Bars, stadiums, restaurants and other places that rock and roll musicians have played. Many of these locations are long gone, leaving but an echo.
The Brass Ring
The Brass Ring opened as a progressive jazz club in the late 1960’s, they began booking major rock acts including:
Cobo Hall, Also Knowns As Cobo Center, Cobo Arena Now Known As TCF Center
The Doors‘ complete concert performance on May 8, 1970, was released in entirety…
Final Cream US Concert From Their 1968 Farewell Tour
On their Farewell Tour, Cream performed two sold-out shows at the Rhode Island Auditorium on…
Park Center In Charlotte NC hosted Pink Floyd And Others
On November 9th, 1969 Janis Joplin played to a sellout crowd. This would be one of her last…
Laramar Ballroom – One Of The Final Concerts For Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & Big Bopper
On Friday January 30, 1959, before their untimely death in a plane crash after playing at the Surf Ballroom…
Hollywood Pantages Theatre
The Hollywood Pantages Theatre, formerly known as RKO Pantages Theatre opened on…
Palm Beach International Speedway – Palm Beach International Music and Arts Festival
The First (and last) Annual Palm Beach International Music and Arts Festival was…
Club 57 At Irving Plaza
Over time, the club became a premier location for the punk and new wave scene…
O’Keefe Centre Now Known As Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
On July 31st through August 5th, 1967 Bill Graham brought the San Francisco…
Duluth Armory – Buddy Holly Performance Inspired Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan was at the show and he named it as an inspiration at the 1998 Grammy Awards…
Cincinnati Gardens- Performances By The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley And More
Cincinnati Gardens was an indoor arena located that opened in 1949. When it opened, its…
Napa State Hospital – Early Cramps Venue
On June 13, 1978, Lux Interior and his band the Cramps played an event at the hospital that…
Popcorn Pub – First Ever KISS Concert
On January 30, 1973, KISS performed at the Popcorn Club, which later became The…
Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School – ZZ Top Prom Performance
ZZ Top played the prom at Little Cypress-Mauriceville High Schooll…
Magoo’s Pizza Parlor Where The Warlocks, Later Known As The Grateful Dead, Played Their First Gig
On May 5th, 1965 a group called the “Warlocks” played their first gig at Magoo’s Pizza…
Village Gate Nightclub in Greenwich Village
Throughout its many years, the Village Gate featured many top jazz and Rock N Roll…
Marshall Tavern – A Classic Tavern On Highway 1 In Marin County
Neil Young played a three-day stand at the Tavern in 1975 causing a traffic jam…
Purple Onion Coffee House Historic Folk Music Venue
The Purple Onion Coffee House operated from 1960 to 1965 in the Yorkville neighborhood of Toronto…
The Retinal Circus
The Retinal Circus was a short-lived dive that operated in a basement from…
Cheek to Cheek Lounge – Last Gig For Richard Manuel Of “The Band”
The lounge formerly known as the Don Quixote lounge was remodeled and renamed the Cheek to Cheek Lounge in 1981…
John H. Francis Polytechnic High School
On Thursday, April 8, 1976, The Runaways, an all female band composed of…
Los Angeles Music Center
While on tour promoting her recently released album “Court and Spark”, Joni Mitchell recorded…
Onondaga County War Memorial In Syracuse NY – Live Duane Allman With Derek and the Dominos
After recording Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Derek and the Dominos headed back to America…
The Singer Bowl – The Doors Headline For The Who In 1968
The Singer Bowl hosted concerts over the years, including a 1968 concert headlined by The Doors with The Who as the opening act. Jimi Hendrix also performed there in August 1968.
The Who Play Union Catholic High School On Their First U.S. Tour
As this was their first North American tour, before they gained enormous fame at Woodstock, they played a lot of smaller venues such as this High School.
Hollywood Sportatorium – Concert Arena And Last Concert Location For The Band “Free”
On Feb. 17, 1973, Free, best known for their 1970 song “All Right Now” broke up after playing their final show…
Levon Helm Studios – Home Of “The Midnight Ramble Sessions”
Levon was the host of The Midnight Ramble Sessions which was named for the traveling minstrel shows of his youth.
