WHEN KISS AND RUSH CAME TO FREMD HIGH SCHOOL

On a Saturday night in 1975, the rock group KISS came to perform at Fremd High School in Palatine. It had to have been an amazing night for those who bought tickets. And for the parents who promoted it.

According to a press release in the April 16 issue of the Daily Herald, the concert was initiated by the Vikings Booster Club of Fremd. They were hoping to raise funds for the new special-events sign that they had donated to the school.

In an article from the November 2, 2011 issue of The Beachwood Reporter, Steve Rhodes reported that the Booster Club had the students vote on the band that they would most like to see perform at the school. The winner was KISS. And, coincidentally–or not–KISS was on tour, hyping their new Dressed To Kill album. It was their third album and it was clear they were on the cusp of something big.

The Booster Club made contact with their promoter, Prophet Productions, and set up a concert for Saturday, April 19 that would run in the gym from 7:30 to 11:00 p.m. Tickets were $4.50 and could be purchased at the school.

Judging by the fact that there is a map for directions to Fremd High School on the promotional poster, the Booster Club was going further afield to sell their tickets and, hopefully, increase ticket sales. The roads shown are Plum Grove, Euclid and, what appears to be, I-290 or I-53.

The promoter must have also told the contact for the local booster club that there were two other bands that would be opening for KISS. The first band was a local band named Rockandy and the second was Rush, a band from Canada, that was also on the ascent. Maybe you’ve heard of that second one too?

According to Kiss Concert History Online, the Dressed To Kill tour had just begun on March 27 in Kenosha, WI. Between that date and April 19, they had 11 other concerts, including the week before, on April 12, at Illinois State University in Normal. Touring to promote your new album was a busy business.

The concert history website says that the concert had an attendance of somewhere around 1500 people. They also state that, by the night of the concert, Rockandy was no longer included as an opener. The crowd, however, was entertained with a set by Rush who were in the middle of their Fly By Night tour. That had to have been quite the introduction.

When KISS hit the stage–and what an entrance it must have been–the audience was treated to the following setlist, compliments of setlist.fm.

• Deuce
• Strutter
• Got To Choose
• Hotter Than Hell
• Firehouse
• She
• Ace Frehley Solo
• Nothin To Lose
• Room Service
• 100,000 Years
• Drum solo
• Black Diamond
• C’mon And Love Me
• Let Me Go, Rock ‘N’ Roll

The interesting thing is that, by this time, they were already finishing their concert with their all-time biggest song, Rock and Roll All Nite, from the album they had just completed. It continues to be their closing encore song to this day.

KISS appeared one more time in Illinois on the Dressed To Kill tour. Four months later found them, on August 17, in Pekin at Pekin Memorial Stadium with new back up bands–REO Speedwagon, Ted Nugent and Smokehouse.

But, for one special night, in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, KISS played in a location that was, to this day, an unexpected surprise. If you were at Fremd High School that night, by all means, send in a comment. The details on this concert have to be interesting to say the least!

Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org

CHICAGO COMES TO B.GINNINGS!

B’Ginnings, the restaurant and club opened in the Woodfield Commons shopping center on Thursday, August 1, 1974. The club was owned by Chicago drummer Danny Seraphine, John Bracamonies and Larry Balsamo.

According to a Genie Campbell column in the August 30, 1974 issue of the Daily Herald, the group “chose Schaumburg because they felt there were many people out here interested in hearing music that they formerly always went into the city to hear. And the Schaumburg location, right off the expressway, is not too far for Chicagoans to drive out.”

Not even a month after they opened, it was announced that, to honor the opening, Chicago, in all of its orchestral glory, would do a special performance at the club on Friday, September 6. For a charge of $9 a ticket, they would do two shows–at 8:00 and 11:00.

And Udo Freund, one of our blog commenters was there! He was kind enough to share these wonderful photos from 1974.

Thanks to Mr. Freund, we get a better idea of what the small stage looked like, how close the audience actually was to the performers and how the band set up for the concert. And, of course, we get a chance to see the B.Ginnings emblem on the back curtain.

Mr. Freund said he managed a Lafayette Radio Electronics store in the same shopping center and was interested in associating his business with the new B.Ginnings nightclub. He got to know Mr. Bracamonies and Mr. Balsamo and was able to get into the club the night Chicago was set to play.

His girlfriend worked there too and he said, “[She] set me up with several drinks before the doors opened. I sat at the bar overlooking the east side of the dance floor for the show. I knew that once everyone was in that there’d be no room to move and getting anything more would be impossible…” He also said the club appeared to be packed way above capacity and was standing room only.

“Another perk – I brought in my camera gear for the show. [Here] are 2 pics that I took of their 1st performance, scanned prints from my original slides.”

