Film brings back memories of the days when ‘Idora Rocked’

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Throughout its history, Youngstown has been a center for more than steel.

One of those things was music, and one of the places where music was showcased was the fabled Idora Park.

There were always big performers at the famed ballroom in the park, and that trend continued when a new kind of music, rock ‘n roll, burst onto the scene in the 1950s and reached its apex in the 70s and early 80s.

Local, regional and national stars would play the park and pack in the crowds at the ballroom and the baseball field, and the annual Spring Thing concert which opened the park was the unofficial start to summer in the city.

Recently, a locally produced and made documentary film, “When Idora Rocked,” has been released which recaps those years.

Comprising interviews with musicians and support staff who played Idora and recollections from fans who attended the shows, it is narrated by legendary Youngstown radio personality Thomas John, who was at every Spring Thing while he worked for the former WSRD, an institution among local rock fans for the album-oriented rock they played as well as their weekly artist profiles and nightly new releases that they played — in full.

“It was amazing watching the crowds change,” John said.

The springboard for the current film was a return of the fabled Spring Thing concert headlined by one of those local bands that played the park, Spring Thing and every other place quite regularly in its heyday — Left End.

John said Left End did the initial concert in 2023 in Warren, and it was decided after that show to do another show the next year, at the Amphitheater in Youngstown. Out of that show, several people said it would be a good idea to have a history of rock at Idora.

Tom Gregory, who owns a local video production company, was tabbed to help put the film together. Terry Grimm, a former drummer with a local band that played Idora, The Executioners, wrote the film and helped arrange interviews while Ray Timlin was brought in to promote the film.

The goal was to have the film ready for Left End’s May 26 show at the Amphitheater, which was billed as this year’s Spring Thing.

As part of the project, John said those working on the film set up a website and Facebook page asking people who had any memories or mementos of past shows to respond. John said he was floored by the response.

“It went crazy,” John said of the online response. “We got hundreds and hundreds of pictures and testimonials.”

The film begins with a brief history of the park before talking about music. Before the bands started playing there, local radio stations would sponsor record hops at the park. Rock bands started to appear more and more regularly, beginning in 1960, and their appearances continued to grow throughout the decade.

It is perhaps no coincidence that the rise of the rock bands in the 60s was taking place when the city’s population was well over 100,000, capping out at 138,000 at the end of the decade, according to the 1970 U.S. Census. Because Youngstown and the surrounding area had such a large population, it attracted several acts that were popular across the country.

This trend continued in the 70s, not just at the park, but at The Tomorrow Club, later renamed The Agora, which also attracted top national acts.

The Byrds were one of the first big national acts to appear at the park, playing there in 1965.

One thing that contributed to the popularity of music at the park is that people who weren’t allowed in bars then because they were too young could see the local bands they had been hearing about at the park, John said.

Several national acts who were either just starting out or who were at the apex of their fame played the park. The Eagles were there in 1972, while the band Looking Glass, which had the number-one hit in the country in 1972, “Brandy,” played at the park. They played the same show. The Eagles went on to be international superstars. Looking Glass faded away after the success of “Brandy.”

At the peak of their fame in 1977, the Bay City Rollers played at the baseball field, while KC & The Sunshine bought their disco-infused sound — a big change from the traditional rock acts that played the park — to Spring Thing in 1979, when disco was at its peak.

For those who would be surprised that such a popular act would play at Idora, John said it is not surprising at all when you consider at the time that Youngstown was a large market with a population of over 100,000.

Other big acts that played at Idora include the Raspberries, who, according to the film, would not go onstage until they had their suits pressed; Badfinger, in 1973; Bobby Sherman, in 1970; David Cassidy at the peak of his heartthrob status in 1971; and The Jaggers, the band Donnie Iris was in before he formed Donnie Iris And The Cruisers. They are known for their hit, “The Rapper,” which Iris and the Cruisers still play in concert today.

The makers of the film got several excellent photos of the Cassidy concert which they included, and they managed to interview several members of local bands who played at Idora along with Iris himself.

Grimm, who helped arrange interviews for the film and was a writer and producer, said one of the key interviews was that of Leonard Cavalier, who is now in his 90s and was the son of Leonard Cavalier, Sr., a part-owner of the park. It was the younger Cavalier who was responsible for booking acts at the park. Grimm said Cavalier was a “springboard” for other interviews for the film.

Other local artists interviewed included members of Left End, who played the park several times, and the Human Beinz, who made a splash nationally in 1968 with their hit, “Nobody But Me,” which made it to number 8 on the charts.

Of course, you can’t talk about music in Youngstown without talking about the Michael Stanley Band, who, John said, drew an astonishing 15,000 people one year when the band headlined Spring Thing. MSB member Michael Gismondi was one of the musicians interviewed for the film.

Another local band featured is Glass Harp, who played at the park several times.

Other local or regional bands mentioned included Air Freight, Poobah, Wild Horses and the Hern Brothers.

Grimm said the documentary “took on a life of its own” and he is not surprised at the response that was given when the call went out for photos and memories because of the stature of Idora Park to people who went there.

Grimm said the filmmakers talked not just to musicians, but support staff, such as those who were involved in lighting, sound or promotions.

Those conversations typically wound up being long, as those who were being interviewed couldn’t help reminiscing about their time at the cop.

“Those conversations turned out, in many cases, to be an hour, an hour and a half,” Grimm said. “They wanted to talk about that era.”

Gregory, a 1985 Chaney High graduate who has been involved in video production since 1998 and heads up Gregoryfilms, said being involved in the film is a no-brainer for him.

“Music is my life,” he said.

He plays drums in a local band, The Syndicate, a three-piece band, and said he had plenty of material to choose from when assembling footage for the film.

“If we put in everything we received, we’d have a two-hour production,” Gregory said.

Plans are for the film to be given to the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, but for now, people can go to Gregory’s website, gregoryfilms.net , to watch it.

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