Fillmore East
Encyclopedia
The Fillmore East was rock promoter
Bill Graham
's rock venue on Second Avenue
near East 6th Street in the East Village
neighborhood of the Manhattan
borough
of New York City. It was open from 1968 to 1971, and featured some of the biggest acts in rock music at the time. The Fillmore East was a companion to Graham's Fillmore Auditorium
, and its successor, the Fillmore West
, in San Francisco, Graham's home base.
and became a movie theatre, the Loews Commodore. It later became the Village Theatre, and in 1967 began to present rock bands, including Cream
, the Who
and the Doors
. When Graham took over the theatre, it had fallen into disrepair. Despite the deceptively small marquee
and façade, the theater had a capacity of almost 2,700.
counterpart to his existing Fillmore
in San Francisco, California. Opening on March 8, 1968, the Fillmore East quickly became known as "The Church of Rock and Roll," with two-show, triple-bill concerts several nights a week. Graham would regularly alternate acts between the East and West Coast venues. Until early 1971, bands were booked to play two shows per night, at 8 pm and 11 pm, on both Friday and Saturday nights.
. His album Band of Gypsys
was recorded live on New Year's Day 1970. John Lennon
performed there with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention
on June 6, 1971. The Allman Brothers Band played so many shows at Fillmore East that they were sometimes called "Bill Graham's House Band." The Jefferson Airplane
performed six shows and Taj Mahal
played eight shows at the venue, while Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young did four shows in September 1969. Led Zeppelin
made four appearances in early 1969, opening for Iron Butterfly
. Amateur film footage of their January 31 performance can be viewed at the Led Zeppelin website.
The Joshua Light Show
, headed by Joshua White, was an integral part of many performances, with its psychedelic
art lighting
on a backdrop behind many live bands. From the summer of 1970, Joe's Lights, made up of former members of the Joshua Light Show, became the house light show, trading duties until the venue's closing in 1971 with The Pig Light Show, under the direction of Marc L. Rubinstein.
PBS taped a show on September 23, 1970 for broadcast. It featured The Byrds
, Elvin Bishop Group
, Albert King
, Sha Na Na
, Van Morrison
and Joe's Lights.
, The J. Geils Band, Albert King
, and special guests – Edgar Winter's White Trash, Mountain
, The Beach Boys
, and Country Joe McDonald
– in an invitation-only performance. The concert was broadcast live
by WNEW-FM with between-set banter by many of the station's then-trend-setting disc jockeys – Alison Steele
("The Nightbird") and Scott Muni
among them. The Allman Brothers Band set was released as the second disc of the deluxe edition/remastered version of their Eat a Peach
(1972 and 2006) album.
. It operated through 1975, but was renamed the "Village East", supposedly due to objections from Bill Graham over the use of the Fillmore name.
In 1980, the venue became The Saint
, a private gay nightclub
. As of 2007, the former entrance lobby is a branch of Emigrant Savings Bank
, and the rest of the interior has been demolished and replaced with an apartment complex, Hudson East, with its entrance at 225 East 6th Street.
Live Nation
resurrected the Fillmore East name by rebranding the renovated Irving Plaza
as "The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza" on April 11, 2007, with English pop music singer and songwriter Lily Allen
as the opening act. However, in May 2010 Live Nation conceded that the new name had not caught on and due to "unrelenting demand" the name "Irving Plaza" was restored beginning on June 23, 2010.
Promoter (entertainment)
An entertainment promoter i.e. music, wrestling, boxing etc is a person or company in the business of marketing and promoting live events such as concerts/gigs, boxing matches, sports entertainment , festivals, raves, and nightclubs.- Business model :Promoters are typically hired as independent...
Bill Graham
Bill Graham (promoter)
Bill Graham was an American impresario and rock concert promoter from the 1960s until his death.-Early life:...
's rock venue on Second Avenue
Second Avenue (Manhattan)
Second Avenue is an avenue on the East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan extending from Houston Street at its south end to the Harlem River Drive at 128th Street at its north end. A one-way street, vehicular traffic runs only downtown. A bicycle lane in the left hand portion from 55th...
near East 6th Street in the East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
neighborhood of the Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of New York City. It was open from 1968 to 1971, and featured some of the biggest acts in rock music at the time. The Fillmore East was a companion to Graham's Fillmore Auditorium
The Fillmore
The Fillmore Auditorium is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California, made famous by Bill Graham. Named for its original location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it lies on the boundary of the Western Addition and the Pacific Heights neighborhoods.In 1968,...
