23 Cool Photos of '60s, '70s & '80s Concerts That Make Coachella Look Even Dumber

Carly Tennes Published 05/11/2024 in wow

Music has become an afterthought at modern concerts. After navigating Ticketmaster and Live Nation's mountain of fees, concertgoers are tasked with finding a clear yet stylish bag, looking over a sea of recording cell phones to catch the act, and, if they're lucky, finding a way to sneak in a water bottle so they don't have to fork over $5-10 at the concession stand. But long before Coachella, Stagecoach, and Lollapalooza, the concert experience was a whole lot different — and way cooler.

From Jimi Hendrix closing out Woodstock on a high note to Beatlemania in action, here are 23 incredibly cool photos of concerts from the '60s, '70s, and '80s.

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1.
“Happy fans at a Rolling Stones concert, Philadelphia, 1978. (Photo by Joseph Szabo).”
2.
“Helen Mirren, in the 70s, crashing the stage at a concert.”
3.
“Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney attend George Harrison's concert in disguise, circa 1974.”
4.
“ZZ Top performing in Pensacola, Florida, 1970.”
5.
“Black Sabbath 70s.”
6.
“Found this picture of my dad at a concert in the 70s. He is the one in the middle with the headband and ‘cigarette.’”
7.
“The Runaways in concert at Sheffield University, 1976. Photo by Howard Barlow.”
8.
“Jimi Hendrix, the last performer at Woodstock takes the stage at 8:30am.”
9.
“Aerial view of over 400,000 people at the Woodstock Music Festival, New York, 1969.”
10.
“Jimi Hendrix filming Janis Joplin backstage at Winterland, 1968. Photo by Jim Marshall.”
11.
“Grand Funk Railroad performing at the Atlanta Pop Festival, 1969.”
12.
“… Freddie Mercury punched a hole in the sky at Live Aid.”
13.
“Shea stadium concert with Brian Epstein.”
14.
“Debbie Harry of Blondie on stage 1970’s.”
15.
“Queen's last concert with Freddie Mercury, Knebworth Park, 9th August 1986.”
16.
“Faces of Woodstock [1969].”
17.
“Judy Garland, age 38, performing live in concert at Carnegie Hall, (April 23, 1961).”
18.
“Beatles concert.”
19.
“Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin holds a pigeon that flew into his hand while on stage, 1973.”
20.
“Fans at an Alice Cooper concert at the Boston Garden, March 26, 1973.”
21.
“Bob Marley performing at the Smile Jamaica Concert just 2 days after being shot and wounded.”
22.
“[Possibly] Rowan Atkinson at a punk concert in the 70s?”
23.
“A fan holding the Beatles concert program during their performance at Shea Stadium, 1965”

1.
“Happy fans at a Rolling Stones concert, Philadelphia, 1978. (Photo by Joseph Szabo).”
2.
“Helen Mirren, in the 70s, crashing the stage at a concert.”
3.
“Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney attend George Harrison's concert in disguise, circa 1974.”
4.
“ZZ Top performing in Pensacola, Florida, 1970.”
5.
“Black Sabbath 70s.”
6.
“Found this picture of my dad at a concert in the 70s. He is the one in the middle with the headband and ‘cigarette.’”
7.
“The Runaways in concert at Sheffield University, 1976. Photo by Howard Barlow.”
8.
“Jimi Hendrix, the last performer at Woodstock takes the stage at 8:30am.”
9.
“Aerial view of over 400,000 people at the Woodstock Music Festival, New York, 1969.”
10.
“Jimi Hendrix filming Janis Joplin backstage at Winterland, 1968. Photo by Jim Marshall.”
11.
“Grand Funk Railroad performing at the Atlanta Pop Festival, 1969.”
12.
“… Freddie Mercury punched a hole in the sky at Live Aid.”
13.
“Shea stadium concert with Brian Epstein.”
14.
“Debbie Harry of Blondie on stage 1970’s.”
15.
“Queen's last concert with Freddie Mercury, Knebworth Park, 9th August 1986.”
16.
“Faces of Woodstock [1969].”
17.
“Judy Garland, age 38, performing live in concert at Carnegie Hall, (April 23, 1961).”
18.
“Beatles concert.”
19.
“Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin holds a pigeon that flew into his hand while on stage, 1973.”
20.
“Fans at an Alice Cooper concert at the Boston Garden, March 26, 1973.”
21.
“Bob Marley performing at the Smile Jamaica Concert just 2 days after being shot and wounded.”
22.
“[Possibly] Rowan Atkinson at a punk concert in the 70s?”
23.
“A fan holding the Beatles concert program during their performance at Shea Stadium, 1965”

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1. “Happy fans at a Rolling Stones concert, Philadelphia, 1978. (Photo by Joseph Szabo).”

