The damage to the camera was estimated to be $10,000, later settled by the managers. The group had to leave the concert by helicopter to avoid a possibly ugly confrontation with furious fire marshals and ABC-TV executives (and potential arrest for the pyrotechnics). Later on, a mishap with a pyrotechnic effect caused one of Blackmore's amplifiers to explode, which briefly set the stage on fire. In spite of this, the show did not end up running late. At the end of the show, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore threw a number of guitars, amplifier and speaker cabinets out into the audience and attacked one of the network's video cameras (which had been getting between him and the audience) with a guitar. The band made everyone wait nearly an hour until near dusk before they went on stage. Angry organizers tried to force the band to go on and then threatened to cancel their performance but a quick thinking announcer told the crowds that Deep Purple would be coming on. Assuming that, as with all festivals, the show would run late anyway, they stalled when the festival was actually ahead of schedule. Deep Purple was given the choice of when to go on stage, and chose to go on during sunset, thus pushing Emerson, Lake & Palmer to the last performance. It was the last of the original wave of rock festivals, as well as one of the most well-executed and financially successful, and presaged the era of media consolidation and the corporatization of the rock music industry.Īcts that performed at the festival in order of appearance:ĭeep Purple's performance was one of the first with their third line-up, which included the vocalist David Coverdale and the vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes. The festival set what were then records for the loudest amplification system ever installed, the highest paid attendance, and highest gross in history. Pacific Presentations, a Los Angeles-based concert company headed by Sepp Donahower and Gary Perkins, coordinated the event, booked all the talent and ran the advertising. Don Branker worked for Leonard Stogel and was responsible for concert site facilitation, toilets, fencing and medical. It was produced by ABC Entertainment, Sandy Feldman and Leonard Stogel. California Jam (also known as Cal Jam) was a rock music festival co-headlined by Deep Purple and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, held at the Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California, on April 6, 1974.

California jam 1974