March 13 and 14, 1973. Belle Vue, Manchester.

What a month, so full of memories of old concerts, in the USA, Europe and Australia, of seeing David Cassidy on stage, still it means so much for many. My very close friend Doreen : ''I can tell you even now all these years later just thinking about that concert in 1973 (Wembley) I can feel that excitement."

Yes.. those memories are bitter-sweet, and we keep asking ourselves is it possible that it was 50 or 49 or 48 years ago ?? Even that last one, already 5 years passed, and BB.King's Blues Club doesn't exist anymore. So many halls and even stadiums where DC performed have been demolished, some of them many years ago. Enough. We remember and for the fans it was just only a moment ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pc0tkLFVhs

So to the day, on March 11, 1973 David played his great concert in Rotterdam, it was Sunday, and next day he arrived in Britain.. And instead of Manchester, he landed in Luton.

At the time no one knew where DC had stayed. That top secret place was Beaulieu Palace House, a 13th century great house owned by Lord and Lady Montague. Of course some suspected something, there were even notes in the press, but not many people knew, and DC did some sighteeing with Lady Montague, and even rode a horse at a riding school outside Manchester.

The Dorchester Hotel agreed to put Evelyn Ward, which wasn't the best decision, because the siege of the hotel was quite impressive. Girls thought that David would visit his mother and dissatisfied fans 'amused themselves by boucing soft-drink cans off the roofs of waiting Rolls-Royces.'

David was very busy ( 'Keep Britain Tidy', filming 'Daydreamer' at the Syon Park, some parties ( he met Sue Shiffrin at one of them), but of course the most important events were his concerts. First Manchester, four concerts at Belle Vue, on March 13th and 14th. There is a video showing the sheer frenzy, girls running and screaming and crying. Reuters wrote : Some (girls) rushed on stage and were fought off by guards, press photographers were trampled on, losing valuable equipment in the crush, and one was heard to comment 'I would sooner be back in Belfast'.

In this video we can see a short conversation with David just after a concert. He is still in his costume, sweating and exhausted, but laughing when heard that question : 'What is the secret of David Cassidy?'

'Secret ? There is no secret. I'm an open book.'..and.. that look right at the camera. 

This is the link to the video.

http://www.davidcassidy.com/fansite/ConcertPages/1973March14.html

PS. the pic is from Hamburg's concert, March 4, 1973

https://www.flickr.com/photos/heiner1947/4515395676/