SAB CCC at PER Ice Arena, Stanky Brown opens at PER
The 1974 Eagles concert at SUNY Cortland holds a massive place in campus history as the very first major concert ever held inside the PER Ice Arena.
Taking place on May 2, 1974, the landmark show was a massive triumph for the student body and the Student Activities Board. It captures a legendary moment right before the band skyrocketed into stadium-status rock superstars.
The Concert Details
- The Date & Cost: On May 2, 1974, students were treated to this historic performance for an unbelievable ticket price of just $2.50.
- The Tour: The Eagles rolled onto campus on their On the Border Tour. They were transitioning into a much harder rock-and-roll edge while maintaining the pristine country-rock vocal harmonies that defined them.
- The Band Lineup: This era marked a massive turning point for the Eagles. They had just hired producer Bill Szymczyk and formally added a fifth member—fiery rock guitarist Don “Fingers” Felder—to beef up their guitar driven sound. The stage featured the classic lineup of Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Randy Meisner, Bernie Leadon, and Felder.
- The Setlist: While full records are scarce, archival history from SUNY Cortland’s Musical Legacy confirms the arena was shaking to massive early hits like “Take It Easy” and “Desperado”.
- The Opener: The concert was kicked off by the Stanky Brown Group, an American country/folk-rock band that perfectly warmed up the arena crowd.
The Venue Milestone
Prior to May 1974, major campus concerts were usually squeezed into the much smaller Corey Union Function Room or Moffett Gymnasium (which had hosted Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt just a few months earlier).
Because the PER Ice Arena had opened only a year prior in 1973, using it for a rock concert was an experimental first. The success of the Eagles concert proved the arena could successfully handle massive, high-production rock shows.