The Fillmore East was rock promoter Bill Graham's rock venue on Second Avenue near East 6th Street in the (at the time)

Lower East Side The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets. Traditionally an im ...

neighborhood, now called the East Village neighborhood of the borough of

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. It was open from March 8, 1968, to June 27, 1971, and featured some of the biggest acts in

rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States a ...

at the time. The Fillmore East was a companion to Graham's Fillmore Auditorium, and its successor, the

Fillmore West The Fillmore West was a historic rock and roll music venue in San Francisco, California, US which became famous under the direction of concert promoter Bill Graham from 1968 to 1971. Named after The Fillmore at the intersection of Fillmore Str ...

, in

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...

, Graham's home base.

Pre-Fillmore East

The theatre at 105 Second Avenue that became the Fillmore East was originally built as a

Yiddish theater Yiddish theatre consists of plays written and performed primarily by Jews in Yiddish, the language of the Central European Ashkenazi Jewish community. The range of Yiddish theatre is broad: operetta, musical comedy, and satiric or nostalgic re ...

in 1925–26 – designed by Harrison Wiseman in the Medieval Revival style – at a time when that section of Second Avenue was known as the " Yiddish Theater District" and the "Jewish Rialto" because of the numerous theatres that catered to a Yiddish-speaking audience. Called the Commodore Theater, and independently operated, it eventually was taken over by Loews Inc. and became a

movie theater A movie theater (American English), cinema (British English), or cinema hall ( Indian English), also known as a movie house, picture house, the movies, the pictures, picture theater, the silver screen, the big screen, or simply theater is a ...

, the Loews Commodore. It later became the Village Theatre, owned by Roger Euster, with on-site management by Ben Barenholtz. When Bill Graham took over the theatre in 1968, it was unused and had fallen into disrepair. Despite the deceptively small front marquee and façade, the theater had a substantial capacity of almost 2,700.

Fillmore East years

The venue provided Graham with an East Coast 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.

Notable acts

Among the notable acts to play the Fillmore East was

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

. His album '' Band of Gypsys'' was recorded live on New Year's Day 1970. British blues-rock trio

Cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this process ...

played the Fillmore East when it was called the "Village Theater" on September 20 & 23, 1967. On February 21-22, 1969,

The Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention (also known as The Mothers) was an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an R&B ban ...

Buddy Miles Express The Buddy Miles Express was a musical group fronted by American drummer/vocalist Buddy Miles. It was formed after the 1968 breakup of Miles's earlier group Electric Flag. They released four albums. Background 1968 The Buddy Miles Express w ...

, and

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

played on the same bill.

The Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhyt ...

played October 17 & 18, 1969, supported by the

Bonzo Dog Band The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band (also known as The Bonzo Dog Band or The Bonzos) was created by a group of British art-school students in the 1960s. Combining elements of music hall, trad jazz and psychedelia with surreal humour and avant-garde art, ...

Ike & Tina Turner Ike & Tina Turner were an American musical duo consisting of husband and wife Ike Turner and Tina Turner. From 1960 to 1976, they performed live as the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, supported by Ike Turner's band the Kings of Rhythm and backing voca ...

played on January 9 & 10, 1970, supported by

Fats Domino Antoine Dominique Domino Jr. (February 26, 1928 – October 24, 2017), known as Fats Domino, was an American pianist, singer and songwriter. One of the pioneers of rock and roll music, Domino sold more than 65 million records. Born in New O ...

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

and

Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...

sat in with

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention (also known as The Mothers) was an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an R&B band c ...

at the theater 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"; additionally, the

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, country, jazz, bluegrass, blues, rock and roll, gospel, reggae, world music, ...

played a total of 43 concerts at the theater from June 1968 through April 1971.

Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, that became one of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock. Formed in 1965, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the Bay Area to ach ...

performed six shows and

Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, ...

played eight shows at the venue, while Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young did four shows in September 1969 and six performances in June 1970.

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ...

made four appearances in early 1969, opening for

Iron Butterfly Iron Butterfly is an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1966. They are best known for the 1968 hit " In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", providing a dramatic sound that led the way towards the development of hard rock and heavy metal musi ...

. Amateur film footage of their January 31 performance can be viewed at the Led Zeppelin website.

The Joshua Light Show The Joshua Light Show, created by Joshua White, was a liquid light show. It was known for its psychedelic art and served as a lighting backdrop behind many live band performances during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Joshua White studied electr ...

