The Fall 2010 issue of the Salem Statement, the alumni magazine of Salem State is a “commemorative edition” celebrating the renaming of Salem State College to Salem State University. On page 2 of the magazine (which will eventually be available online, but not yet) opens with “From Richard Howe’s Blog” after which a blog post I did back on April 8, 2010 is reproduced along with our reader comments. The topic of my post was an article in the Spring 2010 edition of the Statement on Rock and Roll performances at Salem State through the years. Someone from the publication contacted me about six weeks ago and asked permission to use the post which I gladly granted. Here’s what we wrote back in April:

Rock and Roll at Salem State
by DickH
April 8, 2010
As a graduate of (MA History) and donor to Salem State College, I receive “Salem Statement”, the college’s alumni magazine. The cover story of the Spring 2010 issue reviews the many notable musicians who have performed at Salem State through the years. It’s an amazing list:

1965 – Clancy Brothers
1966 – Kingsmen, the Lovin’ Spoonful, Chuck Berry, Judy Collins
1968 – The Byrds, Duke Ellington
1969 – Sam and Dave, James Brown
1970 – Paul Butterfield Blues Band,The Chambers Brothers, Grand Fund Railroad, The Guess Who, Poco
1971 – Jonathan Edwards, Badfinger, Sha Na Na, BB King
1972 – Livingston Taylor, King Crimson, The Youngbloods, The Steve Miller Band
1973 – John Sebastian
1974 – James Montgomery Blues Band, Aerosmith, Jesse Colin Young, Livingston Taylor, Bruce Springsteen
1975 – (Patty Labelle, Bonnie Raitt
1976 – 38 Special
1977 – Tom Rush, Robin Lane
1978 – Pat Metheny jazz band, Pousette-Dart Band with the Talking Heads
1979 – Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Orleans, Robert Palmer
1980 – Zion, David Johansen, The Jim Carroll Band

I offer that list not so much to promote Salem State, but to suggest that college campuses tend to be incubators for incredibly creative and talented people who go on to achieve fame and fortune and that with two thriving institutions of higher learning (UMass Lowell and Middlesex Community College) right here in the city, we have access to a wide variety of events and performances that are open to everyone. So check out UMass Lowell’s calendar of events and MCC’s Featured Events and Programs page and take advantage of all of these great opportunities.

by SFM
– 4/10/2010 15:13
Let me add a couple more: Meatloaf–1988 or 1989, & 10,000 Maniacs with lead singer Natalie Merchant in 1990-1991. Not certain about the exact years, but certainly remember attending both concerts. Stephen F. McNamara IV, Class of 1991, B.S.

by Ti Jean
4/11/2010 12:27
The list brought back some memories. The Badfinger concert especially. The rumor mill had it that Paul McCartney would play with them; he didn’t.