A local band called the “Nighthawks” who used to battle George Thorogood and the Destroyers at local pubs in MD/DE opened the show and featured a guitarist named Jim Thackery who left the stage and walked into the crowd all over the arena which drew a huge ovation. Gregg opened the show by acknowledging the band “Nighthawks” (a band rumored that he was interested in joining in those days, hanging out in Bethesda, MD) and giving them a clapping ovation.
ABB played a lot of new material with most of Gregg’s vocal’s in the first part of the set and finished up with a fury of instrumentals, ala “Madness of the West.” By this time, Dangerous Tan Toler was far more integrated into the band and his interplay with Dickey was starting to blossom. Nevertheless, Dickey just wailed away, not to be out done by that Yank (Thackery) and belted out the A chords whereby the crowd was just mesmerized. Not quite a sellout but Cap Centre mostly filled.