Toronto Rock and Roll Revival – The Plastic Ono Band, The Doors, Alice Cooper, Chicago
John Lennon and Yoko were invited be the emcees. Lennon suggested that they wouldn’t…
Panther Hall – Early Country, Rock And Rockabilly Venue
Early on, this was known as a country music venue, but there were a fair share of rock and…
Freeman Coliseum – Rolling Stones Booed At First Ever Texas Show
On June 5th through June 14th 1964 the Coliseum hosted the “Teen Fair of Texas” that featured…
Phil Lesh’s Terrapin Crossroads, A Restaurant And Concert Venue
Phil Lesh’s Terrapin Crossroads is a restaurant and music venue with a beautiful waterfront…
Rod’s Hickory Pit – Green Day’s First Live Performance
This was a roadside diner where Green Day played their first gig on October 17, 1987…
Lake Amador Gold Rush Festival, Held on October 4, 1969
On October 4, 1969, an estimated 40,000 people flocked to the small county of Amador in central…
Beacon Theatre – The Allman Brothers Home Away From Home
Many great acts have graced the stage of the Beacon which is known for its superior acoustics, including the…
FIrst ZZ Top Show – Knights of Columbus Hall
On Feb. 10, 1970, ZZ Top played their first show with what is their now iconic lineup of Billy Gibbons…
Long Island Arena – Part Of Frampton Comes Alive Was Recorded Here
Probably the most famous performance here was when Peter Frampton appeared in August 1975 and…
Radio City Music Hall , Hosted Some Of The Greatest Rock N Roll Acts Of All Time
Radio City Music Hall is located in Rockefeller Center. It was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city…
California Polytechnic State University
On May 19, 1967 The Jefferson Airplane played in the Men’s Gym at Cal Poly. Billed…
Jacksonville Coliseum – Hendrix Opens For The Monkees
Built in 1960 and demolished in 2003, the Jacksonville Coliseum had the distinction of being one of only six venues…
Kiel Opera House, Now known as the Peabody Opera House
Now known as the Peabody Opera House. On July 11, 1978, the Rolling Stones performed one sold-out show…
The Ed Sullivan Theater – Home To Many Famous Television Performances
On September 9, 1956, Elvis Presley made his first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show…
Madison Square Garden – The Song Remains The Same Filmed Here
Billing itself as “The World’s Most Famous Arena” this has been home to many…
John F. Kennedy Stadium – “Live Aid” American Venue And “The Monsters of Rock Festival”
On 13 July 1985, the American version of Live Aid was held here to raise funds…
The Whisky A Go Go, The Byrds And The Doors Played Here Early In Their Careers
More rock and roll history has taken place in this one building than in most…
Deauville Beach Resort – The Beatles On The Ed Sullivan Show
On February 16, 1964, the Beatles taped their second appearance on the…
Hollywood Palladium – Blues Brothers Film Concerts & “Pop Expo ’69”
Opened in 1940, this venue has seen everything from Frank Sinatra to the…
Justin Herman Plaza – Home Of An Impromptu U2 Concert
On the second leg of the Joshua Tree US Tour, U2 decided to have a spontaneous…
The Troubadour – Elton John’s First Ever U.S. Show
Born as a coffeehouse in the fifties and boomed with folk music in the early sixties…
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington DC
Commonly referred to as the “Kennedy Center”, it is the busiest performing arts facility in the…
At Folsom Prison By Johnny Cash Album Cover Location
A classic album by Johnny Cash, released on Columbia Records in May…
Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium In San Rafael, CA
Since opening in 1971, this venue has hosted some great acts including, James…
The Fillmore West At Market Street And Van Ness
So much happened here over the years….. Janis Joplin played her final gig with Big…
Amoeba Music On Sunset Boulevard In Los Angeles
The Los Angeles location is a massive store filled with thousands of records, cds and dvds…
Indiana State Fairgrounds Roof Collapse Just Before Concert
On August 13, 2011, high winds from an approaching storm collapsed the roof…
Inn of the Beginning – Former Rock ‘N Roll Watering Hole In Cotati, CA
If you were a local North Bay band you played here at one time or another, Neil Young…
Al’s Bar Former Location In Los Angeles California
Al’s bar was a popular venue for L.A.’s 80s Punk Rock scene…
Terrace Ballroom Former Location In Salt Lake City Utah
During the 1930’s, it was called “Coconut Grove”. Its name was changed in the…
Selland Arena In Fresno CA Hosted Elvis, Deep Purple, Grateful Dead, Country Joe
The Grateful Dead opened their 1974 tour here on July 19. Other artists to…
Curtis Hixon Hall In Tampa Florida – Live Duane Allman With Derek and the Dominos
