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BIG SOUND IN THE ROUND:
A crowd of 45,000-plus partied to the
power licks of five bands on July 9, 1977,
during the “Superjam” summer concert
series that returned to Busch Stadium II
for the second consecutive year – and
with a sound system double the size! The
hard-hitting lineup included Ted Nugent,
REO Speedwagon, Head East, Gypsy
(which reunited for the show) and British
headbangers Judas Priest on their first
U.S. tour. The general-admission show
revved into gear around 4 on a sunny
Saturday afternoon with temperatures
in the upper 80s; by evening, more
than 200 people needed treatment for
heat exhaustion and other self-inflicted
maladies. At the time, it was recorded as
the largest paying crowd for a musical
event in St. Louis. This summer, Busch
Stadium III will play host to four concerts:
Kenny Chesney (July 21), Journey and Def
Leppard (Aug. 24), Luke Bryan and Sam
Hunt (Aug. 25) and Ed Sheeran (Sept. 6).