingston taylor was boo off the stage. I was a huge james taylor fan and being from nj was hard to watch what the crowd did to him. I eas surprised ian anderson didnt cancel the show
Sorry!! I was there at that show! Seen tull about 60 times over the years since 72! But never recalled Anderson on stage yelling at the people
Of msg!! Sorry but I don’t recall that at all,and Taylor opened for him like 2 or 3 nights back then,,that would have been something that would have stuck in my head for years! But personally I don’t think Anderson would want to piss any of his fans off cause he is very tight with a buck
And would not want to lose a dime by yelling at his fans..but I do recall during the storm watch tour at the garden someone threw a rose onto the stage and it hit him in the eye! He did say something to that That’s why you see some old photos of him wearing sunglasses during storm watch tour…
Yeah, i too was there, i remember taylor sitting on a typical bar stool. Not sure if he made it thru to the second song. I do remember well that as he left he yelled FU, you’ll hear from me again soon. To this day i never saw him or heard any of his music. Just a bit of trivia. I was at kiss alive 1st show when sammy hagar was boed off stage as well. Garden could be rough back then.
I was there too. In my memory, the announcer said that Ian Anderson had a cold or was under the weather and he had asked Livingston Taylor to entertain the crowd while he got ready to perform. A short while later, Taylor exited the stage, saying “Fuck you New York.” I don’t remember Anderson saying anything negative to the crowd, but may have forgotten that.
You’re absolutely right! Ian came out and said “I’d like to dedicate this one to Livingston Taylor”, and went into Wond’ring Aloud.
I was there and Livingston Taylor was booed off stage. Ian Anderson did in fact dedicate his first song to Livingston Taylor. I did not hear Anderson crises out or reprimand the audience in any way. As a native New York City resident I will say that NYC was a lot grittier back then…
I went to both shows at the garden
The first show Taylor was pelted and booed off the stage
during his first song (With a little help from my friends)
The next night was even worst because the crowd had heard what went on the night before.
When they introduced him the crowd booed like I never seen before.
They were throwing everything including bottles at the stage.
Taylor walked up to the microphone and said “maybe some other time New York and walked of the stage
I was there too and have a distinct memory of one other feature that has always dominated my memory. What the announcer said with the lights out and everyone ready to roll was along the lines of, and I remember it all these years later: “due to a viral infection which has spread to his larynx, Ian Anderson will not be performing with Jethro Tull this evening.” And then, a few moments later, the crowd angry, “Ladies and gentlemen, Livingston Taylor.”
In my memory, that’s what made the crowd absolutely crazy, so that when Livingston Taylor then came out on stage, the crowd thought they were not getting Ian Anderson that night and they took it out on Livingston Taylor. All these years, I even thought that for some reason Livingston Taylor had pissed off Ian Anderson and they set him up with this riot. Tough to convince me I’m wrong.