THE REASONS FOR the dismal showing at the Saturday night Bayfront concert are a little different. Promoters blame graduation and the revelry associated with the end of the school year. More likely is the explanation that two of the three bands on the program had played in the area recently - and did not make an impression at the time.

The New York Dolls, number two on the bill, were here two weeks ago, Slade, headliners, played the area a few months back. Both bands have improved somewhat since their inauspicious area debuts, but the vast majority of local young entertainment consumers apparently decided not to risk another fin on these bands just because they had a couple of tunes in the 45rpm charts.

The first group to play was also the most interesting musically. The British quintet 10cc - meaning cubic centimeters, which is either a small drink or a large injection - is full of English pop veterans and lively rock melodies. Unlike the other two bands in the shows, 10cc concentrates little on stage appearances. They performed more in the manner of an American group, i.e. they stood there and played music. By the time they got to their smash single "Rubber Bullets," 10cc had made die hard admirers of the tiny audience.

After 10cc proved that even small crowds can enjoy themselves at a concert, the New York Dolls arrived and showed that even an average band can put on an entertaining act.

The Dolls are smart. It took them only two weeks - since their outdoor date in Tampa - to learn that local audiences are not impressed with glitter and dresses. They all dressed modestly by todays garish standards, and their energy was devoted to their playing, not mincing, posturing or affected transvestitism.

The Dolls, from New York's Big Apple, don't sell their music - they push the image of big city flash. The humour of the situation must have hit them on Saturday night, because their set, awful and self parodying as it was, came across as fun to watch and hear.

Of course, the most humbled group would be the ones who were supposed to draw in the crowd. And Slade was humble but not sullen. The crude English quartet. like the Dolls, simply decided to go have a good time with the few folks who did come, and again an obnoxiously untalented band became an unpretentious gang of good time cheerleaders. Somehow one's sense of perspective is not offended by a few people having a great time at a Slade concert, while the thought of thousands cheering for them is repulsive.

Slade consists of four very nice guys. They dress in a very goofy outlandish style, performing all over the U.S with songs in all the hit lists.

As a band, they reek. Musically, their collective talent is comparable to a like number of rhinoceros. But they put on a good show.

 

Concert: Slade, New York Dolls and 10cc. Saturday June 8, 8 p.m. Bayfront Center Arena. Admission $5.

 

 

WALTER FULLER , ST PETERSBURG TIMES 10 JUNE1974

From the archive of Chris Selby

Transposed by David Graham

Photograph Slade In England

 

 

 

Slade in England © 2015