How lucky are we that Mr. Freund was there AND aware of what a special night this would be for those who attended? And he thought to bring his camera? And then share the photos 46 years later? What a fortuitous move in 1974 and what a nice gesture in 2021.

Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org

A CONCERT AT JANE ADDAMS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

As so often happens in the writing of this blog, one thing leads to another.  In the past week a commenter very graciously added another band to the list of famous individuals or groups who have appeared at Woodfield.

He commented on an earlier posting that was titled Appearing Then at Woodfield Mall.  After a bit of research I discovered the band dropped in at the House of Lewis clothing store. It wasn’t too surprising. They were, after all, a Chicago area band who had produced a couple of albums in the early 1970s and were clearly searching for venues to promote their music. What was surprising was when I discovered that they played a concert at Jane Addams Junior High School on August 1, 1973. The name of the band? Styx.

The five-member band had begun playing together in 1970 and officially became Styx when they signed with Wooden Nickel Records in 1972. Their album, Styx I, came out the same year and Styx II was released the following year in July 1973. This album launched “Lady,” one of their biggest hits. Less than a month later, the Schaumburg Park District had hired Styx and Leviathan, another local band, to perform an outdoor, 3-hour concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. It was time for Styx to highlight the new songs from the new album.

Leviathan was scheduled to begin at 7:45 and play until 8:45. After a short intermission, Styx would take over and play until 10:30. According to a participant who was there, the stage faced Atcher Pool.

All participants were encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets for seating. Some bleachers were available but, for the most part, it was more of a fireworks setting. The participant also said, “There was some flatter area and somewhat of a natural hill on the side near the pool for good blanket viewing.” Best part of it all? It was free!

Jane Addams opened in 1969 and was the sight of a number of events early in the growth of Schaumburg. The Park District held their annual Christmas Show, the Hoffman Hallmark Chorus performed concerts, free films were shown and a host of other activities. Maybe you remember some of them or maybe you were there for the Styx/Leviathan concert? If so, I encourage you to add a comment.  You never know where those comments might go…

Details on the concert were obtained from an article in the August 1, 1973 issue of The Herald.

Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org

THE SCHAUMBURG SONG

“Rolling hills and flowing meadows where Indians once roamed,
Is the place that the German settlers came and decided to make their home.
They built their farms, worked the land, toiled hard and long,
That’s how Schaumburg got its start and we’re still going strong.”

Sound familiar? Most probably not. This is the start of Schaumburg’s theme song commissioned by the Schaumburg Sister City Committee in 1983 to honor the 27-year old village. Eager to get their group off and running, they financed the writing and production of “Schaumburg, We’re Proud to Call You Our Home.”

Home grown from the beginning to the end of the process, the song has a folk/country sound. The lyrics and music were written by local ladies, Barbara Tracy and Chris Portuese. As a professional singer and guitar player, Ms. Tracy recorded the song on Sunday, June 19, 1983 with No Limit, a three member rock band from Schaumburg. And, you guessed it, it was produced in a Schaumburg studio.

One thousand copies of the single were recorded on a 45-rpm style record. (The library has one in our Reference collection.) On the B-side of the record is a song from Schaumburg-Lippe that is sung in German. According to a June 16, 1983 article from the Daily Herald, Ms. Tracy says, “A soccer team that was here (from Germany) first sang the song and then the Buckeburger Jager orchestra and dancing troupe sang it while they were here and gave me a copy of the music.”

The lyrics to “Schaumburg, We’re Proud to Call You Our Home” are as follows…

“Rolling hills and flowing meadows where Indians once roamed,
Is the place that the German settler came and decided to make their home.
They built their farms, worked the land, toiled hard and long,
That’s how Schaumburg got its start and we’re still going strong.

Schaumburg—from a sleepy little hollow,
Schaumburg—to a city with a dream,
Schaumburg—we’re proud to call you our home.

They built the schools, built the churches, became a prosperous town,
Where a tailor, cobbler, wagon maker and blacksmith could be found,
Always there to help each other as they went along,
That’s how Schaumburg got its start and we’re still going strong.

They called it Schaumburg—from a sleepy little hollow,
Schaumburg—to a city with a dream,
Schaumburg—we’re proud to call you our home.

A village built with love and pride and a spirit that lives on and on,
With farms and high-rises side by side, Schaumburg’s a special town,
It’s a place to raise your family, a place you can belong,
Schaumburg had a humble start and we’re still going strong.

Schaumburg—from a sleepy little hollow,
Schaumburg—to a city with a dream,
Schaumburg—we’re proud to call you our home.”

Efforts were made to gain the rights to put the song on this blog. Ms. Portuese has since passed away and Ms. Tracy was unable to be reached. If, at some point, we are able to make contact, it would be neat to share the recording!

Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org