Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion has been a leading live music venue for more than 50 years. Holding around 5000 people many consider it to be an ideal venue.
Prior to the opening of the Sydney Entertainment Centre in the 1980′s, The Hordern Pavilion was the biggest indoor venue available. All the big acts played there. I remember seeing Eric Clapton, Dire Straights, The Church, Baby Animals & plenty more there. The first time I ever saw Cold Chisel was at the Hordern. They were supporting Foreigner and they were brilliant.
Just check the gig list below to see a sample of the quality acts that played there.
Images
Known Gigs
| Date | Artist | City | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24/06/73 http://australianmusichistory.com | Frank Zappa | Frank Zappa in Moore Park, NSW | |
| 25/06/73 http://australianmusichistory.com | Frank Zappa | Frank Zappa in Moore Park, NSW | |
| 26/06/73 http://australianmusichistory.com | Frank Zappa | Frank Zappa in Moore Park, NSW | |
| 08/07/73 http://australianmusichistory.com | Frank Zappa | Frank Zappa in Moore Park, NSW | |
| with Barry Leef | |||
| 17/02/74 http://australianmusichistory.com | Geordie (England) | Geordie (England) in Moore Park, NSW | |
| Billed as “Castrol GTX Fat Session” Support Bands: Buffalo, 69er’s, Hush & Sherbet | |||
| 24/03/74 http://australianmusichistory.com | Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs | Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs in Moore Park, NSW | |
| Support Bands: Ginger, Stevie Wright Band & La De Das | |||
| 25/04/74 http://australianmusichistory.com | Daddy Cool | Daddy Cool in Moore Park, NSW | |
| Support Bands: Home, La De Das & Stevie Wright Band | |||
| 01/06/74 http://australianmusichistory.com | Cat Stevens | Cat Stevens in Moore Park, NSW | |
| 05/11/74 http://australianmusichistory.com | Black Sabbath | Black Sabbath in Moore Park, NSW | |
| Support Band: AC/DC | |||
| 16/11/74 http://australianmusichistory.com | Black Sabbath | Black Sabbath in Moore Park, NSW | |
| Support band: Buffalo | |||
| 19/11/74 http://australianmusichistory.com | Uriah Heep | Uriah Heep in Moore Park, NSW | |
| 20/11/74 http://australianmusichistory.com | Status Quo | Status Quo in Moore Park, NSW | |
| 17/03/75 http://australianmusichistory.com | Bad Company | Bad Company in Moore Park, NSW | |
| 19/03/75 http://australianmusichistory.com | Bad Company | Bad Company in Moore Park, NSW | |
| 15/04/75 http://australianmusichistory.com | Roxy Music | Roxy Music in Moore Park, NSW | |
| Support Band: Split Enz | |||
| 23/04/75 http://australianmusichistory.com | Roxy Music | Roxy Music in Moore Park, NSW | |
| Support Band: Split Enz | |||
| 21/05/75 http://australianmusichistory.com | Leo Sayer | Leo Sayer in Moore Park, NSW | |
| 31/05/75 http://australianmusichistory.com | Focus | Focus in Moore Park, NSW | |
| Support Band: Sebastian Hardie | |||
| 18/08/75 http://australianmusichistory.com | The Sweet | The Sweet in Moore Park, NSW | |
| 28/08/75 http://australianmusichistory.com | The Sweet | The Sweet in Moore Park, NSW | |
More Gigs here
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
what about John McLaughlin?
I remember seeing Status Quo there. Must have been the late 70′s. Also a very memerable gig there was, Believe it, CHUCK BERRY!! Yes the one and only legendary Man himself! He was having so much FUN! It was infectious, he played every song of his that I knew of at the time and some others that all sorts of bands had covered. He duckwalked, he played guiter with so much style and ease. It was only years after that I realized what a legend I had witnesed.
Again in the 70′s John McLaughlin had toured as The Mahavishnu Orchestra and just stood in the middle of the stage and soared and soared to the climax of the show which left you almost falling down.
