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The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
liz
(---.dsl.okcyok.swbell.net)
Date: January 29, 2010 05:27PM
The International Amphitheater was an indoor arena located in Chicago, Illinois between 1934 and 1999. It was located on the west side of Halsted
Street at 43rd Street on the city's south side, adjacent to the Union Stock Yards.
Did anyone go there and what did you see.
I went there with my friends and we sat in the balcony and saw The Beatles in 1966.
Street at 43rd Street on the city's south side, adjacent to the Union Stock Yards.
Did anyone go there and what did you see.
I went there with my friends and we sat in the balcony and saw The Beatles in 1966.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
bwalsh
(---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: January 29, 2010 05:58PM
let's see, I've been there for the circus on many occasions, the dog show, a rodeo. Also, the auto show when McCormick Place burned down and the flower and garden show. I'm sure there were other events that I can't think of right now. Unfortunately, I didn't get to go to the Beatles concert - but I DID go to Midway Airport when they landed here for the concert.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
shoreline
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: January 29, 2010 06:07PM
I saw hockey great Bobby Hull, formerly of the Blackhawks, make his return to Chicago playing for the Winnepeg Jets take on the Chicago Cougars in 1972.
The whole world saw that arena during the '68 convention debacle.
The whole world saw that arena during the '68 convention debacle.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
b.a.hoarder
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: January 29, 2010 07:08PM
Dad and I did a lot on the weekends; he worked 2nd shift and made up for it on Sat. & Sunday, he never drove(!) so we rode the Green Monster everywhere. I remember being at the Amphitheater for many events and I will try to name them all. First and foremost would be the circus where the coolest thing for me was seeing the "Flying Zucchinis'" shot from a big cannon mounted on a truck. There was also the Auto Show which was held there for many years before McCormick Place, the rodeo, Midget Racing (autos, not small people!) where they used Coke Cola syrup on the concrete floor for traction, the Rod & Custom car shows, and one that I personally never attended, they actually staged indoor drag races there in the winter of '62. Short track, maybe 330 feet.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
Tim
(---.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net)
Date: February 03, 2010 05:51PM
I worked the Democratic Convention at the Amphitheater in 1968. The place was crawling with flies. Also, and having grown up in the convention/tradeshow business, I worked many a tradeshow there.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
captain54
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: February 03, 2010 07:02PM
I saw wrestling shows there in the 60's and a couple of teeny booper concerts when I was a kid...
most memorable was all the fences and facades Daley had erected during the 68' Democratic Convention throughout Canaryville to cover up the vacant lots filled with garabage and dilapidated garages. I always thought it was ironic that he tried to make the neighborhood look like something it wasn't, and then the city ended up getting a tarnished reputation from all the protesting and alleged police brutality.
most memorable was all the fences and facades Daley had erected during the 68' Democratic Convention throughout Canaryville to cover up the vacant lots filled with garabage and dilapidated garages. I always thought it was ironic that he tried to make the neighborhood look like something it wasn't, and then the city ended up getting a tarnished reputation from all the protesting and alleged police brutality.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
(---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: February 05, 2010 02:55AM
I'd only been there for a couple of flea markets. Indoor drag racing? That sounds like a recipe for good times!
Beatles at the Amphitheater: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W9p5i3yeh4&feature=related
Beatles at the Amphitheater: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W9p5i3yeh4&feature=related
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
nukleopatr
(192.77.161.---)
Date: February 22, 2010 07:30PM
I went to the International Amphitheater in about 1990 or 1991 (maybe even '92?) for a rap concert. The performers that I remember were Monie Love, Digital Underground, Queen Latifah (touring for her first album, before she had done any acting), and De La Soul (also for their first album).
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
daveg
(130.36.62.---)
Date: February 24, 2010 04:01PM
Went to several Bulls games there before they moved to the Chicago Stadium.
I graduated from high school at the Amphitheater - De La Salle.
Auto and Outdoor Shows come to mind.
I graduated from high school at the Amphitheater - De La Salle.
Auto and Outdoor Shows come to mind.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
StrayKitten
(66.28.242.---)
Date: February 25, 2010 06:11PM
I believe this is where my mother went in the late 1930's or early 1940's to see the Marathon Dancers Contest. I remember her telling the story of how she took the bus there by herself because she wanted to see them. This was before she was married, so it had to be somewhere around 1940.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
greatzambo
(---.dhcp.stpt.wi.charter.com)
Date: May 31, 2010 10:30AM
The most vivd memory was the stench of the place. I'm not sure if it was the use for circus event and livestock shows or just the lovely air wafting in from the Stock Yards next to it.
