When I look at a list of all the shows I have seen, sorted by venue, it is immediately clear that this venue wins. As of mid-2016, I have seen 59 shows here. This is not surprising, given that I was employed here for three summers while I was attending SDSU. Greatest job I've ever had. Mostly ushering, sometimes "security"--always fun. I worked here during the summers of 1985, 1986, and 1987 (the year I graduated--the first time). And it was such an eclectic mix of artists. Amazing.
For those I considered very special concerts, I took the night off and bought tickets so that I could enjoy the show without interruption. I did that for Sting, Eurythmics, Culture Club, and the amazing Nina Hagen (lowest turnout, best show). Since I worked at most of these, there are no ticket stubs to show. And because there are so many, I've added an alpha index. Enjoy!
These shows are listed alphabetically, rather than chronologically.
Show: Adam Ant
Date: October 1985
Comments:
Show: Ashford & Simpson
Date: August 2, 1985
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Show: Anita Baker
Date: September 11-12, 1987
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Show: George Benson
Date: September 28, 1985
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Show: George Benson and Kenny G.
Date: June 13, 1987
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Show: Big Country
Date: August 14, 1986
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Show: Jimmy Buffett
Date: July 31, 1985
Comments: Okay, so I was not a Jimmy Buffett fan. Not that I disliked him--just never bought any of his music, and would never have purchased a ticket to see him in concert. The three Jimmy Buffett shows were some of the BEST shows to work, because the crowd was so INTO the music. Parrot Heads Rule.
Show: Jimmy Buffett
Date: August 5, 1986
Comments: See above.
Show: Jimmy Buffett
Date: August 6, 1986
Comments: See above.
Show: David Copperfield
Date: August 9, 1986
Comments:
Show: Elvis Costello
Date: April 18, 1987
Comments: Loved the wheel of fortune for picking songs to perform. Love his voice. "Alison" is one of my favorite songs.
Show: Culture Club
Date: August 19, 1985
Seating: Section BB / Row P / Seat 34
Comments: This was vintage Culture Club. Before the heroin decline. "Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon."
Show: The Cure
Date: November 10, 1985
Comments: I love this band so much. I just saw them again in 2016; 31 years later, and still amazing.
Show: The Cure
Date: July 23, 1986
Comments: See above.
Show: Echo & The Bunnymen
Date: October 3, 1987
Comments:
Show: Eurythmics
Date: August 11, 1986
Seating: Section BB / Row C / Seat 20
Comments: Flawless. Annie at her wildest. She entered the stage by descending on a giant zipper that opened a curtain to reveal Dave and the band on stage. Duane and I went with a couple of lesbian friends, and at one point Annie took off the see-through white blouse and performed the rest of the show in her black bra--I thought our friends were going to pass out.
Show: Kenny G. and George Benson
Date: June 13, 1987
Comments:
Show: Godunov and the Stars
Date: July 7, 1982
Seating: Section CC / Row J / Seat 25
Comments: This was the first show I saw at OAT--before I began working there.
Show: Nina Hagen
Date: August 26, 1985
Seating: We were able to sit wherever we wanted to, so sparse was the crowd.
Comments: The OAT seats over 4500 people, and I think just under 800 seats were filled for this concert. It was amazing. She had headlights in her bra, a screaming bat face over her vagina, and she was FEARLESS as a performer. Awesomeness.
Show: Don Henley and Katrina & The Waves
Date: September 1, 1985
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Show: Bruce Hornsby
Date: April 12, 1987
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Show: INXS
Date:September 5, 1986
Comments: Awww, Michael. So sad. Great concert. Saw them again after watching the show Rock Star INXS, the band's search for a new lead singer. We really liked J.D. Fortune on the show--the concert was just so-so.
Show: Joe Jackson
Date: August 26, 1989
Seating: Section BB / Row M / Seat 18
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Show: Al Jarreau
Date: August 11, 1985
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Show: Howard Jones
Date: May 16, 1987
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Show: Katrina & The Waves and Don Henley
Date: September 1, 1985
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Show: The Kinks
Date: August 22, 1985
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Show: Julian Lennon
Date: July 24, 1986
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Show: Kenny Loggins
Date: October 12, 1985
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Show: Kenny Loggins
Date: August 8, 1986
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Show: Manhattan Transfer
Date: July 20, 1986
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Show: Idina Menzel
Date: August 8, 2015
Seating: Section D / Row F / Seat 2
Comments: Kind of a hilarious show. She was amazing, of course...but 40 % of the audience was made up of little girls in blue dresses with their parents, 40% was gay men and other big musical theatre geeks (like Randy and me), and then some undefined 20% of curious onlookers. She addressed it all brilliantly by the occasional profane outburst, wailing aloud that she didn't know how she ended up as some Disney princess, and then by singing a balls-out version of Radiohead's "Creep"--replete with floor writhing--before dusting herself off and arching her back to become the beloved singer of "Frozen," bringing all the little girls (and boys--she was adamant about that--go Idina!) down front to sing along with her. Fab.
Show: Moody Blues
Date: August 31, 1986
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Show: Gary Morris
Date: June 27, 1986
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Show: New Order
Date: October 31, 1986
Comments: Gawd I love this group.
Show: Oingo Boingo
Date: October 25, 1985
Comments: Oingo Boingo shows were SO much fun! Great music. Had to dance, even while working. Danny Elfman is a genius!
Show: Oingo Boingo
Date: July 18, 1986
Comments: See above.
Show: Oingo Boingo
Date: July 19, 1986
Comments: See above.
Show: Robert Palmer
Date: July 22, 1986
Comments:
Show: Phranc and Violent Femmes
Date: April 26, 1986
Comments: Phranc was a revelation. Bulldyke songs despite what anyone thought of her. Army boots and all.
Show: Pointer Sisters
Date: October 19, 1984
Comments: I attended this one with Duane, Chris, Edward, Kevin, and Randy. A limo was involved.
Show: Power Station
Date: July 24, 1985
Comments:
Show: Psychedelic Furs
Date: September 6, 1986
Comments: Great band!
Show: Psychedelic Furs
Date: May 22, 1987
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Show: Simple Minds
Date: April 19, 1986
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Show: Siouxsie and the Banshees
Date: June 13, 1986
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Show: Siouxsie and the Banshees
Date: August 8, 1987
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Show: The Smiths
Date: August 29, 1986
Comments: I can die happy knowing that I saw The Smiths in concert. A beautiful, depressing, glorious concert.
Show: Spyro Gyra
Date: August 16, 1986
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Show: Steppenwolf
Date: August 7, 1986
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Show: Sting
Date: August 13, 1985
Seating: Section DD / Row K / Seats 61, 63
Comments:
Show: True Colors Tour
Artists: Margaret Cho; The Dresden Dolls; Erasure; Deborah Harry; Cyndi Lauper; Amanda Palmer.
Date: June 27, 2007
Comments: Great show!
Show: UB-40
Date: August 8, 1985
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Show: UB-40
Date: September 19, 1986
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Show: Stevie Ray Vaughn
Date: July 31, 1986
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Show: Violent Femmes and Phranc
Date: April 26, 1986
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Show: Andreas Vollenweider
Date: October 3, 1986
Comments:
Back to TopShow: Andreas Vollenweider
Show: X
Date: September 13, 1985
Comments:
Show: Paul Young
Date: September 6, 1985
Comments:
Here are some of the materials I received as an employee at the SDSU Open Air Theatre:
*The OAT schedules were frequently changed many, many times during the summer as acts were added to the schedule.