Friday, September 3, 2010

Earl Warren Showgrounds




From the Earl Warren Showgrounds website:

The Earl Warren Showgrounds were originally developed as the permanent location for the Santa Barbara National Horse and Flower show as well to attract and support other equestrian and agricultural events to the Santa Barbara area. In 1950, a site at the corner of Las Positas Road and Calle Real was selected for the showground. The state of California, using funds provided by the horse show association, purchased 136.5 acres of land at the site. To gain support for construction of the facilities from the city of Santa Barbara and the local community, the district gave eighty-two acres to the city to add to the community golf course and ten acres for the construction of Adams Elementary School.

In 1955 the 19th Agricultural District received state authorization to plan and build the only fairgrounds in California specifically designed for horse and flower shows. The Equestrian Facility was completed in 1958, with the Exhibit building in 1959 and the administration building was added in 1961.

I first became acquainted with Earl Warren's (as it became popularly known) in the mid-Sixties when I attended a custom car show in the same exhibit hall later used for concerts. Jim Salzer, a local record store owner and musician, became the main promoter of shows in both Santa Barbara and Ventura County, getting his start at the Starlight Ballroom in Oxnard, presenting such groups as the Count Five, Captain Beefheart and Martha and the Vandellas.

What follows is a very preliminary listing of shows at Earl Warren's; feedback, corrections and comments are solicited. (All shows listed took place in the Exhibit Hall, unless denoted otherwise)

Chronology:

December 17, 1962: The Beach Boys*

??/??/64: T.A.M.I. Show (Jan & Dean, Leslie Gore)*

August 4, 1964: The Beach Boys, Eddie Hodges, Lynn Easton, The Kingsmen*

June 3, 1966: Lovin' Spoonful, The Leaves++

June 11, 1966: Love, Neil Diamond++
(Attendance - 765)

June 18, 1966: The Surfaris, Thee Midnighters++
(Attendance - 965)

June 25, 1966: Ernie and the Emperors, Dick Dale and the Deltones, The Ban
(Attendance - 560)

July, 2, 1966: The Beach Boys*

July 22, 1966: Captain Beefheart++
(Attendance - 410)

July 28, 1966: Them, Count Five, The Doors*
(Attendance - 945)

August 6, 1966: The Seeds, The Doors (Flower Building)*
(Attendance - 598)

August 13, 1966: Young Rascals++
(Attendance - 1258)

August 27, 1966 - Yardbirds, ESP, what's Left?* (latter two groups supplied by unconfirmed post on blog. (Attendance - 1820)

November 12, 1966 - The Righteous Brothers, April Stevens and Nino Temple, Gaylord & Holiday,  The Knickerbockers, The Druids (per <drumnwalt>)

September 10, 1966: The Turtles, X- Trippers (?), SSA(?)*++
(Attendance - 898)

September 17, 1966: The Standells, X-Trippers (?), Sixpence, ESP++
(Attendance- 895)

October 29, 1966: Mothers of Invention, The Factory
(Attendance - 1052)

December 31, 1966 (?): The Leaves. What's Left, The Decades*

February 3, 1967: Buffalo Springfield, ESP, The Seeds, B.J. Thomas and the Triumphs
(Attendance - 1615)

February 11, 1967: Jefferson Airplane+

March 4, 1967: Love, Sons of Adam, ESP
(Attendance - 2714)

March 11, 1967: Sopwith Camel, The Grassroots, The Knack+
(Attendance - 586)

March 18, 1967: Eric Burdon and the Animals, Hourglass*+
(Attendance - 2714)

March 25, 1967: Blues Magoos, The Knack, ESP+
(Attendance - 878)

May 13, 1967: The Seeds, Yellow Payges, Captain Speed+
(Attendance - 2265)

April 15, 1967: The Byrds, Alexander's Timeless Bloozband, Dumplings, ESP
(Attendance - 3175)

April 29, 1967: Grateful Dead, The Doors, UFO, Captain Speed
Grateful Dead played two sets, before and after the Doors.
(Attendance - 2419)

May 27, 1967: The Doors, Country Joe and the Fish, Andrew Staples, Captain Speed
(Attendance - 2803)

June 10, 1967: Jefferson Airplane, Heads & Tails, Captain Speed
(Attendance - 3750)

June 24, 1967: Chambers Brothers, Steve Miller Band, Canned Heat*
(Attendance - 675)

July 1, 1967: Jimi Hendrix Experience, Country Joe and the Fish, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Captain Speed
(Attendance - 1908)

August 5, 1967: The Doors, Lavender Hill Mob, Joint Effort
(Attendance - 3436)

August 19, 1967: Jimi Hendrix Experience, Moby Grape, Tim Buckley, Captain Speed
(Attendance - 2729)

September 2, 1967: Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Sunshine Company, Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Alexander's Timeless Blooz Band
(Attendance - 2840)

September 16, 1967(?): The Seeds, The Midnighters, Chocolate Watchband, West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band*
(Attendance - 1890)

September 30, 1967: Quicksilver Messenger Service, Clear Light, The Van Morrison Group, Blue Cheer
(Attendance - 1247)

October 7, 1967: Jefferson Airplane, The Hour Glass, Spirit

November 4, 1967: Buffalo Springfield, Watts 103rd Street Band, Lewis and Clark Expedition

