Thursday, August 30, 2012

Tina Turner and Ann-Margret are performance pals

These two ladies rock it on the Ann-Margret show. Time frame: somewhere around 1968 I believe. Their casually dressed medley includes:
Nutbush City Limits
Honky Tonk Woman
Proud Mary

I'm so glad I got to see Tina just before her big 80s comeback. She performed in the tiny, non-atmospheric Barbary Coast in the hideous, concrete bunker that is the student union at San Francisco State University. It was me working the show, alongside a small but awe-struck crowd of fans, gay and straight.

Bill Graham Presents had some deal with the city that SFSU couldn't advertise their live shows because their low ticket prices were contingent on state funds, giving SFSU the "advantage" at pulling audiences from the Bill Graham conglomerate of clubs that dotted the city. Therefore, shows at SFSU were consistently under-attended. It worked to an audience-member's advantage, because you could practically sit onstage with McCoy Tyner, The Dead Kennedys, or the amazing Tina Turner. But look out! Because she and her backup singers tend to do some major dance moves, so don't get too close.

Ann-Margret cheerfully tries to keep up with La Tina. My friend Sherry sent me this because she's a cool chica.

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