The Dr. Pepper Concert Series moved to Pier 84 on the west side of Manhattan in 1981 after neighbors’ noise complaints resonating from the super expensive residences in midtown finally won the day. While it was good that the concert series continued, but the venue itself did not compare losing a lot of its luster compared to the backdrop that was Central Park. Before Bruce Springsteen took Gary U.S. Bonds under his wing and resurrected his career with a hit album and tour that followed, Mr. Bonds career was hanging by a thread. The first time that I saw Gary U.S. Bonds perform was at a Jamaica, Queens club called Beggars Opera where bands like Twisted Sister, Good Rats, Zebra and others played during the heyday of Long Island rock and roll. There could not have been more than fifteen or twenty people in the bar on the night Bonds and his band took the stage, almost all seated in the booths behind the general admission floor which was empty. The man was huge act at one time and now found himself playing his set to a just about empty house, none of whom really cared about his past successes and were just looking at it primarily as a night out with some live music. After one too many beers I made a move I still regret to this day. I picked up a chair, walked across the empty floor, placed the chair in front and put my feet up on the stage. Gary gave me a look, and during what must have been one of several lowlights during his career, and possibly with his life flashing before his eyes, the band continued to play through this insult despite the complete indifference of the small audience in attendance. Thankfully, Gary had the last laugh as sometime soon after this low point, Bruce resurrected Bonds’ career and he was headlining 5000 plus seat venues for a couple of years following a couple of well received albums.

Quarter to Three

Rock on!

GQ