November 25, 1967: Canned Heat, Youngbloods, Merry Go Round, Clear Light

December 7, 1967: Buffalo Springfield, Charlie Musselwhite, Three Dog Night, Sields

January 6, 1968: Buffalo Springfield, Charles Lloyd, Turquoise
(Buffalo Springfield was paid $2500, Charles Lloyd received $1,000, and Turquoise got $150) (Attendance - 3249)

January 20, 1968: Vanilla Fudge, Alexander's Timeless Blooz Band, The Stone Poneys, Taj Mahal
(Vanilla Fudge - $2500, Alexander's - $200, Stone Pony's - $1500, Taj Mahal may not have played) (Attendance - 1344)

February 3, 1968: Big Brother and the Holding Company, Electric Flag, Sweetwater
(Big Brother - $2500, Electric Flag - 1500, Sweetwater - 266?) (Attendance - 1855)

February 11, 1968: Eric Burdon and the Animals, The Fugs, Eire Apparent
(Eric Burdon and Eire Apparent - $3,000 total, The Fugs - $1500) (Attendance - 1907)

February 24, 1968: Cream, James Cotton Blues Band, Taj Mahal
(Cream - $3,000, James Cotton - $1,000, Taj Mahal - $400) (Attendance - 3601)

March 16, 1968: Blue Cheer, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Nazz ( changed name to Alice Cooper after posters were printed)
(Blue Cheer - $1500, Nitty Gritty - $750, Alice Cooper - 200) (Attendance - 1641)

March 25, 1968(?): Blues Magoos, The Knack, ESP*

April 6, 1968: Electric Flag, Traffic, Steppenwolf
(Electric Flag - $2000, Traffic - $1500, Steppenwolf - $750) (Attendance - 1669)

April 20, 1968:  Big Brother and the Holding Company, H.P. Lovecraft, The Boston Tea Pary (Scenic Sounds Productions)

May 10, 1968: Yardbirds, Dave, Dee Dozy, Beaky, Mich, Tich (?) Three Dog Night and Turquoise
(Yardbirds - $3,000; Dave, Dee Dozy, et.al. may have been a no-show but were scheduled to receive $750, 3 Dog Night - $300, Turquoise - $150)

August 29, 1968: The Who (in Arena)*

October 4, 1968:  Iron Butterfly, The Standells


March 1, 1969: Iron Butterfly, Santana Blues Band, Blues Image (in Arena)*

June 6, 1969: Jefferson Airplane, Steve Miller Blues Band, Pulse (power is cut before the end of show, Airplane drummer continues on for a few minutes, then ends show) (in Arena)

August 1, 1969: Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, The Fraternity of Man (in Arena)

August 16, 1969: Blind Faith, Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, Free, Zephyr (Salzer speaks to audience before Blind Faith intro with regard to crowd breaking in to venue; this is the last show he promotes)(in Arena)

September 6, 1969: Poco, Three Dog Night, Savoy Brown

December 22, 1974: The Beach Boys*



132 comments:

  1. Too cool, Dennis. Stoked that I am your first follower here.

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  2. Dennis

    This is great! And high time the Santa Barbara scene got covered.

    For 1966 at the Showgrounds I have

    July 28, 1966-Them/Count Five/The Doors

    August 6, 1966-The Seeds/The Doors (Flower Building)

    August 27, 1966-Yardbirds

    October 29, 1966-Mothers Of Invention

    Corry

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  3. And by the way, who was/were Captain Speed?

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    1. Captan Speed, later known as Turquoise, featured Bill Payne of Little Feat on keyboard, and Bruce Barlow of Commander Cody and the lost Planet Airmen on bass. I don't know the singer's name. He was from Bakersfield.

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    2. Tim Pearson was the lead singer's name; he died of a drug overdose while a member of the band.

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  4. That was one long time ago. Wish I had been sober enough to remember which ones I went to.

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  5. Corry -

    Thanks for the additional dates! I will add them this weekend. What is your source for the Yardbards 8/27/66 date? (I have them at Ventura High School Auditorium on that date, another Slazer production)

    Captain Speed was a local band, managed by Jim Salzer, who later became Turquiose.

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    1. I worked for Salzer at the Ventura High School auditorium and at Earl Warren for both of those shows. I got to guard the left entrance to the stage and I stood right behind the curtain at the top of the stairs for the entire show at VHS. There was a guitar player about five feet away from me but I cannot figure out if it was Beck or Page. After that show I helped them load up their equipment into a van and then went to EWS for that show. Amazing that they did not have roadies back then.

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    2. I remember the 8/1/69 show with Zeppelin & Jethro Tull..We really didn't know who they were, but it was something to do, to get out of my little town of Thousand Oaks. We thought they were pretty good, & had a chance on making it... !!!

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    3. I lived in TO then too, got my tix for Blind Faith at Salzers in TO. Didn't A guy named Rabbit Mccay open up before Delany Bonnie?

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  6. Alan Clayson's book on The Yardbirds (BackBeat 2002) has what appears to be the definitive chronology. It lists the Yardbirds at both Ventura High School and Earl Warren on August 27. I don't know Clayson's source, but he's pretty reliable. It would make sense that they were both Salzer productions.

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  7. I got the Ventura date from a poster, and yes, playing both venues on the same day would have been a piece of cake, as they're no more than about 40 miles (if that) apart.

