T. Rex (August 13 1973) – “Three Dog Night at Dillon Stadium” Concert Review – The Journal

This Journal review from August 1973 recounts a lively concert at Dillon Stadium featuring T. Rex and Three Dog Night. Written in a conversational tone, the piece captures the audience’s anticipation and excitement as Marc Bolan’s glam‑rock spectacle unfolded before the headliners took the stage.

Publication: The Journal (Meriden,  Connecticut)

Date: August 13 1973 Country: United States

Under the heading “Big Daddy Reviews – Rock Concert – Three Dog Night at Dillon Stadium,” the article describes a summer evening of music and spectacle. After an opening act dismissed as “straight out of the ’50s,” the crowd was treated to T. Rex’s flamboyant arrival “in a charge of green and pink satin threads.”

The review highlights the band’s performance of Bang a Gong (Get It On) and Marc Bolan’s dramatic stage antics — notably “beating his guitar with a whip until it blew up in a cloud of smoke.” Despite the visual flair, the writer suggests the set felt brief and left the audience eager for the main act.

Three Dog Night followed with an electrifying show, performing hits such as Shambala, Eli’s Coming, Mama Told Me Not to Come, Easy to Be Hard, and Joy to the World. Their extended jam closed the night on a high note, described as “fantastic and stimulating music” that gave the crowd a “natural high without any pot or booze.”

CONTEXT AND NOTES  

By 1973, T. Rex were at the height of their U.S. pop‑rock fame, touring behind The Slider and Tanx. This review reflects the American press’s fascination with Bolan’s theatrical style — a mix of glam flamboyance and rock ’n’ roll swagger.

The concert’s pairing with Three Dog Night, a mainstream U.S. act, underscores T. Rex’s crossover appeal during their peak years. The piece also captures the cultural divide between British glam and American rock audiences, with Bolan’s glitter‑clad performance standing out amid the stadium’s more traditional rock atmosphere.

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS  

Event: T. Rex supporting Three Dog Night at Dillon Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut Era: 1973 – Tanx Tour / U.S. Glam Rock Peak Tone: Casual, humorous, and fan‑oriented

Photography: None included; text‑only concert review

WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS

• Review of T. Rex’s performance preceding Three Dog Night

• Description of Bolan’s theatrical stage antics and costume

• Praise for Three Dog Night’s energetic closing set

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