Anaheim Stadium

Anaheim Stadium 43,000 - 55,000 capacity

2000 E. Gene Autry Way, Anaheim CA

Opened April 9, 1966

Anaheim Stadium (the Big A) is home to Gene Autry's Los Angeles Angels a major league baseball team. 

It opened in April 1966 to much fanfare. However, by 1970 the City of Anaheim was in dire straits due to the stadium's mounting debt.  The stadium was $800,000 in the red -  the City was desperate to bring in more revenue. Many referred to it as Autry's big white elephant.

Tom Liegler, director of the stadium, rock concerts at the stadium could be a big source of revenue for the cashed strapped City. The City would keep 10% of the gross paid admission and 30% of that spent at concession stands and all revenue from parking.  

All expenses for the concert were picked up by the promoter (often this was Wolf and Rissmiller). Expenses included added security and hiring off duty police officers to handled outside crowd control. It looked like a win win situation.

So .... in the summer of 1970, the City of Anaheim approved a series of concerts to be held at Anaheim Stadium. 

The stage was placed at home plate. Attendees were encouraged to bring a blanket and sit on the grass, festival style. 

Thus ... Anaheim Stadium became the first major stadium in the country to be used

for rock festivals. 

1970

The Who, Leon Russell, Steve Miller and John Sebastian  JUNE 14th (30,000 people attended). Promoters were Concerts Associates.  

At first all the stadium director, concert promoters and fans all thought the concert was a smashing success - there were no difficulties or incidents. 

However - the conservative Anaheim City Council thought differently after they got wind of there being some drug and alcohol related arrest during the concert. Consequently, the City Council barred any future rock concerts at Anaheim Stadium. 

This ban was not lifted until 1975 - except for a a couple of family oriented Osmond Brothers concerts.

Sampling of rock/pop concerts at the Anaheim Stadium 1972 - 1983

1972

The Osmond Brothers SEPTEMBER 8

1975

The Osmonds JANUARY 11

In 1975, Anaheim Stadium was given the green light to host rock concerts. 

Chicago and Beach Boys MAY 23

Elton John AUGUST 23 & 24 (Wolf and Rissmiller presents)

Rod Stewart and Faces. Loggins and Messina,  Fleetwood Mac AUGUST 30

Eagles, Linda Rondstadt, Jackson Browne  SEPTEMBER 28 

1976

The Who return! w/ Rufus and Little Feat MARCH 21 (55,000 seats)

Beach Boys JULY 3

Yes, Peter Frampton JULY 17 (57,500 seats)

ZZ Top, Blue Oyster Cult, Johnny & Edgar Winter August 7

Kiss, Ted Nugent, Uriah Heep, Bob Segar August 20

Aerosmith, Jeff Beck, Lynyrd Skynyrd SEPTEMBER 11 & 12

Black Sabbath NOVEMBER 6

1977

Pink Floyd MAY 6 & 7 

Peter Frampton JULY 6

Alice Cooper JUNE 19

Ted Nugent, Lynyrd Skynyrd AUGUST 27  (57,000)

1978

Rolling Stones, the Outlaws JULY 23 & 24

Electric Light Orchestra, Journey, Kingfish AUGUST 26

BOSTON, Black Sabbath, Van Halen, Sammy Hagar SEPTEMBER 23

1979

The Who JUNE 29 & 30

Black Sabbath JULY 22

The Bee Gees SEPTEMBER 1 & 2

Pink Floyd SEPTEMBER 15 & 16

1980

Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard  OCTOBER 26

1983

David Bowie AUGUST 8 & 9

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