Saturday night live TV music shows like Midnight Special and Rock Concert

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by T Texas

Well that is EXACTLY what ACL does. But the genres are all over the map, which I think is good.

True. I meant to say on one of the major networks so way more people would be able to see it.

As for shows on cable like AXS, true, but I'm thinking more of the old but modernized MS or RC format and for the reason I state above so more people will see it.

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by reeve21

Watched a lot of Lawrence Welk while visiting with my grandparents. There was a lot of good stuff behind the rather bland presentation. Same with Hee Haw, I loved it!

Thanks for the memoires, Neil!

You're welcome. The music/variety show also seems to be a long dead genre.

[FrankHudson]

Lots of memories there. If I recall correctly, the Rock Concert series showed full live sets and Midnight Special was more like SNL, with a song or two by each artist, but still recorded live. I think it was a Rock Concert episode the introduced me to Steely Dan, and one listen to that dual guitar break on "Reeling in the Years" was all it took.

Austin City Limits still does a good job of the same thing, as has been mentioned. There are several others distributed largely to US public TV stations that mine this vein too, Infinity Hall and some others. The Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour is telecast, and features even more acoustic players than the others.

From way back before the 70s, "Hootenanny", despite the political controversies and mainstream "collegeic folk" orientation, presented acoustic music recorded live as well.

The other shows (American Bandstand, Shindig, Where the Action Is, etc) were largely mimed to the record as I recall. I still watched them, because back in those days in rural areas, radio was how you encountered most music, and I somehow wanted to see the musicians.

I didn't respond to the "What music would folks be surprised you like" thread because my tastes are all over the map, and I'd hope some others here would be likewise, but I did watch the Lawrence Welk show every week. Accordion was a more common a portable instrument than guitar around my parts in those days, and it was after all a music show. As I recall the show's guitarist was wielding a Stratocaster, so there was some guitar content. I still break out into a false basso "Dodge had a good time too!" every once in awhile, which no doubt puzzles most living people.

[Cabarone]

Around the same time as The Midnight Special was a show called "In Concert" (not Kirshner's show)> It would be simulcast by local rock stations. One time there was a hip-hop dance troupe on and the cut the music and danced "a capella". Made for boring radio...

Also, along the lines of ACL was Sound Stage, from a Chicago TV station. That's where I first saw Hoyt Axton and Steve Goodman (on a show featuring Arlo Guthrie)...

Huge fan of Kirchner, Midnight Spec, and I still watch some of these shows on YouTube. Used to like ACL, but in recent years I'm less interested in their offerings. Current favs are Live From Daryl's House and Jools Holland.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by Bikewer

David Sanborn had a really good but short-lived show on Sunday night, appropriately called Night Music.

He had a really eclectic bunch of musicians on the show, and had them doing stuff way outside of their usual genre.

Most of the episodes are up on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...B67ygnne5vFd5l

I never caught Night Music when it was broadcast in the 80s. I'm watching that playlist you linked now this afternoon. Man! that was a great show!

[Tone Monster]

Loved Where The Action Is after Dark Shadows and also The Clay Cole Show where I first saw the Rolling Stones before Ed Sullivan, which was king with The Beatles,The Stones,The Dave Clark Five,The Rascals, Sonny and Cher, The Doors and The Band! And so much more................

[Rondoraymundo]

Originally Posted by Acousticado

Although so much crap pop music has commanded the media for some time now, there is a lot of great music still being played by artists/bands that doesn't get any attention. If any of the networks were to see an opportunity in resurrecting such a format on a Saturday night (or any other night), do you think it could work and would you like to see it? If so, could it be a way to resurrect quality music?

I don't think the ratings are there. Back in the days of The Midnight Special and Rock Concert there were far fewer outlets for musical entertainment. For example, during that time frame, the nearest FM station playing extended album cuts was over 100 miles from my home town - far outside the range of most radio receivers at the time. That limiting factor drove the ratings for the TV rock shows. Now all you need is a connection to the interwebs to listen to whoever you want.

Resurrect quality music? Don't get me started.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Rondoraymundo

Resurrect quality music? Don't get me started.

Time marches on...with or without us.

[DenverSteve]

Originally Posted by Acousticado

True. I meant to say on one of the major networks so way more people would be able to see it....

Production costs would be pretty high for a new show like that. With all the other choices like MTV, PBS, Youtube, BBC... viewers have a lot of choices and no guarantee for advertising revenue. However, you can stream almost anything, anywhere so most people can see almost anything aired almost anywhere at anytime today. I agree that it was great to settle in for a Midnight Special or Rock Concert but I too really enjoy Jools Holland's show. That format would be hard to beat.

[Bob Womack]

I think it could work but it would need a dedicated network to pull it off.

I was a devoted watcher of ABC's In Concert Tonight and Midnight Special, both of which were shown on Friday nights in my area, one after the other. In Concert Tonight was simulcast on an FM station, which was thrilling - one of the first stereo TV broadcast experiments.

I love Live From Darryl's House and Jool's show, perhaps because that's the sort of stuff I so often make my living mixing. Oddly, as a viewer I can find Darryl's show too exclusive unless I really like the artist and then I eat it up, including the cooking seg. Conversely I can find Jool's show too much of an admixture if I don't like some of the acts. When he takes time with an artist I like such as David Gilmour or Jeff Beck I'm pretty comfortable.

That leads me back to the old In Concert Tonight format with three or four songs from each band featured, which really seemed to work. Bad band? Make a fridge run!

Bob

[Nyghthawk]

It is a good idea, I just don't see any of the big 3 networks picking it up. Shows these days have to have a good market share within 3-6 episodes or they get yanked.

I love Austin City Limits. I even got to go to a taping back in the 80's when I lived in the area. Still watch pretty regularly.

[aknow]

Originally Posted by dragon1952

And going back even further, Shindig and Hullabaloo....and even further back The Lloyd Thaxton Show.

The music was better, the groups numerous, before greed and dishonesty crippled the industry. Please read Joe Walsh's recent interview via Rolling Stone.

[aknow]

Originally Posted by Rondoraymundo

I don't think the ratings are there. Back in the days of The Midnight Special and Rock Concert there were far fewer outlets for musical entertainment. For example, during that time frame, the nearest FM station playing extended album cuts was over 100 miles from my home town - far outside the range of most radio receivers at the time. That limiting factor drove the ratings for the TV rock shows. Now all you need is a connection to the interwebs to listen to whoever you want.

Resurrect quality music? Don't get me started.

I guess you missed out on Wolfman Jack which broadcast thousands of miles. nightly in every direction from Mexico. FM radio was amazing in the '60's, even the sound was superior to the compressed digital crap now..