, headed by Joshua White, was an integral part of many performances, with its

psychedelic Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science o ...

art lighting on a backdrop behind many live bands. From the summer of 1970, the Pig Light Show, under the direction of Marc L. Rubinstein, performed at the theater, becoming the de facto house light show.

National Educational Television National Educational Television (NET) was an American educational broadcast television network owned by the Ford Foundation and later co-owned by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It operated from May 16, 1954 to October 4, 1970, and ...

taped a show on September 23, 1970, for broadcast. It featured

The Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole con ...

, Elvin Bishop Group,

Albert King Albert Nelson (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), known by his stage name Albert King, was an American guitarist and singer who is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time. He is perhaps b ...

, Sha Na Na,

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...

with psychedelic light show by Joe's Lights (what The Joshua Light Show became known as after Joshua left in 1970). The Allman Brothers were also taped for broadcast but due to technical difficulties, the segment with them was not aired. The show, "Welcome To Fillmore East" was aired on

WNET WNET (channel 13), branded on-air as "Thirteen" (stylized as "THIRTEEN"), is a primary PBS member television station licensed to Newark, New Jersey, United States, serving the New York City area. Owned by The WNET Group (formerly known as the ...

channel 13 in NYC and simulcast on WNEW-FM radio on October 10, 1970, at 10:00 pm in the NYC area. A thirty-minute clip from that show of the Allmans can be seen on YouTube.

Live albums

As the Bill Graham's original Fillmore Auditorium on the West Coast, the Fillmore East quickly became an important venue on the fledgling rock music circuit in the late sixties. Because of its excellent acoustics, the enthusiastic and attentive audiences and Graham's innovative way of handling the concert environment, the hall became a favorite spot for the recording of many live albums. Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts, on why they recorded their first live album there: 'We realized that we got a better sound live and that we're a live band. (...) And we realized that the audience was a big part of what we did. (...) There was no question about where to record a concert. New York crowds have always been great, but what made the Fillmore special was Bill Graham. He was the best promoter rock has ever had and you could feel his influence in every little single thing at the Fillmore. It was just special. The bands felt it and the crowd felt it and it lit all of us up. The Fillmore was the high octane gig to play in New York - or anywhere else, really. (...) It was a great sounding room with a great crowd. (...) The Fillmores were so professionally run, compared to anything else at the time. And he would gamble on acts, bringing in jazz and blues (...) and he had taken a chance on the Brothers. ' The list includes: * The Allman Brothers Band – '' At Fillmore East''. The breakthrough double album of the ABB, recorded on March 12 and 13, 1971, and released on Capricorn Records in July 1971. Producer Tom Dowd edited some of the performances down into the issued tracks and so showcased the group's terrific instrumental interplay. * The Allman Brothers Band - '' Eat A Peach''. The follow-up double album of studio and further Fillmore East Recordings, dedicated by the band to their lead guitar player Duane Allman, who died in a motor crash shortly after the release and initial success of 'At Fillmore East'. Released on Capricorn Records in February 1972. * The Allman Brothers Band – ''

Fillmore East, February 1970 ''Fillmore East, February 1970'' is a live album by the rock group the Allman Brothers Band. It was recorded by Owsley Stanley at the Fillmore East in Manhattan on February 11, 13, and 14, 1970. It was released on CD in 1996. In 2018, the album w ...

''. In February 1970 the ABB played their second run of Fillmore East shows, supporting Grateful Dead and Love. The GD sound engineer, Owsley "Bear" Stanley recorded the soundboard live feed and in 1996 Grateful Dead Records released a cd of selected tracks from February 11 & 14. In 2018 the Owsley Stanley Foundation remastered this album and added a 3-CD set of the February 11, 13 and 14 performances as a 'Deluxe Edition', in their 'Bear's Sonic Journals'-series. * The Allman Brothers Band – '' The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings''. A six-CD set of the complete recordings of both early and late shows from March 12 and 13, 1971, and the Fillmore East closing show from June 27, 1971. The March 11 shows were also recorded, but deemed unusable by producer Tom Dowd as the band had, for the occasion, invited a horn section, but their contribution didn't gel with the group sound Released on Mercury in July 2014. * Buffalo Bob Smith – '' Live at Bill Graham's Fillmore East''; creator of Howdy Doody (recorded April 4, 1971) *

The Chambers Brothers The Chambers Brothers are an American psychedelic soul band, best known for their eleven-minute 1967 psychedelic soul hit " Time Has Come Today". The group was part of the wave of new music that integrated American blues and gospel traditions w ...

