In the mid-80s, Omega Productions received a call to provide 24/48 track recording services for a live concert in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It became one of the highlights of our career. Not only did the lineup reflect the early history of Rock and Roll, but the event also took place under a hurricane warning.
Fabian’s Goodtime Rock ‘n’ Roll was a major two-hour syndicated television special and concert taped on the banks of the Mississippi River at the State Capitol Grounds and the Riverside Centroplex Arena in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The historic concert took place on August 28–29, 1985, and became a massive, high-energy musical celebration that drew nearly 100,000 die-hard fans—all while facing the oncoming threat of Hurricane Elena.
The star-studded event was produced and hosted by 1950s teen idol Fabian Forte. It brought together an extraordinary lineup of early Rock and Roll, doo-wop, and R&B legends, with highlights later captured on a popular live compilation CD.
Iconic Performances from the Show:
- Bo Diddley: Delivered an electric, legendary live set performing his self-titled anthem, “Bo Diddley,” backed by the Rockin’ Robin band.
- Chubby Checker: Had the massive Louisiana crowd dancing with high-energy renditions of his definitive hits, “The Twist” and “Pony Time”.
- The Diamonds: Performed their classic, smooth vocal harmonies, including their famous cover of “Silhouettes”.
- Fabian: Opened up the show singing a cover of Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock ‘n’ Roll” and treated fans to his classic hit “Tiger”.
Other Music Legends: The concert also featured full live sets from Lesley Gore (“It’s My Party”), Little Anthony (“Goin’ Out of My Head”), The Coasters (“Yakety Yak” and “Charlie Brown”), The Crystals (“Da Doo Ron Ron”), and Lou Christie (“Lightnin’ Strikes”).
The Omega crew working the project were Pam Irwin, Hassell Teekell, and Paul Christensen, Omega’s President.
You can experience the rare, historic broadcast of this hurricane-defying concert event directly through this archival footage:
