Alive As Yesterday: 1966 Concerts

 

The Beatles

The Cyrkle

The Ronettes

The Remains

Candlestick Park

San Francisco, CA

 

 

Bob Dylan & The Hawks

Manchester Free Trade Hall

Manchester, UK

 

The Beach Boys

Lovin' Spoonful

Chad & Jeremy, Percy Sledge

The Outsiders, The Leaves

Sir Douglas Quintet, Jefferson Airplane

The Byrds

San Francisco Cow Palace

San Francisco, CA

 

The Doors

Iron Butterfly

Berkeley Community Theatre

Berkeley, CA

 

Rolling Stones

The McCoys, The Standells

Buffalo Memorial Auditorium

Buffalo, NY

 

 

 

The Schaefer Music Festival was a recurring music festival held in the summer between 1967 and 1976 at Wollman Rink in New York City's Central Park. It featured a number of notable performances. 

Beginning life in 1966 as the 'Rheingold Central Park Music Festival', the series was sponsored by F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Company, brewer of Schaefer Beer. 

The F. and M. Schaefer Brewing Company took over sponsorship of the Central Park Music Festival in 1968, from Rheingold beer. The cost of the annual music festival was about $500,000, and admissions, at $1 per person in 1968, were expected to bring in $250,000 to $270,000 for the summer program, leaving a deficit, picked up by Schaefer, of more than $200,000. "Until Schaefer decided to assume sponsorship, the prospect was that the ticket price [from 1967] would have to be doubled. The $2, [Commissioner of Parks August Heckscher] said, would have been 'too expensive for a lot of New Yorkers.' 

In the 1960s, before the rise of corporate concert organizers and ticket agents, top rated bands would often play for free (especially in San Francisco) or for amounts that resulted in reasonable concert ticket prices. Just before the Schaefer Music Festival kicked off in the summer of 1968 a free concert was given in Central Park featuring the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, three of the top acts at that time. 6,000 people "jammed into the bandstand near the [Central Park] Mall while thousands more sprawled out on the grass and under the trees." 

Club owner and musician Hilly Kristal co-founded the series with producer and concert promoter Ron Delsener. Over the years a veritable Who's Who of superstars of the popular music scene performed there. Inexpensive tickets, which started at $1 in 1967 and rose to only $3 by 1976, further contributed to the event's popularity. While the capacity of the Wollman Rink was usually limited to about 6,000 to 7,000 people, it is reported that Bob Marley's performance in 1975 had attracted about 15,000 people. 

In 1976, Dr. Pepper assumed sponsorship of a Central Park concert series, renamed the 'Dr. Pepper Central Park Music Festival'. Due to residential noise complaints, this series was moved to Pier 84 on the West Side in 1981. In 1983 Miller Beer took over sponsorship, continuing it as the 'Miller Time Concert on The Pier' until 1988.

 

Procol Harum

Pink Floyd

H.P. Lovecraft

Winterland

San Francisco, CA

 

Herman's Hermits

The Animals

Dallas Memorial Auditorium

Dallas, TX

 

Buffalo Springfield

Count Five

New Generation

The Third Eye

Redondo Beach, CA

 

Bo Diddley

Little Walter

Sons of Adam

Longshoreman's Hall

San Francisco, CA

 

Jimi Hendrix

Pink Floyd

Jefferson Airplane

The Queen's Theatre

London, UK

 

Jim Kweskin Jug Band

Big Brother & The Holding Company

Electric Train

Avalon Ballroom

San Francisco, CA

 

Grateful Dead

The Loading Zone

Longshoreman's Hall

San Francisco, CA

 

13th Floor Elevators

Quicksilver Messenger Service

Avalon Ballroom

San Francisco, CA

 

Euphoria

The Daily Flash

The Rising Songs

Avalon Ballroom

San Francisco, CA

 

Love

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

Big Brother & The Holding Company

Avalon Ballroom

San Francisco, CA

 

Otis Redding

Garnet Mimms, Sam & Dave

Patty La Belle & The Blue Belles

Percy Sledge, Mitty Collier, James Carr

The Ovations, Sad Sam (comic M.C.)

