Remembering Iconic Moments At SPAC Through The Years

As we get ready for another season of Live Nation concerts at Albany Med Health System at SPAC, also known as Saratoga Performing Arts Center, let's take a look back at some memorable moments that happened inside this iconic venue.

Do you know which popular artists was the first to perform at SPAC? Have you seen the video of Jim Morrison playing piano backstage at SPAC? Are you aware that one of the biggest Classic Rock hits of all-time was partially written at SPAC and that Whitney Houston filmed a music video at SPAC. Let's take a look at all of these moments and more.

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Take a ride down memory lane to 108 Avenue of the Pines, home to SPAC. How many times have you walked over the Route 50 bridge, left umbrellas in the bushes because they weren't allowed in or arrived hours early to get a good spot on the lawn? Here are some standout musical moments at SPAC:

• 1967 - Saratoga Performing Arts Center opens
• Harry Belafonte was the first artist to perform at SPAC
• 1968 - The Doors play SPAC
• June 27, 1985 - Grateful Dead - 40,000 fans arrive to see the Dead and the venue only holds about 25,000. The Grateful Dead were banned from playing SPAC for 3 years following this show.
• 1981 - Journey - Johnathan Cain writes the song "Faithfully" backstage at SPAC.
• 1987 - Whitney Houston - Filmed the video for "Didn't We Almost Have It All" at SPAC.

The 2026 Live Nation concert series kicks off on Monday June 1st with the band Cake, followed by Santana and The Doobie Brothers July 1st, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Foreigner August 23rd, and Parker McCollum September 5th, to name a few.