Burt Sugarman's Midnight Special

[SeanC]

Have you ever seen this TV show on TV?

Burt Sugarman's Midnight Special? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Midnight_Special_%28TV_series%29)

My brother dropped by this past weekend to watch Entourage and The Sporanos. He brought with him 10 or so DVD's of this show.

All I can say is WOW! It's not like I could have watched it when it originally aired, and I assume it never got syndicated but I was just shocked that I had never heard of it anyway.

I was going through some of the DVDs last night and I found Andy Kaufman doing a ventriloquist "act." Boy he sure did seem to be terrible at it, I found it funny anyway.

I just love watching an act perform live, really live, as opposed to what we see today. Anyway, if you love classic rock and R&B I suggest you check out this show.

Damn it, missed the Poll checkbox... ah well, no biggie.

[scooterboy]

Loved the Midnight Special! Excellent Show.

That and Don Kirshner's Rock Concert were the only shows on TV where you could see bands that weren't lip-synching.


ETA: Oh yeah, SNL always had artists performing live too but it didn't start until '75.

[Wilhite]

I used to stay up late to watch this one. Thinking back on it, my Mom was pretty cool to let me since I was still pretty young.

Friday Night Videos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_Night_Videos) replaced it in my viewing rotation until we got cable and MTV.

[appleye1]

I've been getting the DVD's. I remember the show when it was first on. They had major acts on the show and the footage of some of these groups is priceless. My problem when I get series like this is I never have time to watch the shows. I've probably got 10 MS DVD's that I haven't cracked the cellophane on yet.

The show was live, or taped live (I'm not sure which) and they had several different groups on each show. To reduce lag time between groups they had 4 or so stages lining the concert hall/studio, with the audience sitting on the floor in the middle. When one band was finished the audience would just scooch around so they were facing the next stage.

[IndyJones1023]

You can still add a poll under "Thread Tools."

[SeanC]

You can still add a poll under "Thread Tools."

Thank you Indy. You are a scholar and a gentleman.

:)

[bidger]

I remember watching the premiere episode of Midnight Special, though I'm not absolutely certain who was featured. It was nice because ABC had In Concert on Friday nights before Midnight Special came on, when NBC was still showing Carson, and I'd switch over to MS after IC was done.

My most vivid recollections are Foghat doing two songs from the "Rock & Roll" album and the "1980 Floor Show" hosted by David Bowie.

[dansee]

Yes, I most certainly watched the show. Had Wolfman Jack and everything (went to hell when Helen Reddy started hosting, though).

Interesting bit of cultural trivia: The "clap your hands over your head" thing at concerts started with the Midnight Special. They told the audiences to do it, because it looked better on TV.

[rhuntington3]

Nope, sorry, I've never heard of it.

[scooterboy]

IMDB listing (http://imdb.com/title/tt0229907/)

John Denver hosted the Pilot (Episode 1) of the show with guests including: Mama Cass, The Everly Brothers, The Isley Brothers, Harry Chapin, Linda Ronstadt and Argent.

[IJustLikeTivo]

Sure, I loved this show when I was a teenager. It was pretty much the MTV of my generation.

[Gregor]

Yes, and IJLT said, that was our MTV. I had tons of records, but my parents wouldn't let me go to concerts until I was in college.

[IJustLikeTivo]

I remember watching the premiere episode of Midnight Special, though I'm not absolutely certain who was featured. It was nice because ABC had In Concert on Friday nights before Midnight Special came on, when NBC was still showing Carson, and I'd switch over to MS after IC was done.

My most vivid recollections are Foghat doing two songs from the "Rock & Roll" album and the "1980 Floor Show" hosted by David Bowie.

I love Foghat but they would have been pretty late in the run. As I recall Midnight special ended in the early 80's when MTV came out. Don Kirshner's Rock Concert also died out in the early 80's.

[dilorc]

Is this the same Burt Sugarman as the boxing guy? I never heard of the show, but I find it weird to think of him hosting a music show.

[appleye1]

Let the midnight special...

[bidger]

I love Foghat but they would have been pretty late in the run. As I recall Midnight special ended in the early 80's when MTV came out. Don Kirshner's Rock Concert also died out in the early 80's.

Foghat is listed in the Wiki entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Midnight_Special_%28TV_series%29) for Midnight Special under artists/acts who made their debut on the show in 1973. I went to the local record shop later the same day I saw them and picked up their 2nd album.

And when I say Bowie's "1980 Floor Show", it's not because it took place in the 80s, but because it was what eventually became his "Diamond Dogs" album (1974), which was largely based on George Orwell's "1984". Don't you remember Bowie's "1984" (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:gbftxxe0ld0e) song?

[scoblitz]

I remember staying up late to watch it and Rock Concert - even back then I loved the opportunity to see artists perform their stuff live.

SB

[IJustLikeTivo]

Foghat is listed in the Wiki entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Midnight_Special_%28TV_series%29) for Midnight Special under artists/acts who made their debut on the show in 1973. I went to the local record shop later the same day I saw them and picked up their 2nd album.

And when I say Bowie's "1980 Floor Show", it's not because it took place in the 80s, but because it was what eventually became his "Diamond Dogs" album (1974), which was largely based on George Orwell's "1984". Don't you remember Bowie's "1984" (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:gbftxxe0ld0e) song?

Hmm, I remember then as later on. Maybe it just took me a while to notice them. I still have a vinyl copy of "Fool for the City" upstairs next to the turntable I keep for just such things.

BTW, I check tv.com and they list foghat as being on the 58th show in the spring of 1974. Still a lot earlier than I would have expected. Thanks for setting me straight.