European Stars And Stripes
December 30, 1978
The European concert scene in 1978 saw everything from hard rock to sixties folk, from triumph to disaster. Punk faded, disco surged. The Event Of The Year was the emergence of the new, Vegas-smooth Bob Dylan, whose acoustic rendering of “Masters of War” at the Nazi party rally grounds in Nurnberg was worth the $15 all by itself.
A close second was the crash landing of the Jefferson Starship – Grace Slick said she couldn’t sing and the band refused to play on a rainy day atop the Loreley. The result was an expensive burning and looting spree, and Slick hasn’t worked with the group since.
The music-filled year included reassuring visits from established stars such as Kris Kristofferson, Frank Zappa, Barry Manilow and Ray Charles, and stunning performances from relative newcomers, including Foreigner, Bette Midler, Joan Armatrading, Chi Coltrane and many more.
And the new year in Europe? One of the most heavily booked concert seasons ever.
