Greatest Cleveland concerts: No. 4 — Moondog Coronation Ball

Flashback: In 1951, disc jockey Alan Freed was working at WJW in Cleveland when he discovered Record Rendezvous, the first local record store to sell R&B records by Black artists.

• Freed began playing recordings by artists like Big Joe Turner and Ruth Brown on his radio show, "The Moondog House."

Between the lines: Freed used the show's growing popularity as motivation for the Moondog Coronation Ball.

• While other R&B shows around the country drew crowds of a few hundred, Freed knew he could fill the Cleveland Arena.

Details: The show featuring The Dominoes, Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams, and other acts for $1.50 per ticket oversold with thousands of people left outside of the arena hoping to get in.

What happened: Just 45 minutes into the show, during Williams' set, the crowd outside began to push its way into the venue, causing the fire department to shut things down prematurely.

Yes, but: Freed apologized on air the next night for the show's early cancellation, and his listeners rallied behind him.

The bottom line: Freed became known as "King of the Moondogs" and went on to produce more Moondog concerts around the country, featuring future Rock & Roll Hall of Famers like Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and Little Richard.

• He set the blueprint for the rock 'n' roll concert.

Read more: 15 greatest concerts in Cleveland history