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Gilberts: Bob Seger and company rocked Rondeau Pavilion

In August I wrote about the Rondeau Pavilions, in advance of a plaque unveiling on Labour Day weekend.

This week I want to revisit the story, but this time we’re going to focus on the last pavilion — the one that most of us around today remember the best.

Gilberts: Bob Seger and company rocked Rondeau Pavilion Back to video

That’s because Mark Santavy, who is our authority on this pavilion, is going to be the speaker at the Kent Historical Society on March 11.

For teenagers in our area, and even beyond, in the 1960s and ‘70s summers were made more exciting by going to the Rondeau Pavilion. The dance hall located just outside the gates of Rondeau Provincial Park was a hub for young people throughout its 28 years of operation, and no wonder.

It was the spot to go and see emerging Canadian and American bands, such as Lighthouse, April Wine, Alice Cooper, or Parliament Funkadelic. Even CKLW radio claimed that all roads led to the Rondeau Pavilion.

One of the most frequently mentioned artists was Bob Seger. The Bob Seger System played many times at Rondeau. In 1971, Seger teamed up with the Detroit duo Teegarden and Van Winkle. In 1976, David Teegarden joined the Silver Bullet Band as its drummer.

Many of us have memories of Bob Seger, and some people shared their memories with Mark Santavy when he was working on the book he and Mark Van Raay are almost ready to publish. Jim was starting to work with them when he suffered his stroke. Here are some of them:

Peggy (Sands) Grimstead remembers a group of her girlfriends who used to carpool to Rondeau from Chatham.

Their parents didn’t want them to hitchhike so one of them would give up the car for the evening and everyone else would pitch in 50 cents for gas. What a great solution! CKLW might say that all roads led to the pavilion but it didn’t say anything about how to get there.

One night at the pavilion Peggy bought a soft drink and then sat down next to a guy who introduced himself as Bob. They talked for a bit and then he stood up and surprised Peggy by heading up to the stage. He turned around and waved and Peggy realized she had been speaking with the main attraction – Bob Seger.

Mike Lemire recalls seeing Seger twice at the Rondeau Pavilion. He particularly remembers Seger’s drummer, who had the physique of a weightlifter. He had two very large drums mounted on a stand and he would pound on them throughout the show. They were able to watch him and the band from close range — one of the benefits of seeing a band at the pavilion. Not something you can do at many concerts today.

Jim also has a favourite memory of Bob Seger. He remembers walking outside the pavilion one night after Seger’s concert. He and his friends watched as the police put Seger up against their car and they were searching him, probably for drugs. Jim called out, “Hey that’s Bob Seger. Leave him alone!” Bob looked over at Jim and said, “Hey kid. Don’t worry. I’ll be all right”.

Those are just a few of the memories that the Rondeau Pavilion engenders. For people who are the age of Jim and I, that last pavilion outside the park holds some of the best parts of our youths in its memory bank. We have said many times that we are sorry for the younger generations because they never had the opportunity to spend their summers at the Rondeau Pavilion.

Mark Santavy has collected hundreds of these stories, and there are probably hundreds more. He and Mark Van Raay have put them, and stories about the other two pavilions into a new book called, Dancing Round the ‘Eau. Everyone is welcome to join us at the Kent Historical Society meeting to hear Mark Santavy relate some of these stories. If you have a story of your own, I know Mark would love to hear it.

The KHS meeting takes place in Studio One at the Chatham Cultural Centre, beginning at 7:30 p.m. on March 11. We’d love to see you there.

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