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Surf Ballroom on Aerial America

NoleATL

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Jul 11, 2007
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Do any of HROT’s younger Iowans know the significance of the Surf Ballroom? Do any of our older HROT’ers know anyone that was there?

I had no clue until I just saw it on Aerial America (Smithsonian channel). Fantastic show that is parts history, geography and visitor’s bureau. Highly recommend watching.
 
Was a huge fan of AA 4 or 5 years ago... there's also an Aerial Britain that's really good also
 
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I believe they still have shows there. I visited two years ago and it’s a really cool place to walk through with autographed pictures of almost everyone that has performed there along with other memorabilia.
 
Duh. We Iowans have only a few notable notable things to associate with. We all know about it. John Wayne (Marion Morrison), was born here. Cary Grant died here. Ronald Reagan did radio here. The best pizza ever was crated by Casey's here. Wrestling was perfected here.
 
It's a unique venue. If you live in Iowa you know the story. Supposedly my stepfather had tix to the concert before the crash. Don't know how truthful that is. But he was living in the area at the time.
 
I have a coworker who says his grandpa was in the Cerro Gordo sheriff’s department, either as sheriff or a deputy I can’t remember, and was on the scene the morning after.
 
Going to The Surf on September 7 to see REO. I saw saw Head East there in 1979. My first visit to The Surf.
 
I've camped in Clear Lake several times. A few years ago I was disappointed to see Weird Al had been there the night before we got there. Then 3 years ago I planned on seeing Sevendust there while I was camping, but I broke my foot and had to cancel. Csb
 
I believe they still have shows there. I visited two years ago and it’s a really cool place to walk through with autographed pictures of almost everyone that has performed there along with other memorabilia.
Yep saw Better than Ezra and the Wallflowers there in 2018!
 
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I've camped in Clear Lake several times. A few years ago I was disappointed to see Weird Al had been there the night before we got there. Then 3 years ago I planned on seeing Sevendust there while I was camping, but I broke my foot and had to cancel. Csb
Well, that is a story. I will debate that it is cool, however.
 
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I've camped in Clear Lake several times. A few years ago I was disappointed to see Weird Al had been there the night before we got there. Then 3 years ago I planned on seeing Sevendust there while I was camping, but I broke my foot and had to cancel. Csb
I went there for that concert.
 
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As a youth I can remember 3 venues in Iowa that got lots of musicians from the rockn’ roll era...The Surf, The Roof Garden (Okoboji) and The ValAir (WDM)...I saw Bob Dylan at the ValAir maybe 20-25 years ago...I walked toured The Surf once and visit the Roof Garden almost annually...Alll 3 places have tons of history and one helluva list of legendary performers of American music...dating back to “big bands of the 30’s to performers of Today.
 
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As a youth I can remember 3 venues in Iowa that got lots of musicians from the rockn’ roll era...The Surf, The Roof Garden (Okoboji) and The ValAir (WDM)...I saw Bob Dylan at the ValAir maybe 20-25 years ago...I walked toured The Surf once and visit the Roof Garden almost annually...Alll 3 places have tons of history and one helluva list of legendary performers of American music...dating back to “big bands of the 30’s to performers of Today.
I have been to The Surf and Roof Garden several times. I went to Gloriana and Dierks Bentley at the ValAir and that is the only time I have been there. New Roof Garden doesn't have the feel of the old one, but a decent place to go.
 
As a youth I can remember 3 venues in Iowa that got lots of musicians from the rockn’ roll era...The Surf, The Roof Garden (Okoboji) and The ValAir (WDM)...I saw Bob Dylan at the ValAir maybe 20-25 years ago...I walked toured The Surf once and visit the Roof Garden almost annually...Alll 3 places have tons of history and one helluva list of legendary performers of American music...dating back to “big bands of the 30’s to performers of Today.
Nice Lute impersonation.
 
As a youth I can remember 3 venues in Iowa that got lots of musicians from the rockn’ roll era...The Surf, The Roof Garden (Okoboji) and The ValAir (WDM)...I saw Bob Dylan at the ValAir maybe 20-25 years ago...I walked toured The Surf once and visit the Roof Garden almost annually...Alll 3 places have tons of history and one helluva list of legendary performers of American music...dating back to “big bands of the 30’s to performers of Today.
Davenport has the Col Ballroom, that was a similar place to the ones you listed. I was there for a wedding back in 2006 and it was crazy walking around looking at all of the concert posters they had framed and hanging up on the walls, plus the price of a ticket to those shows was incredibly low.
 
Do any of HROT’s younger Iowans know the significance of the Surf Ballroom? Do any of our older HROT’ers know anyone that was there?

I had no clue until I just saw it on Aerial America (Smithsonian channel). Fantastic show that is parts history, geography and visitor’s bureau. Highly recommend watching.
If this was the Aerial America about the state of Iowa, I was disappointed when I saw it a couple of years ago. I didn’t think they did as good a job overall as they could have.
 
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