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Concert A Real "Blow-Out"

Concert A Real "Blow-Out" image
Parent Issue
Day
26
Month
May
Year
1969
Copyright
Copyright Protected
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
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Concert a Real Blowout

More than a thousand people — mostly young, but with the scattering of older Ann Arborites— flooded West Park yesterday afternoon for the first of the “authorized” Rock Concerts. 

 

It was a real “blow-out”, in more ways than one, as the final Band, MC-5, twice loaded the circuits in the little bandshell and popped the fuses. After an hour's delay, two portable generators were obtained, and the concert finally concluded at 6:00 PM.

 

It may be replayed, verbally, at tonight's  City Council meeting. Several residents say they would come to City Hall to protest the “earth-shattering” noise and the distribution during the concert of “obscene literature.”

 

Postponed last week because of rain, the concert was again threatened by leaden skies and light showers early in the morning, but the weatherman relented and sent the sun just at 2:00 PM. When the first group — the Tates Blues Band — took the stage. 

 

They were followed by the Carnal Kitchen, another local group, before the MC-5 Came on stage to blow the fuses.

 

The Parks Department had placed a portable stage in front of and to one side of the bandshell, so that the music could not be amplified acoustically by the bandshell bowl, but this concession apparently did not pacify nearby residents who have complained about the concerts in the past, and who are presently circulating petitions to request City Council to outlaw them again.

 

Earlier, because of petitions from those who wanted the rock concerts to continue, council reversed a decision of last year and permitted another try, hoping to rotate the musical events from park to park, and to limit them to a certain time and volume.

 

Yesterday, however, the rock devotees vowed to return to West Park unless the City made additional concessions in the agreement. They want the locations publicized so the public can be fully aware of where the concerts are to be, and they would like some sort of transportation available if the concerts are moved to a park not centrally located.

 

Rock leaders are apparently unconcerned about the petitions circulated by the neighborhood in the vicinity of West Park. Rob Tyner, the lead singer of MC-5, welcomed the drive because “now at least they're talking to one another up on that Hill, and communication is what it's all about.”

 

City police said they received a stream of telephone calls yesterday from residents of the West park area protesting the volume of the music and reporting the distribution of “underground” literature.

 

One woman brought to police headquarters a paper which she said was given to her eight year old son. The paper contained what police said was an obscene drawing and obscene words. The woman told officers she intended to bring the paper to the City Council meeting tonight and have councilmen look at it.