Tuesday, September 17, 2019

The Chronology (VERY Preliminary)



Arlington Theatre
??/??/??: Lee Michaels, Tim Buley Blues Band


October 27, 1979: "Point Conception Indian Center Benefit" Jackson Browne, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Roger McGuinn, Danny O'Keefe



The Back Door (Front Street, Ventura, CA)

Although only open for the year of 1968, The Back Door, owned and operated by Bob Jones, is remembered fondly. Located on Front Street

Luther Allison

Hoyt Axton

Tim Buley Blues Band (opened for Canned Heat)

Canned Heat

Ramblin' Jack Elliot

Jesse Ed Fuller

Richard Greene

John Hammond

Lightnin' Hopkins

The Hour Glass

Kalidescope

Rabbit Mackay

Taj Mahal

The Maze/The Knack??

Lee Michaels

Long Gone Miles and Bernie Pearl

Charlie Musselwhite Band

Rose (opened for Ramblin' Jack Elliot)

George Harmonica Smith

Paul Sykes

Turquoise



Bluebird Cafe

01/17/75: Flying Burrito Brothers, Cach Valley Drifters

Earl Warren Showgrounds
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*

12/31/65 (?): The Leaves. What's Left*

??/??/1966: Neil Diamond*

Summer 1966: Lovin' Spoonful*

July, 2, 1966: The Beach Boys*

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, The Factory

12/31/66 (?): The Leaves. What's Left*

??/??/1967 : The Turtles*

February 3, 1967: Buffalo Springfield, ESP, Ken Koblun

03/04/1967: Love, Sons of Adam, ESP

April/May 1967(?): Jefferson Airplane*

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

May 27, 1967: The Doors, Country Joe and the Fish, Andrew Staples, Captain Speed

June 24, 1967: Canned Heat*

July 1, 1967: Jimi Hendrix Experience, Country Joe and the Fish, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Captain Speed (According to eyewitness, show was cut short when power was shut off, perhaps due to curfew). Even though I attended this show, I do not remember this. :-)

August 5, 1967: The Doors, Lavender Hill Mob, Joint Effort

August 19, 1967: Jimi Hendrix Experience, Moby Grape, Tim Buckley, Captain Speed

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

September 30, 1967: Quicksilver Messenger Service, Clear Light, The Van Morrison Group, Blue Cheer

October 7, 1967: Jefferson Airplane

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

January 20, 1968: Vanilla Fudge, The Stone Poneys, Taj Mahal

February 3, 1968: Big Brother and the Holding Company, Electric Flag, Sweetwater

February 11, 1968: Eric Burdon and the Animals, The Fugs, Eire Apparent

February 24, 1968: Cream, Taj Mahal, James Cotton Blues Band

March 16, 1968: Blue Cheer, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Nazz ( changed name to Alice Cooper after posters were printed)

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

April 6, 1968: Electric Flag, Traffic, Steppenwolf

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

May 10, 1968: Yardbirds, Dave, Dee Dozy, Beaky, Mich, Tich and Turquoise

September 2, 1968: Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Sunshine Company, Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Alexander's Timeless Blooz Band

March 1, 1969: Iron Butterfly, Santana Blues Band (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 (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*


Granada Theatre

04/26/72: Van Morrison, Leo Kottle (PP)

05/18/72: Steve Miller Band, Fleetwood Mac (PP)

03/28/73: Mahavishnu Orchestra, Robbie Basho

06/06/74: Firesign Theatre

October 25, 1975-6?? Elvin Bishop, Richmond Shepard Mime Company, Animal Bob and Michael


Isla Vista Beach

June 3, 1967 : Raw Violet, Flying Circus, Alexander's Timeless Blues Band, Mad River, Phoenix, Underground Railroad, and The Group. Poets: Richard Brautigan, Lenore Kandel, Charles Upton, Bill Fritch, Lew Welch, Jeff Sheppard, and Andrew Hoyem. Lights were provided by Aurora Clorialis [Pacific Coast Free Thing]

Lobero Theatre

04/02/71: Sweetwater, Goldstreet


Robertson Gym/Harder Stadium/Storke Plaza - UC Santa Barbara


October 22, 1966 : Jefferson Airplane, The Syndicate of Sound

April 1, 1967: Buffalo Springfield, The Sounds Five, Druids*

October 28, 1967 : The Doors, Lyrics, Alexander's Timeless Blooz Band

February 11, 1968: Jimi Hendrix, Soft Machine, East Side Kids

May 24, 1968: Cream, Electric Flag

April 10, 1969: Canned Heat, Poco, Ace of Cups

May 29, 1969: Grateful Dead, Lee Michaels, The Youngbloods (The Dead cut their set short due to sound system issues as chronicled by Michael Lydon in Rolling Stone article)

November 9, 1969: Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Steve Miller Band, Sweetwater (Harder Stadium) (Crowd rushes gates and breaks in; there will not be another stadium show until 5/20/1973. Stage is set up at west end of stadium, the only time that configuration was used; from here on in, stage will be at the east end of the stadium) Steve Miller Band was scheduled but did not play.

