Rare original 6 x 9 postcard handbill promoting “Bill Graham Presents in New York” concerts held in September through October 1969, featuring bands like The Who (“Performing their entire rock opera ‘Tommy’”), The Kinks, B.B. King, Ravi Shankar, Ten Years After, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, John Mayall, Vanilla Fudge, and more. Postal section on reverse bears an affixed address label and an advertisement for ‘Horror-Rock’ and “Tuesday Night Auditions & Jams.” In fine condition, with some light handling wear.
This year is the 50th anniversary of the closing of the now legendary Fillmore East. Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Grateful Dead, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, John Lennon, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, The Band, Derek and the Dominos, the Allman Brothers Band and so many more performed at the Fillmore, most on several occasions. Unlike its counterpart the Fillmore West in San Francisco, which was a ballroom (it was a former dance hall) like most music venues were at the time, the Fillmore East was a theatre and it was a totally different experience for both the artist and the audience. Going to the Fillmore East was going to the theatre... a theatre that was built originally for vaudeville shows, which was perfect acoustically and seating wise for rock concerts. With the addition of a custom-made sound system and the visually mesmerizing Joshua Light Show (Joe's Light's later), it was a concert experience like no other. The Fillmore East itself is gone now, though its legend lives on and anyone who was ever fortunate enough to perform or attend a concert there can attest to the magic that occurred in that much missed theatre.