2. “Helen Mirren, in the 70s, crashing the stage at a concert.”

3. “Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney attend George Harrison's concert in disguise, circa 1974.”

4. “ZZ Top performing in Pensacola, Florida, 1970.”

5. “Black Sabbath 70s.”

6. “Found this picture of my dad at a concert in the 70s. He is the one in the middle with the headband and ‘cigarette.’”

7. “The Runaways in concert at Sheffield University, 1976. Photo by Howard Barlow.”

8. “Jimi Hendrix, the last performer at Woodstock takes the stage at 8:30am.”

9. “Aerial view of over 400,000 people at the Woodstock Music Festival, New York, 1969.”

10. “Jimi Hendrix filming Janis Joplin backstage at Winterland, 1968. Photo by Jim Marshall.”

11. “Grand Funk Railroad performing at the Atlanta Pop Festival, 1969.”

12. “… Freddie Mercury punched a hole in the sky at Live Aid.”

13. “Shea stadium concert with Brian Epstein.”

14. “Debbie Harry of Blondie on stage 1970’s.”

15. “Queen's last concert with Freddie Mercury, Knebworth Park, 9th August 1986.”

16. “Faces of Woodstock [1969].”

17. “Judy Garland, age 38, performing live in concert at Carnegie Hall, (April 23, 1961).”

18. “Beatles concert.”

19. “Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin holds a pigeon that flew into his hand while on stage, 1973.”

20. “Fans at an Alice Cooper concert at the Boston Garden, March 26, 1973.”

21. “Bob Marley performing at the Smile Jamaica Concert just 2 days after being shot and wounded.”

22. “[Possibly] Rowan Atkinson at a punk concert in the 70s?”

23. “A fan holding the Beatles concert program during their performance at Shea Stadium, 1965”

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eBaum's Picks

1.
“Happy fans at a Rolling Stones concert, Philadelphia, 1978. (Photo by Joseph Szabo).”

2.
“Helen Mirren, in the 70s, crashing the stage at a concert.”

3.
“Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney attend George Harrison's concert in disguise, circa 1974.”

4.
“ZZ Top performing in Pensacola, Florida, 1970.”

5.
“Black Sabbath 70s.”

6.
“Found this picture of my dad at a concert in the 70s. He is the one in the middle with the headband and ‘cigarette.’”

7.
“The Runaways in concert at Sheffield University, 1976. Photo by Howard Barlow.”

8.
“Jimi Hendrix, the last performer at Woodstock takes the stage at 8:30am.”

9.
“Aerial view of over 400,000 people at the Woodstock Music Festival, New York, 1969.”

10.
“Jimi Hendrix filming Janis Joplin backstage at Winterland, 1968. Photo by Jim Marshall.”

11.
“Grand Funk Railroad performing at the Atlanta Pop Festival, 1969.”

12.
“… Freddie Mercury punched a hole in the sky at Live Aid.”

13.
“Shea stadium concert with Brian Epstein.”

14.
“Debbie Harry of Blondie on stage 1970’s.”

15.
“Queen's last concert with Freddie Mercury, Knebworth Park, 9th August 1986.”

16.
“Faces of Woodstock [1969].”

17.
“Judy Garland, age 38, performing live in concert at Carnegie Hall, (April 23, 1961).”

18.
“Beatles concert.”

19.
“Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin holds a pigeon that flew into his hand while on stage, 1973.”

20.
“Fans at an Alice Cooper concert at the Boston Garden, March 26, 1973.”

21.
“Bob Marley performing at the Smile Jamaica Concert just 2 days after being shot and wounded.”

22.
“[Possibly] Rowan Atkinson at a punk concert in the 70s?”

23.
“A fan holding the Beatles concert program during their performance at Shea Stadium, 1965”