– '' Love, Peace and Happiness'', a double album with one studio disc and one live disc recorded at Bill Graham's Fillmore East *

Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles were recordings of son ...

– '' Mad Dogs & Englishmen: The Complete Fillmore East Concerts'' – March 27–28, 1970. Six CD set released in 2006 on Hip-O Select. * Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – '' 4 Way Street''. A double album, partly recorded at this venue during a six-night run in early June 1970, and released in April 1971 on Atlantic. *

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...

– '' Live at the Fillmore East, March 7, 1970: It's About That Time''. A two CD set of the early and late shows, recorded March 7, 1970, and released on Sony/Columbia Legacy in July, 2001. This release is notable because this was saxophonist Wayne Shorter's last live date with Davis, after being nearly 6 years with the jazz star. The Sextet opened for Neil Young & Crazy Horse and The Steve Miller Blues Band for two nights at the Fillmore East: the first of several famous and important appearances of Davis at both the Fillmore East and West. * Miles Davis – '' Miles Davis at Fillmore: Live at the Fillmore East''. A double album of recordings of 4 shows, recorded June 17–20, 1970 and released by Columbia in October 1970. The Davis Septet opened for Laura Nyro for four nights at the auditorium. Columbia recorded all four nights, and producer Teo Macero distilled each night's music into the heavily edited medleys. * Miles Davis – '' Miles at the Fillmore – Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3''. More of the above. A lavishly packaged four-CD set of the complete, unedited shows from June 17–20, 1970 (plus three bonus tracks from April 11, 1970, recorded at Fillmore West, San Francisco) and released in March 2014 by Sony/Columbia Legacy. * Derek and the Dominos – '' In Concert''; recorded October 23–24, 1970 (released 1973) * Derek and the Dominos – '' Live at the Fillmore'' ; 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 Virgil Keel Fox (May 3, 1912 in Princeton, Illinois – October 25, 1980 in Palm Beach, Florida) was an American organist, known especially for his years as organist at Riverside Church in New York City, from 1946 to 1965, and his flamboyant "H ...

/Heavy Organ – '' Bach Live at Fillmore East'' ; recorded December 1, 1970 (released on LP 1971, on CD 1989) *

The Fugs The Fugs are an American rock band formed in New York City in late 1964, by the 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. K ...

– '' Golden Filth – Alive at the Fillmore East'' ; recorded June 1, 1968 (released on LP 1970, on CD as part of the

Rhino Handmade Rhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company founded in 1978. It is currently the catalog division for Warner Music Group. Its current CEO is Mark Pinkus. History Founded in 1978, Rhino was originall ...

3-CD set, Electromagnetic Steamboat 2003) *

– '' Grateful Dead a.k.a. Skull And Roses''. A live double album of which 7 of the 11 tracks, were recorded at the Fillmore East, during their March 26 to 29, 1971 run, when they were supported by the New Riders Of The Purple Sage. Released on Warner Bros. in October 1971. * Grateful Dead – ''

History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice) ''History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice)'' is a live album by the Grateful Dead. It is their fourth live album and their ninth album overall. Released in July 1973 on Warner Bros. Records, it offers concert highlights recorded ...

''. This album includes Dead performances, recorded by then Dead-'sound wizard' Owsley 'Bear' Stanley, during a much acclaimed series of shows held over two nights, February 13–14, 1970 at the Fillmore East, headlining over the Allman Brothers Band and Love. Issued on Warner Bros. July 1973, it was to be a first in a series of archival releases, which was finally only picked up again in 1993 with the Dick's Picks Series. Re-released in an expanded edition, with 4 more tracks from the same shows in February 2003 by Rhino. * Grateful Dead – '' Dick's Picks Volume Four – Fillmore East 2/13–14/70''. (Much) more of the above. A three-disc set of additional tracks from both nights, February 13–14, 1970, 'the Dead's most memorable appearance at the Fillmore East, and shows consistently ranked by

Deadheads A Deadhead or Dead Head is a fan of the American rock band the Grateful Dead. In the 1970s, a number of fans began travelling to see the band in as many shows or festival venues as they could. With large numbers of people thus attending strings o ...

as among the 5 best live tapes ever'. The 30-minute 'Dark Star' is considered one of the best ever performances of this legendary Dead improvisational theme. Released in March 1996 on Grateful Dead Records. *