    Thanks for your help!

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  8. (1) The Mothers Of Invention played on October 29, 1966 not on August 29, 1966

    (2) Yes! The Yardbirds played both venue (Ventura HS and EWS) on August 27, 1966

    (3) February 3, 1967: Buffalo Springfield

    (4) December 7, 1967: Buffalo Springfield

    (5) The Doors played on July 28, 1966 not on July 26, 1966

    (6) March 16, 1968: The Nazz and Alice Cooper are the same group. The Nazz became Alice Cooper in early March 1968 but the posters promoting the show were printed prior to the name change and still had the name as The Nazz.

    (7) Electric Flag, Steppenwolf and Traffic played on April 6, 1968 not on April 16, 1968

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    1. I was working for Salzer at both of the Buffalo Springfield concerts.
      "Baron" Ron Heron was the emcee of the first show. Before the show started he was walking around EWS with Buffalo Springfield members and chatting when a woman came up to them with an 8mm movie camera and started filming the group at close range. They started mugging for the camera. Ron was pushing the group out of the way (jokingly) like as if the lady wanted to photograph him and not the group. Of course they all played along. 8mm reels were about 3 minutes long and after 3 minutes she disappeared into the crowd. I was talking to Ron many years later and he told me he would sell his mother for a copy of that tape....

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  9. Bruno

    Thanks for the corrections and additions. The dates in 1) 5) and 7) were typos and/or due primarily to aging eyes not reading too well. The information with regard to the Nazz and Alice Cooper was enlightening and appreciated. I would like to know your sources for the two Springfield dates so I can notate my records.

    Thanks!

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  10. Buffalo Springfield complete performance list is compiled by author John Einarson and band members themselves and appears in the booklet inside their official 4-CD "Buffalo Springfield Box Set". You can find a reproduction of this list in this website: http://www.chromeoxide.com/buffalo.htm

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  11. New shows:

    December 17, 1962: The Beach Boys

    August 4, 1964: The Beach Boys, Eddie Hodges, Lynn Easton, The Kingsmen

    July 2, 1966: The Beach Boys

    December 22, 1974: The Beach Boys

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  12. The Jimi Hendrix show you have correctly listed on July 1, was also cut short when the electricity was shut off. Maybe the EWS had a 11pm cut off time.

    I went to the show with Love and they didn't show up, some of the support acts not listed on that show were Jackie Lee who had a hit single Do The Duck and a local Ventura group The Renegades.

    Also Mothers of Invention show on October 29, 1966 had as an opening act The Factory which featured Lowell George later of Little Feat.

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  13. Thanks for the information!

    You wouldn't happen to have a specific date for the Love show, would you?

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  14. Cool! I have that top poster for the Dead, the Doors et al signed by the artist, John Cushing. Lotta memories.... well, what I can remember anyway.

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  15. I attended many of these shows, and even played there a couple of time with some local bands. I have a feeling that some of my brain cells are probably still floating around in that room. My recollection is walking in the door in a fairly cohesive state of mind, then regressing into a one-celled amoeba, and then transforming back into human form, but somehow different than before. It was always exciting, and sometimes a little scary. The drive home was always very interesting. One night I decided to not go at the last minute for reasons that escape me. My friends ended up scattered all over the road on PCH when their VW bus crashed. It's a miracle that nobody was killed!

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  16. Corry342 asked about Captain Speed.....I believe their full name originally was Captain Speed and The ZigZag Express. The keyboard player was a local kid from Ventura by the name of Bill Payne, who went on to co-found the band, Little Feat with Lowell George and Richie Hayward from the band The Factory. After their lead singer, Tim Pearson died of a drug overdose, they changed their name to Turquoise.
    A couple of shows from that era that I didn't see mentioned were The early Allman Brothers when they went by the name Allman Joy, and a memorable show by the band at Robertson gym at UCSB.

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  17. Hi Steve, and thanks for the info! I do have the show by the Band at Robertson Gym listed on my UCSB list, but it lacks a date. You wouldn't happen to have a date for that show and/or Allman Joy, would you?

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    1. I thought it was Feburary 25, 1970 the night of the riots.

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    2. The date was February 1, 1970, as noted in an article in the Los Angeles Times published on January 12, 1970 listing the group's west coast itinerary. The Band played no dates after 2/22/1970 and before 3/6/1970. I have another source verifying that information somewhere around here.

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    3. A couple of other sources: an article in El Gaucho (the campus newspaper) touting the February 1, show, as well as an advertisement. Also, a maybe a cause for the confusion, a newspaper article discussing a small "riot" of 100 to 150 teenagers outside the gym that evening.

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  18. Stevie1der, thanks for the information about Bill Payne being in Captain Speed.

    As to Duane and Gregg Allman, they were in Los Angeles in the late 60s, but they went by the name Hour Glass They had used Allman Joy at some point in the Southeast, previously. This has been confused over the years with the San Francisco group All Men Joy.

    The Allman Brothers did play Rob Gym on Oct 10, 1971 (listed on the other post).

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  19. Dennis,
    Sorry I can't provide the date of the Band show, It's a wonder I can remember my own name. I may be confusing All Men Joy with the early Allmans. I'm reaching way back into the fog.....

