The Who in a publicity photo, July 1968 (Courtesy State Journal-Register)
The amplifiers were set to top-end at the Illinois State Fair Grandstand on the evening of Aug. 9, 1968. Performing that night were Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle and Keith Moon, better known as the Who.
From their dressing room under the Grandstand, they headed up to the large plywood stage outside. A summer wind blew freely as the group belted out hits from their latest album, “The Who Sell Out.”
The band had a single on the charts (“Magic Bus”) that summer, and they had a loyal following. But other British pop bands – the Beatles, the Rolling Stones – were better known, so the Who didn’t get top billing at the fair.
Instead, the headliner was the Association, a U.S.-based, easy-listening vocal band whose hits included “Windy,” “Cherish” and others. In August 1968, the Association had four albums to its credit while the Who had three.
The Who’s performance did get some advance coverage as early as March, and in July, an Illinois State Journal article about the upcoming show mentioned their “unusual costumes” and “’fuzz tone’ sound.” The article added that the band was known for “busting up” instruments, but that was “only when they feel compelled to do so.”
At any rate, the Aug. 9 double bill was an awkward combination. Having the Who open for the Association was like inviting a blacksmith to hammer out a horseshoe before a choir performance.
Because they were the opening act, the Who did a short set – there is no recording or review of the show, but based on other stops on the tour, the band probably performed for 30 to 45 minutes. They made up for lost time by raising hell, musically speaking.
Concluding an explosive set, the Who left the stage in tatters. Keith Moon’s custom-made “Pictures of Lily” drum set careened downstage as pieces of Pete Townshend’s electric guitar, violently smashed during their final song “My Generation,” lay scattered about. Townshend’s guitar reportedly splintered across the faces of the front-row audience as fans grabbed at its remnants.
Aug. 9 was Youth Day, as part of which the fair also held a contest (the Cavalcade of Music) in which local stage bands and baton artists competed for cash prizes and the chance to perform in front of the Grandstand crowd that night.
Other Grandstand acts during the 1968 fair included Ray Price, the Ed Ames Revue, Frankie Masters and his orchestra, Lawrence Welk, the Elkins Sisters with their “Symphony in Motion” balancing act, the Kids Next Door, and two stand-up comedians: Don Adams, star of the “Get Smart” TV show and Flip Wilson (billed as “the negro comedian”). Tractor pulls were another Grandstand favorite that year.
After their state fair show, the Who played a one-night stand in St. Charles, Ill., and then went on to play the Fillmore West in San Francisco alongside the Grateful Dead and Creedence Clearwater Revival. The Who’s U.S. tour concluded on Aug. 30 in Arizona.
Contributor: William Cellini Jr.
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I was in Berkeley that summer, dodging tear gas as demonstrations raged, but damn! I missed The Who playing at the fair in my home town!
Fun to read this bit of fair and Springfield history!
I was there as a high school freshman. Incredibly, we had all gone to see The Association and were blown away by The Who. Just imagine how The Association must have felt, having to follow that opening act. I seem to remember that we left two songs into The Association’s set. Meh.
Thanks for sharing. Seems crazy that they were not headliners.
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I was the string bass player in the winning high school stage band that opened up for The Who. When we finished playing, they had not provided seats for us to see The Who. I climbed back on stage and was standing maybe 10 feet from them. Every 15-30 minutes the security would come and tell me I had to leave the stage. I would get off and go to the other side and resume watching within about 10 feet. That continued thruout the concert. I was enamores by Keith Moon. John Entwistle was trying to get my attention but I was so blown away by the drummer. He would take a stick and bounce it off his snare, sending it into the audience all thru the show. It seemed he just glowed. Towards the end, when they were smashing their equipment, people were climbing over the fences and gates. Some people got hurt on the top of the chain link fences and there was a mini riot going on with people trying to get in.
Our chaperones rounded us up and took us out of there. The Association was coming up next, which we missed, but I was able to see the whole Who concert right on stage with them. My musical career went downhill from there:-)
Sheila: That’s a great memory and a great addition to this SangamonLink entry. Thanks for sharing it.
We were the Glenwood Singers, a folk group which won the Cavalcade of Music and
opened that night before The Who. We were all from Glenwood High School under
the direction of Charlene Gates our music teacher. We had 10 people, a string bass and
4 accoustic guitars and I played a 12 string Gibson. We were booed on our first song
but won them over with songs from Mamas and Papas and Spankey and Our Gang and
finally got a lot of applause on our last song because we were leaving the stage!!! :) We got to hang around backstage with the Association, who were very encouraging and
friendly and watch The Who blow the audience away!! A lifetime experience! :)
That’s spectacular. Thanks for another piece of The Who/Association experience.
I was 10 years old and my mom and 3 sisters went because my my mom wanted to see the Association. My grandfather was picking us up outside the gate at ~10:30? The Who blew up the stage and threw their equipment into the crowd on the dirt racing track in front of the stage. The Association was delayed for a long time. Mom got to see only 2-3 songs. But rock-n’-roll suddenly became real to me.
For YEARS nobody believed me this happened until 20 years later I met someone else who was there with their parents.
A neighbor bought tickets for pher son and I. It was an early birthday present to me, and I was one of only a few of my friends who even knew of the band, but I was already a big fan. I remember how riled up they got the crowd and we rushed the railing to the stage as we watched their set and how they destroyedthe stage. It really was a great piece of marketing to have the Association come out afterwards, and calm the crowd down again with their soft melodic harmonies. It’s a night I’ll never forget.