Monday, June 27, 2005

Fillmore least...

Flushed with the success of his San Francisco rock arenas, promoter Bill Graham opened The Fillmore East in New York City on March 3, 1968. The small, funky, former movie theater on second avenue, featured Rock and Roll's elite acts for 3 years before bowing out on this date in 1971...

The first show featured Big Brother and The Holding Company with Janis Joplin, Tim Buckley and Albert King. The final show headlined The Allman Brothers, J. Geils Band and Albert King...

Some of the acts that played The Fillmore East include: B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Doors, Grateful Dead, Taj Mahal, Buddy Miles, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Ike & Tina Turner, Jethro Tull, Fats Domino, The Who, Santana, James Taylor, Led Zeppelin, Steppenwolf, Sam & Dave, Jefferson Airplane, Chuck Berry, Chicago, Sly & the Family Stone and Fleetwood Mac...All for the admission price of $1.50...

For more information about The Fillmore East, there is an excellent website hosted by the Fillmore East Preservation Society at http://www.fillmore-east.com

More June 27 Memories...

1964) Jan and Dean release "Little Old Lady From Pasadena"...

1965) #1 "A World Without Love" - Peter & Gordon...

1965) "Where the Action Is" premieres...

1966) Frank Sinatra tops the charts with "Strangers in the Night"...

1971) The Fillmore East closes...

1972) "Song Sung Blue" is #1 for Neil Diamond...

1973) James Bond movie, "Live and Let Die" premieres...

1979) Muhammad Ali retires as boxing champ...

1981) "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes is #1...

1988) Mike Tyson KOs Michael Spinks for the unified heavyweight championship...

1993) Met pitcher Anthony Young loses his record 24th straight game...

2002) Who bass player, John Entwistle checks out...

Happy Birthday...

1930) Ross Perot...

1942) Beach Boy Bruce Johnston...

1951) Actress Julia Duffy...

1975) Tobey Maguire...

Commentary...

William O'Shaughnessy, owner of WVOX and WRTN in Westchester is not letting satellite radio and the like run him out of town. Taking up the cause for terrestrial radio, Mr. O'Shaughnessy is the major force behind a movement by the New York State Broadcasters Association in their fight and right to defend terrestrial radio. This story was brought to light by David Hinckley in today's Daily News. For more on the story, click on http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story

We applaud Mr. O'Shaughnessy and wish him well...