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  20. I filled in for a drummer friend of mine who couldn't make the gig. It was a New Years Eve show at Earl Warren featuring The Leaves, who had a minor hit with their version of Hey Joe. The opener was a local band called What's Left, and I was the interim drummer. I have no idea of the date, or the year for that matter. Anybody out there remember this gig?

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  21. Stevie1der,
    The Leaves played from 1965 to 1967, so this show was held on Dec. 31, 1965 or Dec. 31, 1966.

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  22. Thanks for the info.....I'm thinking it must have been 1966. That would have made me 16 years old, and I vaguely remember driving to the gig from Ventura. When was their version of Hey Joe released? That would be the clincher.

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  23. I just looked again at the chronology at the top of the page, and It said Dec. 31st 1965 for the Leaves/What's Left gig. I guess I didn't drive after all as I was only 15 at the time. I was still playing in the band "The Grapes of Wrath" in 1965.

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  24. Stevie1der,
    The Leaves released "Hey Joe" as single in two different time, one in November 1965 and one in March 1966.

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  25. Steve - Please note: I posted NYE dates for both 65 and 66 based upon your previous information and what Bruno provided, pending further documentation to determine which date is the more likely. If you were driving at the time at the time, I can eliminate the 1965 guess.

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  26. The TAMI show made an appearance in SB (Jan & Dean/Leslie Gore), and that was my 1st concert. I wish I'd had the smarts to journal about it, but I was only 10. I was in the Bay Area until June '67, when we moved back to SB. I saw most of those shows and wish I had written about those, too. Tickets were usually $3.50 or so and a poster was available with ticket purchase. Wish I had the posters but they vanished in my moving from SB to Summerland and back. My most memorable concerts were when Linda Ronstadt asked to use my hairbrush in the girls' restroom before going on-stage, the sneaking in to the Arena show, and of course Led Zeppelin and Jimmy Page with his violin bow. Those were some incredible times!

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  27. Thanks for this post. A friend gave me an old poster for the Hendrix / Moby Grape show on Aug. 16, 1967, and I was curious about the promoter Jim Salzer (and if Bill Graham and others tried to wipe him out).

    Thanks for recalling this great history...and providing the photo of the venue. I wasn't born until 1970, but I really wish I could have been there!

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  28. Thanks for the kudos! (I attended that 67 Hendrix show, which also featured Tim Buckley)

    I'm not 100 % certain, but I don't think there was any effort on the part of any other promoters to encroach on Salzer's shows; his only real competition in the area was Associated Students Concerts at UCSB, which existed before and continued to exist after Salzer exited the scene. My impression always was (and I will ask him) that he got out in light of issues such as break-ins at the shows and the other myriad hassles with promotion. Jim also had, and continues to run, a very successful music/video store in Ventura.

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  29. Dennis are you sure about The Byrds played at Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara? because Christopher Hjort's book "So You Want To Be A Rock n' Roll Star - The Byrds Day-by-Day 1965-1973" not mentioned any gig at this venue (!!).

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    1. I personally saw the Byrds twice at Earl Warren Showgrounds. It was a long time ago so don't remember too many details, but I know I saw them there twice.

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  30. Hi Bruno!

    Absolutely certain about the Byrds, as I attended, and Jim Salzer has a poster (and a ticket) for the show (with a date that cannot be read) on his Facebook site. Even though the poster has a picture with David Crosby in it, I'm almost as certain the show ocurred after Monterey when Crosby was no longer in the band.

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    1. The Hjort book is not flawless. It has the Byrds playing at Our Place in Chicago on May 12, 1967, when in fact they played the Sugar Shack teen club in Chillicothe, Ohio on that date. The band that actually played in Chicago that night was the BRYDs, a local band with a similar name. I passed this info along to Mr. Hjort, who will hopefully correct if there's ever a second pressing. ;-)

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    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    3. Crosby was with them both times I saw them at EWS. He was far stage right both times. One of the times he wore a fur hat that blended exactly with the color of his hair. You couldn't tell where the hat left off and his hair began.

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    4. The only date I have documented for The Byrds is April 15, 1967, and you are correct, Crosby was still in the band at that time. He left shortly after Monterey, in the late summer of 1967. I'd be happy to add a second Byrds date to this listing if you could come up with some documentation. Thanks for your interest!

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  31. 3/18/67- Animals. Hour Glass opened. They were great. Animals had technical difficulties. That was my first concert.

    3/1/69- Iron Butterfly, Santana. Also, Blues Image. Mike Pinera was so good they couldn't leave the stage. That bumped Steve Miller who came out and whined about it.

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    1. I was at Iron Butterfly, too. First concert, first date... great memories. Boyfriend was too young to drive; his dad drove us from Ventura, dropped us off and came back for us, lol. - Toni

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  32. re: February 3, 1967

    Dennis delete "Ken Koblun" from the list because he was not a solo artist but only the bass player of Buffalo Springfield (he filling in for Bruce Palmer because the latter was in jail!)

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  33. re: February 3, 1967

    Also on the bill: The Seeds, BJ Thomas & The Triumphs and a few others unknown local acts.

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  34. Yes the Yardbirds did play both the Ventura Theater and the Earl Warren Showgrounds on the same night. I was at both concerts. I was Salzer's first employee. I was working at the Arcade Record Shop in Oxnard when Jim bought the store from Marie Black in June of 1966. I worked many of his concerts. For the Yardbirds I got to guard the stage left entrance at the Ventura Theater, standing in the wings less than 10 feet from Jeff Beck. After the show I helped load their equipment up into their van, drove to Santa Barbara and helped them unload it.

