Sun Devil Stadium Concert
Tempe, Arizona
Arizona State University Stadium
(“Star is Born” Concert)
March 20, 1976
Streisand confessed about her live performance at Sun Devil Stadium: “I was totally petrified and insecure about performing that [next] day. I had to get up in front of 70,000 kids who had come to hear Peter Frampton, and I didn't know whether I'd be booed off the stage.”
March 19, 1976:
Warner Brothers wished to promote their film A Star is Born by holding a press junket the day before Barbra Streisand, director Frank Pierson, and producer Jon Peters staged a huge rock concert in order to film the crowds for the movie.
Ten round tables (with white tablecloths, red roses, and silverware) were set on the 20-yard line of Sun Devil Stadium. The press had been flown in from all over America to meet the stars of A Star Is Born. Of course, the filmmakers also filmed the junket for inclusion in the film itself!
Barbra went around to each table and spoke about the film, Jon Peters, and feminism.
On the next day the stadium would be filled with 43,000 people attending a concert thrown by the producers of A Star Is Born to lend verisimilitude to the concert scenes they were filming for their movie.
March 20, 1976:
A ticket to the big Star is Born concert cost $3.50. The stadium opened at 7am and the show started by 8am.
The L.A. Jets performed first. Then Graham Central Station.
Barbra took the stage around 9am. She yelled to the audience, “We're gonna rock and roll today. And we're gonna be in a movie!”
Barbra then directed the crowds to react to the motorcycle scene they filmed the day before (when Kristofferson's cycle plowed off the stage). The film crews captured what they needed.
Next they filmed Kris singing “Watch Closely Now.”
Barbra changed into her black pantsuit outfit and returned to the stage to sing her first song of the day, “The Way We Were.” She sang to a pre-recorded track, but pointed out to the audience that she was singing live.
After that, Barbra (hot in the Phoenix sun) removed her jacket to display her black “BBCC” t-shirt. She sang “Woman in the Moon.”
Carlos Santana played a long set. By now it was past noon.
(Above: A backstage snapshot of Streisand and Peters walking down the ramp at Sun Devil Stadium.)
The crew then attempted another take of the “Watch Closely Now” scene.
The filming delayed the concert and the crowd became unruly. Barbra changed into her maroon outfit and yelled to the audience, “Hey you motherfuckers, are you having a good time?”
Around 2:30pm, Barbra and "the Oreos" sang “I Believe in Love.”
Afterwards, she tested a new song out on the audience. “If you don't like it I'll be crushed.” Barbra sang “Evergreen.”
Streisand finished performing for the stadium audience with “Everything” from the movie and then “People,” singing to another pre-recorded track.
Barbra presented a representative from The March of Dimes with a charity check for $25,000, then left the stage.
Peter Frampton and Montrose closed the show, which ended around 6pm.
END.
Sources used on this page:
- Barbra Streisand: The Woman, The Myth, The Music by Shaun Considine
- “By The Time They Got to Phoenix” by Dennis Berno, Richard Giammanco, & Anthony Andrich (Barbrabilia magazine #8/9)
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