A Sweet Old Musical Memory / myLot

Gate at “The Swamp” on the University of Florida campus where I waited for a good seat to see the Eagles in 1980. Photo taken by and the property of FourWalls.

United States

February 6, 2022 9:45pm CST

While in Gainesville, Florida, I took a trip down memory lane. More precisely, I took a trip down Gale Lemerand Drive! On January 27, 1980 I parked myself outside of gate #4 with a few thousand others to wait for the doors to open for a concert. The concert in question was the Eagles, with Jimmy Buffett “opening.” “Opening” is a misnomer. Most opening acts get to do 30-45 minutes of music and head off. Buffett did an entire two-hour set! (He also came back onstage with the Eagles for the encore to help with “The Greeks Don’t Want No Freaks” and “Take It Easy.”) Age has its privileges. I like to tell the people paying $750 for ONE Eagles ticket today (actually, to see a band that’s more or less “Don Henley and Friends,” given that Henley is the only original member in the band) that my ticket to that double-headlining show was a whopping ten bucks. An old memory indeed. And a sweet one. The song from The Long Run that Buffett helped out with at the concert (for the record, he was also on the album version):

The Greeks Don't Want No Freaks (2013 Remaster)

www.youtube.com

Provided to YouTube by Rhino/ElektraThe Greeks Don't Want No Freaks (2013 Remaster) · EaglesLegacy? 1979 Elektra/Asylum RecordsMixing Engineer: Bill Szymczy...

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9 responses

vikingswest

@Vikingswest1 (7443)

• United States

7 Feb 22

Holy crap. Are concert tickets THAT much now? That 1980 show would have been a fun one to see. I went to the Who that year. It was 12 bucks to get in. I don't even remember the opener. I seriously doubt I could ever spend that kind of money on a show.

1 person likes this

Four Walls

@FourWalls (79565)

• United States

7 Feb 22

The big headliners are expensive, but I usually saw people like Dale Watson and Robbie Fulks for $20 or so.

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vikingswest

@Vikingswest1 (7443)

• United States

7 Feb 22

@FourWalls That's reasonable. I remember my daughter paying a hundred bucks a seat for Pearl Jam. I suppose Pearl Jam was good but I prefer Raspberry Preserves.

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Four Walls

@FourWalls (79565)

• United States

7 Feb 22

@Vikingswest1 —

And Prince liked Raspberry Beret!

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Jeff Moffitt

@moffittjc (125980)

• Gainesville, Florida

7 Feb 22

Ahhhh....Gate #4! So many memories of that gate, entering to see things like football games, Gator Growl, and of course...concerts! Right before the pandemic started, I was fortunate enough to see Garth Brooks play at Florida Field. Prior to that, it was The Rolling Stones many years ago! Sure wish I could have seen the Eagles and Buffet play there. Of course, I was a little too young when they came through! But I did get to see Buffett twice in concert next door at the O'Connell Center.

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Four Walls

@FourWalls (79565)

• United States

8 Feb 22

I would have babysat you if you’d come to the show.

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Four Walls

@FourWalls (79565)

• United States

8 Feb 22

@moffittjc — true. I was in the Navy at the time.