    I also got to guard stage left entrance for the August Hendrix show at the EWS. Jimi was at the opposite end of a very small stage. I stood on stage the entire concert and never paid any attention to Jimi. I was not familiar with his music at that point and was a lot more interested in the cute hippy chicks in their see through blouses bouncing around in front of the stage. Oh, if I could only go back and do it again.

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  35. Hi,
    My X-boyfriend put on the show (March 1 or was it February 1969???) with Santana and Taj Mahal. It was a fantastic show but flooding and mud slides in Malibu caused one of the bands to arrive late.
    Earl Warren Showgrounds pulled the plug and the crowd was hugely disappointed and my X lost money.
    I would love to get a photocopy of the poster that he and friends designed for this gig since I am making an autobiographical film.
    Thanks, Jean

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  36. I believe the Band concert in Robertson Gym was in February 1970; I was there and it was one of the best shows I saw in the 3 years I was at UCSB.

    I'm writing an account of what happened in Isla Vista back in the day and am trying to refresh the old brain cells. I loved the Captain Speed/Turquoise band and found your site while searching for them. They used to play at UCSB a lot. I am dying to remember what they sounded like as all I can recall is that they were one of my faves. I gather they never had an album.

    Thanks,
    Kate

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  37. I'm still trying to nail down an exact date for the Band concert in February 1970...

    and you are correct, there never was, as far as I'm aware, a Captain Speed/Turquoise release...

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    Replies
    1. The Turquoise released Hello Bill b/w Steel Glass on Arcade Records, produced by Selzar...I was in Dan Gustafson's (the drummer) garage when they wrote and practiced the songs...

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  38. It may have been Sunday, February 8. In his book, "Burning Banks and Roasting Marshmallows," Gregory Desilet places the Band concert on the Sunday after the Santa Barbara 19 were arrested. That Sunday would have been Feb. 8. However, Desilet's book is a novel about the Isla Vista riots, not an exact timetable. If you want to contact him, his web site is
    http://www.gregorydesilet.com/

    Kate

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  39. Thank you VERY much for that information; I will contact him.

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  40. i was in captain speed for one day ......thanks

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  41. Mind you it was the reunion of captain speed, in the year 2004. Later i join the Ojai band The Hemp Necktie

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  42. My father grew up in Santa Paula in the 1960's, in high school, in 1967, pre The Doors S/T album. He saw a band perform "Light My Fire" in Santa Paula at a school dance.

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  43. I could swear I saw Iron Butterfly with Blue Cheer inside the flower, but don't see it listed.

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    1. TimmyB -

      That's my recollection as well. I think Sweetwater played the same night. 1969. Indoor concert.

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    2. That would explain my conflicted memory. I _know_ that I saw Iron Butterfly indoors there. I also have the Blue Cheer/Nitty Gritty/Nazz post. But I keep alternating between thinking that Iron Butterfly or Blue Cheer being my first concert. Problem solved!

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  44. If you've got a date, I'd love to list it!

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  45. I remember going to see Jimi Hendrix in Mid- May 1967. I was suppose to be at a senior prom but took my date there instead. I cannot find any reference to this in any book about Jimi's life. Chas Chandler was there, sitting in the middle of the front row. This was a month before Monterey (which I also attended).

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  46. I believe it's been fairly well-documented that the 6/18/1967 appearance at Monterey was the Jimi Hendrix Experience's first American performance...

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  47. Yes, I know the official word. Again, it's hard to prove except I remember it so well. It must have been May 20th. I remember details such as: The concert started with Purple haze. Jimi started playing and the microphone wasn't working very well. He stopped and started again. When He got to S'cuse me while I kiss the Sky, He stopped, looked up at the dome and said" You know , in a nice place like this you think they could get a microphone that would work". At that, Mr. Chandler jumped up- ran around the right side of the stage, found a new mike and changed it on stage. After that, the concert went on smoothly.

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  48. Hi:
    Saw the Ventura Yardbirds show -- the opening band was a local Ventura group with Tom Carlson drumming, from my HS, Buena. Their last song was Barefootin' and they took off their shoes to show their red socks and barefooted awhile.

    Also went to car shows at EW in high school, saw the Beach Boys, then the Rascals, then finally the fateful summer of 67: Hendrix 2x, Doors, Airplane, Fish -- moved away and was in town for the Led Zeppelin/Jetro Tull show.

    We were psychedelized surfers.

    Hendrix 1 - went to see the Fish, didn't really know Hendrix, then when we started "Like a Rolling Stone" I thought it couldn't get any better - Dylan acidified.

    Hendrix 2 - he threw his guitar back over the stage -- just a wall -- and it supposedly landed next to Mike Balog, a very good surfer from Ventura, who took it home -- this was a rumor, don't know if it is true.

    Inside that dome that summer it was holy ritual, insane asylum, high school dance, 4th of July, encounter group. All the children are/were insane.

    Before EW I went to the Gardens in Oxnard -- in Wagon Wheel Junction? -- and saw some girl groups, surf music, etc -- was that also Salzer?

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  49. >Before EW I went to the Gardens in Oxnard -- in Wagon Wheel Junction? -- and saw some girl groups, surf music, etc -- was that also Salzer?