February 1970: The Band*

April ??, 1970: Poco (Storke Plaza)

February 7, 1971: John Sebastian, Poco, Jo-Mama

October 10, 1971: The Allman Brothers Band

Spring 1972(?): Scott McKenzie (Storke Plaza)

November 11, 1972: Hot Tuna, Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks (The Hot Tuna set was hands down the loudest I ever personally witnessed)

March 17, 1973: The Beach Boys (remains one of the all-time great shows I ever attended - the Beach Boys play a sock-hop in the gym - pandemonium from start to finish)

May 2, 1973: Beck, Bogert & Appice, Tower Of Power

May 13, 1973: Loggins & Messina*

May 20, 1973 - Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage (Harder Stadium)

October 13 1973?: The Faces, Rory Gallagher (Harder Stadium)

October 25, 1973: Bob Marley and the Wailers, Sly and the Family Stone*

January 21, 1974: Loggins & Messina, Jesse Colin Young

February 17, 1974: Frank Zappa, Tom Waits

February 27, 1974: Poco, Leo Kottke

April 28, 1974: Dave Mason, Honk

May 3, 1974: Electric Light Orchestra, Dan Hicks, Elvin Bishop

May 12, 1974: The Kinks*

May 25, 1974: Grateful Dead, Maria Muldaur, Great American String Band (Harder Stadium)

June 23, 1974: Steely Dan, Kiki Dee Band*

August 2, 1974: Santana, Bad Company

September 27, 1974: Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Honk

November 27, 1974: Little Feat*

February 13, 1975: Tower of Power, Taj Mahal

March 23, 1975: Beach Boys, Jesse Colin Young, Honk (Harder Stadium)

January 12, 1975: Linda Ronstadt*

May 4, 1975: Doobie Brothers, Dave Mason, Henry Gross (Harder Stadium)

September 27, 1975: Frank Zappa*

November 1, 1975: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

December 12, 1975: Fleetwood Mac*

San Marcos High School Auditorium


October 15, 1966: The Mothers of Invention, Abnuceals Emuukha Choir Factory, The English Sound Project

Santa Barbara City College

06/28/68: The Doors, Chambers Brothers, Boston Tea Party (La Playa Stadium)

02/05/72: Quicksilver Messenger Service, Dan Hicks


Santa Barbara County Bowl


??/??/1960's(?): The Kingston Trio*

July/??/1963(?): Peter, Paul and Mary*

July 2, 1966: The Beach Boys, Sir Douglas Quintet, The Association

??/??/1970's: Jethro Tull

??/??/1970's: Boz Scaggs, Weather Report, Batdorf & Rodney

??/??/1972: The Beach Boys

October 16, 1972: Poco, It's a Beautiful Day, Wild Rose

April 20, 1975: Joe Walsh, Kingfish (PP)

May 11, 1975: Jackson Browne, Phoebe Snow (PP)

May 26, 1975: Jefferson Starship (PP)

June 8, 1975: Van Morrison, Tom Scott & The L.A. Express (PP)

June 28, 1975: Seals & Crofts, Batdorf & Rodney (PP)

August 3, 1975: Average White Band, Kokomo (PP)

August 17, 1975: Jesse Colin Young, Emmylou Harris (PP)

September 3, 1975: Loggins & Messina, Fairport Convention (PP)

September 14, 1975: David Crosby & Graham Nash (PP)

October 4, 1975: Three Dog Night, Beau Brummels (PP)

The Starlight Ballroom

?, ?, 1966  The Hollies

July 28, 1966: The Doors, Them, The Count Five* (from doorshistory.com, which shows the same show at Earl Warren Showgrounds)

August 5, 1966: The Doors, The Seeds (same source as above, also shows the Doors at Arcade Records)

Ventura College Gym


1969-1970

February 27, 1970 - Santana,  Elvin Bishop Group, Wolfgang  (Spirit, Tim Buley Blues Band?)

