Ron Onesti: Remembering 'The Amp'

A recent column of mine shared my "backstage" experiences with rock 'n' roll Hall of Famer Ronnie Spector of the legendary girl group of the Sixties, "The Ronnettes." One of her stories reflected on the time the group opened for The Beatles on the band's final U.S. tour in 1966 (the only time The Beatles would perform together again would be in 1969 at Apple Records on Savile Row in London, at the famed impromptu rooftop concert that was engineered by another great friend of The Arcada, Alan Parsons).

Although The Ronnettes were already quite famous, this tour was to be a major, high-profile opportunity for The Ronnettes. But Ronnie's husband, Phil Spector, did not allow her to join in. He was insanely jealous of her strong friendship with the mop-topped mob, and he enlisted Ronnie's cousin Elaine to fill her place. Spector said she was not only disappointed to be off the tour, but also equally disappointed that she wouldn't be coming to Chicago as that final Beatles tour kicked off at the International Amphitheatre, where the four lads from Liverpool made their Chicago debut just two years before.

Whoa! The International Amphitheatre! She reminded me of the place located at 42nd and Halsted Street in Chicago where I saw my first rock concerts, with the biggest bands of the day BEFORE they became "classic" rock groups.

This grand palace was really not-so-grand, at least by today's standards. After all, it was built in 1934 near the Chicago Stockyards, originally purposed to hold the International Livestock Exposition. I mean it WAS the best thing at the time as this 9,000-seat arena actually had decent air conditioning. Even so, I remember sweltering during the summer and shivering in the winter in that old, gray box of an auditorium. It did have its own magic, and I would do anything to experience "The Amp," as we called it, just one more time.

Talk about being at the right place at the right time … how lucky was I? A close friend of mine, who was a pretty big guy, appeared much older than the high school sophomore he was. He got the job of a security guard at the concerts working the stage at "The Amp" and brought me along to all the shows. I became friendly with the chief of security there, a Chicago police sergeant by day who happened to be a neighbor of mine.

His name was Jack Stack (how perfect a name was that?) and he worked for Carl and Larry Rosenbaum of Celebration Flipside, concert promoters as well as owners of the biggest record-store chain in the Chicago area. He always let me hang out backstage, staying out of the way, but very much taking it all in.

As I reminisce about those monstrous productions, what comes to mind were the hours before the show, not really the shows themselves. The semi-trucks full of speakers, lighting fixtures, guitars and the rest was what got my blood boiling. The music just happened to be the effect of the production cause.

So there I was, a high school freshman, backstage hanging with Yes, Rush, The Who and so many others. Predestined supergroups REO Speedwagon and Styx were opening bands at that time. This was where I first got major doses of the inner workings of concert production.

On a side note, one thing that also stands out in my memory, aside from the actual production elements themselves, is just how thin those rock stars were. As I work with those same stars today some 40 years later, I cannot help but take note that the years (as well as backstage green M&M's, Twinkies and beer) have been less than forgiving.

Alice Cooper, one of the pioneers in "theatrical" rock shows, was (and still is) one of the most incredible performers out there. Typically, the stacks of subwoofers and watching the crowds' traffic patterns was what I was most interested in. But the Cooper show was quite a bit different. Aside from the exciting band itself, there was about 50 more people getting costumed up. They were dressed as huge, life-size syringes, liquor bottles and goth-like characters. On stage was a guillotine and other quite creepy stage props.

As wild as it was, it really opened my eyes to what a rock 'n' roll experience could really be about. "The Amp" was turned into a huge musical haunted house with references to drugs and drinking that I just didn't understand at the time.

In December of 1979, The Who brought its show to "The Amp." It was on Dec. 8, just five days after a major incident happened at its show in Cincinnati where 11 people were trampled to death during a mad rush to the front row seats by the general admission crowd. There was a great deal of press about the tragedy, and the show in Chicago did quite a bit to thwart any repeat of the mishap.

I can remember the throngs of yellow-jacketed security personnel that, to this day, impact my attention to safety at my shows. Some things just stick with ya.

One of my favorite moments was after a concert with the band Heart headlining. Ann and Nancy Wilson, the super-talented sisters who fronted the band, filled "The Amp" with sounds of their current megahits such as "Barracuda" - Nancy with her guitar riffs and Ann with her incredible, full voice.

As they took their bows post-concert, following double encores, roses were strewed upon the stage by loving fans. With a final kiss blown to the audience, Nancy reached down to the floor and picked up one of the roses. She then proceeded to follow her sister off stage … and headed in my direction! Earlier in day, right after sound check, I handed her a Perrier bottle of water (Perrier was one of the first bottled water brands in America, and the concept of bottled water had just become relatively popular). She returned the courtesy as she kissed the rose and handed to me as she walked by, seemingly as a thank you for the water I gave to her earlier.

I am not certain, but I think I hit puberty just at that very moment!

Does that kind of stuff happen anymore? I am not really sure, but I don't think it can ever be as innocent and sincerely cool as it was in places like that. We try very hard to re-create that memorable, classic environment at The Arcada Theatre, and many people have graciously thanked us for it.

Yes, I miss that old place. "The Amp" was a part of my childhood, a part of the establishment of my life path. It had character, it had reverence. It was a place that was respected. It is another place torn down to make way for "better" things.

Why not throw in the best place on the planet to experience The Star Spangled Banner, too: a Chicago Blackhawks game at the old Chicago Stadium? Don't get me started! God, I miss that place too! But that I will cover another day!

• Ron Onesti is president and CEO of The Onesti Entertainment Corp. and The Historic Arcada Theatre in St. Charles. Celebrity questions and comments? Email ron@oshows.com.