A lot of performers played here over the years as it was the primary Tampa…
El Corazón In Seattle WA, Formerly The Off Ramp – Pearl Jam’s First Gig
Formerly “The Off Ramp“, El Corazón has hosted pretty much every band to come out of …
Red Dog Saloon In Virginia City Nevada – Janis Joplin joins Big Brother
In 1965, some San Francisco refugees bought an old building, fixed it up…
NBC Studios, New York – Home to Saturday Night Live
Broadcast from Studio 8H at NBC’s headquarters in the GE Building, Saturday…
Crystal Ballroom Located In Portland Oregon
In the 1960s, bands like the Grateful Dead, Ike & Tina Turner, Country Joe &…
Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel – John & Yoko Bed-In Location
When John Lennon and Yoko Ono were refused entry into the United States…
X-Ray Cafe Former Location In Portland Oregon
The X-Ray Cafe was a small music venue from 1990 to 1994 in Portland. Some…
Nokia Theatre, Currently Called The Microsoft Theater In Los Angeles CA
The Nokia Theatre (currently called the Microsoft Theater) hosted the MTV…
Dolby Theatre, Formerly Known As The Kodak Theatre
Formerly known as the Kodak Theatre, it has hosted the Academy Awards…
The Coach House In San Juan Capistrano, California
As one of the only venues in San Juan Capistrano, the Coach House has hosted…
Novato Community House Former Venue
Lots of local musicians played here in the early 60’s and many of them went…
Middle Georgia Raceway – Second Atlanta International Pop Festival
The second Atlanta International Pop Festival was a rock festival held in…
Stanley Theatre In Pittsburgh, Home Of The Last Bob Marley Concert
The Stanley Theatre, now known as The Benedum Center for the Performing…
Boulder Theater – State-Of-The-Art Concert Hall
In 1981, the theater was renovated into a state-of-the-art concert hall by…
Empire Stadium – The Beatles’ First Canadian Concert
The Beatles’ first Canadian concert took place in front of 20,261 fans here…
Pacific Coliseum – The Doors Live in Vancouver 1970 Album Recorded Here
As part of their “Roadhouse Blues Tour”, the Doors played here and most…
Stanley Park, Vancouver BC – The Be-In Music Festival Was Held Here
The Vancouver Be-In held at Stanley Park was a central part of the Canadian…
Oshawa Civic Auditorium In Oshawa Ontario, Canada
On April 22, 1979, the Auditorium hosted two benefit concerts for the…
Varsity Stadium In Toronto Ontario Held The Rock ‘N Roll Revival Concert
The stadium has hosted many famous concerts including the 1969 Rock…
The Riverboat Coffeehouse In Toronto Ontario, Canada
The Riverboat opened in October, 1964 and closed in June of 1978…
Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium – Procol Harum Live Album
Procol Harum Live In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra” was…
Church of the Holy Trinity In Toronto Ontario, Canada
The Cowboy Junkies recorded their 1988 album “The Trinity Session” at…
Baton Rouge International Speedway – The New Orleans Pop Festival
On August 31 and September 1, 1969, thousands of people gathered outdoors…
The Sea Witch In West Hollywood CA Was An Early Doors Venue
On December 9th and 10th, 1966, a new band called “The Doors” played…
Temple De Hirsch In Seattle Held Jimi Hendrix’s First Ever Gig
Jimi Hendrix’s first gig was with an unnamed band in the basement of this…
The Ballard Firehouse Was A Seattle Washington Concert Venue
This converted fire station became a venue for many bands. The Kinks The Fixx…
Garrick Theatre, A Former Concert Venue In New York
Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention played here nightly nightly for 6 months in 1967. Their shows…
Topanga Corral, Inspiration For “Roadhouse Blues” By The Doors
The Topanga Corral will be forever remembered as the place were Canned…
Earl Warren Show Grounds In Santa Barbara – First Large Doors Concert
On July 28 1966, at the “Mid-Summer Spectacular Show of Shows” the…
Warner Playhouse In Los Angeles – An Early Doors Concert Venue
When the Doors where first starting out in Los Angeles, they played at a…
Great Stage Park In Manchester – Home of Bonnaroo Music And Arts Festival
Great Stage Park is the home to the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival…
Michigan Palace In Detroit, Location Of The Last Iggy & The Stooges Concert
Also known as the Michigan Theatre and the Michigan Building, in the 70’s…
Former Location Of Music Club The Bottom Line In New York
The Bottom Line was a 400-seat club called which enjoyed a very long run…
Former Location Of Thee Image Psychedelic Music Club
Thee Image was Miami’s best known psychedelic rock club in the ’60’s,…
Gold Creek Park In Woodinville WA – Seattle Pop Festival
