This page is for those who want to share their BlackHawk concert expierences, and for those who haven't been, another reason to go to one. Just e-mail me with your story, and I'll put it here! I'll also post concert pictures.

My mother, sister and I all piled in the car and drove the hour it took to New Port Richey. One we got there, we had to stand for 45 min. in a line, just to get in. Even though we had tickets, they were not reserved seating, so it was first come first serve. After sitting through a Kevin Sharp concert, and a raffle drawing, it was finally BlackHawk's turn. They took the stage just after 9 pm, and didn't even slow down for an hour and a half. The first song they sang was "Goodbye Says it All" Needless to say, I jumped up and ran down as close as I could (There was an entire front section roped off), and took a couple of pictures. Then without stopping, they launched into "I'm Not Strong Enough to Say No", and "Almost a Memory Now". Later, they sang "That's Just About Right" They sang it kinda slow, but sped it up to regular tempo at the end, which made it sound awsome. "Between Ragged and Wrong" was next, followed by "Stone by Stone". With this song, they sped it up faster, and faster, 'till Dave got off the keyboard and picked up a guitar. Dave, Henry, Van and their band members all stood in a line in the front and totally rocked! Then, all of a sudden, it instantly slowed down, and they finished the song. Then, they said 'goodbye', and 'thanks for coming', and it was over. Or was it? The crowd was chanting 'BlackHawk! BlackHawk!', so they came back out and sang 'Big Guitar'. By this point, I couldn't stand it any longer. I HAD to get down there. So, since everyone was on their feet, I was able to walk by some sercurity people, and get right down front row, about a foot from the stage. The stage was only about a foot or so off the ground, so I was right there. I must have looked like a maniac because Van looked right at me and laughed.

Mary

March 21, 1997 Charlotte, NC

On March 21, my best bud and I skipped classes at Shippensburg University and left on a 6 and 1/2 hour drive that took us to Charlotte, NC. BlackHawk was playing a club called Coyote Joe's, and we sat outside for nearly two hours waiting to get in (there were no reserved seats). When we finally got in, we ended up waiting 3 1/2 hours until they played because the opening act blew an amplifier doing a cover of a Hank Williams,Jr. song and had to fix it before they could finish, and then BlackHawk's crew had to set up the stage for them from scratch. After that long drive, I was really tired, but I woke up real fast when they got on stage. They opened with "Goodbye Says It All" and did the same songs Mary has listed. The new ones that they both wrote and sang -- "I Need You Like A Hole in My Heart", "Free Fallin' From Her Good Graces Again," and especially "Steppin' Stone" are totally awesome!!! The other "new" song they did was actually a cover of a rock song, "Will You Be There" (I know because my sister listens to rock), but it was really good. Henry had promised us at the beginning of the show that no one would be sitting at the end, and the last three songs -- "Between Ragged and Wrong," "Stone By Stone" and "Big Guitar" (this was the encore) they told the security people to back off and let everyone get up close to the stage. After the show, which ended around 1 am, I took advantage of my fan club membership to go backstage and meet them. We stood there and I ended up talking to Tere (bass player) and Dale (electric guitars) before Henry, Van, and Dave came out. (They went back on the bus to change clothes before the meet & greet, fashion conscious guys that they are.) So they walk out, and I'm getting more and more nervous as I get closer to them. I had this picture I took last year when I saw them blown up into a poster and asked them all to sign it. I stood there and talked to Henry for at least five minutes. He remembered meeting me last year (before I was even a fan club member), and told me I was crazy for driving all that way. I was like, "Yes I am, but it was worth it." Then he's like, "Come here and give me a hug." So I did, then I shook hands with Van and got between he and Dave for the picture (which I was so hyper I don't even remember them taking), then I got to hug Dave (and he was wearing that really sexy gray thermal shirt, too)!! They are so nice!!!! I can't imagine how tired they must've been by week's end - they came from Florida, spent the day Friday doing radio interviews, probably didn't get packed up until at least 3am, and played Saturday night in Florida!! I hope all my pictures come out and I can't wait until they come closer to home so I can go see them again. IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN BLACKHAWK LIVE, GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Betsy Howe

April 19, 1997 Bemidji, MN

I haven't been to that many concerts in my life but I know I will always rember this one. A friend of mine researved tickets at BSU so I was lucky enough to get them. It was packed and I can see why. The opening band was great. I was wishing I had brought some more money to buy their album but I didn't. After the opening band was done we all waited and waited for Blackhawk to take the stage. Then the lights went out and the crowd went nuts. We had great seats and the sound was incredable!!! People were throwing their hats up on stage and one hit Henry on the top of the head. Then after a while Henry reached down into the crowd and took one of the hats from fan and put it on. It seemed as if he looked for the ones smaller than his head. It was pretty funny! They started with "Goodbye Says it all" and "I'm not strong enough..." and worked to their new songs including "In the Morning" also sung by Heart. I think I like Blackhawk's verson way better. Well as the night went on I was praying that they would sing "Big Guitar", I waited but they didn't. They went off stage and I just looked over at my friend and said to her, "If we cheer enough they'll do and encore!" Sure enough they came back and they did play "Big Guitar" So the night was perfect! I hope they come back to Bemidji or anywhere in the area again, it was one of the best nights in my life!!!!!

