George Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1980)

 

George Live at the Hollywood Bowl

By Kris Spackman

With a Little Help From My Friends

October 1980

     George was live at the Hollywood Bowl in his only 1980 US concert appearance on September 29, 1980. Okay, so maybe it wasn't really a concert appearance, but to date, so far as we know, it was George's only US appearance this year. Thank you, Warner Bros., for not getting his prior approval on the LP artwork. And thank you, Pythons, for doing your shows at just the right time.

    Three weeks earlier, we read with excitement the article in the LA Times announcing Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl, their only US appearance, four shows on four consecutive nights in late September. At the time, the faint possibility that George could be there flickered across the mind, but one never knows with him these days, especially since he's been such a hermit of late. No matter what, the shows would still have to be incredible. 

    We bought four tickets for Saturday night, September 27, and on that very day, a frantic phone call from good old Simmons sent our hope skyrocketing. Direct from the man himself, via London, and thanks to Dorothy, and from Scotland, thanks to Angela, came the incredible news that he was stopping in LA on his way to Hawaii. Oh, my God. Oh, my God! It sounded too good to be true, but how terribly logical. We speculated over whether he'd be carrying the master tapes for the LP or perhaps stopping over at the Grand Prix in Montreal, which was also happening that weekend. Heck, knowing George, he probably was coming for the Python shows.

     At the show that night, we hung out at the artist entrance until just minutes before showtime, then inside, gazed anxiously about at the 6,000 gathered, and tried to spot that face in the crowd. The show was incredibly wonderful. Typical Python hysterics, from Cleese's crazy silly walks to Terry's incredible animation on the two large video screens, to Eric's marvelous raps, to the great "Lumberjack Song." (They got a standing ovation for that one). But there was no George after the show. We again returned to the artists' entrance and waited for the guys to leave. Almost an hour later, Eric was the last to go, and we stopped by his limo to sign autographs. We glanced quickly inside, no George. Then I looked up to find myself standing next to Derek Taylor! He was probably as surprise that someone recognized him as I was to see him! I was only able to quickly ask him how he was (fine) and tell him I met him in England several years ago before he was hustled into the car with Eric, and they were off. What a lovely surprise that was!

    Meanwhile, we knew that if George were in town, he'd have to show up at least one night. We went back Sunday night and bumped into a friend with connections, who confirmed he was definitely in town. The artwork for his album had been sent off to WEA in error without his final approval, so he decided to stop in LA at a time that just happened to coincide with the Python shows. But no George.

      We knew Monday night had to be the night! We were determined to get tickets to the show, whether we had to beg, borrow, or steal them. But luck was with us. We wound up with two return box seats bought at cost at the Bowl box office. Things were running smoothly from the start. My roommate Patty, our good friend Sue Webber, and I arrived early at the Bowl, once again, taking up position at the artist's entrance. We saw the guys wandering about getting ready for the show, but no George. At two minutes to show time, we reluctantly left Sue (a ticket, unfortunately, didn't fit into her budget), promising to call her should anything happen. 

    The show was just as great the second time around. During intermission, another very pleasant surprise, to say the least, occurred. We ran into some people we knew in their box seats. To find them there with Klaus Vormann! We were introduced to him, and he was very sweet and looked absolutely gorgeous, though he's gotten very gray. His eyes are as stunningly blue as ever. Then, to Patty's absolute astonishment, Klaus asked her if they hadn't met before. Yes, she admitted they had met several times years ago in England! We were just overwhelmed, as it had been at least seven years. 

    We went back to our seats, and the show went on. Still, no George, not even during the "Lumberjack Song."  Afterwards, back at the artist's entrance, we bumped into a friend, Lynn, and her first words were, "Have you seen him?" No. I thought immediately she couldn't mean... "Who?" I said. "George! Who else?" She went on to tell us that he had been inside in a regular box seat in the audience. He was there with Olivia and another couple and was very much enjoying himself, being very friendly and signing autographs.

    Lynn had spoken to him for a couple of minutes, but couldn't really remember much of what he said. A couple of moments later, there he was, walking into the tent outside the Bowl for the after-show party. He was carrying the stuffed parrot the Pythons use in the famous This Parrot Is Dead skit, and in the quick glimpse I caught of him as he went in, I thought he looked just wonderful, pretty much like he did in Long Beach in 1979, though his hair was a bit shorter.

     As he disappeared inside, Patty grabbed my arm. "Come on." We circled around to the other side of the tent. Security people were all around. Patty walked away from me for a moment toward the back of the tent. A quick glance to see that the security guard had walked away. I turned to look for her, but she was gone. I knew right then that she had gotten inside-- a true graduate of the School of slinkology. That's my roommate. I was stunned and too much of a damn silly chicken to try to follow her, so I returned to the front of the tent to wait for him and Patty to come out.

     Meanwhile, inside, Patty quickly found herself a drink to calm her sudden, violent case of nerves. To her astonishment at this burst of courage, she talked to George only to say hello to him and Olivia, and then tried to mingle while keeping a close eye on him. A couple of times, she found those eyes on her, and I speculated that George, of excellent memory, was also perhaps trying to recall where he had seen her before. But he seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself. He sat with Olivia and his friends at a corner table, and they were laughing and chatting together with all the friends who approached them. George was still holding onto the stuffed parrot, which he kept rapping against the table. 

    Patty said the nicest part of all was seeing him look so relaxed, obviously happy, and very healthy. Meanwhile, she kept running literally into Robin "Mork" Williams, who finally apologized for bumping into her. She stayed at the party for only half an hour or so, and the funny part was that he sneaked out the way Patty sneaked in, through the back of the tent. He came walking up the driveway past where we were waiting, so Lynn and I got a nice, long look at him. People approached him for autographs as he scooted up the driveway to the parking lot, and one rather weird character got him to sign a painting of The Beatles. 

    We followed at a discreet distance and watched him get into the car with his friends. Then they were off, and I stumbled back to find Patty, who'd raced out at discovering George had pulled one of his famous disappearing acts. We also discovered that no one even remembered what he'd been wearing. We were all too busy looking at his face. I seem to recall it was the tan trousers and jacket he'd been wearing at Long Beach. But don't take my word for it. By this time, we were all exhausted, exhilarated, overwhelmed, and blissfully happy —that special high you get at times like that. We felt like Mission Accomplished once again. Please, George, keep up your once a year in LA habit, because we love being spoiled like this.