The Night James Brown Saved Boston

VH1 ^

[Little Bill]

I always liked the Reverend Jim, but his folk still turned Blue Hill Avenue into a waste land. Remember Reverend Jim also gave us Al Sharpton.

[weegee]

I don’t understand James’ Brown’s association with Al Sharpton but I do know that up to the end, the policies preached by James Brown onstage and in interviews were counter to the welfare state mentality pushed by the pretend Reverend Al.

[dennisw]

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!

That is what I was really looking for. When I posted Nixon&Elvis I was beginning to think I was wrong about Nixon meeting with James Brown

Fine work!

[dennisw]

Truth!!!!

[SE Mom]

Thanks for posting- I wouldn’t have known about this otherwise (gotta love FR)...I’ll watch it this evening!

James Brown was an incredible talent when I was growing up- loved his music.

[t_skoz]

thanks for posting this.

[Riverman94610]

Some say we got a lot of malice
Some say we got a lot of nerve
I say we ain’t going to quit
Till we get what we deserve

[CrosscutSaw]

You’re very welcome!

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

But on April 5, 1968, James Brown the patriot is also James Brown the businessman, so he definitely isn’t in the mood to hear what Boston Mayor Kevin White is asking. Mayor White wants to know if JB will encourage his fans to stay home and watch the concert on television. the mayor is saying, “If you’ll allow this concert to be on TV tonight, your fans in Boston (code for ghetto class African-Americans) will stay home and the night will be peaceful.” Meaning that unlike what might is happening in so many other cities around the country, Boston won’t erupt in flames.

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This history repeated itself in reverse in 1972 - on that date Kevin White made sure that the Stones went on - as I remember White appeared on the stage at Boston Garden and said “My city is in flames” and pleaded for calm until the Stones showed up at 12:30AM as written below. I was there
but outside, never made it in the Garden.

They were supposed to appear in Boston, but bad weather forced their plane from Montreal to land at Warwick, R.I. There the Rolling Stones were passing through customs when a photographer began snapping pictures. First thing you know there was some pushing, then some shoving, then some cops. When things settled down, Mick Jogger, Lead Guitarist Keith Richard and three other belligerent members of the Stones’ entourage were on their way to the police station. Boston Mayor Kevin White calmed 15,000 sweltering fans who were waiting in the Boston Garden by telling them that he had telephoned a plea to the Warwick police to rush the boys through court. The busted Stones finally made the Garden at 12:30 a.m. and the show went on.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Also I think that the article dances around the fact that it was Keith Richards and he had punched out the photographer.

[SupplySider]

I enjoyed the show, even the comments of Cornell West, whom I don't usually agree with. Replacing Sharpton with more JB would have been better, though.

It's too bad James Brown wasn't reimbursed his lost ticket sales by the city. Boston saved a heck of a lot more than $60,000 that night. Next MLK birthday, Boston should donate that amount, adjusted for inflation and accrued interest, to the United Negro College Fund.