, and its successor, the Fillmore West
Fillmore West
The Fillmore West was an historic music venue in San Francisco, California made famous by concert promoter Bill Graham. Named after Graham's original "Fillmore" location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it stood at Market Street and South Van Ness Avenue and was formerly...
, in San Francisco, Graham's home base.
Pre-Fillmore East
The theatre that became the Fillmore East was originally built as a Yiddish theater in 1926, a time when this part of Second Avenue was known as the "Jewish Rialto" because of the numerous theatres that catered to a Yiddish-speaking audience. Called the Commodore Theater, it eventually was taken over by Loews Inc.Loews Cineplex Entertainment
Loews Theatres, aka Loews Incorporated , founded in 1904 by Marcus Loew and Brantford Schwartz, was the oldest theater chain operating in North America until it merged with AMC Theatres on January 26, 2006. From 1924 until 1959, it was also the parent company of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. The...
and became a movie theatre, the Loews Commodore. It later became the Village Theatre, and in 1967 began to present rock bands, including Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
, the Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
and the Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
. When Graham took over the theatre, it had fallen into disrepair. Despite the deceptively small marquee
Marquee (sign)
A marquee is most commonly a structure placed over the entrance to a hotel or theatre. It has signage stating either the name of the establishment or, in the case of theatres, the play or movie and the artist appearing at that venue...
and façade, the theater had a capacity of almost 2,700.
Fillmore East years
The venue provided Graham with an East CoastEast Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
counterpart to his existing Fillmore
The Fillmore
The Fillmore Auditorium is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California, made famous by Bill Graham. Named for its original location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it lies on the boundary of the Western Addition and the Pacific Heights neighborhoods.In 1968,...
in San Francisco, California. Opening on March 8, 1968, the Fillmore East quickly became known as "The Church of Rock and Roll," with two-show, triple-bill concerts several nights a week. Graham would regularly alternate acts between the East and West Coast venues. Until early 1971, bands were booked to play two shows per night, at 8 pm and 11 pm, on both Friday and Saturday nights.
Notable acts
Among the notable acts to play the Fillmore East was Jimi HendrixJimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
. His album Band of Gypsys
Band of Gypsys
Band of Gypsys was a blues rock band led by Jimi Hendrix and backed by Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. Hendrix formed the band after the dissolution of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Band of Gypsys is also the band's eponymous live album recorded on two separate nights, 31 December 1969 and 1 January...
was recorded live on New Year's Day 1970. John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
performed there with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
on June 6, 1971. The Allman Brothers Band played so many shows at Fillmore East that they were sometimes called "Bill Graham's House Band." The Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
performed six shows and Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal (musician)
Henry Saint Clair Fredericks , who uses the stage name Taj Mahal, is an American Grammy Award winning blues musician. He incorporates elements of world music into his music...
played eight shows at the venue, while Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young did four shows in September 1969. Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
made four appearances in early 1969, opening for Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly is a US psychedelic rock band best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".Their heyday was the late 1960s, but the band has been reincarnated with various members. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is the 31st best-selling album in the world, selling more than 25 million copies.-History:The...
. Amateur film footage of their January 31 performance can be viewed at the Led Zeppelin website.
The Joshua Light Show
The Joshua Light Show
The Joshua Light Show, created by Joshua White, was one of the trailblazing liquid light shows renowned for its psychedelic art lighting a backdrop behind many live band performances at the Fillmore East in the East Village area of New York City, USA, during the late sixties and early seventies.-...
, headed by Joshua White, was an integral part of many performances, with its psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
art lighting
Liquid light shows
Liquid light shows or psychedelic light shows surfaced in the mid 1960s and early 1970s in America and Europe.Leading names were Glen McKay’s Headlights The Joshua Light Show/Joe's Lights/Sensefex located in NY), Tony Martin Liquid light shows or psychedelic light shows surfaced in the mid 1960s...
on a backdrop behind many live bands. From the summer of 1970, Joe's Lights, made up of former members of the Joshua Light Show, became the house light show, trading duties until the venue's closing in 1971 with The Pig Light Show, under the direction of Marc L. Rubinstein.
