BELOW: On the strength of their ground-breaking "Money for Nothing" video, Dire Straits was the biggest band of 1985 when they stopped in Portland in October of that year. Here's a shot of band leader Mark Knopfler on stage at the Civic Center.
Lucky Clark Photo
BELOW: One of the highlights of 1985 was the sold out Reo Speedwagon show on Valentine's Day, with opening act Survivor. Here, REO Speedwagon founders and guitarists Kevin Cronin (left) and Gary Ricrath trade licks on the Civic Center stage during that show.
Lucky Clark Photo
Events By Year:
<<< 1985 >>>
| Date(s): | Event: | Attendance: |
| 01/02 | Mariners vs. Moncton | 2458 |
| 01/04 - 01/05 | Downeast Hockey Classic | 3967 |
| 01/05 | Mariners vs. Sherbrooke | 3216 |
| 01/06 | Public Skating | 358 |
| 01/12 | Mariners vs. Rochester | 5044 |
| 01/16 | Mariners vs. Springfield | 2734 |
| 01/19 | Mariners vs. Binghamton | 4102 |
| 01/22 - 01/24 | Downeast Commercial Fish Show | 3000 |
| 01/26 | Mariners vs. New Haven | 3990 |
| 01/27 | Mariners vs. Fredericton | 2878 |
| 02/02 | Mariners vs. Fredericton | 4355 |
| 02/03 | Mariners vs. Springfield | 6893 |
| 02/09 | Mariners vs. Moncton | 3804 |
| 02/10 | Mariners vs. Moncton | 3783 |
| 02/12 - 02/13 | Maine Water Utilities Convention | 2000 |
| 02/14 | REO Speedwagon w/Survivor | 9500 |
| 02/15 | Ricky Skaggs | 1978 |
| 02/16 | Mariners vs. Nova Scotia | 4524 |
| 02/17 | Mariners vs. Nova Scotia | 3727 |
| 02/20 - 02/24 | Ice Capades (10 shows) | 45589 |
| 02/26 | High School Hockey Tournament | 1390 |
| 02/27 | Mariners vs. Springfield | 5765 |
| 02/28 | High School Hockey Tournament | 1776 |
| 03/01 | Western ME Class A Basketball | 4715 |
| 03/02 | Western ME Class A Basketball | 4006 |
| 03/02 | Mariners vs. Adirondack | 6194 |
| 03/03 | Mariners vs. Moncton | 3656 |
| 03/05 | State Hockey Championship | 2746 |
| 03/06 | Hall & Oates | 7483 |
| 03/08 | Western ME Class A Basketball | 8026 |
| 03/09 | Western ME Class A Basketball | 5260 |
| 03/10 | Mariners vs. Hershey | 3129 |
| 03/13 | Mariners vs. Rochester | 2815 |
| 03/16 | Mariners vs. Sherbrooke | 4853 |
| 03/17 | Mariners vs. Adirondack | 3296 |
| 03/20 - 03/24 | Maine Boat Show | 9640 |
| 03/27 | Mariners vs. Baltimore | 2771 |
| 03/30 | Mariners vs. St. Catherines | 3984 |
| 03/31 - 04/01 | Grateful Dead (2 shows) | 19000 |
| 04/06 | Mariners vs. Binghamton | 4703 |
| 04/07 | Sammy Hagar | 6462 |
| 04/11 | Mariners vs. Nova Scotia | 2762 |
| 04/12 - 04/13 | Downeast Direct Distributors | 6000 |
| 04/14 | Mariners vs. Nova Scotia | 3618 |
| 04/14 - 04/17 | Shrine Circus (7 shows) | 33262 |
| 04/19 | Triumph | 6699 |
| 04/20 | Mariners vs. Nova Scotia | 4306 |
| 04/26 - 04/28 | Grand National Motor Spectacular (4 shows) | 10930 |
| 05/01 | Mariners vs. Sherbrooke (playoff) | 3006 |
| 05/02 | Eric Clapton | 5998 |
| 05/04 | Mariners vs. Sherbrooke | 4823 |
| 05/05 | Garage Sale | 150 |
| 05/08 | Mariners vs. Sherbrooke (playoff) | 2708 |
| 05/11 | USM Graduation | 5800 |
| 05/23 | Iron Maiden | 4634 |
| 05/30 | Sports Spectacular IV | 1771 |
| 06/08 | WCSH Garage Sale | 7000 |
| 06/09 | Windham H.S Graduation | 1750 |
| 06/12 | So. Portland H.S. Graduation | 2500 |
| 06/19 | Dan Fogelberg | 5637 |
| 06/20 | Willie Nelson | 7099 |
| 06/25 | All-Star Wrestling | 2134 |
| 07/10 | Jimmy Buffett | 3985 |
| 07/11 | Air Supply | 4278 |
| 07/17 | Huey Lewis & the News | 9500 |
| 07/26 | Tina Turner | 8462 |
| 07/27 | Barry Manilow | 7186 |
| 07/28 | McEnroe vs. Gerulaitis | 3381 |
| 07/30 | Foreigner | 9500 |
| 08/17 | WCSH Sidewalk Art Festival | 500 |
| 08/20 | R.E.M. | 3175 |
| 09/01 | The Judds | 953 |
| 09/04 | Heart w/Cheap Trick | 6267 |
| 09/05 - 09/08 | Carol Reed Ski Bonanza | 3500 |
| 09/09 | Ronnie James Dio | 4243 |
| 09/18 | UB40 | 2657 |
| 09/20 - 09/22 | Shop n Save Food Festival | 12000 |
| 09/26 | James Taylor | 6194 |
| 09/28 - 09/29 | United Sports of America Motor Spectacular | 7385 |
| 10/03 - 10/06 | Sesame Street Live | 17725 |
| 10/07 | Dire Straits | 7581 |
| 10/08 | Ratt / Bon Jovi | 8059 |
| 10/12 | Mariners vs. Nova Scotia | 4344 |
| 10/13 | Celtics vs. N.J. Nets | 7942 |
| 10/16 - 10/17 | Maine Municipal Association | 1121 |
| 10/18 | Supertramp / The Motels | 4307 |
| 10/19 | Mariners vs. Moncton | 3509 |
| 10/23 - 10/24 | Maine Business Show | 2700 |
| 10/25 | Peter, Paul & Mary | 3698 |
| 10/26 | Mariners vs. Sherbrooke | 3799 |
| 10/30 | Mariners vs. St. Catherines | 2289 |
| 11/01 | Bill Gaither Trio | 6301 |
| 11/02 | Mariners vs. Sherbrooke | 3652 |
| 11/09 | Mariners vs. Baltimore | 4225 |
| 11/15 | Stevie Ray Vaughan | 1984 |
| 11/16 | Chili & Chowder Competition | 1000 |
| 11/16 | Mariners vs. St. Catherines | 3761 |
| 11/17 | Starship w/ Nightranger | 7482 |
| 11/22 | John Cougar Mellencamp | 8208 |
| 11/23 | Mariners vs. Hershey | 4711 |
| 11/25 | AC/DC | 9500 |
| 11/27 | Mariners vs. Springfield | 5910 |
| 11/30 | Mariners vs. New Haven | 3869 |
| 12/04 | Rush | 6507 |
| 12/06 | Her Majesty's Royal Marines & Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders | 4442 |
| 12/07 | Mariners vs. Moncton | 3746 |
| 12/11 | Mariners vs. Adirondack | 2840 |
| 12/14 | Mariners vs. Baltimore | 3249 |
| 12/21 | Mariners vs. Adirondack | 3480 |
| 12/28 | Mariners vs. Fredericton | 3811 |
| 12/30 | Mariners vs. Fredericton | 2694 |
