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 commercial 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
- A Taste of Honey
- ABBA
- Alicia Bridges
- Atlanta Rhythm Section
- Blondie
- Cameo
- Chic
- David Bowie
- David London [1]
- Devo
- Dire Straits
- Donna Summer
- Falco
- Gary Numan
- Genesis
- Gerry Rafferty
- Herman Brood
- Iggy Pop
- M (band)
- Nazareth
- Parliament Funkadelic
- Rose Royce
- Pete Townshend
- Roger Daltrey
- Sister Sledge
- Split Enz
- Squeeze
- Styx
- Supertramp
- The A's [2]
- The Buggles
- The Dickies
- The Police
- The Sports
- The Who
- Tim Curry
- Village People
- Ziggurat
[edit] Notable videos
- Alicia Bridges "I Love The Nightlife"
- Atlanta Rhythm Section "Spooky (live)"
- Blondie "Rapture"
- Brothers Johnson "Stomp"
- Captain & Tennille "Do That to Me One More Time"
- Chic "Freak Out"
- David Bowie "Ashes to Ashes"
- David Bowie "DJ"
- David Bowie "Fashion"
- David Bowie "Heroes"
- David London "Samantha"
- Devo "Whip It"
- Dire Straits "Sultans of Swing"
- Falco "Der Kommissar"
- Gary Numan "Cars"
- Gary Numan "Down in the Park"
- Gerry Rafferty "Baker Street"
- Grace Slick "Dreams"
- Herman Brood "Saturday Night"
- Iggy Pop "Five Foot One"
- Iggy Pop "I'm Bored"
- M (band) "Pop Muzik"
- Nazareth "Holiday"
- Pete Townshend "A Little is Enough"
- Pete Townshend "Let My Love Open the Door"
- Pete Townshend "Rough Boys"
- Rick James "Super Freak"
- Rita Coolidge "Let's Go Dancing"
- Roger Daltrey "Free Me"
- Rose Royce "Car Wash"
- Rufus and Chaka Khan "Do You Love What You Feel"
- Sniff 'n The Tears "Driver's Seat"
- Split Enz "I Got You"
- Split Enz "I Hope I Never"
- Split Enz "One Step Ahead"
- Squeeze "Another Nail in My Heart"
- Squeeze "Cool For Cats"
- Squeeze "Tempted"
- Stephanie Mills "Never Knew Love Like This Before"
- Styx "Babe"
- Supertramp "Breakfast In America"
- Supertramp "Goodbye Stranger"
- Supertramp "Take The Long Way Home"
- Supertramp "The Logical Song"
- The A's "Who's Gonna Save the World?"
- The Buggles "Video Killed The Radio Star"
- The Cramps "Garbage Man"
- The Dickies "Nights in White Satin"
- The Headboys "The Shape of Things to Come"
- The Police "Bring on the Night"
- The Police "Don't Stand So Close To Me"
- The Police "I Can't Stand Losing You"
- The Police "Message in a Bottle"
- The Police "Roxanne"
- The Sports "Don't Throw Stones"
- The Sports "Who Listens To The Radio?"
- The Who "Baba O'Riley (live)"
- The Who "Who Are You?"
- Tim Curry "I Do The Rock"
- Tim Curry "Paradise Garage"
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers "Here Comes My Girl"
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers "Refugee"
- Village People "Ready for the '80s"
- Village People "Sleazy"
[edit] External links
- Video Concert Hall - A Tribute Site A collection of the videos featured on Video Concert Hall, and a place for fans of the show to share their memories.