Carrs Beach

Annapolis, MD

 

Motortown Revue

Stevie Wonder

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

The Marvelettes, The Contours

Gladys Knight & The Pips

Chris Clark, Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers

Willie Tyler & Lester (the dummy)

Fox Theatre

Atlanta, GA

 

The Animals

Sam The Sham & The Pharohs

Brutus & The Roamin's

Winchester Roller Rink

Winchester, VA

 

Country Joe & The Fish

Moby Grape

Lee Michaels

Avalon Ballroom

San Francisco, CA

 

Quicksilver Messenger Service

Big Brother & The Holding Company

The Grateful Dead

The Grassroots

Sunshine

Fillmore Auditorium

San Francisco, CA

 

The Byrds

Buffalo Springfield

The Dillards

Swing Auditorium

Nat'l Orange Show Grounds

San Bernadino, CA

 

The Beatles

Reycard Duet, Wing Duo

Lemons Three, Eddie Reyes & D'Downbeats

Dale Adriatico, Pilita Corrales

July 4, 1966 - The Beatles played two shows at Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, Manila, in the Philippines to over 80,000 fans. The Beatles failed to appear at a palace reception hosted by President Marcos' family, who were not informed that the Beatles had declined their invitation. The next day, as The Beatles make their way to the airport they were greeted by angry mobs, the Philippine government had retaliated by refusing them police protection.

Rizal Memorial Football Stadium

Manila, Phillipines'

 

The Beach Boys

Lulu

David & Jonathan

Sounds Incorporated

The Golden Brass, Jerry Stevens

Odeon Theatre

Leeds, UK

 

The Grassroots

Quicksilver Messenger Service

Fillmore Auditorium

San Francisco, CA

 

The Blues Project

The Matrix

San Francisco, CA

 

The Mothers

Oxford Circle

Fillmore Auditorium

San Francisco, CA

 

 

Great Society (featuring Grace Slick)

The Mod Hatter

Mill Valley, CA

 

The Grateful Dead

Jr. Walker & The All Stars

The Glass Family

Fillmore

San Francisco, CA

 

The Kinks

The Yardbirds

The Mickey Finn

Jeff & Jon, The Riot Squad, Val McKenna

Goldie & The Gingerbreads, Bob Bain (MC)

Guild Hall

Portsmouth, UK

 

Jefferson Airplane

Butterfield Blues Band

Muddy Waters

Winterland / Fillmore

San Francisco, CA'

 

Young Rascals

Quicksilver Messenger Service

Fillmore Auditorium

San Francisco, CA

 

Earthquake Party!

Bo Diddley

Big Brother & The Holding Co.

Avalon Ballroom

San Francisco, CA

 

Murray the "K" Presents

The Rolling Stones

Carnegie Hall

NYC

 

Grateful Dead

Andrew Staples

The Old Cheese Factory

San Francisco, CA

 

Quicksilver Messenger Service

Blackburn & Snow

Sons of Champlin

Avalon Ballroom

San Francisco, CA

 

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

The Charlatans

Avalon Ballroom

San Francisco, CA

 

The Grass Roots

The Sons of Adam

Big Brother & The Holding Company

Avalon Ballroom

San Francisco, CA

 

Allen Ginsberg

Ken Kesey & The Merry Pranksters

Big Brother & The Holding Company

Grateful Dead

Longshoreman's Hall

Fisherman's Wharf

San Francisco, CA

 

Jefferson Airplance

Fillmore Auditorium

San Francisco, CA

 

James Brown

The Apollo Theatre

NYC

 

The Beatles

Shea Stadium

Flushing Meadows

Queens, NY

 

Bob Dylan

Royal Albert Hall

London, UK

 

MC5

Chosen Few

The Grande Ballroom

Detroit, MI

 

Andy Warhol's 

Exploding Plastic Inevitable Show

Velvet Underground'

Nico (Pop Girl of '66)

Poor Richard's

Chicago, IL

 

Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention

Tim Buckley

Kindred

Brotherhood of Light

Pepperland

San Rafael, CA

 

Grateful Dead

Oxford Circle

Avalon Ballroom

San Francisco, CA

 

Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention

Fillmore

San Francisco, CA

 

The Byrds

Village Gate

NYC

 