The Seattle Pop Festival was held here from July 25 to July 28, 1969…
Alameda County Fairgrounds In Pleasanton Home Of The San Francisco Pop Festival
The San Francisco Pop Festival was held here on Saturday October 26 &…
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena Home Of Los Angeles Pop Festival
The Los Angeles Pop Festival was held here on December 22 and 23…
Cleveland Stadium – Home of World Series of Rock
Cleveland Stadium (also known as Lakefront Stadium and Cleveland Municipal…
Mudd Club – “This Ain’t No Mudd Club Or CBGBs”
The Mudd Club opened in 1978 and very quickly became a hot late night…
The Golden Bear In Huntington Beach California
Originally a restaurant built in the early 1920’s, the Golden Bear became…
The Cobalt Cafe
The Cobalt Cafe was founded by Dave Politi on January 17, 1991. The venue…
Leo’s Casino – Otis Redding’s Last Performance Was Here
After his first location burned to the ground, Leo Frank along with his business…
The Levitt Shell, Memphis – Considered First Venue For A Rock Concert
Previously known as the Overton Park Shell and the Raoul Wallenberg Shell…
Natural Fudge Cafe
This was one of the many venues that up and coming acts would use to hone…
The Rathskeller aka “The Rat” – Former Location
Now the location of the Hotel Commonwealth, The Rathskeller (akaThe Rat) was a Kenmore Square live…
Boston Garden – Originally Known As “Boston Madison Square Garden”
The Garden opened on November 17, 1928 and was originally known as …
Miami-Hollywood Motorsports Park Home Of 1969 Miami Rock Festival
The Miami Rock Festival of December, 1969, drew thousands here to what…
Cleveland Arena The Location Of The First Rock Concert
On March 21, 1952, Alan Freed emceed the Moondog Coronation Ball at the…
Radio City, Anaheim California – Venue For Metallica’s First Gig
On March 14, 1982 Metallica played there first ever gig here. In 1986 the…
The Stone Pony – Bruce Springsteen Performs Regularly Here
The Stone Pony, opened its doors on Feb. 8, 1974 in a building which formerly…
Nipmuc Regional High School – Aerosmith First Concert In Front Of A Live Audience
On November 6, 1970 Aerosmith performed their first concert in front…
Santa Venetia Armory – Former Venue in San Rafael
The Santa Venetia Armory, was the National Guard Armory, and a regular…
Tower Theater Concert Venue
On June 14, 1972, the first concert at the Tower was Dave Mason and…
Knott’s John Wayne Theater – Last Everly Brothers Concert
On July 14, 1973 at what was once the John Wayne Theater at the world…
Phoenix Theater In Petaluma, Last Concert Venue for “Sublime”
The Phoenix began as a small town opera house. Opened in 1905 as the Hill…
Austin City Limits Music Festival – Zilker Park
The Festival is an annual event that takes place every Fall on 46-acres in…
New Frontier Hotel and Casino – Elvis’ First Las Vegas Show/Last Supremes Concert
Elvis Presley first performed in Las Vegas here in 1956 when he was 21…
The Cotton Bowl Stadium – First Crossroads Guitar Festival Held Here
The first Crossroads Guitar Festival was held at the Cotton Bowl from…
Missouri State Fairgrounds In Sedalia MO – Home Of The Ozark Music Festival
The Ozark Music Festival was held here on July 19-21, 1974 and is considered…
Pocono International Raceway Concert 10
Now known as Pocono Raceway, it was home to the Concert 10 rock concert…
Goose Lake International Music Festival In Leoni Township, MI
The Goose Lake International Music Festival was an outdoor rock festival…
Gulfstream Park In Hallandale Beach, Home Of The Miami Pop Festival
The Miami Pop Festival was the name of two different music festivals that…
The Avalon In Chicago, Venue Of The First Smashing Pumpkins Gig
The Smashing Pumpkins played their first ever club gig here. It’s now a…
Haleakala Crater – Last Ever American Concert For Jimi Hendrix
On July 30, 1970 Jimi Hendrix played in a cow pasture several miles from…
Dallas International Motor Speedway – Texas International Pop Festival
The Texas International Pop Festival was held here, on Labor Day weekend…
Calliope Warehouse Loft In San Francisco, Venue For First Ever Bill Graham Concert
Bill Graham threw his first concert – a legal defense fundraiser for the …
The Eagles Auditorium In Seattle Washington
Built in 1923, Eagles Auditorium’s ballroom hosted decades of fabled shows by acts including …
The Crocodile Café In Seattle The Home Of Secret Grunge Concerts
Considered the Seattle rock scene’s home away from home, The Crocodile…
Saint Paul Civic Center Arena – First Show Of “Born in the U.S.A.” Tour
The arena was part of the RiverCentre, a large convention center…
Las Vegas Hilton – Elvis Performed For 58 Consecutive Sold Out Shows Here.
