In the mid-1960s, the Fillmore auditorium lay at the heart of the developing San Francisco psychedelic music scene. The name of the Fillmore is synonymous with that of Bill Graham who managed the venue from 1965 until his death in a helicopter crash in 1991, and who personally introduced each of the bands to his audience. In 1968, the location was moved and the venue became known as the Fillmore West but, following Graham’s death, returned to the original, refurbished, building where it remains.
The Psychedelic Era
Under Graham’s management, the Fillmore had the good fortune to have a number of outstanding ‘house bands’ including The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Big Brother and the Holding Company (with Janis Joplin on vocals). With a reputation built on bands such as these, it became a ‘must-play’ venue for 1960s musicians, and amongst those who played there were Country Joe and the Fish, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Cream, The Who and also the great blues players such as Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker. The Incredible String Band played there more than once and, for a short time, their 1970 concert can be heard live at Wolfgang's Vault. Shows saw the music accompanied by psychedelic light shows and, on more than one occasion, audiences were asked that, if they were asked, they should tell police that they were at a private party so that a show could continue through the night.
Before the Hippies Came
The venue had had a distinguished history before psychedelia took over. Built in 1912, it was home to the Majestic Academy of Dancing, before becoming a regular dance hall in the 1930s. A sojourn as a roller-rink kept it going through the war years, while the 1950s saw a period during which it hosted shows by black musicians such as James Brown, and Ike & Tina Turner.
The Fillmore Posters
Bill Graham and the Fillmore brought more than just psychedelic rock music to the world’s attention. It was also responsible for a significant part of the best of psychedelic art. The concerts required promoting and Graham commissioned the best of San Francisco’s psychedelic artists to produce posters for each show. These designs were also used on smaller cards which were mailed to people to advertise forthcoming bands and were given away to those attending. Tickets were also printed using the designs. The high quality of this art has now been recognised and original posters from the Fillmore and the other Bay Area venues have increased significantly in value over recent years. Cards and tickets still offer good value, but are also increasing in value. The art has also been exhibited in major galleries across the world.
The Fillmore Legacy
The Fillmore, through Bill Graham’s aggressive management, established psychedelic rock as a genre, and provided a venue where multi-media experimentation could take place unfettered by the constraints that had existed previously. This experimentation influenced the British music scene and contributed to some of the best output of, amongst others, the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Graham also introduced the practice of having the main band on a bill play both the opening and the closing set. Finally, all the music played at the Fillmore during this period was recorded. Much of this recording was done by members of the audience and these recordings (released as bootlegs) of some of the greatest bands ever to have graced the world’s stages constitute the Fillmore’s greatest legacy: the chance for those who couldn’t be there in the 1960s to experience the excitement and sheer brilliance of classic live psychedelic rock music .
Alistair McCulloch - Alistair McCulloch has been listening to good music since his early teenage years in the 1960s. It is his genuine belief that music ...
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