History of the Fillmore Auditorium

History of the Fillmore Auditorium
The fabulous, psychedelic Fillmore Auditorium, founded by Bill Graham, has a fascinating History. Read more about it in the Full Article Here.

Bill Graham was a well-liked promoter who successfully managed several bands, organized concerts, and eventually made several concerts venues famous. Three of these auditoriums were given the name "The Fillmore." These were Graham's original auditorium in San Francisco: "The Fillmore", his New York auditorium "The Fillmore East", and of course the popular "Fillmore West", ground zero of the psychedelic San Francisco music happening. In the 60's, the Fillmore concert halls were important venues for the most popular artists of the day.

The first Fillmore Auditorium was located in the "Majestic Hall" building at the corner of Fillmore and Geary in San Francisco. Graham's first concert at The Fillmore took place on Feb. 4th, 1966, and featured Jefferson Airplane. This show was the beginning of the Fillmore's legendary reign as the center of San Francisco music and arts scene and the counter-culture of the 1960's. Almost all the most popular musical groups of the day played there including the Jefferson Airplane, Santana, the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Moby Grape, Big Brother and the Holding Company, the Butterfield Blues Band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Doors, and dozens more.

Bill Graham, in 1968, took over another venue on 2nd Avenue in New York City. This hall was called The Fillmore East and served as a companion to the Fillmore in San Francisco. The Fillmore East quickly became known as "The Church of Rock and Roll", frequently hosting popular artists such as Janis Joplin, John Lennon, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Taj Mahal, and The Allman Brother's Band. Psychedelic light shows also drew fans to the Fillmore East.

Bill Graham, in July of 1968, relocated his San Francisco Fillmore location from Geary St. to the corner of S. Van Ness and Market, renaming the venue "The Fillmore West". The Celestial Synapse, a large music event hosted by Frontiers of Science Fellowship, took place at the Fillmore West in February of 1969.

The Fillmore was responsible for much of the best psychedelic artwork of the 1960s. The colorful psychedelic posters created to promote The Fillmore productions featured the enchanting work of artists like Rick Griffon, David Byrd, Wes Wilson, Randy Tuten, and many others.

Only one of the Fillmore buildings is operating today as a concert hall. The first Fillmore reopened in 1994 with a concert featuring the Smashing Pumpkins. The Fillmore East now houses a bank and an apartment complex, and the Fillmore West is operating as a Honda repair facility.