Live Review: REO Speedwagon with Point Blank at The Hearnes Center in Columbia, MO, April 19, 1980

This was the first proper rock concert I ever attended. On the Mizzou campus in Columbia, Missouri, Hearnes was a quick half-hour drive from home where we were wrapping up our junior year of high school, The world felt like our oyster. The concert featured REO Speedwagon touring their brand new compilation album A Decade of Rock and Roll 1970 to 1980.

While my memories of this show are understandably fuzzy, I do remember where we were sitting and that I had never heard of the opening act, Point Blank. I’m guessing their name reflects the range at which they vanished, as I never heard from them again. In this pre-earplug era, I do recall their loudness and the subsequent hours of ringing in my ears. Promoting their new album The Hard Way, the band probably played their upcoming single and sorta hit “Nicole.” But hey, opening for a popular band is alway good exposure.

Anyway, I’m going to venture a guess that REO played selections from their upcoming smash studio album Hi Infidelity, including “Keep On Loving You” and “Don’t Let Him Go.” Furthermore, I’m sure we rocked out to “Ridin’ the Storm Out,” “Roll With the Changes,” and “Time for Me to Fly.” I’m positive we felt lightheaded and delirious from the secondhand smoke.

Kevin Cronin likely made small talk about Missouri, praising our status as having the best fans anywhere. After glancing at the back of his guitar, Gary Richrath perchance concluded with a cheerful, “Good night, Columbia!”

As I search the innerwebs for tonight’s setlist, here is what was found from a couple weeks after the Missouri show. The band undoubtedly played a similar set on this evening.