I competed there in Science Fairs in 1966 and 1967.
The last I can recall of regular events would be wrestling matches, held there routinely.
I competed there in Science Fairs in 1966 and 1967.
The last I can recall of regular events would be wrestling matches, held there routinely.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
madbaron
(---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: June 01, 2010 06:03PM
I went there on a grade school field trip in the late 1970s to see the Ringling Bros circus.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
glassgypsy
(---.dsl.emhril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: June 05, 2010 03:24AM
In addition to all the things previously mentioned, YES, there were indoor drag races there. Believe it was twice, was in 1963, and Yes, I raced there. Was like racing on ice, and the ventilation was poor,lots of carbon monoxide. But what the heck, it was winter, and some drag racing was better than none.Believe that was the only year for that. A fun experience for sure!
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
Elaine W
(192.175.17.---)
Date: June 07, 2010 09:14PM
greatzambo--the odor was probably because of the stockyards. The amphitheatre hosted all kinds of livestock shows, because of it's proximity to the stockyards, but the odor would not have stayed around after the livestock show was over. When I was a kid, living about 2 miles east of the stockyards, any strong west wind would bring that odor wafting over the south side.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
robrock30
(---.nycmny.fios.verizon.net)
Date: June 25, 2010 06:38PM
I was living in Hyde Park at the time and I went to see David Bowie there
during the winter of 1975 - 1976. The concert coincided with the release of
his recording Station to Station, where he performed that recording along with alot of his previous well-known gems. I still remember the concert well,
I was up in a balcony overlooking the stage where he was projecting video
of Salvador Dali. The accoustics weren't as bad as I had expected in that
venue. Wild is the Wind sounded very good.
during the winter of 1975 - 1976. The concert coincided with the release of
his recording Station to Station, where he performed that recording along with alot of his previous well-known gems. I still remember the concert well,
I was up in a balcony overlooking the stage where he was projecting video
of Salvador Dali. The accoustics weren't as bad as I had expected in that
venue. Wild is the Wind sounded very good.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
ebmeyer
(---.dsl.chmpil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: August 30, 2010 12:31AM
Before McCormick Place was built, the International Amphitheater was THE exposition center for Chicago.My family attended most of them every year - the Flower Show and Garden Show, the Auto Show, the International Livestock Exposition, the rodeo and the International Kennel Club Dog Show.
My most vivid memories are about the animals, and how even as a city kid, I was able to learn the names of all the breeds of cattle and other farm animals. The unforgettable memory that rings down through the years are of the Budweiser Clydesdales thundering into the arena for the draft horse competition. All the other teams would enter at a sedate trot, but Budweiser would enter at a gallop and the crowd would go absolutely wild :-)
My most vivid memories are about the animals, and how even as a city kid, I was able to learn the names of all the breeds of cattle and other farm animals. The unforgettable memory that rings down through the years are of the Budweiser Clydesdales thundering into the arena for the draft horse competition. All the other teams would enter at a sedate trot, but Budweiser would enter at a gallop and the crowd would go absolutely wild :-)
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
cadelew
(---.om.om.cox.net)
Date: August 30, 2010 12:36AM
I remember going to see the circus there every fall. I also remember my sister taking me to see the Jackson 5.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
Tim
(---.sd.sd.cox.net)
Date: August 31, 2010 01:21AM
"Before McCormick Place was built, the International Amphitheater was THE exposition center for Chicago.My family attended most of them every year - the Flower Show and Garden Show, the Auto Show, the International Livestock Exposition, the rodeo and the International Kennel Club Dog Show."
The McCormick Place fire of 1967 also sent a lot of tradeshows back to the Amphitheater as well as to Navy Pier.
The McCormick Place fire of 1967 also sent a lot of tradeshows back to the Amphitheater as well as to Navy Pier.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
tomcat630
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: September 01, 2010 02:53AM
I went there a few times with family. 1967 Boat Show, 1970 Auto Show, 1974 Circus, and World of Wheels in 1978.
I mostly remember the Auto Show, and the Stockyards manure smell outside.
I mostly remember the Auto Show, and the Stockyards manure smell outside.
Re: The International Amphitheater
Posted by:
davey7
(---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: September 16, 2010 04:31PM
We used to go see Ringling Brothers et al here in the 70's and 80's. I remember seeing a nekkid woman from the bus on like 47th street (maybe at King Drive or Cottage).
I'm jealous, Monie, Latifah and De La Soul would have been an awesome show!
I'm jealous, Monie, Latifah and De La Soul would have been an awesome show!