– '' Live at the Fillmore East 2-11-69''. A double cd of the early and late shows on February 11, 1969 as the opening act to Janis Joplin's New York debut as a solo star. Released on Grateful Dead/'' Arista'' in October 1997. * Grateful Dead – '' Ladies and Gentlemen... The Grateful Dead: Fillmore East – April 1971''. Taken from the same 5-night run as '' Grateful Dead a.k.a. Skull And Roses'', this four-disc set contains a much loved version of 'Hard to Handle', a mainstay of the Dead's live set from 1969 to 1971, as sung by Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, 'at the top of his game'. Released on Grateful Dead/'' Arista'' in October 2000. * Grateful Dead – '' Road Trips Volume 3 Number 3 – Fillmore East 5-15-70'' (2010). The three-disc set captures the band in the midst of their transition from a full tilt-psychedelic jam ethos to a wider, more song-based style, also featuring a short-lived 'unplugged' acoustic set. Released on Grateful Dead/'' Arista'' in October 2010, with a bonus fourth disc, with more music from the same night, included with early copies. * Grateful Dead – '' Dave's Picks Volume 30 – Fillmore East, New York, NY-1/2/70'' (2019); a three-disc CD set which comprises the early and late shows from 1/2/70 and five bonus tracks from 1/3/70. A fourth CD bonus disc of additional tracks from 1/3/70 was included for those who subscribed to the 2019 series on Dead.net *

– '' Band of Gypsys'' (1970), '' Live at the Fillmore East'' (1999) and '' Machine Gun: The Fillmore East First Show'' (2016) * Jimi Hendrix - '' Songs for Groovy Children: The Fillmore East Concerts'' (2019) The four '' Band Of Gypsys'' concerts from Dec. 31, 1969 (early and late show) and Jan. 1, 1970 (early and late show) on 5 CDs or 8 LPs, licensed to Sony Legacy by Experience Hendrix. *

Lorin Hollander Lorin Hollander (born July 19, 1944) is an American classical concert pianist. He has performed with virtually all of the major symphony orchestras in the United States and many around the world. A ''New York Times'' critic called him in 1964 "the ...

– '' Lorin Hollander at the Fillmore East'' ; recorded February 23, 1969 *

Humble Pie Humble Pie are an English rock band formed by guitarist and singer Steve Marriott in Moreton, Essex, in 1969. They are known as one of the first supergroups of the late 1960s and found success in the early 1970s with songs such as " Black C ...

– ''

Performance Rockin' the Fillmore ''Performance Rockin' the Fillmore'' is the 1971 live double-LP/single-CD by the English blues-rock group Humble Pie, recorded at the Fillmore East in New York City on May 28–29, 1971. It reached #21 on the ''Billboard'' 200, #32 in Canada ...

'' (1971). '' Performance Rockin' The Fillmore The Complete Recordings'', a four disc CD set with the early and late shows from both 5/28/71 and 5/29/71 (released by Omnivore Recordings 2013) * Incredible String Band – ''Live At The Fillmore 1968'' ; recorded June 5, 1968; released by Hux Records Ltd, 2013. *

– '' Fillmore East 1968'' ; a two disc set recorded on April 26 & 27, 1968; released by Rhino Entertainment 2011. *

– '' Bless Its Pointed Little Head'' (1969) ; this album was split between the Fillmore East and Fillmore West. *

– '' Live at the Fillmore East'' (recorded 1968; released 1998) *

– '' Sweeping Up the Spotlight: Jefferson Airplane Live at the Fillmore East 1969'' (released 2007) *

Janis Joplin Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an American singer and musician. One of the most successful and widely known rock stars of her era, she was noted for her powerful mezzo-soprano vocals and "electric" stage presence. ...

- '' Fillmore East 1969'' - recorded 2/12/69 (released June 2022 on Leftfield Media) *

King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...

– ''

Epitaph An epitaph (; ) is a short text honoring a deceased person. Strictly speaking, it refers to text that is inscribed on a tombstone or plaque, but it may also be used in a figurative sense. Some epitaphs are specified by the person themselves be ...

'' – two-disc set with three tracks recorded at Fillmore East November 21, 1969 * King Crimson – '' Live at Fillmore East'' – one disc with both Nov 21 and 22, 1969 partial sets (released in 2004 on The King Crimson Club label as Club 25) * Al Kooper & Mike Bloomfield – '' Fillmore East: The Lost Concert Tapes'' ; recorded Dec. 13–14, 1968 (released 2003) *

Love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...

– '' Studio / Live'' – live tracks recorded at Fillmore East (released on LP 1982, on CD 1991) *

and

– ''Live Jam'' – Side Two of this live album, - which was included as a bonus album in Lennon & Ono's '' Some Time in New York City'' (released: 1972), was recorded at the Fillmore East on June 6, 1971. *

– '' The Real Thing'' ; recorded February 13, 1971 (remaster with one more track, released 2000) *

Mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...

