Concert Attendees and Memories

2200 people attended The Who concert at Union Catholic High School on November 29, 1967.  If you were among those lucky enough to attend, please post your memories of the show and your name will be added to the list below.  We are striving to get as close to 2200 names as possible. (Compiling a list of concert attendees was the idea of Dave Goessling, a major contributor to When Stars Were in Reach.)  If you object to the appearance of your name in the list of concert attendees, please post a comment requesting that your name be removed.

As of October 23, 2014, due to spammers and hackers and Louis Vuitton, this page is temporarily being disabled.  If you attended The Who concert at Union Catholic High School, please send me an e-mail at posey53@gmail.com and I will manually add your name to the list of concert attendees.

List of Concert Attendees:

  1. Nancy Balakier Tillman
  2. Pat Beck Wagner
  3. John Bevilacqua
  4. Nancy Finnerty Bigelow
  5. Bob Bresky
  6. Carol Brower
  7. Gary Buffington
  8. Mike Casey
  9. Tim Casey
  10. Judy Chmeil
  11. Ray Cirelli
  12. Kevin Compton
  13. Jim Condon
  14. Myke Connell
  15. Angelo Del Monte
  16. Janet Sich Del Nero
  17. Janet Stanford Delvecchio
  18. Joseph DiPropero
  19. Ed Doolin
  20. Bernard (Skip) Dorgan
  21. Beverly Erickson Cohen
  22. Bill Erickson
  23. Andy Foley
  24. Harvey Gannon
  25. Rich Geisler
  26. James Geoghan
  27. Carol Ann Giardelli
  28. Bob Gilligan
  29. Paula Giuggio-Shea
  30. Dave Goessling
  31. Kenny Gorka
  32. Connie Grimaldi
  33. Diane Pelusio Guerrant
  34. Bill Herrell
  35. Annette Herrmann
  36. Kevin Holt
  37. Danny James
  38. Norma James
  39. Jacquie Johnson
  40. Jon Kenseth
  41. Diana Delvecchio King
  42. John Korba
  43. Bart Kostar
  44. Dean Landew
  45. Steve Langer
  46. Bill Lehne
  47. Peggy Liddy
  48. Janet Lisky
  49. Michael Lock
  50. Nancy Scalera Mackow
  51. Terry Mahon
  52. Zig Mantell
  53. William Martin
  54. Rob Mathers
  55. Mike Mazzarisi
  56. David J. McCartney
  57. Jim McClurken
  58. Bob McHugh
  59. Joseph McMorrow
  60. Ralph Miccio
  61. Eugene Moran
  62. Don Neri
  63. Rob Norris
  64. Sheila Kane Porcelli
  65. Sal Prezioso
  66. Rick Price
  67. Mary Kate Pung
  68. Sheila Waite Ranieri
  69. Mark Russell
  70. Dennis M. Ryan
  71. Gary Michael Saran
  72. Claudia Schmidt
  73. Mary Ellen Merritt Shea
  74. John Shea
  75. Terry Shea
  76. Donna Sibilia
  77. Nancy Geoghan Snyder
  78. Raymond Solomon
  79. Phyllis Stephen
  80. Anthony Tedesco
  81. Mike Testa
  82. Lynn Van Nuys
  83. Jerry Vanderheyden
  84. Mike Ward
  85. Larry Wetzler
  86. Jim Wood
  87. John Wyrough
  88. Robert Wyrough

17 thoughts on “Concert Attendees and Memories

  1. Richard Price

    It was a really great concert. I was really looking forward to the Who “exploding ” during their final song and destroying the instruments, but when they came out on stage, I turned to my girlfriend, and said,”They won’t be destroying their instruments. The lead guitarist has a solid body guitar, and you can’t destroy one of those.” Did they ever prove me wrong!! I thought it was really great that they kept the beat going as pieces of instruments flew all over. I remember then that a number of people stood up and started crowding towards the stage. There were cops around the stage–I think about 4 of them. They looked at each other and like “Uh oh–what do we do now?” It looked like they were thinking or taking off. After all, Scotch Plains/Fanwood cops–what did they know about crowd control?! Fortunately for them, the crowd didn’t get out of hand. It was the best concert I have ever attended–and in my high school gym!!

    1. admin Post author

      Richard, thanks for sharing those great memories. A number of people who attended the show mentioned a rush to the stage during the smashup, although the three existing photos of the smash indicate that perhaps the rush to the stage happened towards the end or immediately after the smashup. Regardless, thanks for contributing your memories to the site.

  2. Pat Beck Wagner

    I was there and really just waiting to see if they would really destroy their instruments as I knew they had at other concerts. That was a signature for them and they did not disappoint!

  3. Bill Erickson

    It was during the summer prior to our senior year when several of us were hired to do “janitorial work” at the school for $2.50 hour (the price of a Who ticket) when on the back stairwell on the girl’s side I suggested the idea to Gary Buffington. We kicked it around, later shared it with some of the other student-workers (Bob Mathers, Steve Langer, etc.)
    I still have at least one letter I sent out trying to get a group to come and play, but it was Bob Gilligan who had the connection. The rest, as they say, is in Michael’s book.

  4. Roseanne Scanniello

    none of us realized the importance of the concerts at UC – people never believe me when I recall the groups that played at the school.

  5. Terry Shea

    I was there. Was a freshman at UC. My brother was a senior, and I believe that his friend, who was student council president, was one of the main drivers behind the concerts held there. I clearly remember Keith Moon breaking the head on his snare, tossing it over his head and grabbing a replacement snare!

  6. Janet Sich Del Nero

    I remember wearing a dress to that concert. Our art teacher, Sr. Gerarda (spelling), had made the arrangements and told our class to dress appropriately. Everyone waited on line patiently for the doors to open. I sat upstairs in the gym and couldn’t believe it when the guitarist smashed his guitar at the end of the concert. It was one of the great concerts Union Catholic had.

  7. Sheila Kane Porcelli

    I don’t think many of us realized that we were part of an amazing event. Throughout my life, anytime I recall those concert years to new friends, they don’t believe me. I used to say “google it”, now I recommend the book! Those days would simply be impossible to replicate today.

    1. admin Post author

      Sheila:

      I understand from your comment that you attended many U.C. concerts. But I need your confirmation whether or not you were at The Who show. Thanks.

      Michael Rosenbloom

  8. Maureen Finnerty Bigelow

    I was there!!! I also bought the book. Like Nancy Scalera , I graduated in ’71, so I guess I was a freshman. I got hold of drum stick, and my friend Janet Lisky got a piece of Pete Townsend’s guitar. We were ducking down near the stage as they were breaking up their instruments trying to not get hit in the head. When I tell people today that The Who played at my Catholic HS, they are in disbelief. I love having the book!
    We went to HS in very unique times, but then again, we boomers have had many unique experiences….no regrets!

  9. Nancye Geoghan Snyder

    I remember the concert so well! I remember Rodger Daltry swinging his microphone like a lasso ( as he did in every show) ! As well as Pete Townsend smashing his guitar! My Dad was the president of our PTA and we were doing the concert as a fundraiser for the school. When we made the contract in the spring they cost $3,000. During the summer Happy Jack came out which was a tremendous success! Lucky for us we made the contract when we did. By the time they came out to us their going rate was $10,000! Quite different from todays rates!

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