Jessica Heller

Winsted, MN

I got free VIP (which is a joke, everyone is very important) tickets for Winstock a two day country festival in Winsted Minnesota. I could only make it to one day of the show, so I chose the first day which featured BlackHawk, Little Texas, Stephany Bentley and a local band High Horse. I saw BlackHawk once before (With Little Texas and Tim McGraw) in Fargo, ND, and I knew they would be good. I hate to admit the real reason I went to this one was to see Little Texas.....BUT!!....BlackHawk blew them away this night!! WOW!! I was so impressed with BlackHawks performance. Being a guitar player and singer (music lover in general) in a band of my own I know talented musicians when I see them, and lemme tell ya this band is full of them. Dale Oliver (BlackHawks lead guitarist) is a remarkable guitar player. He blew me away more than anything. And the harmony...WOW!! These guys kick some musical butt. There is such a Cool Vibe at live BlackHawk performances. There is an energy that isn't on any of thier CD's or Tapes (Dont get me wrong I love their CD's!!). To sum it all up, WOW!! Did I say that already? :)

June 17, 1997 Burlington, Iowa

I was working stage crew for "Steamboat Days" so I was able to meet all the bands that came. Well Blackhawk was the first band of the week and it was the best one. I got to sit right up front in reserved seats because I was on the crew. Alot of people were throwing flowers up on the stage. Well after the show we had to hurry up and start taking the stage down to load it up in the trucks. They started rolling one of the big boxes toward the truck and almost ran over a rose that was sitting by the keyboard, it was thrown up on stage by the audience. So I ran over and picked it up and asked one of the guys on the Blackhawk crew what I should do with it and he told me to keep it. But I told him they didn't give it to me, so I ran down to the bus where the band were just standing around and I walked up to Dave and said, " this was sitting right by your keyboard." and he said, " oh thanks, here give me a hug." He was all sweaty but I did not care. It was one of the best nights of my life.

Michelle M.

Oakdale Theater, Wallingford, CT Friday, September 26, 1997.

Things got rolling in a hurry, as the band started off with (of all things), Andrew Gold's "Lonely Boy" from the new Love and Gravity CD. From there they went right into a hot "Goodbye says it all" Which then led to "Not Strong enough to say no." After which, the band paused a few moments (to catch their breath?) and Henry worked the crowd a bit. Henry acknowledged the fact that they do not get up to New England often enough, and since it was a Friday night, the band planned to play for awhile. And play they did! The band then did a rousing version of "Every once in awhile" followed by "A love like this" and a NICE "I sure can smell the rain," and "Like there ain't no yesterday" The band paused again, with Henry once again working the crowd. Henry said now they were going to do something "a little different" Henry then stated "for everything there is a first time." And with that, Van Stephenson put down his guitar and grabbed a microphone. But Henry decided that Van first needed to warm up a little, so Henry grabbed Dave Robbins and the three of them sang a few bars of "Down in flames" in harmony. And then . . .The band ripped into "If that was A lie" WOW! What an incredible version of this song. You had to be there! And the crowd loved it! After the song, Henry jokingly looked at Dave Robbins and said "Your next" and that in the future, you will see a song Dave will sing some lead on as well. Then they followed up with "Need you like hole in my heart" and "Postmarked Birmingham." The band paused again, and the rest of the band took five while Henry, Dave, and Van did "Just about right" with Henry on mandolin, towards the end of the song the rest of Blackhawk returned and joined in. Without even a seconds pause, they went right into "Between Ragged and Wrong" With Henry throwing his mandolin right off the stage where it was caught by one of the stagehands (fortunately). Henry then strapped on his guitar, and they began to really rock with this number! By now the crowd was on it's feet, and the band invited people to come down to the "Front Row" which they quickly did. The band then proceeded into a "smokin" version of "Stone by stone" that ended the show. But, when you have a few thousand diehard Blackhawk fans from New England, who haven't seen the band since last year, your not leaving town without at least a few encores. . .The band returned and did "She Dances with her shadow" followed by a thundering version of Big Guitar. And then it was over as quickly as it began. All in all, it was one "Top Notch" show. Hope it's not going to be another whole year before Henry and the boys make a return visit to the Nutmeg State.

B. Ahlquist

As you can see, I don' t care how long your story is. E-Mail it to me, and I will put it up here just as soon as I can!

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Original material © 1998 Mary Melton