– '' Flowers of Evil'' – Side 2 recorded at Fillmore East, June 27, 1971 *

John Mayall John Mayall, OBE (born 29 November 1933) is an English blues singer, musician and songwriter, whose musical career spans over sixty years. In the 1960s, he was the founder of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, a band that has counted among it ...

– '' The Turning Point'' (1969) (released on CD 1990, remaster with three more tracks released 2001) * The Nice – '' Live at the Fillmore East December 1969'' ; recorded December 19–20, 1969 (released 2009) *

Laura Nyro Laura Nyro ( ; born Laura Nigro; October 18, 1947 – April 8, 1997) was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. She achieved critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums ''Eli and the Thirteenth Confession'' (1968 ...

– '' Spread Your Wings and Fly: Live at the Fillmore East'' (released 2004) * Quicksilver Messenger Service – '' Happy Trails''; live tracks recorded at both Fillmore East & Fillmore West (CD released 1994) * Santana - '' Fillmore East 1971'' recorded April 3, 1971. (released 2020 on Timeline) * Sly and the Family Stone – ''Live at the Fillmore East October 4th & 5th 1968'' (released 2015) * Ten Years After – '' Live at the Fillmore East 1970''; recorded February 27–28, 1970 (released 2001) *

Traffic Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads) for travel and transportation. Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffic ...

– '' John Barleycorn Must Die – Deluxe Edition''; Two CD set, with the second disc containing seven songs on six tracks recorded Nov 18 & 19, 1970 at Fillmore East (released 2011 on Universal Island Records Ltd.) *

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

– '' Live at the Fillmore East 1968''; Two CD set, recorded April 6, 1968 (released 2018 on Polydor Ltd. (UK) *

Johnny Winter John Dawson Winter III (February 23, 1944 – July 16, 2014) was an American singer and guitarist. Winter was known for his high-energy blues rock albums and live performances in the late 1960s and 1970s. He also produced three Grammy Award-win ...

– ''

Live Johnny Winter And ''Live Johnny Winter And'' is an album by Johnny Winter, recorded with his group Johnny Winter And live during the fall of 1970 at the Fillmore East in New York City and at Pirate's World in Dania, Florida. It was released in March 1971. Besi ...

''; recorded at Fillmore East and Pirate's World, Dania, Florida (released 1971) * Johnny Winter – '' Live at the Fillmore East 10/3/70'' (released 2010) *

Neil Young & Crazy Horse Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay ...

– '' Live at the Fillmore East'' recorded March 6–7, 1970 (released on CD and DVD 2006) *

– '' Freaks And Motherfu*#@%!'' ; recorded in 1970 (released 1991) * Frank Zappa's Mothers – ''

Fillmore East – June 1971 ''Fillmore East – June 1971'' is a live album by The Mothers, released in 1971. It is the twelfth album in Frank Zappa's discography, and was produced by Zappa and mixed by Toby Foster. History ''Fillmore East – June 1971'' is a live concept ...

'' (released 1971)

Closing

Because of changes in the music industry and large growth in the concert industry (as exemplified by the increased prevalence of

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectator ...

and

stadium A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...

bookings), Graham closed the Fillmore East after only three years. The final concert took place on June 27, 1971, with three billed acts ( The Allman Brothers Band, The J. Geils Band,

) and special surprise guests ( Edgar Winter's White Trash,

The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by the ...

Country Joe McDonald Joseph Allen "Country Joe" McDonald (born January 1, 1942) is an American musician who was the lead singer of the 1960s psychedelic rock group Country Joe and the Fish.Richard Brenneman"Country Joe McDonald Revives Anti-War Anthem", '' Berkeley ...

) in an invitation-only performance. The concert was

simulcast Simulcast (a portmanteau of simultaneous broadcast) is the broadcasting of programmes/programs or events across more than one resolution, bitrate or medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at exactly the same time (that is, simul ...

live by New York City radio stations

WPLJ WPLJ (95.5 FM) is a non-commercial Christian adult contemporary music radio station licensed to New York City. It is owned by the Educational Media Foundation (EMF) and broadcasts EMF's flagship programming service, K-Love. WPLJ's transmi ...

and WNEW-FM, with between-set banter by many of New York's then-trend-setting disc jockeys (including WPLJ's Dave Herman and Vin Scelsa and WNEW-FM's

Scott Muni Scott Muni (May 10, 1930 – September 28, 2004) 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. ''Rolling Stone'' magazine termed him "legendary". Early life ...

and Alison Steele) 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. In 2014, a six-disc set featuring the Allman Brothers Band's early and late shows at the Fillmore East of March 12 and 13, 1971 and including their performance on the venue's final night of June 27, 1971 was issued as '' The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings''.

