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Post by PHOENIXFAN4 on Oct 25, 2003 0:45:27 GMT -5
Good evening all ! I'm so glad to be a part of this forum with y'all. I thought that with all of the touring that the C's did, that surely a few of us here in the forum may have actually had the opportunity to attend one of the concerts of the Carpenters, in person at some point. I was able to do so in 1971. I was only 11 years old at the time and living in Tucson Arizona. I was already smitten with the music of the Carpenters, even at that young age, and it seems also that it allowed me to follow the Carpenters career almost from the beginning to present day. Lucky me! Anyway, I thought that I would like to share my one and only time that I was able to attend a Carpenters concert in person. It was the first concert of any kind that I had ever been to at that point. How fitting that it should be of Karen and Richard and the band. It was during the Summer and I was just out of 5th grade and enjoying my Summer vacation break....however because I was such a lousy student, I had to make up a portion of my schooling that I did poorly in and that meant homework all Summer long. BUMMER ! As a means of encouragement, my Mother promised that she would buy me two tickets to attend the Carpenters concert in my hometown with the proviso that I finish ALL of my homework within a month, instead of three. Heck - that was all the motivation that I needed and I did indeed get the homework done in record time and was rewarded with two concert tickets to see Karen and Richard on stage at the new Community center arena. I think it held around 10,000 people. The concert was a sell-out and I had seats with my sister only 12 rows back from the stage. I recall that the concert was late in getting started and I was getting sooooo anxious to see my idols playing and singing 'live' ! Once the C's got out on stage I was in heaven for the entire concert from that point on. The one thing that I recall vividly is that I was disappointed that I was not really able to see Karen too well because she was buried behind her drumkit. I remember that really well. She did come out and sing out front a few times, but mostly stayed on the drums playing and singing. Richard was quite visible and the band was terriffic. Also at that point in my fan appreciation of the Carpenters music, I only owned one of their albums. Because the Carpenters included songs in their act from all of their LP's (remember those?) , it let me know that more records of their music existed and by God I wanted them ALL! My mother was wonderful and bought them all for me for my birthday a few months later. I'm grateful to her for nurturing my love in great music. The Carpenters are the best all around musicians that I have ever heard. And Karen's voice? Need I say more. All in all a great night for me and one that I cherich to this day. So - how many of us here in the forum (or visitors for that matter) have had the chance to go to a Carpenters concert in person? I can't wait to read your own stories or personal encounters with Karen and Richard. Let the good memories flow.........
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Post by cam83 on Oct 25, 2003 1:59:17 GMT -5
Dear Phoenix Fan, That is so awesome! I am a big fan of the Carpenters, and especially Karen's heavensent angelic voice. I have never been to any of their concert, for I was born in 1972 and too young but I envy you and those that could.
Welcome!! Cam clongo83@hotmail.com
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Post by smoothie2 on Oct 25, 2003 13:15:02 GMT -5
:)hello phoenixfan4 and welcome to the site. That is so wonderful to say that you saw them ..THEM..I never got the chance, but sure would have loved to have!
smoothie
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Post by smoothie2 on Oct 25, 2003 13:16:39 GMT -5
:)welcome back Cam..hope you're trip was good!
smoothie
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Post by Moe on Oct 25, 2003 19:36:24 GMT -5
I never did get a chance to see the Carpenters live. I remember staying up late one night and seeing them on the Tonight Show in the late 70's. I believe Burt Reynolds was hosting that night. They sang "Thanks for the music" and the "Superstar/Rainy Days/Goodbye to love" medley. I attended my first concert, Anne Murray, in 1986. Though Anne is awesome in concert, I would have loved to have seen Karen and Richard perform their magic in person. What might have been...
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Post by Rick Henry on Oct 25, 2003 20:50:50 GMT -5
I saw The Carpenters live only once. It was December 29, 1977 in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand. The best part of the show was watching Karen perform her drum solo. There was this huge mirror above her so you could watch her as she played. She was fantastic. What a loss. She was such an interesting talent. What made her even better is that certain genuine friendliness about her. I was taken there by my parents for my 18th birthday which was December 29, 1977. We arrived late afternoon on the 29th, we stayed at the MGM Grand. Within two hours after our arrival to our hotel room we left for the dinner/show. We had a nice dinner. I had chicken. The show was opened by comedian David Brenner. He was good - but really the main focus was to hear Karen sing live. One more piece of info about the LV show. The Carpenters were doing a 2 week engagement, which began December 24, 1977 and continued until January 4, 1978. Below is a link to the SCRAPBOOK page of THE CARPENTERS ONLINE website. Scroll down to the tenth item to read an announcement of this engagement. www.carponline.bravepages.com/page%202.htm
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Post by Alan on Jan 3, 2004 20:09:15 GMT -5
I saw the Carpenters in concert two nights in a row in 1973 when I was a senior in high school. I was and am a rabid Carpenters fan! One concert was in Waco, TX ... April 5, 1973. I know as I still have the ticket stub in my scrap book! Can't believe I've managed to hang on to for all these years! It's about 100 miles between Austin and Waco, TX, and I grew up in a town about half way between. So I made the concert in Austin either the next night or the night before too. I didn't manage to hang on to the Austin concert ticket stub, so can't remember for sure. I remember they had choral groups from local elementary schools who accompanied them with SING. I also remember them doing Yesterday Once More and the oldies medley though this was, of course, yet to be released. They announced that it would be on a future album release. Memories, memories, and a much more innocent time!