PBS taped a show on September 23, 1970 for broadcast. It featured The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
, Elvin Bishop Group
Elvin Bishop
Elvin Bishop is an American blues and rock and roll musician and guitarist.-Career:Bishop was born in Glendale, California, and grew up on a farm near Elliott, Iowa. His family moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, when he was ten years old...
, Albert King
Albert King
Albert King was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing.-Career:...
, Sha Na Na
Sha Na Na
Sha Na Na is an American rock and roll group. The name is taken from a part of the long series of nonsense syllables in the doo-wop hit song "Get a Job", originally recorded in 1957 by the Silhouettes....
, Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
and Joe's Lights.
Live albums
Because of the auditorium's great acoustics, many live albums were recorded at the Fillmore East, including:- The Allman Brothers BandThe Allman Brothers BandThe Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
– At Fillmore EastAt Fillmore EastAt Fillmore East is a double live album by The Allman Brothers Band. The band's breakthrough success, At Fillmore East was released in July 1971. It ranks Number 49 among Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and remains among the top-selling albums in the band’s catalogue...
(1971) - The Allman Brothers BandThe Allman Brothers BandThe Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
– Fillmore East, February 1970Fillmore East, February 1970Fillmore East, February 1970 is a live album by the rock group the Allman Brothers Band.-The February 1970 concerts:On February 11, 13, and 14, 1970, the Allman Brothers Band, along with the Grateful Dead and Love, played at Bill Graham's Fillmore East auditorium in New York City...
(released 1997) on Grateful Dead RecordsGrateful Dead RecordsIn 1973, the Grateful Dead established their own record label, Grateful Dead Records. The band released several vinyl record LPs on this label in the mid-1970s, including Wake of the Flood in 1973, From the Mars Hotel in 1974, Blues for Allah in 1975, and a live double album, Steal Your Face, in... - Buffalo Bob SmithBuffalo Bob SmithBuffalo Bob Smith was the host of the children's show Howdy Doody.-Biography:...
– Live at Bill Graham's Fillmore East; creator of Howdy Doody (recorded April 4, 1971) - The Chambers BrothersThe Chambers BrothersThe Chambers Brothers is a soul-music group, best known for its 1968 hit record, the 11-minute long song "Time Has Come Today". The group was part of the wave of new music that integrated American blues and gospel traditions with modern psychedelic and rock elements, spawning a heady mix...
– Love, Peace And HappinessLove, Peace and HappinessLove, Peace and Happiness is a double album by soul artists The Chambers Brothers which was released in December 1969, according to Amazon.com....
, a double album with one studio disc and one live disc recorded at Bill Graham's Fillmore East - Joe CockerJoe CockerJohn Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
– Mad Dogs and EnglishmenMad Dogs and Englishmen (album)Mad Dogs and Englishmen is Joe Cocker's 1970 live album, featuring a fusion of rock and soul. The album title is drawn from the 1931 Noël Coward song of the same name. Mostly Cocker's album is made up of covers, drawing equally from rock and soul...
– The Complete Fillmore East ConcertsThe Complete Fillmore East ConcertsThe Complete Fillmore East Concerts Recorded live in New York 1970.Joe Cocker Mad Dogs and Englishmen turned 35 years old in 2005. Commemorating this birthday was the release of the limited edition Joe Cocker Mad Dogs and Englishmen – The Complete Fillmore East Concerts, documenting the entire four...
– March 27–28, 1970 (released 2006) - Miles DavisMiles DavisMiles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
– Live at the Fillmore East, March 7, 1970: It's About That TimeLive at the Fillmore East, March 7, 1970: It's About That TimeLive at the Fillmore East March 7, 1970: It's About that Time is a live double album by Miles Davis. Sony Music Entertainment released the album in 2001, although the concert had previously circulated as a bootleg recording...
(2001); recorded March 7, 1970, in a rare live recording of Davis's so-called '"lost quintet" - Miles DavisMiles DavisMiles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
– Miles Davis at Fillmore: Live at the Fillmore EastMiles Davis at Fillmore: Live at the Fillmore EastAt Fillmore is a 1970 live album by jazz trumpeter Miles Davis and band, recorded at the Fillmore East, New York City on four consecutive days, June 17 through June 20, 1970, originally released as a double vinyl LP.The live performances were heavily edited by...
