English guitarist Jeff Beck is considered one of rock’s best ax men. Beck, who died Tuesday at age 78, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame not once, but twice: first as a member of the Yardbirds (1992) and second as a solo artist (2009). In form of. He was ranked fifth on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”.
Among other songs, the Yardbirds are best remembered for the hit “Heart Full of Soul”, in which Beck’s guitar memorably imitates a sitar.
At Peoria, Beck is best remembered for a somewhat lackluster performance and a heated encounter with the Catfish Diner.
On Friday, June 25, 1976, Beck and the Jan Hammer Group performed as the opening act of a concert at the Glen Oak Park Amphitheater. Fleetwood Mac was the headliner.
Connected:From Fleetwood Mac to The Beach Boys, the Glen Oak Amphitheater rocked Peoria in the 1970s
“Most of the crowd came to see Fleetwood Mac and used Jeff Beck’s opening act to warm themselves up and finish socializing before the main act”, read a Journal Star review the next day. “Jeff Beck was somewhat disappointed at first,” the story continued. “However, the group started rolling near the end of their set, and Beck’s glowing guitar riffs exceeded the usual high quality of real rock by the end of their performance.”
Were Beck’s slow-build performances linked to heartburn over his pre-concert meal?
In a 2016 Journal Star article, promoter Jay Goldberg looked into that sick food.
“In his contract rider, Beck had specified that he wanted to have a fish meal before performing,” the story said. “Trying to impress, Goldberg sent a go-ahead to King’s Restaurant on Galena Road north of Peoria and famous for its fried catfish.”
Goldberg then said, “I was so proud that I took it to Beck himself, in the dressing room.” “He looked it down, then looked at me, then looked down again — then tossed it across the room.”
The story continued,” shouted Goldberg, but later asked Beck’s manager about Catfish’s reaction. Huffy, the manager, explained that Britons see Catfish beneath them: ‘Jeff was insulted. We England I don’t eat catfish.'”
Connected:Christine McVie, Fleetwood Mac charm Peoria audience in 1976
looking back
Now 72, Goldberg recalls the Catfish incident — and the concert — with fondness.
He sees the fish bouncing only as a sign of Beck’s high standards.
“Jeff Beck was a perfectionist and wanted everything right professionally. But he was a really nice, laid-back guy,” she said recently. “When Jeff realized that for us Peorians, King’s catfish was a delicacy, we laughed together and the show went on.”
He added, “I have some good memories of that concert and hanging out with Jeff Beck and Fleetwood Mac later that evening, but some stories are left untold – LOL.”