The Ramones 30th Anniversary Show
The Avalon
Hollywood, California
September 12, 2004
By Victoria Jane Joyce
Photos By Victoria Jane Joyce
SugarBuzz Magazine
It was the hottest ticket of the Summer. Seriously, day of show was 100 degrees. It sold out in less than 3 minutes. Movie stars were being turned away. Ebay had tickets for hundreds of dollars. History was going to be made. If you missed it, nobody cool would ever talk to you again.
Fifth Beatle, Arturo Vega and Joe Sib co-produced this 30th Anniversary Ramones Concert in the same venue the Fab Four had their last gig. How full-circle-ish.
This beloved band with its signature hair cuts, jeans and jackets, may be second only to the Beatles in their impact. They changed the look and sound of Rock and Roll. Like Picasso, silly, angry, colorful, primitive and eternal.
The evening was a two-fer, a live performance and an exhibit. The "once-in-a-lifetime" memorabilia show featured leather jackets, jeans, guitars, press releases, laminates, flyers, photos, Joey’s glasses and hand-scribbled lyric sheets. Tommy Ramone told us later, 'check it out now, 'cause next it's goin' to the Smithsonian!" Tommy also reminded us the first Ramones gig was opening for Blondie and the Cockettes at CBGB’s on August 16, 1974. The set was about 12 minutes long. Cool.
