DELIVERIN'

 

Poco spends a good portion of the early part of this year in the studio. They manage to get a few more bookings outside California, but they are still seen as a regional success at best. The addition of Tim Schmit brings back some of the vibrant interplay between Messina's lead guitar and Rusty Young's steel guitar. But Messina's days with Poco come to an end late in the year.

 

 

 

1970
Date Venue/City Also performing Notes Links
January 2-3 Terrace Ballroom, Salt Lake City, UT Lee Michaels    
February 6-7 Fillmore East, New York City, NY Chamber Brothers A poster and tickets exists for this date although dates are in conflict with the following date.  
February 7 Gymnasium, College Of The Desert, Palm Springs, CA L. Michaels, Chapter Power Movement 2,800 attend the concert.
March 20 Foothill High School Smokestack Lightning    
March 27 Tustin High School, Tustin, CA      
April 4 Eagles Auditorium, Seattle, WA   Poco cancels this show and the Byrds replace them on the bill.  
April 4 Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA Moody Blues, Steve Miller, Turley Richards   Set List
April 12 Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley, CA John Sebastian Members of Schmit’s former band, Glad, are in attendance. When they are accidentally trapped outside, Furay intercedes with security and threatens not to play until they are admitted.
April 16 Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN Denny Brooks    
April 17-18 The Depot, Minneapolis, MN    
April 19 Mandel Hall, University Of Chicago, Chicago, IL John Sebastian  
April 26 Wessell Library, Tufts University, Medford, MA David Rea    
May 1 Nazareth College Arts Center, Rochester, NY Seals & Crofts, Ian & Sylvia, Bat McGrath and Don Potter Just received confirmation that Poco definitely canceled this appearance.  
April 30-May 2 Boston Tea Party, Boston, CA Seatrain, John Fahey  
May 4-7 Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA Spirit, Gypsy  
May 16 Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA   An audience tape exists of this show. It carried this date and location but may be from the May 1-2 Tea Party shows. Set List
May 29-30 Mammoth Gardens, Denver, CO J. Sebastian and Ballin Jack Grand Funk Railroad was originally the headliner Set List

June 6 Palladium, Birmingham, MI All the Lonely People, Savage    
June 7 Cincinnati Gardens, Cincinnati, OH Janis Joplin, Lee Michaels New information has come to light that this show did take place with Poco taking over as headliner. Poco also did a live set on WEBN prior to the show.  
June 11 A Warehouse, New Orleans, LA The Rascals Gypsy was originally booked to open for the Rascals according to ads the day of show. The underground press got the opening act as Pocus! Set List

June 12 Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY Janis Joplin, Seatrain Poco canceled over billing disagreement with Seatrain  
June 13 Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, MO Janis Joplin, Seatrain Show was canceled due to low ticket sales.
June (UD) Tulsa, OK Janis Joplin According to Rusty, this was when Janis made a play for Jimmy Messina and was rejected.  
June 18-20 Boston Tea Party, Boston, MA Brethren  
June (UD) The Fens, Boston, MA Livingston Taylor A free concert played at a public park area near Fenway Park.  
June 22 Simsbury High School, Simsbury, CT Ten Wheel Drive, The Legend, Good Grief This was a benefit concert promoted by four high school girls.  
June 24 Rogers High School Gym, Newport, RI      
June 26-27 The Ark, Alexandria, VA   This 1,000 capacity club dropped their usual ticket price from $4 to $3.75 for these shows. We've added a new concert memory and a poster.
July 5 Atlanta Pop Festival, Byron, GA Jimi Hendrix, Allman Brothers Poco recorded live by Columbia Records at this show. Only two cuts were ever released. Set List
July 11 Bullock's Department Store, Los Angeles, CA Southwind, Blues Image, Blue Mountain Eagle    
July 1970 (UD) Woods-Brown Amphitheatre, American University, Washington DC      
July 24 Aragon Theater, Chicago, IL Spirit, Amboy Dukes    
July 31 Phoenix Veterans Colisium, Phoenix, AZ 10 Yrs After, Big Bros. & Holding Co., Cactus Audience tape circulates.
August (UD) Wadena Rock Festival, Wadena, IA Flying Burrito Brothers, Everly Brothers, Sons of Champlin, Joan Baez, REO Speedwagon, Lightning    
August 2 Galina, IL   Also on the bill for this three-day festival was the Illinois Speed Press, who played on July 31.  
August 4-9 Harmonyville, NY   Festival was canceled  
August 4 Rainy Daze, St. Louis, MO   This small underground club was located on Olive Street and had a very short lifespan.  
August 5 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA Rod Stewart and Faces  
August 6 Peace Festival, Shea Stadium, Flushing Meadows, NY CCR, Rascals, Paul Simon, Steppenwolf, Dione Warwick, 10 Wheel Drive, Al Kooper, Richie Havens, Sha-Na-Na, Miles Davis By everyone's estimation, this was the show that solidified Poco's hold on New York fans. Poco went on early before a full crowd had arrived and tore the place up.

