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From the Archives: 1979 Bee Gees concert at Dodger Stadium

July 7, 1979: The Bee Gees perform at Dodger Stadium. From left are Maurice, Robin and Barry Gibb.
July 7, 1979: The Bee Gees perform at Dodger Stadium. From left are Maurice, Robin and Barry Gibb.
(George Rose / Los Angeles Times)
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During their 90-minute performance, the Bee Gees included more than a dozen of their Top 20 hits. During the concert, actress Barbra Streisand borrowed photographer George Rose’s camera and 400mm lens for a close-up look.

Times pop music critic Robert Hilburn reported in the July 9, 1979, edition:

Thank goodness for the Bee Gees. I was beginning to think Dodger Stadium was jinxed. The ball club appears headed for its worst season since coming here from Brooklyn 21 years ago. The Bee Gees concert Saturday night, however, showed that the stadium can still field a winner. Maybe the team will get inspired now.

The Bee Gees – Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb – sold out the place (56,000 tickets) and put on a classy, though conservative demonstration of why it is one of the biggest-selling record acts of the pop-rock era.

Dodger Stadium probably hasn't seen as many hits in one night since the ball club's pennant-winning drive last summer. The Bee Gees crammed all or part of 16 Top 20 singles into its 90-minute package.

It was the trio's first local appearance since the phenomenal success of "Saturday Night Fever," and the mostly young audience shrieked with the unabashed adoration normally associated with teenybop idols like the Gibbs' younger brother, Andy, who joined the group on stage for the encore. …

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Andy Gibb died in 1988, Maurice Gibb died in 2003 and Robin Gibb died in 2012.

The 1979 Dodgers finished third in the National League West Division with a record of 79-83.

This post was originally published on May 13, 2014.

July 7, 1979: Fans arrived early to pack Dodger Stadium for a sell-out concert by the Bee Gees rock group.
(George Rose / Los Angeles Times Archive / UCLA)
July 7, 1979: The Bee Gees from left, Maurice, Robin and Barry Gibb.
(George Rose / Los Angeles Times)
July 7, 1979: Actress Barbra Streisand borrows a telephoto lens for a close-up of the stage.
(George Rose / Los Angeles Times)

During the Bee Gees’ concert, actress Barbra Streisand borrowed a tripod mounted camera and telephoto lens for a close-up look.

Los Angeles Times staff photographer George Rose later reported:

There was a large contingent of celebrities and other VIPs sitting in a section of the stands in left field and just off where the stage was set-up. I had a 400mm set up on a tripod to get some side views.

She just walked up and introduced herself (I knew who she was) and asked to look through the camera. It was kinda funny and drew a crowd. I managed to snap a few shots for posterity.

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