    I don't think so, but I'll find out, and yes! the car shows at Earl Warren were my first exposure to the venue.

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    Replies
    1. No it was not Salzer. He did not start promoting concerts until 1966. The shows at the Wagon Wheel Roller Skating Rink were in the 1962-1964 era.

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  50. >Inside that dome that summer it was holy ritual, insane asylum, high school dance, 4th of July, encounter group

    Great description!

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  51. Amazing list. I had no idea there had been so many great shows there. I saw all of the 1969 shows except for Poco.
    BTW, Zephyr was also on the Blind Faith bill (w/Tommy Bolin?)

    Anyone mention the 6/21/70 Hendrix show at the Ventura Fairgrounds w/Grin, Ballinjack?

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    Replies
    1. That is the show where the power blow out and my brother stood up and blew his bugle...

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  52. I have the 1970 date for Hendrix on my draft for the Ventura Fairgrounds; I will add Zephyr to the Blind Faith listing in the next few days. Thanks again for your help on this list and the others!

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  53. No problem. Glad to help out. This is a great record of the time!

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  54. If you look at the tour histories now available on the web for the Doors, Hendrix, even the Beach Boys, you see that they were playing almost every day in a different city, you see what a blip Earl Warren was in the timeline of the bands. Another day, another city, another gig. But the Earl Warren was OURS -- or yours -- or mine. It wasn't the Fillmore, the Avalon, the Whiskey, it was ours, where we and our friends gathered in the light of all of the fires then burning, the fires of the time and the fires of our California coast youth, flaming bright, and we crowding all our flames together there. I remember sometime not really listening to the music, it was a kind of muzak, the soundtrack for the waltz of people through the place -- all those beads and feathers and paisley and patchouli -- all just a few miles from the plumbing yard in Goleta where I'd cut and threaded pipe under the oaks, to take to new tract houses. And we were not going to live in those tract houses, we were going to build fires throughout the land and live by their light and see the world with our eyes cleansed, seeing the world as it really is, infinite. That was then. But then and everything else is still now. Right?

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  55. (Sorry if I posted this previously. It isn't showing up on my system.


    El Pato said...

    Hi:

    [...]

    El Pato:
    Also went to car shows at EW in high school, saw the Beach Boys, then the Rascals, then finally the fateful summer of 67:

    I lived in Ventura at the time too.

    El Pato:
    Hendrix 2x, Doors, Airplane, Fish

    Yes!

    El Pato:
    -- moved away and was in town for the Led Zeppelin/Jetro Tull show.

    Wow. Me too. Amazing.

    El Pato:
    We were psychedelized surfers.

    Well, you got me there.

    El Pato:
    Hendrix 1 - went to see the Fish, didn't really know Hendrix,

    I drove up from LA for that show.

    El Pato:
    then when we started "Like a Rolling Stone" I thought it couldn't get any better - Dylan acidified.

    I can't remember much of anything about that show, except the Strawberry Alarm Clock covering "Light My Fire."

    El Pato:
    Hendrix 2 - he threw his guitar back over the stage...

    Holy crap! I remember that! That and the strobe light on him.

    El Pato:
    - and it supposedly landed next to Mike Balog, a very good surfer from Ventura, who took it home -- this was a rumor, don't know if it is true.

    Doesn't matter. It's a good story.

    El Pato:
    Inside that dome that summer it was holy ritual, insane asylum, high school dance, 4th of July, encounter group. All the children are/were insane.

    You have a way with words, my friend.

    Correct me if I am wrong but it seems to me they had people at the door checking your eyes as you handed over your ticket . Sounds perfectly paranoid to me now, though.


    El Pato:
    Before EW I went to the Gardens in Oxnard -- in Wagon Wheel Junction? -- and saw some girl groups, surf music, etc -- was that also Salzer?

    Oh man. I remember Wagon Wheel Junction. I lived 4 or 5 miles from there in the South East end of Ventura. I remember, vaguely, shows at WWJ but never saw any there myself.

    Thanks for the memories, El Pato, and you too Mr. dennisd.

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  56. Waldo:

    Just one more time:

    Also lived in south part of Ventura in high school -- Montalvo. Buena High?

    The people at the door taking tickets were often a concern and but sometimes a comfort. If you were too obviously ripped, they might refer you to management. Or they might smile, help you hand over your ticket and gently usher you in, with a nod and a psychic wink.

    A fellow I knew from Ventura would sing "Here she comes, Miss America" to an especially unhappy looking female security guard. It was kind of mean, but really funny.

    The Jethro Tull/Led Zepplin outdoor show -- I had no money, but went along for the ride, and found a ticket on the ground, in the dirt, while walking in to try to sneak in. Remember being a little bored -- the place was big, the bands looked small and I spent a lot of time talking with old friends far from the stage.

    I didn't know it, but I was walking away from the EW and walking into my life. Never was there again.

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  57. Turquoise:

    http://youtu.be/jytD5xID91s

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  58. Dennis: Ive posted your blog in a FB group called I remember the SYV when...... SYV being the Santa Ynez Valley. Thanks alot, It's very imformative. Bill Jorgensen.

