35 Years Ago Today…

Every rock musician/fan’s dream came true on this night in 1973 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. Keith Moon was playing from his drum riser, when the effects of his horse tranquilizer laced cocktail kicked in. Moon promptly passed out cold, leaving the band drummer-less. Rather than cancel the show, The Who soldiered on with a replacement drummer. It just so happens that in the audience there was a drummer in the audience, Scott Halpin, whose friends volunteered his services. Actually he hadn’t played drums in over a year and was a bit rusty.  The band accepted and blasted through three songs before Moon joined them back on stage. Interviewed by Rolling Stone, Halpin admired The Who’s stamina, admitting “I only played three numbers and I was dead.”

Here’s Halpin playing with The Who: