From Springsteen to the Stones: Your Big Red concert memories

During his undergrad days, Joe Lavin ’75 served on the Cornell Concert Commission’s finance committee. “It was a great way to get free tickets to concerts,” he recalls, “even though we had to work at them.” Among Lavin’s favorites: a front-row spot at an Elton John show that opened the legendary rocker’s 21-city tour.

He also saw other top-tier acts like the Beach Boys, Jethro Tull, Yes, Stevie Wonder, and Sly and the Family Stone; he even delayed going home for Christmas to see Don McLean of “American Pie” fame perform at Bailey.

Lavin’s reminiscences are among the dozens upon dozens we received in response to our call for Cornellians’ fondest and most vivid memories of concerts on the Hill.

Our request clearly struck a chord—pun intended!—because the responses totaled a mindboggling 9,000+ words.

Alumni recalled hearing some of the world’s most famous musicians—from the Stones to Springsteen and beyond.

Read all the responses – including many from Arts & Sciences alumni – in Cornellians. 

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