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  59. I was at UCSB 1963-68 and in 1965 formed the band, The DRUIDS. We played a lot of Associated Student concerts at Robertson Gym in 1967. You show us listed on the Buffalo Springfield show April , 1967. We did another big one before that, cannot remember the date, with the Jefferson Airplane, the Kingsmen and the Seeds. Played a number of shows with Alexander's Timeless Blooze Band and Sounds Five. Also did an Earl Warren Fairgrounds Show in fall, 1966 with The Righteous Brothers, April Stevens and Nino Tempo and the Knickerbockers. Do not remember the exact date of it. Really enjoy your chronology of the shows as I can now date all the ones I attended (there were so many) including Lee Michaels at the Front Door in Ventura. NOTE: all the DRUIDS are still around and we performend a 45th anniversary show in SoCal in 2005.

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    1. Can you email me at califgoldcoast [at] gamil [dot] com with some info about your band? I'd love to include you on my website, California Gold Coast Dreamin'!

      Kaye

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    2. The date of the Robertson Gym Show at UCSB was October 22, 1966. My band The DRUIDS played that show along with The Jefferson Airplane, The Seeds, The Kingsmen, The Syndicate of Sound and The DelRays. A party followed at our band house and the Seeds and Airplane joined in.

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    3. The date of the Earl Warren Showgrounds Show with The DRUIDS, The Righteous Brothers, April Stevens and Nino Tempo, Gaylord and Holiday and the Knickerbockers was November 12, 1966. The was the UCSB Homecoming Dinner and Dance.

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    4. Thanks for the information, ; I am currently out of town, but will update things when I return.

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  60. Thanks for the information; I will enter it in over the next couple of weeks.

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  61. I went to a lot of those concerts, but the one that stands out in my mind (probably because I wasn't getting high yet) was the Lovin' Spoonful and the Leaves concert. I went with Ernie and Ray Orosco of Ernie and the Emperors, who were the house band for the showgrounds. If you want to read my account of the night, you can find it HERE. I also created and maintain the California Gold Coast Dreamin' website, which spotlights the bands of the Tri-Counties during the Sixties.

    Thanks for all your hard work, Dennis!

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  62. You have the June 25, 1966 show as 3 bands(?). I'm pretty sure that that was the show I attended. The headliners were Ernie & the Emperors (I remember it was a great show surf band with all white amps and all had the same outfits on, much like the Beach Boys did, but they also wore dog collars) It was the last show for one of the members of the group who had been drafted is what I think they said. The were on the BIG stage at one end of the building. The next group was Dick Dale & the Deltones set up and playing on a smaller stage. We all remember them. The last group, playing on an even smaller stage, was The Ban for Lompoc, CA. They would move to L.A. and become The NOW before being signed by Matthew Katz in San Francisco and changing their name to TRIPSICHORD MUSIC BOX. The reason I know that is my older brother was the keyboard player for the group. Me and my folks had moved from Vandenburg to Oxnard, and we drove up the Santa Barbara to see my Oliver and the guys play. The Attendance might have been Exaggerated! Really Big place but very few souls on hand!

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  63. Thanks for the information! I will update shortly.

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  64. I attended a Iron Butterfly and Blues Image concert at Robertson in 1969. Do not know the date. I think I saw a date of March 1 somewhere?
    My first concert was Santana at the Ventura College Gym in maybe 1968?

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  65. Iron Butterfly, Santana and Blues Image played the outdoor arena at Earl Warrens on March 1, 1969.

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  66. Did the Mothers play there sometime in early '68?

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    Replies
    1. I saw the Mothers play at UCSB sometime in 1967. It was a very small hall and I ended up dancing on stage with some strange girl to the Call any Vegetables. Frank was only about 10 feet away.

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  67. Not that I am aware of; they played at San Marcos High School in October 1966 and at UCSB a couple of times in the 70's.

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  68. I recently came across some posters from the Earl Warren Showgrounds and was wondering if you guys could help me figure out if they are originals or reprints and what they a worth . the first poster I have is the Jim Salzer presents August 19 at earl warren Moby Grape, captain speed, Jimi Hendrix, and Tim Buckley (from the research that I have done I found that there was a reprint around 1970 by salzer that has a red border which this poster doesn't have .) the second is Led Zepplin at the fair grounds with Jethro Tull and Fraternity of Man august 1 .

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    Replies
    1. Most of the Salzers posters were reprinted in the 80s and it is hard to tell them apart. The originals are worth a fortune and even the reprints can demand a high price.

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    2. Yes, many of the posters were reprinted, in my case without my knowledge or permission. Led Zeppelin/Jethro Tull was reprinted; Blind Faith Festival was not reprinted. There are ways to tell, but you need to do some research.

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    3. Well, I certainly hope you take no offense at my having your Grateful Dead/Doors poster for the April 29, 1967 show at Earl Warren posted on my blog. My first Dead show, and my all-time favorite poster!

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  69. When Wolfgang's Vault has those for sale, they will provide information that differentiates the various printings, and also provide relative values of the different printings. I have always found their prices to be grossly inflated, however, and wouldn't use them to establish value. You might want to search eBay and see if they have sold recently, and if so, at what price. I will try over the next week or so to see what information I might be able to find. Salzer, by the way, currently sells reprints of both of the above for $25, but has no first printings of either available at this time.

    http://www.salzersstore.com/REPRINTS_c_27.html

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    Replies
    1. Salzer has plenty of first printings decorating the walls of his office. He just won't sell them.

