Hold those lighters aloft: Fifty years ago this weekend, 200,000 rock fans descended on Ontario for California Jam, a one-day music festival on the grounds of the Ontario Motor Speedway.
The April 6, 1974 event — ticket price: $10 — had this concert lineup, in order of appearance: Rare Earth; Earth, Wind and Fire; the Eagles with guest Jackson Browne; Seals and Crofts; Black Oak Arkansas; Black Sabbath, led by Ozzy Osbourne; Deep Purple; and Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
If you’re keeping track, that’s two names with “Earth,” two with “Black” and one with “Purple.” Plus one “Browne.”
Imagine 200,000 people — essentially the entire present-day population of Fontana, and more than double a Coachella Festival weekend — gathering in Ontario for a rock festival. At the time, California Jam was said to have been the largest one-day gathering in state history.
ABC Entertainment produced Cal Jam and aired highlights over four nights. Showbiz professionals put on this rock festival, not idealistic amateurs. There were no breakout stars or touchstone cultural moments.
Some, like reader Ron Vander Molen of Pomona, fondly recall how Keith Emerson, behind his piano, rose into the air along with his instrument, and while suspended in mid-air, he and his piano rotated, end over end, as he continued playing, evidently without losing his lunch.
Still, Emerson didn’t light his piano on fire or chop it up with an ax.
Robert Hilburn covered the festival as pop music critic for the Los Angeles Times. He wrote that the festival bill didn’t have “the tension and overwhelming anticipation” that marked great festivals like Woodstock or Watkins Glen.
I emailed Hilburn, now 84, to ask how he views Cal Jam from 50 years on.
“It was an ambitious attempt to toast the growing popularity of rock ‘n’ roll in a massive setting,” Hilburn replied. “But the talent line-up (aside from the Eagles) doesn’t rank with my favorites. I much preferred the US Festivals at Glen Helen in the 1980s because the talent line-up was so much more memorable.”
To commemorate the festival’s 50th anniversary, I put out a call for your memories. Here are excerpts.
John Carvala, now of San Francisco: “I remember parking in a big dirt field to the east of the speedway. I got there before the music started. Of course the concert crowd area was huge, covering much of the infield, and there were speaker towers in the crowd so everyone could hear. It was dusty. There was litter and trash around and the smell of marijuana in the air.”
Janice Elliott, Upland: “I was 20, old enough to have common sense, but I chose style over practicality with my footwear choice: platform wedgie sandals. I think I had fun, lots of intoxicating smoke prevailing, in spite of my throbbing feet.”
Brian Uhl, Corona: “Ozzy Osbourne fronted the Sabbath with an enthusiasm that his band and the crowd lacked. The best part of the show was getting out. The 200,000 others had the same idea and exiting was chaotic. Groups waited at the on-ramp. I picked up two girls without any idea where they lived.”
Kent (Bayless) Romero, Eastvale: “At the end, Emerson, Lake and Palmer played ‘Karn Evil 9’ and I remember looking up through all pyrotechnic and other types of smoke and seeing what I thought were ping-pong balls bouncing up and down. What I was seeing was half-gallon plastic jugs (passed out earlier for water) being thrown up in the air by the thousands. It was quite a sight, especially when we determined that we might be in danger. Several people around us were struck by falling water jugs. We took cover and none of our group were injured.”
Nancy Jefferis, Ontario: “I was 15 years old. My friend and I were dropped off at the corner of Haven and Fourth on the morning of the Jam. I remember it being very, very crowded inside. The lines to the bathrooms, and to the concession stands, were at least 100 people deep. Needless to say, we somehow managed to not go to the bathroom or drink any water all day. We could hear the music the whole way home on the walk to Fifth and Baker.”
Philip Montgomery, Upland: “I knew all the little dirt roads. I had my truck, a couple of buddies, a couple of girls. We drove through the vineyards. A fence on the north side was down so we walked in. We only saw the night part of the show.”
Albert vande Steeg, then an Ontario police officer: “Many of our youths had their first exposure to and use of drugs at that event. I witnessed numerous people injecting, smoking or swallowing drugs and narcotics. Sexual perversion was rampant. Worst of all were the ‘bummer tents’ where those who overdosed were treated. The city sold its soul and our youths for money to save the speedway and lost.”
Mike Huey, Menifee: “Frankly, one of my most distinct memories was of standing in line waiting to enter for seemingly (and probably) hours just to get in. I think we heard at least the first two acts from outside the racetrack. Once we got in, our basic tickets entitled us to a small area of concrete on the track itself, roughly 100-150 yards from the stage. Safe to say we ended up attending more for the experience than the music.”
If you’re a fan of the festival, check out the California Jam Fan Club Facebook page, which has 20,000 followers. Kudos to group moderator Allen Pamplin, who was at the festival at age 15, for keeping the Cal Jam torch burning.
I knew the 50th anniversary was coming up but hadn’t yet looked up the date when reader Carlos Garcia of Rancho Cucamonga emailed to remind me.
“You always address the important IE anniversaries, openings, closures, celebrations, etc. I just need to make sure it doesn’t slip by without mention,” Garcia wrote. “As an attendee of the concert at the age of 16, it’s always great to see the once-in-a-lifetime experience mentioned in your column.”
He signed off this way: “Cal Jam alum ’74.”
David Allen writes Sunday, Wednesday and Friday, your college of IE knowledge. Email dallen@scng.com, phone 909-483-9339, like davidallencolumnist on Facebook and follow @davidallen909 on Twitter.
