Another challenge facing the Meadow was competition from other music venues that attracted audiences from Janesville and the surrounding area.  One of these venues was Majestic Hills in Lake Geneva.  Over the years Majestic Hills presented acts such as the Who (Saturday, August 3, 1968), Iron Butterfly, the Mothers of Invention, and the James Gang... and these are just the ones I remember seeing there, albeit some of them years after the Meadow had closed.  The Majestic Hills environment lacked any ambience.  It consisted of two stages at one end of a large metal structure (used for winter boat storage) in which audience members were packed like sardines, making it impossible to do anything but stand still and listen to whatever band was performing.  Undaunted, Marling and Fugate continued to provide Janesville teens the opportunity to enjoy good music for a reasonable price in a more intimate, visually exciting setting that was unlike any other in the area.  The purveyors of the lightshows changed from "Flower Power & Light Company" to the "Eyes of Khamphalous."  Founded in Madison in 1968 by Jerry Fortier, the Khamphalous Lightshow went on to provide visual effects for the Broadway production of Warp.  Khamphalous was also the resident lightshow for the Melkweg and Paradiso clubs in Amsterdam from 1969 to 1972, creating unique psychedelic visual experiences.  The Meadow's schedule for the remainder of the summer included the Light Brigade (Aug. 3), Finchley Boys (Aug. 7), the Kingsmen (Aug. 10), Neil Diamond (Aug. 17), Them (Aug. 21) (Note: Van Morrison left Them in 1966 for a solo career), the Gentrys (Aug. 24), the Outsiders (Aug. 28), and the Grass Roots (Sept. 1).

 

A "Battle of the Bands" showdown on August 16, 1968 attracted a handful of participating bands and few spectators.  Winning the Battle was the Casserole Boogie Band from Janesville, comprised of Frank Helland (gtr), Greg Sherman (dr) and Keith Worden (bs). (See "Sources and Comments" page for more info about them.) The band I was in that summer, Volume One, placed third in this contest that was held in the Meadow ballroom.  We won a $25 gift certificate toward the purchase of Hagstrom merchandise at Johnson Music in Janesville.  I'm not sure who ended up with the gift certificate, but I think it was our bass player.  Despite the prize, it was disappointing because in another week my band days would end as I left college.

 

The ad for Saturday, August 24 was simple and understated.  The band scheduled for that night was the Gentrys, from Memphis, whose song Keep On Dancing was a hit in 1965.

 

As the fall of 1968 approached and students returned to school, shows were limited to Saturday nights.  September 7 saw Janesville band the Lords performing at the Meadow.  The advertisement for this dance was smaller and no longer carried the "psychedelic environment" tag line.   A similar size ad promoted the Grim Reapers from Rockford for the Saturday, September 14 dance, again with "Your Teen Center" as the only tag line.  It is well-known that the Grim Reapers morphed into Cheap Trick several years later.   The following Saturday, September 21, featured rhythm and blues sounds provided by Camel Magic.  Beloit musician Dave Hernandez was one of the founders of this band.  Camel Magic performed throughout the Stateline area.

 

On the night of Friday, October 4, the Meadow presented a unique "Cartoon Happening!" featuring a return engagement by the Iron Gate and personal appearances by costumed characters Yogi Bear and Fearless Fly.  Color cartoons were projected as part of the evening's entertainment and light show. Milwaukee recording act the Messengers returned to the Meadow on November 2 for one of the venue's last shows, a post Halloween dance that included a costume competition and record giveaways.  Along with the colder weather came the return of a coat check service, but audiences that the Meadow once enjoyed had diminished.

John Marling and Steve Fugate working at the Meadow
Uncredited Janesville Daily Gazette photo
July 27, 1968