Steppenwolf, Tim Buley Blues Band

Canned Heat

March 29, 1969: Poco, Lee Michaels, Black Pearl


Ventura County Fairgrounds


June 21, 1970 - Jimi Hendrix, Grin*



Ventura High Auditorium


August 27, 1966: Yardbirds, The Del Rayz, what's Left, Alan Thornhill

* denotes incomplete entry

Sunday, January 29, 2012

The Back Door (Front Street, Ventura, CA)



Although only open for the year of 1968, The Back Door, owned and operated by Bob Jones, is remembered fondly. Located on Front Street, the Back Door presented a very eclectic lineup of artists, and was heavily blues oriented. (No concert dates are available at this time, what follows below is an alphabetical listing of groups presented, supplied by Bob Jones, (who still plays music locally in the Ventura County area) (In May 2012, Dennis Shives, poster artist for the Back Door, supplied the dates of some of the shows below).  More recently,  Janis Cash, Sandy Rea and Lani Byhoffer have supplied additional information.

July 25, 26 & 27, 1968: Lightnin' Hopkins, Alexander's Timeless Blues Band

August 30 & 31, 1968: Hoyt Axton

October 5, 6 & 7, 1968: Charlie Musselwhite and His South Side Blues Band

Luther Allison

Benjy Aranoff

Hoyt Axton

The Bombers (with Pat Buley & Larry Nass)

Tim Buley Blues Band (opened for Canned Heat)

Canned Heat

Michael DeTemple

Ramblin' Jack Elliot

Jesse Ed Fuller

Genesis

Richard Greene

John Hammond

The Holy Modal Rounders

Lightnin' Hopkins

Lydia E. Pinkham Superior Orchestra

The Hour Glass

Kaleidoscope

Rabbit Mackay

Taj Mahal

The Maze/The Knack??

Lee Michaels

Long Gone Miles and Bernie Pearl

Charlie Musselwhite Band

John Phillips (not the Phillips of the Mamas & Papas)

John Pilla

Rose (opened for Ramblin' Jack Elliot)

George Harmonica Smith

Paul Sykes

Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee

Turquoise

The Yellow Payges

Friday, June 17, 2011

Santa Barbara County Bowl





Built with Works Progress Administration (WPA) funds in 1936 as part of F.D.R.'s New Deal, the County Bowl's first three and half decades saw it used primarily as a performance venue for the Santa Barbara's annual Old Spanish Days, more popularly known as Fiesta, with an occasional concert thrown in here and there. In the early seventies, promoter Sepp Donahower, one of the principals (along with Marc Chase and John Van Hamersveld) of the legendary Pinnacle Dance Concerts company, initiated its renaissance; he relates: " While running Pacific Presentations (the precurser of Avalon Attractions) and doing shows at UCSB and the Arlington Theatre in the early 70's in Santa Barbara, I stumbled on to the old County Bowl that was used once a year for Old Spanish Days Fiesta. I had became friends with Barton Clap, the manager of the Coral Casino Beach & Cabana Club and the head of The Old Spanish Days Fiesta Organization, who asked if I was interested in doing shows in the old County Bowl. The first time I walked into the Santa Barbara County Bowl, it was overgrown with weeds and needed its annual cleaning before the Fiesta. I immediately saw it as one magic venue. We immediately made a deal to produce the shows there and started rolling them in.......The Band, Bob Marley, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Jimmy Buffett, and on and on....it was now on the map and loved by all.

After Pacific morphed into Avalon and I went on hiatus, Avalon continued with it for awhile but eventually it ended up under the control of some local promoters," who eventually negotiated a deal with Nederlander.

I am still proud of opening that venue up.....It is a one great venue."

(PP) denotes Pacific Presentations promotions

(County Bowl photo courtesy of Alan Case)


??/??/1960's(?): The Kingston Trio*

??/??/1960's(?): Louis Armstrong*

??/??/1961 or 62(?)  Jimmy Rodgers, The Righteous Brothers

05/16/1963 or 1964 (?): Peter, Paul and Mary*

July 2, 1966: The Beach Boys, Sir Douglas Quintet, The Association

April 22, 1970: Jethro Tull

October 15, 1972: Poco, It's a Beautiful Day, Wild Rose

October ??, 1973: Beach Boys, Jesse Colin Young

August 17, 1974: Boz Scaggs, Weather Report, Batdorf & Rodney

October 13, 1974: Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders

April 20, 1975: Joe Walsh, Kingfish (PP)

May 11, 1975: Jackson Browne, Phoebe Snow (PP)

May 26, 1975: Jefferson Starship (PP)

June 8, 1975: Van Morrison, Tom Scott & The L.A. Express (PP)

