24 Photos That Prove Concerts in the ’70s Were Legendary
The ’70s were the golden age of live music, a time when bands and soloists delivered performances so electrifying, they became the stuff of legend. From Led Zeppelin blowing the roof off Madison Square Garden to David Bowie’s otherworldly farewell as Ziggy Stardust, it’s no wonder boomers still won’t stop yapping about the “life-changing” concerts that defined a generation.
While we only get to live vicariously through them via grainy footage and secondhand stories, here are more than 20 photos of iconic concerts that you had to experience live.
1. Led Zeppelin Performing ‘One of the Best Live Concerts Ever’ at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England, 1970
2. Bob Marley During a Soundcheck at the Wonder Dream concert at National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, 1975
3. John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr of the Beatles Reunite on Stage at Madison Square Garden, 1973
4. What We Wouldn’t Give to Turn Back Time and Snag a Ticket to Woodstock. Here’s Jimi Hendrix Setting the Stage on Fire, 1969
5. Elton John Putting on a Show at Dodger Stadium, 1975
6. One of Black Sabbath’s Most Famous and Iconic Concerts: The California Jam Festival, 1974
7. ‘Fans at a KISS Concert, 1977’
8. Davie Bowie Bids the Crowd Farewell as Alter Ego Ziggy Stardust at the Hammersmith Odeon in England, 1973
9. Pink Floyd Plays a Concert Without an Audience at the Amphitheater in Pompeii, Italy, 1971 — the First Performance There Since the Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD
10. Fans Waiting for Led Zeppelin at the Kingdome Stage in Seattle, 1977
11. Queen Performing at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, 1975
12. Freddie Mercury Sets the Stage Ablaze With ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ During a Free Concert on Christmas Eve in London, 1975
13. Elvis Presley, the King of Rock n’ Roll, Shows Off Some Dance Moves During a Concert in San Francisco, 1970
14. Foreigner Performing at the Summer Jam at Comiskey Park in Chicago, 1978
15. The Rolling Stones at Madison Square Garden, 1972
16. ‘My Dad in the White Cap Hitting on Some Girl at a Fleetwood Mac Concert, 1970s’
17. The Grateful Dead Drew a Crowd of Over 600,000 People at the Watkins Glen Summer Jam in New York, 1973
18. ‘Crowds Headed to the Summer Jam at Watkins Glen on July 27, 1973’
19. ‘Bruce Springsteen at the LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, 1978’
20. Van Morrison During an Intimate Concert in New York City, 1978
21. Bob Dylan Performs With His Band at Madison Square Garden, 1970
22. ‘George Harrison and Bob Dylan at The Bangladesh Benefit Concert, 1971’
23. ‘Stevie Nicks and John McVie During a Fleetwood Mac Concert, 1977’
24. Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden, 1970
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- 19 Photos That Capture the Magic of Woodstock ’69 — Take a look at these images of Woodstock that capture a generation’s hunger for freedom, peace, and just the right amount of chaos.
- From Queen to Madonna: 15 Iconic Photos From the 1985 Live Aid Concert — Whether you were there, watching it on TV, or just now discovering the magic, these pictures showcase the day when music tried to save the world.
- Stage Smoke & Screaming Fans: 18 Photos That Capture the Energy of ’80s Concerts — Here are 18 vintage photos that capture the heart-pounding energy of legendary shows from the ’80s — the ones that people still talk about decades later.