re: What was Baton Rouge like in the 1970s?

Posted by StanSmith

Member since May 2018

1064 posts

Posted on 1/24/21 at 6:50 am to financetiger

Use Google to look at demographic data from anytime in the 1970's compared to today. The growth of one population and the decline of another pretty much tell the whole story.
I grew up in BR and saw the change in the city from the 1970's till 2000 when I moved away. BR used to be a decent city. Unfortunately it has devolved into a raging dumpster fire.
I've seen areas that I have lived in go from respectable working class neighborhoods to crime filled ghettos in less than 30 years.
My opinion may not be PC but the data backs it up

Posted by CedarChest

South of Mejico

Member since Jun 2020

2825 posts

Posted on 1/24/21 at 5:44 pm to Martini

Wasn't that when Rudy Maclin was the big dog for LSU basketball? I worked down there then, and the Bball Tigers were pretty bad arse.

Posted by Hangit

The Green Swamp

Member since Aug 2014

45285 posts

Posted on 1/24/21 at 6:28 pm to CedarChest

Also The blonde bomber, Hi-C, The Astronaut, Ice Martin, Cookieman, Disco Duane, 6th man Sims, And 2 7-foot white baws. I did not name some of the guys, but we were loaded with talent.

Posted by chinese58

NELA. after 30 years in Dallas.

Member since Jun 2004

33157 posts

Posted on 1/24/21 at 7:25 pm to Martini

quote:
I remember going to the Assembly Center for a like midweek concert-Foghat, Foreigner, Styx, Blue Oyster Cult, Rush, Uriah Heep, Gary Weaver, REO Speedwagon, Journey - one of those or any of another 20-30 bands that played there

Check out digital pages 238-261 from the 1978 Gumbo.

quote:
Willie and Emmaylou
Chicago
Average White Band
Crystal Gayle
Styx
Foghat
Rod Stewart
John Denver
Emerson, Lake, and Palmer
Frank Zappa
Heart
Harry Chapin
Boz Scaggs
Grateful Dead
Richie Havens (may be an LSU DC candidate)
Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge
Gino Vinelli
David Bowie

https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu

If you have an actual Gumbo, that's pages 224-247.

Posted by prplhze2000

Parts Unknown

Member since Jan 2007

56840 posts

Posted on 1/24/21 at 7:28 pm to Monkeyboy

quote:
was a kid in the 70s but I can remember for Christmas this family in some neighborhood in BR had this extensive Christmas display that ran pretty much through their whole yard and carport, and they would let anyone who wanted to see it go in their yard to check it out. Anyone remember what I'm talking about and where it was located? It was popular with the locals from what I can remember. It went on into the 80s as well as I can recall they had a big mechanical ET at one point. I can't remember much more specifics but I know it was something I used to really look forward to as a kid.

It was behind the Blue Cross building.

Surprised no one has mentioned the devil worshippers over at the end of Harrells Ferry

As for concerts, I heard how much they rocked. What happened was the AC/DC concert. The Centroplex was general admission. First come first serve to get on the front row. Seriously. It was once like that.

Advocate reporter was at the show. Heavy smell of weed, very hazy, kids were drunk, passed out. Front page of the paper the next day and of course the tv stations followed suit. They got REAL tight on concerts. For awhile, was filled with cops and you couldn't even stand up and dance during a song.

This post was edited on 1/24/21 at 7:31 pm

2 ...

Posted by Paul Allen

Montauk, NY

Member since Nov 2007

77734 posts

Posted on 1/24/21 at 7:29 pm to prplhze2000

The devil worshippers were off Frenchtown Road

Posted by farad

Member since Dec 2013

12217 posts

Posted on 1/24/21 at 7:49 pm to prplhze2000

quote:
It was behind the Blue Cross building.

was wondering if someone was actually there...

I was...

the rope swing was killer...it was muddy one day and brother fell off, hit the ground and bounced into the water...he was in the hospital for weeks...

2 ...

Posted by prplhze2000

Parts Unknown

Member since Jan 2007

56840 posts

Posted on 1/24/21 at 9:06 pm to farad

We went every year. Was a blast. I remember the Santa robot playing piano

Posted by Boo Krewe

Member since Apr 2015

9810 posts

Posted on 1/24/21 at 9:11 pm to farad

I feel like on tom sawyer over french conservation road

Posted by Wolfhound45

Member since Nov 2009

125807 posts

Posted on 1/24/21 at 9:21 pm to Paul Allen

quote:
The devil worshippers were off Frenchtown Road

I remember it well

Posted by Martini

Near Athens

Member since Mar 2005

49616 posts

Posted on 1/24/21 at 9:28 pm to doubleb

quote:
I hung out at Tiger Lair

Did you shoot pool upstairs?