When he left the stage the crowd continued applauding for the ‘longest time’ and eventually John came back on and ‘floored’ us all over again.
As a Jazz Musician, he had completely re invented himself and infected me with his devotion and unparalleled ability and finesse.
He kept on evolving in many different styles and I felt blessed to become aware.
i saw bob marley @ the horden in 1978. 3 mates and i went to watch the speedway at the showgrounds but it got washed out. we saw all these people hanging around so we wandered over to the front of the horden. 3 people approched us and asked if we wanted their tix as they had to go, we were 15 at the time, so we got all our cash together and bludged cash off others to make the $8.00 (yep 8 bucks to see bob)
i remember walking in to a blue haze of pot smoke. some black dude gave us a big grin and passed us a joint.
great memories
Hi,
Does anyone remember the N>S>W ( Wallacia?) outdoor Music Festival in the 70′s
that starred Elton John ( In an elaborate coloured balls outfit) yet had bands like Buffalo ,Hush etc..
Can’t find it anywhere
Rob
G’day Rob,
Just finished reading Biily Thorpes’ book ” Most People I know think that I’m crazy ” His 2nd book. He gives an hilarious account of that gig & many others.
Hi Recko,
Many thanks for the info,as it was driving me nuts.
I do remember seeing Thorpie distinctly at St.Seorges Basin ( a re-union tour)
and even at Bondi Pavilion,as he was on a postage stamp of a stage, with TWO! drummers, Gil Matthews and Johnny Dick along side of Teddy Toi on Bass and Warren Morgan on Keboards of course, and Billy out front with large Marshall Speakers and me up front.
I have the Tinnitus to prove I was there (Very good set,though).
Cheers
Rob
G’day Rob,
Anyone who saw Thorpie has Tinnitus!! Did some gigs on the Lock up your mothers tour and his Marshall amp head was bloody heavy, it was souped up by some guy in the states. Check out http://www.aztecmusic.net there’s a pile of great old stuff been re released.
Went to do a gig at the Horden in the 90′s and nearly cried. They had pulled out the bleachers on either side of the room. When I had a bit of time to kill between set up and shows I’d go under the stands and check out the old posters that the house staff had put up under there they were in layers and all went to the tip. There was old boxing,wrestling, roller derby and band posters dating way back. All sorts of stuff. Remember an old Jackson five poster from the sixties and Michael looked about ten and still looked like a negro! Will dredge through the brain cells and try and get a bit of a list of gigs I did there.
What date did Little Richard perform at the Hordern Pavilion
Regards. Philip.
I saw Joe Cocker at the Hordern in ’72 before he was kicked out of the country for a pot bust. Yes, Clapton, Zappa, Rod Stewart in the seventies. There were more, but to many brain cells have been fried.
I saw The Sweet there, with Andy Gibb as support in the late 70′s!
I saw Jackson Browne there in the 70′s when he was very young and beautiful and the music was as fresh as his sweet shining face. Magical. I also went along to see Gladys Knight and the Pips around the same time I think which was equally as wonderful. I remember the acoustics being really clear and clean and the old wooden floor had soul that added to the sound. A while back now I went to see Long Way to the Top. Billy Thorpe rocked in his leather pants. So glad to have seen him up close and live, he was enjoying himself so much. Only thing was I felt the stage position had changed? I remember it being at the end of the room and it seemed to be at the centre of the side, am I mad?
I saw Zappa at the Hordern, front row seats (which we used to get by buying the tickets at the hole in the wall at the Showground on Driver Avenue – all the ticket places had the back and sides, the Driver Avenue office had the front and centre! Question for anyone who can help – who was the support act? I remember they did some wonderful stuff, with a cello instead of a bass guitar!!
Saw don mclean in 73 and 74, bo diddley 74 ?, status quo I think 76, slade 74, suzi quatro 75 ?, sonny terry and brownie mcghee 74, quite an early mix then many more over the years and last month I saw Guy sebastian and next month it will be the fabulous tea party. yes eclectic taste. love music. rock on.!