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Post by Will on Jan 3, 2004 23:14:48 GMT -5
I saw the Carpenters in concert two nights in a row in 1973 when I was a senior in high school. I was and am a rabid Carpenters fan! One concert was in Waco, TX ... April 5, 1973. I know as I still have the ticket stub in my scrap book! Can't believe I've managed to hang on to for all these years! It's about 100 miles between Austin and Waco, TX, and I grew up in a town about half way between. So I made the concert in Austin either the next night or the night before too. I didn't manage to hang on to the Austin concert ticket stub, so can't remember for sure. I remember they had choral groups from local elementary schools who accompanied them with SING. I also remember them doing Yesterday Once More and the oldies medley though this was, of course, yet to be released. They announced that it would be on a future album release. Memories, memories, and a much more innocent time! I can't believe it! I was in Austin at that time and I didn't know they were there in concert! All these years later I have that feeling of having missed something special.
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Post by Alan on Jan 3, 2004 23:41:06 GMT -5
Yes, Willbarns, they were at Municipal Auditorium. Both of those concerts mentioned were on week nights, so I scored a major coup with my parents allowing me to attend. Guess I was cut some slack for being a senior. I moved to Austin the next fall and was there until fall of 83. They never performed there again as far as I know. And I'm sure I would have known! Surely they were there prior to the 73 concert as much as they toured.
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Post by Rick Henry on Jan 4, 2004 0:40:06 GMT -5
I saw K&R on my 18th birthday (December 29, 1977). they were performing at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. This was one of my dreams come true.
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Post by Alan on Jan 4, 2004 23:44:38 GMT -5
I had another memory of the 1973 concerts I attended. I remember them performing Jambalaya and saying they had been having a lot of fun performing that on their current tour. So, as it turns out, they actually performed most of Now and Then even though it wasn't released for another year or so. (Really only months as I've come to piece together on this site ... just seemed like that long!). I believe one of their tours was called the Now and Then Tour, but that was probably after that album was actually released. I can't tell from my ticket stub. But I do see where the seats I bought were $5! I was in awe of all. The only disappointment I remember was that a handful of their hits to date were done in medley form. I know they sang For All We Know in its entirety and closed with Close to You. If KC was still around I would still travel far and wide to hear her!
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Post by jeffturner on Jan 13, 2004 13:27:49 GMT -5
Hi All
Yes had the privilage to see the Carpenters at the London Palladium in November 1976. It was the new show with Richard riding on the stage on a motorcycle.
Will never forget when I saw my idols for the first time live in front of me. At one time Karen came down into the audiance, when they were singing Sing, as far as i remember. As i was in the second row she came right past me, pure heaven. She was so beautiful in this wonderful white dress.
I still have the ticket in my scrapbook after all these years and the programme.
The concert I was at was recorded for the Live at the Palladium album. Always remember we had notices on our seats to clap as loud as we could as it was being recorded, as if we had to be told.
So my claim to fame is I am appearing on a Carpenters album, if only for my clapping!!!!
Cheers
jeff
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Post by Carpenters Girl on Feb 27, 2004 19:20:58 GMT -5
You guys are so lucky,I was born in 1990 so I completely missed Karen and the Carpenters.However,I am the biggest Carpenters fan I know.I am sooo in love with their music and everything that goes with it.KC truly was an angel.
Ashley
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Post by Rick Henry on Feb 27, 2004 23:16:25 GMT -5
Hello Carpenters Girl, welcome to the forum. Seeing the Carpenters live was one of the highlights of my teenage years in 1977. I think it's great that the C's have fans of all ages and from every country in the world.
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Post by beaner on Mar 1, 2004 20:06:35 GMT -5
I had the great opportunity to see Karen and Richard perform in Syracuse, NY back in 1971. I was only 12 years old. I became an immediate fan when I received my first album as a gift (For All We Know) and have been a fan ever since. My seat was in the upper decks but I did get a chance to go down and walk up the aisle towards where Karen was singing. I remember vividly. She has this wild looking one piece outfit on and was singing Jambalay at the time. I was like four rows from her. I'm sure my mouth was open the whole time just staring at her. I stayed until the ushers said I had to go, along with others taking pictures too. I was lucky to get some pictures too but I only have the pics and no negatives. I lost them over the years.
Beaner
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Post by jaysavy on Apr 26, 2017 22:38:13 GMT -5
I saw the Carpenters in concert two nights in a row in 1973 when I was a senior in high school. I was and am a rabid Carpenters fan! One concert was in Waco, TX ... April 5, 1973. I know as I still have the ticket stub in my scrap book! Can't believe I've managed to hang on to for all these years! It's about 100 miles between Austin and Waco, TX, and I grew up in a town about half way between. So I made the concert in Austin either the next night or the night before too. I didn't manage to hang on to the Austin concert ticket stub, so can't remember for sure. I remember they had choral groups from local elementary schools who accompanied them with SING. I also remember them doing Yesterday Once More and the oldies medley though this was, of course, yet to be released. They announced that it would be on a future album release. Memories, memories, and a much more innocent time!
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Post by jaysavy on Apr 26, 2017 22:40:20 GMT -5
I saw the carpenter in 77 at the MGM too with David Brenner-was awesome!!
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Post by carpenters73 on May 12, 2021 10:18:19 GMT -5
April 19th, 1973 Hearnes Center, Columbia, Mo. I had the privilege to sing in the concert and also meet Karen and Richard after the concert. I was only 11 years old years old but luckily our elementary school choir was chosen to sing at the concert. I'm sure you all remember the song. Sing! For some reason we had to learn it in English and in Spanish. It was an incredible experience. At 11 years old Karen was a princess in my eyes. I'm glad I have these memories.
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