Foghat Concert Reviews 1978


Concert Reviews '78



21 February ... Detroit, MI ... Cobo Hall

Reading through your site, I had to write about my first Foghat concert experience. Recently going through my old clothes (rock concert t-shirts I save) I saw my 1978 World Tour T-Shirt (black with Foghat written in silver). Ahhhhhh the memories.

Foghat played Cobo Hall with Starz as the opening act. My brother, who I'm eternally grateful to was able to score us some main floor tickets to the show. Foghat was only my second concert I had seen at the time and man did Cobo raise the roof that night. This was in the era of when Detroit audiences knew how to rock. Anyway, the stage was set in all white and after a short set from Starz, the house lights came on and the anticipation began. The buzz through the crowd was hot hot hot. When the house lights came down, the lighters went up and the noise went through the roof. I cannot remember the set list but the songs they played kept us on our feet the entire time. We stood for over 2 hours and these guys set the bar that I judge concerts by to this day. The bar is: the band has to enjoy themselves as much as the audience and the boys in foghat did.

My two most vivid memories of the concert are: 1) Chatteau Lafitte '59 boogie that just turned into a rip 'em up-blow the doors off jam and 2) the band came out for a THIRD encore and played Sweet Home Chicago (only other band I ever saw do more than 3 encores has been the J Geils band). And still the audience wanted more but the band had given everything they had. This was the first night of a two night sold out stay in Detroit. I have seen Foghat 5 times since and they still measure up to the bar. And I have to thank the band because of them they started a teenager on a lifelong journey (now into the 4th decade) of listening and learning about the blues. Ride, Ride, Ride

-----Brian Craft

4 June ... Providence, RI ... Civic Center

I remember missing my first college graduation to attend a multi-act concert at the Providence Civic Center on June 4, 1978. The line-up was a blockbuster: Sweet, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Richie Blackmore's Rainbow and Foghat (in that order of performance). I don't recall anything significant about the first two band, except Sweet killed with Ballroom Blitz and Atlanta Rhythm Section might have been better placed between the top 2 bands for crowd control reasons. Blackmore and company hypnotized me through Man On The Silver Mountain and some incredible playing & singing.

However, when Foghat hit the stage, it was a manic, boogie infested riot. The stage itself created some sort of illusion where Lonesome Dave "disappeared and emerged" at various times throughout the night. The show was timed at the upswing or their popularity so it was rife with hits. From Stone Blue, Night Shift, Driving Wheel, Slow Ride and my faves, Fool For The City and My Babe. Even the old Chicago blues numbers seemed like hits to the adolescent crowd. But that was what it was all about - a schooling of sorts.

It was a perfect reason to miss my graduation. My schooling had only begun.

I saw Foghat for the last time in Albany NY in 1998 with Lonesome Dave as strong as ever in the front. It reminded me of that day in 1978. And I miss him and his music today as much as I did between opportunities to see them.

-----Bruce Whitney - The Transcript

8 June ... Hershey, PA ... Hershey Arena

I remember going to the Foghat concert in Hershey, PA. It was so hot in there and my friend and our dates were sitting up towards the top. My friend and I took our shirts off, our dates refused to, but wished they could. The Sweet opened up for them. Great concert.

-----Todd Chavey

8 June ... Hershey, PA ... Hershey Arena

As Always back then I looked forward to the groups annoucing there concert schedules for the year. I remember it being loud and aggressive. Lonesome Dave was in rare form. I myself being a drummer would study all of Rogers moves. I think I paid $7.50 for this show ! WOW! What happened to those days? But it was well worth the cost of admission to see the boys in action.

-----Scott Kinsey

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