Kalamazoo Rock Revival, Michigan, 1969

Held at Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds on Lake Street in Kalamazoo, Michigan on Sunday Jun 08, 1969, this was one of many Michigan one-day festivals, held all over the state from 1968-1972. 

A lot of these gigs featured the same roster of bands, all of whom were just getting off the ground. The line-up here was All The Lonely People, Brownsville Station, Plain Brown Wrapper, Savage Grace, Smoke, The Frost, The Rationals, The Red, White and Blues Band, Bob Seger System

Obviously, the most famous band to emerge from this scene was Bob Seger, who just wouldn’t quit and eventually made it big after many years of touring, but The Frost released three albums and your money would’ve been on them from Alpena, Michigan to break out nationally in 1969, but in 1970, Dick Wagner got a call from Alice Cooper and jumped ship. That ended The Frost. 

Savage Grace released two albums in 1970 and 1971 but then faded from the scene. Brownsville Station, who broke out of the state, released their first album in 1970 and had a good career throughout the 1970s.

Interesting how this was termed a 'rock revival' as opposed to some counterculture event. I wonder if that reflected Michigan's working class heritage. They wanted long hair and rock an roll but turning on, turning and and dropping out wasn't ever going to be on their agenda, baby.