June 28, 1975: Seals & Crofts, Batdorf & Rodney (PP)

August 3, 1975: Average White Band, Kokomo (PP)

August 17, 1975: Jesse Colin Young, Emmylou Harris (PP)

September 3, 1975: Loggins & Messina, Fairport Convention (PP)

September 14, 1975: David Crosby & Graham Nash (PP)

October 4, 1975: Three Dog Night, Beau Brummels (PP)

October 25, 1975: Uriah Heep, Spirit

April 3, 1976: Loggins & Messina, Cecilio & Kapono (PP)

April 11, 1976: Marshall Tucker Band, Little Feat (PP)

April 24, 1976: Peter Frampton, Gary Wright, Brecker Brothers (PP)

May 16, 1976: Elvin Bishop, Tim Weisberg (PP)

May 31, 1976: Bob Marley & the Wailers, Little Anthony (PP)

June 5, 1976: Leon Russell, Firefall (PP)

June 27, 1976: The Band, Flying Burrito Brothers (PP)

July 18, 1976: Average White Band, Sons of Champlain (PP)

July 25, 1976: Dave Mason (PP)

August 8, 1976: Crosby & Nash (PP)

August 13, 1976: CTI Jazz Festival (PP)

October 5, 1976: Bruce Springsteen (PP)

May 21, 1977: Leo Kottke, Leon Redbone (PP)

May 22, 1977: Jimmy Buffett, Leo Kottke, Leon Redbone (PP)

June 4, 1977: Little Feat (PP)

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

I've made quite a few revisions and additions to the chronology, and have some attendance and financial figures, which I will continue to revise. New listings are denoted with a "++"

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Additions

I've added a number of Earl Warren Showground concerts (denoted by a + sign at the end of each new listing), based upon ticket stubs and posters. The only date I cannot discern is for the Byrds show. Any ideas?

Friday, September 10, 2010

Revisions

I've added quite a few concerts, as well as updating others, on both the Earl Warren Showgrounds and UCSB posts. Most of the new UCSB dates are from the 70's; what I could really use some help with is the 60's.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

UC Santa Barbara - Robertson Gym, Harder Stadium, Campbell Hall









This is an even more preliminary list than the Earl Warren Showgrounds listing; there are a LOT of shows missing. Your corrections and additions are solicited.

Shows below took place in Robertson Gym unless otherwise noted. * denotes some uncertainty about date, supporting acts, etc. Beginning in the mid-seventies, most concerts were done in conjunction with Pacific Presentations; Sepp Donahower has very kindly contributed information regarding those events. (PP) designates Pacific Presentations produced shows.

^ denotes new entries made December 27, 2011, thanks to the good graces of John Conroy. More updates to follow.

+ denotes new entries made January 24, 2013, thanks to the input of BFrank


October 22, 1966 : Jefferson Airplane, The Syndicate of Sound, The Seeds, The Kingsmen, The DelRays (?),  The Druids (per <drumnwalt>

April 1, 1967: Buffalo Springfield, The Sounds Five, Druids*

October 28, 1967 : The Doors, Lyrics, Alexander's Timeless Blooz Band

February 11, 1968: Jimi Hendrix, Soft Machine, East Side Kids

May 24, 1968: Cream, Electric Flag

January 17, 1969:  Santana Blues Band, Grateful Dead, The Travel Agency

April 10, 1969: Canned Heat, Poco, Ace of Cups

May 29, 1969: Grateful Dead, Lee Michaels, The Youngbloods (The Dead cut their set short due to sound system issues as chronicled by Michael Lydon in Rolling Stone article)

November 9, 1969: Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Steve Miller Band, Sweetwater (Harder Stadium) (Crowd rushes gates and breaks in; there will not be another stadium show until 5/20/1973. Stage is set up at west end of stadium, the only time that configuration was used; from here on in, stage will be at the east end of the stadium) Steve Miller Band was scheduled but did not play.