(1970); recorded June 17–20, 1970 - Derek and the DominosDerek and the DominosDerek and the Dominos were a blues rock band formed in the spring of 1970 by guitarist and singer Eric Clapton with keyboardist Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle and drummer Jim Gordon, who had all played with Clapton in Delaney, Bonnie & Friends...
– In ConcertIn Concert (Derek and the Dominos album)In Concert is a live double album, recorded by Derek and the Dominos in October 1970 at the Fillmore East and released January 1973.Six of the album's nine tracks were subsequently included on the 1994 album Live at the Fillmore...
; recorded October 23–24, 1970 (released 1973) - Derek and the DominosDerek and the DominosDerek and the Dominos were a blues rock band formed in the spring of 1970 by guitarist and singer Eric Clapton with keyboardist Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle and drummer Jim Gordon, who had all played with Clapton in Delaney, Bonnie & Friends...
– Live at the FillmoreLive at the Fillmore (Derek and the Dominos)Live at the Fillmore is a live double album, recorded by Derek and the Dominos in two performances at the Fillmore East in October 1970. Released February 22, 1994, it includes material from the In Concert album, live material from Eric Clapton's Crossroads box set, and several previously...
; recorded October 23–24, 1970 (released 1994) - Flying Burrito Brothers – Authorized Bootleg: Fillmore East, N.Y., N.Y. Late Show, Nov. 7, 1970 (CD, Feb-2011, Hip-O Select)
- Virgil Fox/Heavy Organ – Bach Live at Fillmore East ; recorded Dec. 1, 1970 (released on LP 1971, on CD 1989)
- The FugsThe FugsThe Fugs are a band formed in New York in late 1964 by poets Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg, with Ken Weaver on drums. Soon afterward, they were joined by Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber of the Holy Modal Rounders...
– Golden Filth - Alive at the Fillmore East ; recorded June 1, 1968 (released on LP 1970, on CD as part of the Rhino Handmade 3 CD set, Electromagnetic Steamboat 2003) - Grateful DeadGrateful DeadThe Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
– Ladies and Gentlemen… The Grateful Dead: Fillmore East – April 1971 (2000) ; a four-disc set taken from their five-night stint at the Fillmore East in April 1971 - Grateful DeadGrateful DeadThe Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
– Live at the Fillmore East 2-11-69Live at the Fillmore East 2-11-69Live at the Fillmore East 2-11-69 is a double live album by the Grateful Dead recorded during the Live/Dead tour on February 11, 1969 at the Fillmore East in New York City. The first disc represents the early show that night, the second the late show. The Dead opened for Janis Joplin...
(1997) - Grateful DeadGrateful DeadThe Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
– History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice)History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice)History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One is the ninth album and the fourth live album by the Grateful Dead, released in July 1973 on Warner Bros. Records, catalogue BS 2721...
(February 13–14, 1970) (1973) - Grateful DeadGrateful DeadThe Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
– Dick's Picks Volume Four – Grateful Dead Fillmore East 2/13–14/70Dick's Picks Volume 4Dick's Picks Volume 4 is the fourth live album in the Dick's Picks series of releases by the Grateful Dead. It was recorded on February 13 and February 14, 1970 at the Fillmore East in New York City, and released in February 1996. It was the first of the Dick's Picks CDs to have three discs...
(1996) ; a three-disc set released on Grateful Dead RecordsGrateful Dead RecordsIn 1973, the Grateful Dead established their own record label, Grateful Dead Records. The band released several vinyl record LPs on this label in the mid-1970s, including Wake of the Flood in 1973, From the Mars Hotel in 1974, Blues for Allah in 1975, and a live double album, Steal Your Face, in... - Grateful DeadGrateful DeadThe Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
– Road Trips Volume 3 Number 3Road Trips Volume 3 Number 3Road Trips Volume 3 Number 3 is a live album by the American rock band the Grateful Dead. Recorded on May 15, 1970, and released on June 14, 2010, it was the eleventh of the "Road Trips" series of albums, and the first to contain three discs instead of two.-Recording:Road Trips Volume 3 Number 3...
Fillmore East 5-15-70 ; a three-disc set with a bonus fourth disc included with early orders of the set from dead.net; (released 2010) - Jimi HendrixJimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
– Band of GypsysBand of GypsysBand of Gypsys was a blues rock band led by Jimi Hendrix and backed by Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. Hendrix formed the band after the dissolution of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Band of Gypsys is also the band's eponymous live album recorded on two separate nights, 31 December 1969 and 1 January...
