The Hollywood Palladium was a theater built in the 40s in Hollywood to stage big band concerts. From Tomm
y Dorsey to Doo Doo Brown this art deco palace has hosted ‘em all over the last seven decades. In the 60s it was the spring break home of the Teenage Fair. The Palladium inside and outside was filled with exhibits and booths. Guitars on display, decals, flyers, motorcycles, dance contests, electronic equipment, cosmetics, surfing demonstrations, radio remotes, record racks, and live concerts.I wanted to bring a date but the two-hour bus ride each way proved to be a deal breaker.
In ten minutes I’m already bored. So I meander past the drug paraphernalia exhibit and adjacent Army recruiting booth to see which superstar was performing in the main room. It was a couple and they were God awful. No wonder they were booked for noon. She was this scrawny Goth chick and he was this middle aged goomba with a huge schnoz, a Beatle haircut, and a fur vest. Luigi Flintstone & Morticia. She at least could sing. He sounded like an ambulance siren. There were maybe eight of us watching this pathetic display, convinced that these were the two biggest losers on the planet. On the other hand, I can say I discovered Sonny & Cher.
And now you know...the rest of the story.
ReplyDeleteHave you heard Sonny lately? He's a little flat.
ReplyDeleteKen,
ReplyDeleteSonny & Cher were really makin' the rounds in Spring '65.
I saw them at a Park in Ontario
along with the Byrds(nobody in the crowd had ever heard of them) We
were all there to see Jan & Dean!!
Were they billed as Sonny and Cher or Caesar and Cleo?
ReplyDeleteAnd of course, in May of '65, KHJ began the Bill Drake format, and Top 40 would never be the same. I eagerly await Ken's remembrances of the first time he heard Drake's KHJ (what did he listen to beforehand? KFWB? KDAY?).
ReplyDeletewv: "ousnev" -- Buckwheat's description of a place, up in a tree, where a certain wise old bird rests.
wv2: "briari" -- new Italian wine; has a rather prickly bouquet.
and in 1965, the duo, then known as Caesar & Cleopatra (at least for that night), sang for my brother's High School grad night party at the Veteran's Auditorium in Culver City. Ken (my brother, not you) said all the boys were...mmm, distracted by this lanky girl singer.
ReplyDeleteRe: The Cheers Post. "No One Ever Bought..." Didn't I read this post some time ago? Did no one notice this? Am I insane?
ReplyDeleteI worked at the Teenage Fair...I remember that it was the first time yogurt was introduced. Tried it and made a face. Yuk...
ReplyDeleteWarner Bros. Records was holding a promotional event to showcase new acts at the Kaleidoscope, across the street from the Palladium. The crowd was so sparse, the label sent emissaries to the Teenage Fair to wrangle kids to the event.
ReplyDeleteThose who came must have been puzzled indeed when they saw the U.S. debut of a UK band whose lead singer jumped around on one leg and played the flute.
Baird: a bird from Scotland
I was too young for solid food in 1965.
ReplyDeleteDuring the early R&R years, Bakersfield Civic Auditorium was one of the first stops for bands out of LA. We had every band come through, and we were able to see them all for very little money. Sonny & Cher, Paul Revere & the Raiders, the surf bands... even Jimi Hendrix swept through our city.
ReplyDeleteFun times!
I think of S&C as The Scientologist and the Slut.
ReplyDeleteI too grew up in the those fun filled world changing times.
ReplyDeleteThe teenage fair was a place to enjoy your friendships and be in with the in crowd.
West Hollywood wad my turf and later the San Fernando Valley.
Great memories!!
I saw URIAH HEEP at the Palladium in the early 70's the first of many concerts i would see there.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Teenage Fair. My Mom would drive us in from Canoga Park in the SF Valley and leave us for the whole day, then come back and get us in the evening. We were all 13-15 yrs old, I don't think parents would do that now. I got a lot of free acne cream!! I loved the bands and just walking around w/other teens and checking out the boys!
ReplyDeleteI remember the 1966 Teenage Fair the best. KRLA (with Dick Biondi) had a monkey in a cage with a typewriter. The promotion was that they weren't going to let him out until he typed K-R-L-A. Today, they would be arrested for animal cruelty.
ReplyDeleteKen when did you join us at KMPC?? rc
ReplyDeleteKen when did you join us at KMPC ?? rc
ReplyDeleteJanuary 1969 is when I joined KMPC. I couldn't believe how lucky I was. KMPC was the Tiffany of radio.
ReplyDeleteHow's Al Burton doing these days?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember the Preview House? Rating the newest T.V. previews. I saw Time Tunnel, Flying Nun, Batman. Ellis from Cahuenga.
ReplyDeleteMy dad has a an old copy of Teenage fair magazine and program that he would like to part with dated april 1965. If anyone is interested, drop a comment and we can go from there
ReplyDeleteI would love that copy. Email me at bossjock@dslextreme.com. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteKen
I remember Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. Came out from the San Fernando Valley and had the time of my life. Oh so long ago.
ReplyDeleteI remember going to the fair as I grew up in highland park. It was one of my better memories. We saw all the surfer bands like dick sale. I think jan & dean Great times growing up.
ReplyDelete1969 Hollywood Teen fair. I'm trying to find Olin Clark. He was entertainment director for the show. He worked for Teen-age fair inc. Lost old friend.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember who sang "i met him at the teenage fair?". They played it on the tv show here in Ca.
ReplyDeletePlayed there at the "Sun booth "with my band Sweet Wine 1968.
ReplyDeleteTerry Rae
I WAS IN A GREAT BAND, WE ENTERED THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS AT THE TEENAGE FAIR IN 1967
ReplyDeleteOUT OF FIVE HUNDRED BANDS WE CAME IN SECOND AND AWARED THE BEST ACT.
AT THE TIME WE WERE CALLED "THE MUSTARD GREENS", LATER WE CHANGED OUR NAME TO
"PASTERNAKS PROGRESS". FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO JEFFPASTERNAK.COM OR JEFFSONGS.COM
IN THE EVENT YOU HAVE ANY PICTURES OF OUR BAND. PLEASE CONTACT ME AT JEFFGPASTERNAKK@GMAIL.COM
Did you ever play at The Warehouse Nine?
Delete