Tower Theater (Pennsylvania) facts for kids
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Tower Theater in August 2014
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| Location | 69th and Ludlow Streets Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Type | Indoor music theatre |
| Seating type | Reserved |
| Capacity | 3,119 |
| Opened | 1927 |
The Tower Theater is a famous music spot in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania. It first opened in 1927. Since the 1970s, it has been a very popular place for music concerts. In 2018, Rolling Stone magazine even called the Tower Theater one of the top ten live music venues in the United States!
This theater is known for its great sound. Many bands have recorded their live albums here because of how good the acoustics are. It is located in the Terminal Square area of Upper Darby Township, right near the 69th Street Terminal. This spot is just outside West Philadelphia.
Contents
History of the Tower Theater
Early Years and Movie House Days
The Tower Theater was built in 1927 and opened its doors in 1928. John H. McClatchy built it as one of the first movie theaters in Upper Darby Township. It was located in a very busy area, which used to be the main road to Center City from the west. In its early days, the Tower Theater showed both vaudeville acts (live stage shows with different performances) and movies.
By the 1970s, the theater was having a tough time. It was showing older movies for only $1 admission.
A New Era of Music
In 1972, a company called Midnight Sun Concerts helped bring the theater back to life after a fire. They held their first concert there on June 14. The show was completely sold out and featured musicians like Dave Mason. A newspaper reviewer wrote that "Philly Finally Has its Fillmore," comparing it to the famous Fillmore East venue in New York City.
Midnight Sun Concerts helped make the Tower Theater a major concert spot. They brought many famous artists to the stage.
Legendary Performances and Recordings
The Tower Theater played a big part in introducing some major bands to the United States. In 1972, it was where David Bowie and his band, the Spiders from Mars, first played in the U.S. Genesis, with Peter Gabriel, also played a midnight concert there when they were not yet well-known.
In September 1974, Bruce Springsteen introduced his new E Street Band at the Tower Theater. This was a big moment for him, and he earned $5,000 for the show. He returned for more sold-out shows before he became a huge star with his album Born to Run.
Many other famous artists played at the Tower Theater regularly. These included Jackson Browne, Lou Reed, Steve Miller, Kiss, Stevie Wonder, and Miles Davis.
The Tower Theater also became a popular place to record live albums. David Bowie recorded his 1974 album David Live during a series of shows there. The Average White Band's live album, Person to Person, was also recorded at the Tower.
In October 1977, the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy recorded their live album Still Dangerous at the theater. A 1980 concert by Paul Simon was turned into a live album called Paul Simon in Concert.
Prince performed at the Tower Theater twice, in 1982 and 1997. The German electronic music group Tangerine Dream also played there four times on their North American tours.
Many rock journalists and radio hosts would often gather at the Tower Theater shows. Both David Bowie and Phil Collins from Genesis later said that their shows at the Tower were very important for introducing them to American fans.
The Tower Theater Today
By the 2000s, the Tower Theater continued to be a very active concert venue. It plays a similar role to the Beacon Theatre in New York City, hosting many popular acts. Today, the theater is operated by Live Nation/Electric Factory Concerts.
In August 2019, the tall tower structure on top of the venue had to be removed. This was because of problems with its base. The ball and lettering from the tower are planned to be given to a local museum. There are plans to replace the tower in the future.