(1970) and Live at the Fillmore East (1999) - Lorin Hollander – Lorin Hollander at the Fillmore East ; recorded Feb. 23, 1969
- Humble PieHumble Pie (band)Humble Pie was a rock band from England, finding success both in the UK and the US. They are remembered for songs such as "Black Coffee" "30 Days in the Hole", "I Don't Need No Doctor", and "Natural Born Bugie"...
– Performance Rockin' the FillmorePerformance Rockin' the FillmorePerformance Rockin' the Fillmore is the 1971 live double-album/one-cd by English blues-rock group Humble Pie. It reached #21 on the Billboard 200, and hit the UK Top 40.-Album profile:...
(1971) - Iron ButterflyIron ButterflyIron Butterfly is a US psychedelic rock band best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".Their heyday was the late 1960s, but the band has been reincarnated with various members. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is the 31st best-selling album in the world, selling more than 25 million copies.-History:The...
- Fillmore East 1968 ; a two disc set recorded on April 26 & 27, 1968; released by Rhino Entertainment 2011. - Jefferson AirplaneJefferson AirplaneJefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
– Bless Its Pointed Little HeadBless Its Pointed Little HeadBless Its Pointed Little Head is a live album by Jefferson Airplane recorded at both the Fillmore East and West in the fall of 1968 and released in 1969. Five songs on the album had not appeared on any of the band's previous studio recordings. The songs that did appear on previous albums, however,...
(1969) ; this album was split between the Fillmore East and Fillmore West. - Jefferson AirplaneJefferson AirplaneJefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
– Live at the Fillmore EastLive at the Fillmore East (Jefferson Airplane album)-Personnel:*Marty Balin - vocals, guitar, bass on "Fat Angel"*Grace Slick - vocals, piano*Jorma Kaukonen - lead guitar, vocals*Paul Kantner - rhythm guitar, vocals*Jack Casady - bass, rhythm guitar on "Fat Angel"*Spencer Dryden - drums, percussion...
(recorded 1969; released 1998) - Jefferson AirplaneJefferson AirplaneJefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
– Sweeping Up the SpotlightSweeping Up the Spotlight-Personnel:*Marty Balin – vocals, guitar*Grace Slick – vocals, piano*Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar, vocals*Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals*Jack Casady – bass*Spencer Dryden – drums...
: Jefferson Airplane Live at the Fillmore East 1969 (released 2007) - King CrimsonKing CrimsonKing Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
– EpitaphEpitaphAn epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person, strictly speaking that is inscribed on their tombstone or plaque, but also used figuratively. Some are specified by the dead person beforehand, others chosen by those responsible for the burial...
– two-disc set with three tracks recorded at Fillmore East Nov. 21, 1969 - King CrimsonKing CrimsonKing Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
– Live at Fillmore East – one disc with both Nov. 21 and Nov. 22, 1969 partial sets (released in 2004 on The King Crimson Club label as Club 25) - Al KooperAl KooperAl Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
& Mike BloomfieldMike BloomfieldMichael Bernard "Mike" Bloomfield was an American musician, guitarist, and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, who became one of the first popular music superstars of the 1960s to earn his reputation almost entirely on his instrumental prowess, since he rarely sang before 1969–70...
– Fillmore East: The Lost Concert Tapes ; recorded Dec. 13–14, 1968 (released 2003) - LoveLove (band)Love was an American rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were led by singer/songwriter Arthur Lee and lead guitarist Johnny Echols...
– Studio / LiveStudio / LiveStudio/Live is an album by the American psychedelic rock band Love. Released in 1982 on MCA Records it was a compilation album of previous studio recordings, plus previously unreleased live recordings from the bands 1970 Bill Graham concerts.-Track list:...
– live tracks recorded at Fillmore East (released on LP 1982, on CD 1991) - John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Yoko OnoYoko Onois a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
– Live Jam – Side Two of this live album, which was included as a bonus album in Lennon & Ono's Some Time in New York CitySome Time in New York CitySome Time in New York City was released in 1972 and is John Lennon's third post-Beatles album, fifth with Yoko Ono, and third with producer Phil Spector...
