BURST
The most famous concerts at Empire Stadium are Elvis Presley on Aug. 31, 1957, and the Beatles on Aug. 22, 1964.
But the largest show at Empire was on Aug. 27, 1978, when Heart headlined an all-day concert dubbed Summer Sunday ’78.
The show also included the Little River Band, Bob Welch and Nick Gilder, and drew 44,000 fans. By contrast, Elvis drew 25,898, the Beatles 20,621.
At the time, Vancouver Sun rock critic Vaughn Palmer said gross ticket sales were $543,885.50. He estimated the Pacific National Exhibition made $150,000 in rent, commissions and food revenue for the show, “more than some of the pro sports franchises (at the PNE) pay for an entire season.”
But not everyone was happy. The Sun’s front page carried an aerial view of the giant crowd, but the story underneath it was headlined “Rock Noise Nets Complaints.”
About 115 people complained to the PNE — and the city — about the concert, including 25 who phoned mayor Jack Volrich at his home.
Volrich said he phoned PNE officials “to make sure it won’t happen again on a Sunday,” but said he wasn’t opposed to outdoor shows the rest of the week.
PNE president Erwin Swangard was more hard core than Volrich.
“We’re not going to have any more outdoor rock concerts at Empire Stadium,” said Swangard. “At least there won’t be any as long as this board is sitting.”
Swangard had recently pitched a covered stadium at Hastings Park, where the PNE is located.
“If anything, this unfortunate experience proves that we need a ‘multiplex’ so that these concerts could be held without annoying people,” Swangard told The Province.
Palmer wrote that for Heart, the concert “capped a musical journey (that) started in a house in West Vancouver.”
The band started in Seattle but found its stride after moving to Vancouver, where it signed to Mushroom records and recorded its breakthrough hit, Crazy on You, and its Dreamboat Annie album.
“Heart is led by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson,” wrote Palmer. “Ann has a voice as piercing and rock’s premier shouters, and also knows how to break your heart with it. Nancy is the delicate acoustic guitars and rolling harmony vocals, balanced with hardline electric guitar.”
Palmer wrote the band had a “rapid transition from club musicians to superstars” which “did not develop well.” But after three albums, the transition “has now been realized” with “lively stage presentation (which) fused both elements of their style into a fluid, believable and exciting show.”
There is a great Deni Eagland photo of Ann and Nancy Wilson rocking out at Summer Sunday in the Sun’s files, but it didn’t run at the time – the paper chose to run crowd shots instead. The Province didn’t run any photos of the performers either.
The Province’s Jeani Read gave Heart a mixed review.
“Heart’s members are intent on kicking it out in their live shows, but the result is always a little raunch (sleazy?) and even slightly outdated for this reporter,” she wrote.
“Nonetheless, their musicianship, showmanship and production gimmicks are strong and flashy. Ann Wilson wields her voice loudly and proudly and also mellifluously, particularly in duets with sister Nancy.”
Both Gilder and Welch failed to ignite the large audience, but Palmer said the Little River Band “got the lethargic monster moving.”
They were local favourites, having played Vancouver five times in two years.
“Their clean, crisp, energetic delivery and complete fidelity to their recorded work virtually replicated their previous shows here,” said Read.
Summer Sunday was presented by an outside promoter, Isle of Man, and but was listed as part of the PNE’s Star Spectacular concert series.
On Sept. 6, Palmer noted the PNE had lost $50,000 on its own shows, which included duds like Ronnie Milsap, Helen Reddy and the De Franco family. Johnny Cash, Tony Orlando and Ted Nugent broke even, while Shaun Cassidy was a hit, selling 14,000 tickets at the Coliseum.
Palmer reasoned that many of the acts available at fair time “aren’t worth having.”
“Reddy, Orlando, the De Francos and Cash are all faded stars, with no current hits, and they no longer have the clout to draw more than loyal fans,” he said.
Heart came back to Empire Stadium on Aug. 2, 1981 with Loverboy and Ted Nugent and drew 35,000 fans.
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