Your favorite Columbia concerts

Last week, the Colonial Life Arena announced that pop superstar Paul McCartney was coming to Columbia June 25. It’s one of the biggest concerts the Midlands has ever had.

We created a list of Columbia’s most memorable concert moments (look for it at thestate.com/living) and asked you what we missed.

Readers gave us loads of suggestions, and many more memories of rocking in the Capital City.

Jim Bogle: Great list, but you missed one point about the 1977 Elvis concert (at the Carolina Coliseum): it led to the banning of the buying of multiple tickets by the same person, a good idea long time coming. The Rolling Stones’ requested to have their Steel Wheels tour perform at Carolina Stadium in about 1989, which USC athletic officials declined as not “appropriate” for an athletic venue. Clemson snapped them up in a heartbeat, and they played there. FUN FACT: Tickets for the Elvis concert were $10, but were scalped for as high as $100.

Tyler Mitchell: The original KISS lineup returned in makeup to Columbia at McGuire Arena in 1996! We all camped out all night for tickets to that show. Lots of fans did. FUN FACT: Tickets for the 1996 KISS show were $40.

Douglas Pratt: 1977 Neil Diamond at Carolina Coliseum

Cliff Eleazer: I have seen all but three on your list; 2014, Township, Joe Bonamassa beats them all.

Austin Smith: The best rock concerts ever in my opinion, and I saw a lot of them, were the two Lynyrd Skynyrd concerts before the plane crash. One with Ted Nugent, and the other with The Outlaws, and I think Marshall Tucker. And Bob Seger was fantastic, particularly in the early years. FUN FACT: At a 1988 Lynyrd Skynyrd concert, 45 people were arrested on drug charges.

M Hollis: I wanted to add a few more names to your list of Columbia’s most memorable concert moments. They are: Harry Connick Jr., Sir Elton John, Billy Joel, Bette Midler and the Bee Gees (the Bee Gees were here during those crazy disco days). FUN FACT: Disco, indeed. The Bee Gees’ Oct. 3, 1979, concert began with “Tragedy” and ended with the encore song, “You Should be Dancing.”

Ed & Zoe Ann Cerny: One that you might have missed was in 1971 – Steppenwolf played at the Coliseum.

Tom Cranmer: On Oct. 31, 1985 – Halloween, of all apropos days – the Grateful Dead rolled into Columbia with several thousand petrulli-drenched, tie-dyed followers (Deadheads) in tow, all packed into Volkswagen buses, or any other flower-stickered vehicle that might make it to Columbia, to hear the Dead perform at Carolina Coliseum. It was the only time that the Grateful Dead performed in S.C.

Daniel H. Pipes: The Grateful Dead (with Jerry Garcia) played the Carolina Coliseum Halloween night 1985. I was there.

Jim Doolin: If memory serves me, The Township had The Supremes, The Shirelles AND The Lovin’ Spoonful (John Sebastian)…all three in one show…on Carolina-Clemson weekend Nov. 19, 1965…before any of them were nationally known.

William Smith: To many thousands, the most memorable concert in Columbia ever was performed on April 10, 2015. It was an unforgettable “Evening With Johnny Mathis” at the Koger Center for the Arts. It is phenomenal that the voice of Johnny Mathis has not changed one bit in 70 years!

Elaine Cooper: You missed Bette Midler, Cher, Roberta Flack, BB King, James Taylor, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt and Bela Fleck.

Jerry N. Rainwater: Nov. 22, 1991: Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood; concerts for (Hurricane) Hugo relief in November-December 1989. FUN FACT: Among the acts performing to raise money for victims of Hugo were Barry Manilow, Bill Cosby and Alabama.

Richard C. Detwiler: Chicago in 1970, on the tour promoting the “Chicago II” album, at the Carolina Coliseum. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at the Township Auditorium in 1978. Springsteen played again at the Township, doing an acoustical concert without the E Street Band.

Archie Mack: Your list should have included The Jackson 5 at Carolina Coliseum in 1972. It was a magic moment for many fans as it was either their first or one of their first tours. The show was electric and Michael Jackson was something special. People in their late 40s and 50s still remember that show. FUN FACT: Tickets for the April 8, 1972, show were $4.50-$6.50.

Brad Johnson: Pearl Jam, 2008.

Jerry Peace: 1972 or ’73, I think, Harry Chapin at the Township, $1 and our USC ID; my brother and I had a blast.

Martie Talbert: Ummm, what about Jimmy Buffett? FUN FACT: Buffett’s wife, Jane Slagsvol, is from Columbia.

Joe Hansford: You missed: Three Dog Night, April 19, 1974, at the Carolina Coliseum and Edgar Winter Group May 23, 1974, also at the coliseum! Both great bands!

Martin Mobley: I can’t remember the year, but I attended Sir Elton John’s concert at the CLA sometime between 2002 and 2008.

Susan Kyzer: 2014, Crosby, Stills, and Nash at the Township

Robert Collins: AC/DC, Oct. 10, 1979, Carolina Coliseum, supported by Pat Travers and Mothers Finest.

Bill Coggins: Where were you in the ’70s and ’80s? Some of the first shows at The Coliseum were from top acts around the country: James Taylor & Carol King on same show, Mountain, Jethro Tull, Def Leppard, Black Sabbath, Billy Joel, Elton John. Big names in country: Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard. Pop acts in their prime- Barry Manilow, Hall and Oates, Michael Bolton, Huey Lewis and many more. I saw all these and more.

This story was originally published May 2, 2015 at 12:08 PM with the headline "Your favorite Columbia concerts."