(released: 1972), was recorded at the Fillmore East on June 6, 1971. - Taj MahalTaj Mahal (musician)Henry Saint Clair Fredericks , who uses the stage name Taj Mahal, is an American Grammy Award winning blues musician. He incorporates elements of world music into his music...
– The Real ThingThe Real Thing (Taj Mahal album)The Real Thing is a 1971 live album by Taj Mahal. It was recorded on February 13, 1971 at the Fillmore East in New York City and features Taj Mahal backed by a band that includes four tuba players.-Track listing:...
; recorded Feb. 13, 1971 (remaster with one more track, released 2000) - MountainMountain (band)Mountain is an American hard rock band that formed in Long Island, New York in 1969. Originally comprising vocalist and guitarist Leslie West, bassist Felix Pappalardi and drummer N. D. Smart, the band broke up in 1972 before reuniting in 1974 and remaining active until today...
– Flowers Of Evil – Side 2 recorded at Fillmore East, December 26, 1970 - John MayallJohn MayallJohn Mayall, OBE is an English blues singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, whose musical career spans over fifty years...
– The Turning Point (1969) (released on CD 1990, remaster with three more tracks released 2001) - The NiceThe NiceThe Nice were an English progressive rock band from the 1960s, known for their blend of rock, jazz and classical music. Their debut album, The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack was released in 1967 to immediate acclaim. It is often considered the first progressive rock album...
– Live at the Fillmore East December 1969 ; recorded December 19–20, 1969 (released 2009) - Laura NyroLaura NyroLaura Nyro was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. She achieved considerable critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and New York Tendaberry, and had commercial success with artists such as Barbra Streisand and The 5th...
– Spread Your Wings and Fly: Live at the Fillmore East (released 2004) - Quicksilver Messenger ServiceQuicksilver Messenger ServiceQuicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965 in San Francisco.-Introduction:Quicksilver Messenger Service gained wide popularity in the Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe and several of their albums ranked...
– Happy TrailsHappy Trails (album)Happy Trails is the second album of the American band Quicksilver Messenger Service.Happy Trails consists mainly of a performance cover of Bo Diddley's - aka Ellas McDaniel - "Who Do You Love?" spread out over 25 minutes...
; live tracks recorded at both Fillmore East & Fillmore West (CD released 1994) - Ten Years AfterTen Years AfterTen Years After is an English blues-rock band, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between 1968 and 1973, Ten Years After scored eight Top 40 albums on the UK Albums Chart...
– Live at the Fillmore East 1970Live at the Fillmore East 1970Live at the Fillmore East 1970, was a double disc live album by Ten Years After recorded in February 1970. Live at the Fillmore East features many blues covers, such as Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen", and "Roll Over Beethoven" and also Willie Dixon's Spoonful, which was also covered by Cream...
; recorded February 27–28, 1970 (released 2001) - Johnny WinterJohnny WinterJohn Dawson "Johnny" Winter III is an American blues guitarist, singer, and producer. Best known for his late 1960s and 1970s high-energy blues-rock albums and live performances, Winter also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for blues legend Muddy Waters...
– Live Johnny Winter AndLive Johnny Winter AndLive Johnny Winter And is a 1971 album by Johnny Winter recorded live at various locations during the fall of 1970 including the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York, and Pirate's World in Dania, Florida.- Track listing :...
; recorded at Fillmore East & Pirate's World, Dania,FL - Johnny WinterJohnny WinterJohn Dawson "Johnny" Winter III is an American blues guitarist, singer, and producer. Best known for his late 1960s and 1970s high-energy blues-rock albums and live performances, Winter also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for blues legend Muddy Waters...
– "Johnny Winter And: Live at the Fillmore East 10/3/70" ; (released 2010) - Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Live at the Fillmore EastLive at the Fillmore East (Neil Young album)Live at the Fillmore East is a live album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse featuring guitarist Danny Whitten. In February and March 1970, Young and Crazy Horse went on tour to support Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. Live at the Fillmore East, released in 2006, features performances from the tour...
recorded March 6–7, 1970 (released on CD and DVD 2006) - Frank Zappa And The Mothers – Freaks And Motherfu*#@%! ; recorded in 1970 (released 1991)
- Frank ZappaFrank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
's MothersThe Mothers of InventionThe Mothers of Invention were an American band active from 1964 to 1969, and again from 1970 to 1975.They mainly performed works by, and were the original recording group of, US composer and guitarist Frank Zappa , although other members have had the occasional writing credit...