Yes I did. And they had live music-I’m trying to remember the names of some of the bands. The Dick Nixon’s? I remember seeing them at The Varsity but I’m almost positive I saw them at Tiger Lair.

Posted by sabanisarustedspoke

Member since Jan 2007

5630 posts

Posted on 1/25/21 at 12:43 am to farad

quote:

Sammy's

No Sammy's. He didn't open until around '88. I remember the place was called Sneakers and it was a dank lounge.

Posted by elcid

Band Camp

Member since Mar 2007

3036 posts

Posted on 1/25/21 at 4:45 am to HailHailtoMichigan!

All the neighborhoods that are shite holes now were thriving and had their own schools. Bussing killed the neighborhood schools and eventually it spilled into the neighborhoods themselves and good people moved out.. It is very sad to look back and see what Progressives did to BR.

Posted by Mr Clean

Power I-Formation

Member since Aug 2006

53084 posts

Posted on 1/25/21 at 5:09 am to HailHailtoMichigan!

I can tell you about the mid-90s at Club Neos and Aftershocks

This post was edited on 1/25/21 at 5:10 am

Posted by farad

Member since Dec 2013

12217 posts

Posted on 1/25/21 at 5:26 am to sabanisarustedspoke

quote:
No Sammy's.

there was a Sammy's Lounge on N. Foster long before Sammy's on Highland opened...

This post was edited on 1/25/21 at 5:32 am

Posted by RealityTiger

Geismar, LA

Member since Jan 2010

20543 posts

Posted on 1/25/21 at 6:06 am to StanSmith

quote:
I've seen areas that I have lived in go from respectable working class neighborhoods to crime filled ghettos in less than 30 years.

All that area around Belaire HS, Cortana Mall, Sherwood Forest, etc. is a prime example. It's downright depressing to see it now. I feel like I'm riding in a real life version of Escape from New York when riding through that area of town.

Posted by TheOtherSide

Baton Rouge

Member since Sep 2016

348 posts

Posted on 1/25/21 at 12:06 pm to Supermoto Tiger

quote:
saw Journey at the Warehouse

Saw Journey in the spring of 76 at La Tech. They opened for the Electric Light Orchestra.

I cut through Memorial Gym coming back from a class heading to my dorm. I went in to see what was being set up for the concert that night.

The drum set had planets air brushed all over. Spacey! I went and got a friend who was a drummer from his dorm (Jenkins) to get him to come see the drums.

We were standing at the edge of the stage and someone ask if we wanted to play them? I don't play and my friend wouldn't do it.

The person that asked us was the sound engineer. He told us to come stand on the mixing board platform once the concert started. His name is Bob and he also produced the King Biscuit Flower Hour radio program. Look up the KBFH and see what else he is credited for. Not a very good Wikipedia article. He left Journey for the The Tubes after that.

After Journey played, Bob helped the ELO engineer transition the soundboard settings.

When ELO started playing, to my left was a guy with a fro and a glow light in his hair. He looked at me and lifted his hand head high and rotated his hands back and forth. I was Neal Schon. He told me later that night that was a California thing for "Spacey!"

Afterwards we grab the bands stash of warm Michelob beer from the changing/locker room and head back to the hotel and drank beer with them. No girls.

The band only consisted of Neal, Greg (former keyboard play and singer for Santana. Sang Black Magic Woman), Ross and Ansley Dunbar. Ansley did not hang out and headed to sleep. He and Ross had been chasing the ELO band with plastic squeeky toys such as hammers and other devices. Look up squeeky hammer toys and look at the images.

Drank beer. The played on an acoustic guitar some of the songs that they were developing for future albums. Nice visit.

We went and saw them a few weeks later in Houston at Independence Hall. We returned in time for a chemistry exam which led to utter failure in that class. Odd story about the failure part. To absurd to be believable.

Prior to the Journey story is a Charlie Daniels story after a concert. CDB, Savoy Brown band, Sundown West bar in Ruston. About 24 total people in the bar until about 4:30am. There was a house band. CD and others from the CDB would play at different points including a rendition of Stormy Monday.

Past the age of 23 I have not had many adventures except for the child rearing kind.

Posted by aardvark1975

St. Francisville

Member since Jan 2015

163 posts

Posted on 1/25/21 at 9:05 pm to tonydtigr

I hadn't discovered Southdowns yet. I hungout at thé Happy note, Rock's Place, which was in Tigerland. Also, there was à Blue's bar in thé back of thé shopping center on thé corner of Old Hammond Highway and Sherwood Forest that was à good place to kickback. I can't remember thé name of it.