Relive Epic Portland Civic Center Concerts-January Edition

Here we are in the dead of winter. For some folks that means it's time for hibernation. But not you Mainers! This is ADVENTURE TIME. We see you out there on the slopes and trails and in your ice shacks. January in Maine has also been a time to ROCK with lots of epic live shows. Well, mayyybbbeeeeee not quite as much this year because of this whole pandemic thing. Not to worry, because we are going to bring you back to some epic live shows that happened in Januarys' past at the Cumberland County Civic Center, now the Cross Insurance Arena. Were you at any of these?

LEVON HELM-January 1, 1978

The CCCC was not yet a year old when Levon Helm of the Band played live in concert. It was the first January show in Civic Center history. The opener was Pure Prarie League.

DR. HOOK-January 18, 1980

The first show of the '80s at the CCCC was the legendary Dr. Hook where he played his famous "Cover of the Rolling Stone."

AEROSMITH-January 20, 1980 and January 7, 1998

The 1980 show was a bit of a make-up show for Aerosmith after an infamous CCCC concert a month earlier when Steven Tyler passed out on stage. Aerosmith also played one of the greatest shows ever at the CCCC when they played a sold-out show on the very first night of the Great Ice Storm of 1998. January 7. Do you think a cataclysmic weather event would stop 8,000 Aerosmith fans from showing up to downtown Portland? Of course not.

STEVIE WONDER-January 18, 1991

One of the greatest musical legends of all time played his one and only (so far) show in Portland. Come on back, Stevie!

KISS-January 21 1983--Opener: Night Ranger

Kiss is one of the bands that has played the Civic Center the most amount of times....10 shows! Will we see them in Maine one more time?

OZZY OSBOURNE-January 10 1984

"Blonde" Ozzy rocked the CCCC in the winter of 1984.

BILLY JOEL-January 20, 1984

10 days after the Ozzy show, what was left of the CCCC welcomed the Piano Man, Billy Joel. Billy seems to really like Maine in January, as he came back and played again in January of 1987.

ZZ TOP w/ The Black Crowes January 23 and 24, 1991

That 'lil old band from Texas helped Mainers get through the winter of '91 with TWO sold-out shows. A very new band called the Black Crowes opened up!

Other epic January shows in Portland include Twisted Sister in 1986, Ronnie James Dio, Whitesnake/Great White in 1988, and Judas Priest/Megadeath in 1991