– Fillmore East - June 1971Fillmore East - June 1971Fillmore East – June 1971 is a live album by The Mothers, released in 1971. It was the twelfth album by Frank Zappa. It was produced by Frank Zappa, and mixed by Toby Foster.-History:This was a live concept-like album...
(released 1971)
Closing
Because of changes in the music industry and exponential growth in the concert industry, Graham closed the Fillmore East. Its final concert took place on June 27, 1971, with the billed acts: The Allman Brothers BandThe Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
, The J. Geils Band, Albert King
Albert King
Albert King was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing.-Career:...
, and special guests – Edgar Winter's White Trash, Mountain
Mountain (band)
Mountain is an American hard rock band that formed in Long Island, New York in 1969. Originally comprising vocalist and guitarist Leslie West, bassist Felix Pappalardi and drummer N. D. Smart, the band broke up in 1972 before reuniting in 1974 and remaining active until today...
, The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
, and Country Joe McDonald
Country Joe McDonald
Country Joe McDonald is an American musician who was the lead singer of the 1960s psychedelic rock group Country Joe and the Fish.-Personal life:...
– in an invitation-only performance. The concert was broadcast live
Live radio
Live radio is radio broadcast without delay. Before the days of television, audiences listened to live dramas, comedies, quiz shows, and concerts on the radio much the same way that they now do on TV. Most talk radio is live radio where people can speak about their opinions/lives....
by WNEW-FM with between-set banter by many of the station's then-trend-setting disc jockeys – Alison Steele
Alison Steele
Alison Steele was a pioneering American disc jockey in Manhattan at what would become the archetypal progressive rock radio station in the United States, WNEW-FM. She was commonly known as "The Nightbird"...
("The Nightbird") and Scott Muni
Scott Muni
Scott Muni was an American disc jockey, who worked at the heyday of the AM Top 40 format and then was a pioneer of FM progressive rock radio.-Biography:...
among them. The Allman Brothers Band set was released as the second disc of the deluxe edition/remastered version of their Eat a Peach
Eat a Peach
Eat a Peach is a 1972 double album by the American Southern rock group The Allman Brothers Band; it was the last to include founding member and lead slide-guitar player Duane Allman, who was killed in a motorcycle accident on October 29, 1971 while the album was being recorded.-History:This album...
(1972 and 2006) album.
Afterlife
On December 7, 1974, Barry Stuart (Stein), reopened the venue as the NFE Theatre – "NFE" standing for "New Fillmore East" – with a concert presenting Bachman-Turner OverdriveBachman-Turner Overdrive
Bachman–Turner Overdrive is a Canadian rock group from Winnipeg, Manitoba, that had a series of hit albums and singles in the 1970s, selling over 7 million albums in that decade alone. Their 1970s catalog included five Top 40 albums and six Top 40 singles...
. It operated through 1975, but was renamed the "Village East", supposedly due to objections from Bill Graham over the use of the Fillmore name.
In 1980, the venue became The Saint
The Saint (club)
The Saint was an American gay superclub, located in the East Village neighborhood of the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, that operated from 1980 to 1987.-History:...
, a private gay nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
. As of 2007, the former entrance lobby is a branch of Emigrant Savings Bank
Emigrant Savings Bank
Emigrant Savings Bank is the oldest savings bank in New York City and the largest privately owned bank in the country. , Emigrant has 35 branches located in the New York metro area and has assets of $14.3 billion...
, and the rest of the interior has been demolished and replaced with an apartment complex, Hudson East, with its entrance at 225 East 6th Street.
Live Nation
Live Nation
Live Nation is a live-events company based in Beverly Hills, California, focused on concert promotions. Live Nation formed in 2005 as a spin-off from Clear Channel Communications, which then merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 to become Live Nation Entertainment....
resurrected the Fillmore East name by rebranding the renovated Irving Plaza
Irving Plaza
Irving Plaza is a 1,200-person ballroom-style music venue at 17 Irving Place and East 15th Street in the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City...
as "The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza" on April 11, 2007, with English pop music singer and songwriter Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
as the opening act. However, in May 2010 Live Nation conceded that the new name had not caught on and due to "unrelenting demand" the name "Irving Plaza" was restored beginning on June 23, 2010.