Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers - Omaha, Nebraska [1/18/1989]

Concert poster and setlist for Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers live in Omaha, Nebraska at The Ranch Bowl Entertainment Center, Jan. 18, 1989.

Setlist:
- Workout [intro]
- Everything They Say is True
- Walkin’ on the Water
- Tell Me What You Want Me to Be
- My Mae Mae
- If We Never Meet Again
- Gonna Breakdown
- Love’s On Fire
- Young Thing
- Rock With You
- I'm Not Your Man
- Half a Heart
- Million Pretty Girls
- Dig the Possibilities
- Workout

| Encore |
- Cruisin' Slow
- I Wanna Make You Happy
- Demolition Derby

Love's On Fire - American Music Awards

A mini- essay from Audio Rumble: 

It's been 25 years since Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers made their appearance on ABC's American Music Awards. (Sometime back in the 00's, the AMAs moved their televised event from late January every year to late November.)

A young DJ Caterina was watching television in Texas, unaware that her favorite band would be playing that night, Monday, January 30, 1989.

And when the announcer said “Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers” at the beginning of the show as one of the list of performers, I literally jumped out of my skin! My favorite band was performing!

To hear the cheering of the crowd when Tommy went down into the audience at the guitar solo of "Love's On Fire" was so amazing! At the time, I didn't know why he did it...I mean, it was a cool move, but I guess at the time, I just didn’t get it. 

But I never forgot it! 

TCYR's performance on the American Music Awards would be the first (and last) time that I would ever see the band perform live until the early 2000s. DJ Caterina has been catching up ever since... 

1989. Done right. 

Originally posted on Audio Rumble's Facebook page.

Conwell Rocks IUP - May 6, 1989

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers performed May 6, 1989, at Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Fisher Auditorium. Included in this post is audio of the band's intro and "Love's on Fire" - and a news article and concert review from IUP's school newspaper.

Jett, Conwell Rock IUP

Tommy Conwell and his Young Rumblers admittedly came to Indiana University of Pennsylvania to “get down and party,” and party they did on May 6 in Fisher Auditorium to a small but feverishly enthusiastic audience.

     The Young Rumblers played tunes from Rumble, their second album (but first national release), and also played songs from their first album, Walkin’ on the Water. After clearing it with the audience, the band played two songs that will appear on their third, as yet untitled album.
     Local band D.A. Rehmi opened for the Philadelphia rockers, playing well-received songs from their usual repertoire. Rehmi then play a cover of Conwell’s “I’m Not Your Man” as Conwell himself ran onstage to do the vocals.
     Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers delivered exactly what they promised – good old rock and roll – Philadelphia style.

Ah, Dave! If We Never Meet Again...

David Letterman announced his retirement today. Of course, one of the very best episodes of Late Night aired on Wednesday, January 4, 1989.

Why are so many bands named Rocket 88?

Rockett 88 (1983)

The Nites Of Spring
The Washington Post | Friday, March 31, 1989
Byline: Eve Zibart
Section: Weekend; Page N19; Nightlife

    

          ...Jump street/rockaboogie pianist Mitch Woods and His Rocket 88's (all alums of such against-the-tide bands as Commander Cody and David Bromberg) roar into the Roxy Friday on a double bill with Tom Principato.

          And (we know you've all been wondering) this leads Doctor Nightlife to explain why every bar band wearing blues genes wants to call itself Rocket 88 or 88s or '88 (up to and including the Atlantic shore band that spawned George Thorogood and Tommy Conwell), Rockett 88:

          In 1951 Jackie Brenston, one of Ike Turner's Delta Cats (aka the Kings of Rhythm), wrote a hard blues-rock song called "Rocket '88'  and recorded it with the Cats at Sun Studios in Memphis with Sam Phillips at the wheel. Brenston sold the master to the Chess brothers for their Chicago-based, Delta blues-heavy label, and by mid-1951 "Rocket '88'" was a number-one hit -- the first really rock-hard country record. 

          A few months later, a Chester, Pennsylvania, deejay named Bill Haley tried to introduce his swingabilly sound by covering Brenston's hit, but the whiter and lighter version sold only about 10,000 copies.     
          Not until 1952 and "Rock the Joint" did Haley really cut loose. (Brenston and the Delta Cats, incidentally, took off for Chicago and left Turner on his own in Memphis; he kicked around the studio/roadside bar circuit until 1960, when he and Tina, ne'e Annie Mae Bullock, hit with "Fool in Love.")
          Now, as to what a Rocket 88 (without the quote marks and apostrophes) was -- an Oldsmobile with not merely fins but swallowtail flares complete with star studs.

Tommy Conwell Talks Influences, Play Your Music, Chuck Berry

An interview with Tommy Conwell on WMMR's TV special, "Making It In Philadelphia II." 

Tommy talks about:

• his musical influences;
• a song called Play Your Music that did not make it to the Young Rumblers' sophomore major-label release, Guitar Trouble;
• and Chuck Berry.