December 12, 1969:  Iron Butterfly, Blues Image

??/1970/71??: Sweetwater (Storke Plaza) (Possibly April 1971 as they played at the Granada on 4/2/71)

February 1, 1970: The Band*

April ??, 1970: Poco (Storke Plaza)

December 2, 1970: Sha-na-na (Campbell Hall)

January 19, 1971: Jazz Crusaders, Dick Gregory

February 7, 1971: John Sebastian, Poco, Jo-Mama

October 3, 1971: Chuck Berry (a local band opened and then backed Berry)+

October 10, 1971: The Allman Brothers Band

November 13, 1971: The Johnny Otis Show featuring Shuggie Otis (Storke Plaza) (Nexus)

November 20, 1971: Freddie Hubbard, Charles Lloyd (Campbell Hall)+

Spring 1972(?): Scott McKenzie (Storke Plaza)

May 5, 1972: Seals & Crofts, Loggins and Messina+

October 1, 1972: John Mayall, Boz Scaggs^

October 27, 1972: John Fahey (Campbell Hall)^

November 11, 1972: Hot Tuna, Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks (The Hot Tuna set was hands down the loudest I ever personally witnessed)

November 18, 1972: Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge^

December 3, 1972: J. Geils Band, The Eagles, Tranquility^+

January 13, 1973: Leo Kottke. Little Emo+ (Campbell Hall)^

February 20, 1973: Mark-Almond, Pan+ (Campbell Hall)^

March 17, 1973: The Beach Boys (remains one of the all-time great shows I ever attended - the Beach Boys play a sock-hop in the gym - pandemonium from start to finish)

April 15, 1973: Seals & Crofts^

April 17, 1973: Bobby Hutcherson (Lotte Lehman Hall)^

May 2, 1973: Beck, Bogert & Appice, Tower Of Power

May 8, 1973: Boz Scaggs, John (?) Buckley (Campbell Hall)

May 13, 1973: Loggins & Messina (PP)

May 20, 1973 - Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage (Harder Stadium) (PP)

September 30, 1973: Taj Mahal, Jackson Browne^

October 13 1973: The Faces, Rory Gallagher (Harder Stadium) (PP)

October 25, 1973: Bob Marley and the Wailers, Sly and the Family Stone*

November 16, 1973: War, Albert^

January 13, 1974: Steve Miller Band, Ozark Mountain Daredevils (PP)^

January 21, 1974: Loggins & Messina, Jesse Colin Young (PP)

January 26, 1974: Gordon Lightfoot (Old Men's Gym)+

February 17, 1974: Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Tom Waits, Casey Kelly (PP)+ (Sepp Donahower's listing shows Zappa; BFranks added Casey Kelly;  "Frank Zappa Gig List" confirms Kelly)

February 27, 1974: Poco, Leo Kottke (PP)

March 15, 1974: Boz Scaggs (PP)

April 7, 1974: Eagles, Jesse Colin Young (PP)

April 28, 1974: Dave Mason, Honk (PP)

May 3, 1974: Electric Light Orchestra, Dan Hicks, Elvin Bishop (PP)

May 9, 1974: Crusaders, Hampton Hawes (Campbell Hall)^

May 12, 1974: The Kinks, Jo Jo Gunne, Kansas+ (PP)

May 25, 1974: Grateful Dead, Maria Muldaur, Great American String Band (Harder Stadium) (PP)

June 23, 1974: Steely Dan, Kiki Dee Band (PP)

August 2, 1974: Santana, Bad Company (PP)

September 27, 1974: Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Honk (PP)

October 27, 1974: Hot Tuna (PP)

November 9, 1974: Chick Corea, Renaissance (Campbell Hall)^

November 10. 1974: Gregg Allman, Cowboy (PP)^

November 22, 1974: Rufus, Masterfleet (Campbell Hall)^

November 27, 1974: Fleetwood Mac, Little Feat, Triumvarite (PP)^

January 12, 1975: Linda Ronstadt, Batdorf & Rodney (PP)

February 13, 1975: Tower of Power, Taj Mahal (PP)

March 4, 1975: Randy Newman, David Pomeranz (Campbell Hall)^

March 13, 1975: Robin Trower, Journey (PP)^

March 23, 1975: Beach Boys, Jesse Colin Young, Honk (Harder Stadium) (PP)

March 26, 1975: Blue Oyster Cult, R.E.O. Speedwagon, Pretty Things (PP)

April 29, 1975: Herbie Hancok, Passport (Campbell Hall)^

May 4, 1975: Doobie Brothers, Dave Mason, Henry Gross (Harder Stadium) (PP)

May 9, 1975: Weather Report, Billy Cobham (Campbell Hall)^

September 27, 1975: Frank Zappa (PP)

October 18, 1975: Allman Brothers Band, Dave Mason, Little Feat (Harder Stadium) (PP)

October 20, 1975: Leo Kottke (Campbell Hall)

November 1, 1975: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (PP)

November 18, 1975: Rory Gallagher (Campbell Hall) (PP)

November 22, 195: Tim Weisberg (Campbell Hall) (PP)

December 12, 1975: Fleetwood Mac, Jiva (PP)