Afterlife

On November 17, 1972, the Fillmore East reopened as Villageast with "Virgin: A New Rock Opera Concert by The Mission". After a short run the Rock Opera closed and on December 15, 1972, Jerry Fuchs presented the opening night of concerts with a performance featuring

Bloodrock Bloodrock was an American hard rock band based in Fort Worth, Texas, that had success in the 1970s. The band emerged from the Fort Worth club and music scene during the early to mid-1970s. Early career Bloodrock initially formed in Fort Worth in ...

, Elephants Memory and Trapeze. On December 16, 1972, the bill was Bloodrock,

Foghat Foghat are an English rock band formed in London in 1971. The band is known for the use of electric slide guitar in its music. The band has achieved eight gold records, one platinum and one double platinum record, and despite several line-up ...

and The Fabulous Rhinestones. Fuchs went on to present several other concerts at Villageast including the

New York Dolls New York Dolls were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1971. Along with the Velvet Underground and the Stooges, they were one of the first bands of the early punk rock scenes. Although the band never achieved much commercial suc ...

and Teenage Lust on December 23,

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...

and Bo Diddley on December 27, Steve Miller Band and Seatrain on December 28 and Roy Buchanan and

Crazy Horse Crazy Horse ( lkt, Tȟašúŋke Witkó, italic=no, , ; 1840 – September 5, 1877) was a Lakota war leader of the Oglala band in the 19th century. He took up arms against the United States federal government to fight against encroachment by w ...

on December 30 and 31, 1972. On December 7, 1974, Barry Stuart (Stein), reopened the venue as the NFE Theatre ("NFE" stood for "New Fillmore East") with a concert presenting Bachman-Turner Overdrive. On December 31, 1974, the

Revue headlined a bill that included Quicksilver Messenger Service and Hidden Strength. It operated through 1975, but was renamed the "Village East", supposedly due to objections from Bill Graham over the use of the Fillmore name. From 1980 to 1988, the renovated venue was home to The Saint, an early gay

superclub A superclub is a very large or superior nightclub, often with several rooms with different themes. The term was first coined in Mixmag, the British electronic dance and clubbing magazine, in 1995, referring to the new wave of clubs such as ...

. As of 2013, the former lobby building is owned by the Apple Bank for Savings, which has a branch at street level, and the rest of the interior of the auditorium has been demolished and replaced with an apartment complex, Hudson East, with its entrance at 225 East 6th Street. The building at 105 Second Avenue is now part of the

East Village/Lower East Side Historic District __NOTOC__ The East Village/Lower East Side Historic District in Lower Manhattan, New York City was created by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission on October 9, 2012.Brazee, Christopher D., et al"East Village/Lower East Side Histo ...

, created in October 2012.Brazee, Christopher D., et al
"East Village/Lower East Side Historic District Designation Report"

New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and cu ...

(October 9, 2012) In October 2014, the

Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation Village Preservation (formerly the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, or GVSHP) is a non-profit organization which advocates for the preservation of architecture and culture in several neighborhoods of Lower Manhattan, New York. ...

unveiled a historic plaque on the building at a ceremony featuring Joshua White of the Joshua Light Show and critic/guitarist

Lenny Kaye Lenny Kaye (''né'' Kusikoff; born December 27, 1946) is an American guitarist, composer, and writer who is best known as a member of the Patti Smith Group. Early life Kaye was born to Jewish parents in the Washington Heights area of upper M ...

Live Nation Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is an American global entertainment company and monopoly that was founded in 2010 following the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The company promotes, operates, and manages ticket sales for live entertai ...

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.

References

Notes

External links

Fillmore East Preservation Society
dedication website

(timbuckleyandfriends.com), personal website that includes photographs of Fillmore East building in 2001

, (wolfgangsvault.com), a nostalgia site
The Fillmore East 2008 New LocationGoogle Street View, September 2016
{{Authority control 1968 establishments in New York City 1971 disestablishments in New York (state) Former music venues in New York City Hippie movement Music venues in Manhattan Rock music venues Former theatres in Manhattan Music venues completed in 1968 Loew's Theatres buildings and structures