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    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  70. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  71. PS - Currently Wolfgang's Vault does not have either one of the posters in question for sale, so that site will not be helpful at this time; another source of information to check out would be Pete Howard's YouTube reviews (just go to YouTube and search "Poster Central") he has provided information on both of the applicable posters here:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnNhVMt8I7Q

    and here:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikkZmfkAeAU

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  72. Add new date: Big Brother & The Holding Company with H.P. Lovecraft and the Boston Tea Party on 4/20/1968.

    I can answer anyone's questions about the Salzer posters, I have been buying/selling psychedelic-era material for over 20 years. Email me at i n fo at con cer t p ostera uct io n do t c om

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    Replies
    1. Which venue? I'd love to add it as soon as I can find documentation of the show. Definitely not one of Salzers. UCSB?

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    2. Scenic Sounds promoted the show, not sure which venue... here's the image; http://concertposterauction.com/detail.asp?id=5909&bigpic=0#img

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  73. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  74. Just entered a long comment, hit "preview", and the entire thing disappeared! Looks likie the software needs some work . . .

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  75. I played a gig I think before the first you have listed here. It was with Jan and Dean, and the Isley Brothers were there too. I was still at San Marcos High School, where I wrote the alma mater. Then, as you have listed, I played Earl Warren in '68 with the Peanut Butter Conspiracy. Before all of this, I served as an usher at horse-shows. I grew up about 5 blocks from Earl Warren Showgrounds.

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  76. If you've got even an approximate date or year, I'd love to add that date to the timeline; it's not the TAMI show, is it?

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  77. Remembering THE COLLEGIATES, Santa Barbara band...Won Battle of the Bands, TriCounty, a few times. Great band, awesome vocals.

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  78. October 4, 1968: Earl Warren Showgrounds, Santa Barbara, CA Iron Butterfly with The Standells

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  79. When we talk about back in the day, this was high noon , the epicenter. The Big Brother concert at the Earl Warren Showgrounds with everybody in full out hippie regalia. If only I could get my hands on that Delorean I would set the way-back clock for that time. By the way, if you read this, a thousand thank you's to Mr. Jim Salazar for making those concerts and memories happen!

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  80. I missed a Flying Burrito Brothers show there in 1970? I don't see it here, any help?

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    Replies
    1. I'm not aware of a FBB show at Earl Warren Showgrounds in 1970, but anything is possible. It would not have been a Salzer production, as his last show there was the 1969 Blind Faith concert.

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  81. The future Mrs. Jim Salzer was my study
    partner at a Moorpark College summer class.

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  82. I was at the Dorris concert with the seeds but I thought it was 1967 not 1966. I could’ve sworn that the doors opened for the seeds. Is my memory correct? I also saw Bo Diddley there, outdoors. &Remember the blind Faith concert very well and there was almost a riot because people were trying to break down the fences to get in.I regret missing Hendrix and Buffalo Springfield there I could’ve gone but didn’t

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  83. Turquoise was a friend of mine but I didn’t see him in concert there. Then much later I hung out with the zombies when they did a show there. I got there very early as I was working as a volunteer for them, when I was in the ladies room and rod Argent walked in and started to wash his hair in the sink. We chatted a bit but after he left I thought I should have said, “but argent you told us to hold our head up! “ The pictures from that night disappeared but it was very memorable and they were most gracious and generous

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  84. The 1966 date for the Seeds and the Doors is a correct date; it came from several sources, including the promoter's records. I've have no documentation of either Bo Diddley or the Zombies playing at Earl Warren Showgrounds. If you have any and could give me specific dates, I'd be happy to add those shows to the blog.

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    Replies
    1. Lee Michaels opened for Three Dog Night at EWS. Do you know that date? Hendrix, Zeppelin, the Band- these shows shaped my life. Thanks for doing this. t’s great!

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  85. Thanks for the kudos! Three Dog night played at EWS three times (12/07/1967, opening for Buffalo Springfield & Charlie Musselwhite; 5/10/1968, playing between Turquoise and the Yardbirds, and 9/10/1969 playing after Savoy Brown and before Poco. I don't have any information that shows Lee Michaels ever played at EWS, but who knows? He did open for the Grateful Dead at UCSB on Memorial Day weekend 1969, and he did play at least once at the Back Door in Ventura.

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  86. I noticed that the Donovan concert is not listed here. He was to play 2 concerts on a Sunday. They ran late and let the evening show guests in with the afternoon show guests. Donovan only played one show.

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  87. Would be happy to add that to the list if there is any documentation. It was definitely not a Salzer production. I don’t remember that show, but that would be nothing new. Would you happen to have a poster? Ticket stub?

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  88. Hi Dennis, i am from Austria.
    I was in California 1974/75.
    Was a hippie abd saw quite a few concerts.
    In Santa Barbara i saw the folliwing.
    All 1975:
    11. 5. Jackson Browne
    26. 5. Kingfish/ Jefferson Starship (here i have a tape from 25.5.75 in L. A. aud
    but great quality for aud and the same concertlist as in Santa Barbara one day later).
    June, Tom Scott & the L. A. Express/ Van Morrison (from Van Morrison concert i have a tape).
    Denis, are you from Santa Barbara yourself ? I love Santa Barbara there for many months in 1975.

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