The Santa Monica City Council announced plans to close the Civic by July 2013. One of the few buildings that’s lasted over 50 years around here has now become just another financial burden facing the city. Even though it played host to many Academy Awards shows and other events. Unfortunately not much happens there anymore. I’ve heard its too expensive to rent for concerts. I’ve heard its out dated. Bruce Springsteen just played the Sports Arena. Nothing is more out dated than the Sports Arena.
I saw Springsteen at the Civic in September 1976, driving down from UCSB with my girlfriend Patty. It was a drive I made 18 times in five years and I remember every one of them. Back then the Civic was big enough to draw the big names, but small enough to provide the intimacy that’s been lost in barns like the Staples Center.
I hope you’ve seen the recent DVD release of the legendary “T.A.M.I. Show” concert video. Filmed in 1964 it has the innocence of Leslie Gore and Jan & Dean clashing with the brash Rolling Stones, rocking Chuck Berry and burning hot James Brown. Though the lineup was racially diverse, the audience was white kids wearing nerdy glasses. They go crazy for everyone on the stage of an auditorium with a unique design. That’s the Santa Monica Civic, one of the greatest concert halls in pop music history. Its featured in the “T.A.M.I. Show” video and now its in trouble.
It shouldn’t be. The Civic must be preserved even if they never have another show there. When I went in the 70s the vibe was loose in a smoky haze of dubious legality with crowds that looked a lot different than those at the “T.A.M.I. Show." The Civic was where I saw The Kinks and David Bowie for the first time. Along with The Eagles, Loggins & Messina and a very young Peter Frampton opening for E.L.O.
Back then bands would often play 7:00pm and 11:30pm shows on the same night. Such was the case when my buddy Alan and I decided to go see Traffic and Steve Winwood, riding high on the success of their popular “Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys” album.
We checked the ticket booth to see if there were any last minute sales. No luck. We asked every single person standing outside but no one had a ticket to spare. We decided to stick around for the 11:30 show. We went to the coffee shop at the hotel across the street and bided our time.
Once again we couldn't find a single ticket for sale. It was almost midnight when we decided to give up and go home. On our way to the car a solitary figure marched toward us, shoulders hunched and long hair in his face. He told us he'd just split up with his girlfriend and was going to the show alone. We offered him a total of $15.00 for the two tickets and he finally relented. We found our seats in time to catch opening act Free with Paul Rodgers belting out their biggest hit "All Right Now.” When Traffic came on stage I realized it was worth the wait. They were simply terrific.
We had another reason to celebrate on that cold January night in 1973. An agreement had been signed that day in Paris to end the Vietnam War. I had grown up in the shadow of the conflict and was almost old enough to register for the dreaded draft. It truly was a memorable evening.
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| Emerson, Lake and Palmer at The Civic |
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| The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium |
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