Fresh Fest - August 10, 1985

[5 Grand]

For those that don't remember, there were three Fresh Fest tours, one in 1984, another in 1985 and the last one was in 1986. I actually had tickets to the last one in 1986 and was trying to convince my parents to let me go with my older brother who was about 16 at the time. But there was a shooting in the Los Angeles Fresh Fest so the show I had tickets for got cancelled.


Anyway, this was Russell Simmons doing. Rap had been around for a little over 5 years and there were always concerts and the more popular rap acts were on Soul Train but the Fresh Fest was the first Hip Hop tour, and if you notice, all of the groups had albums. Prior to 1984 most rap artists had a single, or a few singles. Russell Simmons upped the ante and raised the bar.

 

[Worldwide]

Those concerts were a little before my time (I was too young) but I remember RUN DMC paved the way for hiphop acts to do big arena tours.

My first big hiphop arena concert was at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit in 1987 (my Dad dropped me and my girlfriend off and picked us up...haha).

The show was Public Enemy, Eric B. and Rakim, Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew, Whodini, and headliner L.L. Cool J (promoting his 'Bigger and Deffer' album). What a show... when the S1Ws came out with Professor Griff, I had never seen anything like that before. Also, LL Cool J jumping out of the tape deck of a giant radio while Bobcat and Cut Creator spun out of a brick wall on stage (2 djs cutting!! it was the shit!).

 

[Worldwide]

I found a picture of the giant radio from the concert... I didn't dream it (haha):

 

[5 Grand]

Those concerts were a little before my time (I was too young) but I remember RUN DMC paved the way for hiphop acts to do big arena tours.

My first big hiphop arena concert was at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit in 1987 (my Dad dropped me and my girlfriend off and picked us up...haha).

The show was Public Enemy, Eric B. and Rakim, Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew, Whodini, and headliner L.L. Cool J (promoting his 'Bigger and Deffer' album). What a show... when the S1Ws came out with Professor Griff, I had never seen anything like that before. Also, LL Cool J jumping out of the tape deck of a giant radio while Bobcat and Cut Creator spun out of a brick wall on stage (2 djs cutting!! it was the shit!).

My brother went to that show at the Providence Civic Center