Memory:Mark Allen
Early October 1975, 7:30 P.M. Me and a couple of my friends settle into the 10th row right side of the Spectrum Theatre in Philadelphia, Pa. We had purchased tickets about 2 months earlier to see the Rick Wakeman "Journey to the Center of the Earth Tour". The tickets advertised Gentle Giant as the opening act. We were familiar with the name but hadn't really heard the music. Shortly after 8:00, the lights dimmed and GG took the stage. What happened next ranks as one of my most memorable concert experiences.
My memory is shakey as far as the set list and order of performance, but basically what my friends and I saw was the "Playing the Fool" album in person. "Free Hand" had been released recently so most of the material performed was from that album. But we were totally floored by this virtually unknown band who literally blew Rick Wakeman off the stage. Band members switching off to different instruments every other song, incredible 4 and 5-part harmonies, intricate arrangements, and to top it all off, they ROCKED!
Needless to say, we went out after that show and bought up everything we could from their catalog and caught them in concert about 4 or 5 times in the next 2 years. Things slowed down a bit after "Missing Piece", but GG were truly one of the great unsung bands of the '70's.