13th Floor Elevators

Quicksilver Messenger Service

Avalon Ballroom

San Francisco, CA

 

Timothy Leary

Andy Warhol

Anita Ventura

The Ronnettes, The Shangrila's

Left Bank, Lenny Welch

Monti Rock III, Brian Hyland

Terry Knight & The Pack

Clay Cole & Scott Muni M.C.'s

The Action House

Island Park, NY

 

Little Gary Ferguson

The Mothers of Invention

The West Coast Pop Experimental Band

Count V

The Factory (featuring a young Lowell George)

Shrine Exposition Hall

Los Angeles, CA

 

Sam The Sham & The Pharohs

Fillmore Auditorium

San Francisco, CA

 

The Yardbirds

Frost

MC5

Grande Ballroom

Detroit, MI

 

Them

The Association'

The Grassroots

The Baytovens, The WildFlower

The Harbinger Complex

Wm. Penn & His Pals

Oakland Auditorium Arena

Oakland, CA

 

Grateful Dead

Moby Grape

The Morning Glory

Santa Venetia Armory

San Rafael, CA

 

Beau Brummels

The Triumvirate

Unknown Venue

 

The Turtles

Oxford Circle

Fillmore Auditorium

San Francisco, CA

 

Andy Warhol Presents

The Plastic Inevitable Who

Velvet Underground

Nico chanteuse

The Trip

Los Angeles, CA

 

The Velvets were supported by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention and accompanied by members of Warhol's entourage. Although scheduled for a two-week residency, the shows ground to a halt after just three nights when the Sheriff's Department closed the club down. Nonetheless, numerous stars were spotted in the audience on May 3-5, including Sonny and Cher, Jack Nicholson, Jim Morrison and Ryan O'Neal.

 

 

Pink Floyd

The Animals

Jimi Hendrix

Jammin Jim Johnson

Eaton's Park

Boston, MA

 

The Yardbirds

The Breakouts

Spring Gardens Teen Club

Lima, OH

 

Johnny Cash

Statler Bros.

Harden Trio

Carl Perkins

Waylon Jennings, The Tennesee 3, June Carter

KRNT Theatre

Des Moines, IA

 

The Monkees

Cow Palace Auditorium

San Francisco, CA

 

Otis Redding & His 10 Piece Orchestra

Continental Club

Oakland, CA

 

Little Stevie Wonder

Ricky-Tick

Windsor, UK

 

Grateful Dead

Lightning Hopkins

Loading Zone

The Yardbirds

Country Joe & The Fish

Fillmore Auditorium

San Francisco, CA

 

Jefferson Airplane

Grateful Dead

Fillmore Auditorium

San Francisco, CA

 

Jefferson Airplane

Quicksilver Messenger Service

Lightning Hopkins

Fillmore Auditorium

San Francisco, CA

 

The Righteous Brothers

Nino Tempo & April Stevens

Gaylord & Holiday

Oakland Coliseum Arena

Oakland, CA

 

The Temptations

Continental Club

Oakland, CA

 

The 4 Seasons

Maysers Gymnasium

Franklin & Marshall College

Lancaster, PA

 

The Beach Boys

Mayser's Gym

Franklin & Marshall College

Lancaster, PA

 

Rolling Stones

Long Beach Arena

Long Beach, CA

 

Rolling Stones

The McCoys

The Standells

The Ronettes

Cleveland Arena

Cleveland, OH

 

Bob Dylan & The Hawks

New Center Arena

Seattle, WA

 

Bob Dylan & The Hawks

Royal Albert Hall

Manchester, UK

 

The Beatles

The Cyrkle

The Ronettes

The Remains

Nick Charles (M.C.)

Busch Memorial Stadium

St. Louis, MO

 

The Beatles

Maple Leaf Garden

Toronto, Canada

 


 

JAMBALAYA - THE HIDEAWAYS

 

LAUGHING BUDDHA - MC SSO & THE REFLECTORS

 

A LITTLE ROCK & ROLL - JOHNNY PIERRE

 

GREEN ONIONS - MIGHTY YOUNG FISH

 

THE ISLAND IS ALIVE - FREELANCE VANDALS

 

 


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