Fans Paid 35 Francs for Zappa Colmar Concert
Fans in the Alsace region paid 35 francs for a ticket to see Frank Zappa perform in Colmar in early 1978, DNA reported. High school and university students at the time saved money to purchase admission to the concert, which also required a one-franc rental fee at Music Box. Attendees reserved their spots by calling a six-digit phone number: 23 23 96. Tickets were available for purchase in both Basel and Fribourg as Colmar served as a regular stop for prominent touring acts of the era, including Pink Floyd, Genesis, and The Who. Zappa mixed rock, jazz, and contemporary music, and as an exceptional guitarist, he was also a compulsive composer who drew inspiration from Varèse, Boulez, and Coltrane.
Concert Rescheduling And Press Reaction
Event organizers moved the performance date from Sunday, February 5, to Saturday, February 11, without causing major disruptions for spectators or planners. Writing in L’Alsace, critic Norbert Sparrow described the cultural build-up to the event, noting that Zappa n’a cessé de faire éclater nos préconceptions, de déconcerter l’attente expectative du consommateur
—which he described as celle qui reconnaît au lieu de découvrir
. The concert drew 7,000 spectators to the venue. While a reviewer for DNA praised the master’s magnificent music and splendid solos, the critic expressed disappointment that Zappa did not display his usual provocative stage persona, describing the musician as frozen and distant from his biting critiques of the establishment.
Banned from Utopia Plays Zappa Tribute in Colmar
Before playing each piece, Zappa spoke at length to the audience, a habit noted by local critics given the language barrier for French listeners. The setlist featured provocative titles such as “Broken hearts are for assholes.” Nostalgic fans and new listeners can experience a breathtaking discovery of the zappaïen universe when Banned from Utopia—featuring musicians who performed with the artist who ne jouait pas avec des manches
—plays at Le Grillen in Colmar on Friday, October 9. Doors open at 19:15, with the concert starting at 20:00. Tickets range from 30 to 35 euros.