Video Concert Hall

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Video Concert Hall was an early USA Network television program featuring an unhosted rotation of music videos. Often credited as being the precursor to MTV, Video Concert Hall was reportedly the most popular programming on QUBE, a cable television unit of Warner Communications. VCH, as it was often called, was created by radio and cable television executive Lloyd G. Crowe (Jerry Crowe) and Charles W. Henderson (Charles Henderson), a pioneering journalist and former employee of TriStar Pictures. Video Concert Hall was produced by Henderson-Crowe Productions and Video Concert Hall, Ltd. at studios in Atlanta, Georgia. Crowe and Henderson served as executive producers of Video Concert Hall as well as other top-rated syndicated musical variety TV specials.

Billboard, the American magazine covering the music industry, said in a cover story that Video Concert Hall was the first ever nationwide video music programming on cable television. Video Concert Hall creators Charles Henderson and Jerry Crowe are considered the "fathers" of television's video music programming.

Video Concert Hall ran daily on USA Network from 1978 to 1981 on a seemingly arbitrary schedule, appearing on early morning, daytime, late night, and early evening timeslots alike for durations ranging from one to four hours. Video Concert Hall was also carried on another cable/satellite network, the Satellite Program Network - SPN, and was seen worldwide on AFRTS, the Armed Forces Network, and frequently as video entertainment on commerical airline flights.

The theme music for Video Concert Hall was the first thirty seconds of "Carouselambra" by Led Zeppelin.

Specific to no particular pop music genre, Video Concert Hall featured new wave music, punk rock, disco, funk, soul, and album-oriented rock.

Particularly important about Video Concert Hall is not only to note its historical significance in the evolution of music video television programming, but that it is also where artists such as The Police (with Sting), Split Enz, and Gary Numan were first introduced to the American audience en masse.

[edit] Notable Artists

• The Police
• Supertramp
• Split Enz
• The Who
• Tim Curry
• David Bowie
• The Dickies
• Devo
• Squeeze
• Styx
• Atlanta Rhythm Section
• The A's [1]
• The Buggles
• Gerry Rafferty
• After The Fire
• Dire Straits
• Rose Royce
• A Taste of Honey
• Sister Sledge
• Donna Summer
• ABBA
• Blondie
• Cameo
• Parliament Funkadelic
• Genesis
• Alicia Bridges
• Gary Numan
• Village People
• David London [2]
• CHIC
• The Sports
• M

[edit] Notable Videos

• The A's "Who's Gonna Save the World?"
• Herman Brood "Saturday Night"
• The Sports "Who Listens To The Radio?"
• The Sports "Don't Throw Stones"
• Split Enz "I Got You"
• Split Enz "I Hope I Never"
• Split Enz "One Step Ahead"
• The Police "Bring on the Night"
• The Police "Roxanne"
• The Police "I Can't Stand Losing You"
• The Police "Message in a Bottle"
• The Police "Don't Stand So Close To Me"
• Supertramp "Goodbye Stranger"
• Supertramp "Take The Long Way Home"
• Supertramp "The Logical Song"
• Supertramp "Breakfast In America"
• The Who "Baba O'Riley (live)"
• The Who "Who Are You?"
• Tim Curry "I Do The Rock"
• Tim Curry "Paradise Garage"
• Blondie "Rapture"
• Captain & Tennille "Do That to Me One More Time"
• David Bowie "Ashes to Ashes"
• David Bowie "Fashion"
• David Bowie "DJ"
• David Bowie "Heroes"
• Devo "Whip It"
• The Cramps "Garbage Man"
• Grace Slick "Dreams"
• Nazareth "Holiday"
• Styx "Babe"
• Atlanta Rhythm Section "Spooky (live)"
• Pete Townshend "Let My Love Open the Door"
• Pete Townshend "A Little is Enough"
• Pete Townshend "Rough Boys"
• Rita Coolidge "Let's Go Dancing"
• Squeeze "Another Nail in My Heart"
• Squeeze "Cool For Cats"
• Squeeze "Tempted"
• Stephanie Mills "Never Knew Love Like This Before"
• The Buggles "Video Killed The Radio Star"
• Dire Straits "Sultans of Swing"
• Gerry Rafferty "Baker Street"
• The Dickies "Nights in White Satin"
• Iggy Pop "Five Foot One"
• Iggy Pop "I'm Bored"
• Rose Royce "Car Wash"
• Alicia Bridges "I Love The Nightlife"
• Gary Numan "Cars"
• Gary Numan "Down in the Park"
• Village People "Ready for the '80s"
• Village People "Sleazy"
• David London "Samantha"
• Rick James "Super Freak"
• CHIC "Freak Out"
• After The Fire "Der Kommissar"
• Roger Daltry "Free Me"
• Sniff 'n The Tears "Driver's Seat"
• M "Pop Muzik"