Electric Light Orchestra 1978

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1978 was the peak of Electric Light Orchestra’s popularity with Out Of The Blue as their best selling album yet, a wildly popular stage show, and general high respect from radio and music critics. ELO brought their symphonic rock and laser lighting show to Australia in February 1978. Nothing on this scale had been seen before, in Australia.

Commenting on the Randwick Racecourse show violinist Mik Kaminski said: “But the best thing of all was the concert we did at Sydney Outdoor Stadium, where we played to 26,000 people.”

The speaker system for this tour included 18 of Jands newly developed all-in-one Concord cabinets along with a conventional 4 way system. Jands also supplied the lighting and stage roof.

The lighting system was made up of Par64s and Strand profiles for specials. At the end of the Australian tour ELO airfreighted Jands lighting system and crew to Japan for concerts in Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka. The 20ft trusses, in use at the time, were a special problem for the Qantas freighters.

Tour Dates 1978

January 29 Western Springs Auckland, NZ
February 1, 2 Festival Hall Brisbane
February 4 Randwick Race Course Sydney
February 7, 8, 9 Myer Music Bowl Melbourne
February 16, 17 Entertainment Centre Perth
February 22 Budokan Tokyo, Japan
February 23, 24 Festival Hall Osaka, Japan
February 25 Kaikan Kyoto, Japan
February 26 Kyuden Taiikukan Fukuoka, Japan
February 28 Nagoyashi Kokaido Nagoya, Japan
March 2 Shizuoka, Japan

All images © Jands Pty Limited. Click to enlarge

JBL

Comments

February 7, 2014

WalkingCivilWar

I was there!!!!! February 1978, I was 14 years old and this was the first concert I’d ever been to. It was AWESOME! Since then I’ve been to literally hundreds of concerts/festivals and E.L.O. definitely still rates right up there.

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February 9, 2014

Howard neely

Me too, it was probably my first concert, my sister took me for my 15th birthday in Sydney, great laser show. I’ve just returned from Xmas in Yorkshire, England and the Move a 60s band were doing a concert in March 2014. If I’m not mistaken Bev Bevan from the 1978 ELO tour was in The Move in the 1960s, great band also with songs like, Goodbye Blackberry Way and Flowers in the Rain.

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April 5, 2014

Susan O’Dea

I was there too!!! It was the most incredible experience of my life. I remember as if it was yesterday (and I must have been 17.)

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January 20, 2015

Wayne Johnson

What about the Adelaide concert on the 10th February at Football Park?

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February 20, 2016

Darryl Morris

Never forgot the concert in Brisbane back then.I was 16 and it blew me away. Festival Hall is gone now but the memories are still there.

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March 6, 2016

DOUGLAS MAXWELL

ELO WAS MY FIRST ROCK CONCERT ,,BRILLIANT SHOW AT PERTH,1978,,THE SUPPORTING ACT BAND BEFORE ELO WAS A WA BAND CALLED DAVE WARNER FROM THE SUBURBS (SHOCKING BAND),,,BESIDES 1978 I ALSO SAW CHUCK BERRY ,STATUS QUO ,THE BEACH BOYS AND 1976 I SAW THE LEGENDRY CROONER PERRY COMO ALL AT THE PERTH ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE,,,ALL GREAT MEMORIES,,,SHAME THAT THE ENTRTAINMENT CENTER BULLDOZED DOWN FOR SOME STUPID APARTMENTS,,,,DOUGIE FROM DOWERIN WESTERN AUSTRALIA 5/3/2016

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July 22, 2018

Stewart Hunt

That was spectacular, those speaker stacks wow, I was18.

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December 13, 2018

Bruce Grayson

I remember the ticket price was $7.90. Maybe there were ticketek fees on top, but that was the face value that I recall. About the cost of a single LP at the time. I was a fair way back, but not way up in the stand. The crowd was well-behaved, althought a little marijuana was consumed by some. I was 15 at the time. I remember the concert quite well. There was a beautiful laser display, great sound, and wonderful musicianship. And it didn’t rain!

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August 8, 2019

Anonymous

Yes that’s right I was there in Adelaide at Footy park as a 17 year old jumping up and down like a lunatic!

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October 10, 2019

Anonymous

I was there and it was fabulous. I went on my own , nobody I knew wanted to go. I met a girl who was with her brother, we had arranged a date but I lost them on the way out.

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January 17, 2020

BRUCE FOWLER

I was at Randwick Racecourse that Feb with a group of friends. The Models came on first then Stars came on before ELO took the stage at dusk. It was a great day/evening and the sound and green laser lights arranged like cello strings shining forever into the sky were memorable. I was 20 and I’ll never forgst it…

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May 8, 2020

Tone

I was there, too! My first concert. My older sister and boyfriend dumped me. Haha. Incredible show.

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July 25, 2020

Sheryl

I was sure l saw them in Melbourne 1973 when l was 14. Obviously not.

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July 26, 2020

DavidM

I’m not aware of a 1973 tour but the band toured Australia in 1975. In Melbourne they played at Festival Hall on September 2 1975.

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October 11, 2020

Andrew

I was there and the band came out on my parents boat for a tour on the swan river. That was a great experience

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July 19, 2021

Anthony Evans

I was there; on duty with St John Ambulance Brigade (as it was called back then) The first ‘Rock Concert’ I’d been to. The first use of ‘Laser Technology’ in the light show: everyone was warned not to get in the way of the mirrors that were placed around the grandstands and other places for the lasers to bounce off! Fantastic concert!

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August 8, 2021

Les

This concert at Randwick Racecourse was my first ever and was totally memorable. The sound, teh music and the crowd were the best. The laser show was awesome. An experience I have never forgotten.

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August 26, 2021

TOMMY KALLAS

I CANT REMEMBER THE FEMALE SINGER WITH THEM, BUT, I KNOW SHE WAS EXTRAORDINARY, AND LONG HAIRED….BEAUTIMUS WOMAN

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March 20, 2022

Zappy

I was disgusted we didn’t we didn’t get the full laser show. Bitterly disappointed

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May 3, 2022

Noel Broadhead

I, too, was at the Sydney gig. I was all of 13 years old, and this was my first ever rock gig. The memories of that show are etched into my brain: Mik’s solos that were synced with the LASER show, the (suspiciously) big sound, the dancing cellists, and that oddly-sweet smell that it had no idea what it was, but noticed it at the next couple of outdoor gigs (I thought it was something to do with the electrical equipment). Also, Stars were a good support. I didn’t see Models – wish I had!

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July 8, 2022

Greg prow

I was there at the 1975 show at Festival Hall in Melbourne, does anyone know who the other acts were, I am getting mixed up with other concerts from that year!

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April 17, 2023

Marylouise Laxton

ELO are SENSATIONAL!!!
I was at the Randwick Racecourse gig.
It was my last year of high school.
I was wearing a cream and brown,Indian, wrap around skirt and a cheescloth top.
The laser light show was amazing.
My 27yr old daughter is also now a huge fan ?
I would SO love to hear them again!

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