The Surf Ballroom And The Day The Music Died

This hits close to home in more ways than one. There were so many ballrooms in Iowa at one time. There were at least five within a 20 mile radius of where I grew up. That's a story for another time that I must do because it's interesting. Surprisingly quite a few survive and the Surf is one of them and it is a legend even more so after these 50 years today.

For whatever reason we got into the car the next day and drove over to the crash site and in those days 70 miles was a long ways. Wasn't much out there. A tarp covering the wreckage with a couple cars next to it. I was a month from turning nine. Rock & Roll had touched many even in the cornfield in those early days. Dad hated the music at least that's what he said.

There are so many articles on this anniversary but I like this one. It's a fun read.

You may have to try this link twice.

Starting Wednesday, thousands of people are expected to gather in the small northern Iowa town where the rock pioneers gave their last performance. They'll come to the Surf Ballroom for symposiums with the three musicians' relatives, sold-out concerts and a ceremony as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame designates the building as its ninth national landmark.

I lucked out and found this video that is outstanding.




I have been to the Surf a few times and one stands out. Probably in '71 or 2 saw the James Gang play. Drove over a '59 Bel Air station wagon I had bought a few days before for 50 bucks. Passed the inspection law no problem. Painted army kinda green plus had a spot lite. Didn't think it would make the trip because it had a noisy throwout bearing. Drove it for 80k miles and that bearing was still going strong. WTF do I know. I know that the Surf Ballroom is a place you're gonna have fun- listen and dance to good music for some time to come just as we did that night. Of course nobody got hammered and there were no drugs around. Yea right.

Now we're going some place we've not been before and that's because I have only one picture of the Surf and in that picture is my Mom. Now she'd probably wouldn't like this particular picture so as to not fuck up the space time continuum I have included a few others that I like. Period for sure. Early 40's and before.

Feel Like Dancing?

There were so many venues for dancing fairly close when I was a kid and even more before me and quite a few survive. Of course there was the Surf. The Bancroft Ballroom. People came from all over to the Roof Garden. And my favorite The Star in Humboldt. Sunday night dances there. With school the next day you had to be a good boy. They had a dragstrip too. Very important as well. These were good times.

So Let’s Dance!! Come Wednesday you may not feel like it.



Originally posted @ MMA