An audience tape exists of Poco's set.

 Set List

August 8 Stanley Park Stadium, Toronto, Canada Procul Harum, Sha Na Na, Melanie, Icarus  
August 13-16 Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA Byrds, Commander Cody  
August 14 Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, CA Peter, Paul, & Mary   Set List

(UD) 1970 Something Else, syndicated TV show Linda Ronstadt, Flying Burrito Brothers Poco performs You Better Think Twice

Performance was filmed aboard a boat in Santa Monica Harbor.

September 5 Terrace Ballroom, Salt Lake City, UT Leon Russell, Fritz  
September 11 Exhibit Hall, Community Concourse, San Diego, CA Johnny Winters, Judy Mayhan   Set List

September 18 Assumption College, Worcester, MA      
September 19 Yale University Commons, New Haven, CT    
September 22 Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA Moody Blues Poco records these sets for a future live album. Set List

September 23 Felt Forum, New York City, NY Moody Blues Poco records these shows for a future live album. Furay had trouble with his vocals that marred most of these sets for use. An interview between shows revealed that Messina had already announced his pending departure. Set List

September 24 Public Hall, Cleveland, OH Moody Blues 8,500 attend show Set List

September 25 Palestra, University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA Delany & Bonnie and Redbone Recent concert memory informs us that Poco's set was shortened when the sound system was so poor that the band walked off stage.
September 26 Fieldhouse, Albright College, Reading, PA   Wells Fargo
October 4 McDonogh Gym, Georgetown University, Washington DC Tractor -later cancelled and replaced by Asleep at the Wheel-, Sageworth & Drums   Set List
October 8 Dewey’s Bar and Grill, Madison, WI    
October 10 American Bandstand airs   Poco performs You Better Think Twice, C’mon  
October 10 Chicago Auditorium, Chicago, IL Livingston Taylor  
October 11 Labor Temple, Minneapolis, MN    
October (UD) Men's Gym, SUNY, Binghampton - Harpur College   Thanks to David K. for letting us know about this show. We will try to confirm details.  
October 22 Cousens Gym, Tufts University, Medford, MA Jonathan Edwards  
October 23 Syracuse War Memorial, Syracuse, NY 10 Wheel Drive    
October 24 Wadsworth Gym, Colby College, Waterville, ME    
October 29-30 Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA Procul Harum and Mungo Jerry October 30th’s show was Messina’s final show.  
October 31-November 1 Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA Procul Harum and Mungo Jerry The next night, Neil Young showed up to watch Poco as Paul Cotton took over as the band's lead guitarist. Messina watched from the audience and flew back to LA the next day.

An audience tape of the November 1 show exists.

 Set List
November 1970 (UD) University Of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY Debu Chauphuri  
November 5 American Shakespeare Festival Theatre, Stratford, CT      
November 6 Chapin Hall, Williams College, Williams, MA Rod Stewart & Faces  

November 7 Gym, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY      
November 8 Physical Education Center, University Of Hartford, Hartford, CT Van Morrison, Sha Na Na Two shows performed. Gate-crashers broke down one of the doors prior to the second show, according the local press.  
November 13 Wertheimer Fieldhouse, Kenyon College, OH   Fan recollection (Mike Yaros).  
November 15 Gym, Salem State College, Salem, MA Travis Shook    
Fall (UD) Memphis Zoo, Memphis, TN   Fan Recollection (Frank Carroll)  
November 12 Thiel College, Greenville, PA James Gang, Gravel Fan recollection  
November 20 Memorial Gymnasium, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN      
November 21 Duke Indoor Stadium, Duke University, Durham, NC Byrds   Set List

November 22 Charleston County Municipal Auditorium, Charleston, SC Freedom  
November 23 Glassboro State College, Glassboro, NJ Elton John, Easy Wind Opening act Elton John was on his first U.S. tour when he crossed paths with Poco.  
November 30 Pan American Center, New Mexico State U., Las Cruces, NM      
December 4-5 Pirates World, Dania, FL    
December 6 Gym, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT Buddy Miles    
December 10-12 Boston Tea Party, Boston, MA Jo-Mama, David Rea This was one of the final shows at the Tea Party. By the end of the month, owners of the financially beleaguered venue closed its doors.
December 13 George Washington Hall, Phillips Academy, Anover, MA Jo-Mama    
December 14 Edwards Auditorium, University Of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI   Dennis Whelan provided the correction on the University's location. Additional research indicates the show took place at the auditorium, rather than Keany Gym.  
December 16 Playhouse, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY      
December 18-19 Fillmore East, New York City, NY Gypsy, Savoy Brown - Jo Mama plays on 19th  
December 19 Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA   This show was scheduled for roughly 2 months before it was eventually canceled to allow Poco to play the Fillmore dates.  
December 31 Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada Rare Earth, Chilliwack, James Gang, Steel River, Sha Na Na, Johnny Winter Poco cancels their appearance due to customs problems that prevented them from crossing the border. The show went on without them in front of 30,000 fans.

Total Shows played: 95