When the Hilton opened in 1969, it was the largest hotel in the world…
Las Vegas Convention Center – Second Ever Beatles Concert In U.S.
The Beatles played here for their second ever U.S. gig in a former…
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, An Open-Air Concert Venue
This venue is a rock structure in Red Rocks Park near Morrison…
Mile High Stadium – Denver Pop Festival, Monsters of Rock Festival, Ozzfest
The Denver Pop Festival, a three-day music festival was held here…
The Cotati Cabaret
This Sonoma County club brought famous and soon-to-be famous…
The Berkeley Square, Former Venue In Berkeley
The Berkeley Square was a small music club in Berkeley, California, operating through the 1970s…
Riverfront Coliseum – Venue Of The Tragic Who Concert In 1979
On December 3, 1979 this venue was where eleven people died and 26 others were injured…
The Warehouse – Last Concert For Jim Morrison With The Doors
On December 12, 1970 Jim Morrison played his last concert with The Doors here before…
Fur Peace Ranch, Owned By Jorma Kaukonen Of “Jefferson Airplane” And “Hot Tuna”
Jorma Kaukonen and his wife Vanessa conceived what Jorma calls “a ranch that grows guitar players.”
40 Watt Club
The 40 Watt Club has been one of the launching pads for musical groups in the South…
St Mary’s Episcopal Church – Location Of First R.E.M. Concert
On April 5, 1980, R.E.M. played their first-ever concert at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Athens.
Live At The Harlem Square Club By Sam Cooke Album Cover Location
In 1963 Sam Cooke recorded what is regarded as one of the greatest ever…
The Cheetah Club Former Location
The Cheetah was one of the hot places to play if you were an up and coming…
New Regal Theater In Chicago – “Live At The Regal by B.B. King”
On 21 November 1964 one of the greatest blues albums of all time, “Live At The Regal by B.B. King,” …
Theatricum Botanicum In Topanga Canyon
The beginnings of the Theatricum Botanicum stretch back to the early 1950s when Will Geer…
The Mercury Lounge
Since it opened in the early 90’s, many famous artists have played here including Radiohead…
The Electric Circus
From 1967 to September 1971 this funky location hosted many rock legends including The…
82 Club – Legendary Drag Club Attracted Glam Rockers And Celebrities
This was a legendary drag club, during the 60’s and 70’s, this place became a popular hang …
Surf Ballroom & Museum – Last Place Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, And The Big Bopper Played
In addition to having The Little River Band, Loverboy, The Righteous Brothers, The Temptations…
8BC
Named for its location, this was one of the most critically acclaimed venues that sprung…
Cafe Au Go Go
Between February 1964 until it’s closing in October of 1969, Cafe Au Go Go was a happening…
City Auditorium, Houston Texas – Where Johnny Ace Died
Johnny Ace was a successful R&B singer with several hits including…
Atlanta Motor Speedway – First Atlanta International Pop Festival
Formerly Atlanta International Raceway, this was the site of the Atlanta International Pop…
Denver Center For The Performing Arts – First Led Zeppelin U.S. Concert
Led Zeppelin played their first ever U.S. concert here on December 26, 1968. On this tour, Led…
Soldier Field – Last Grateful Dead Concerts With Jerry Garcia
The Grateful Dead played their last concerts here on July 8th and 9th before the death of…
Summit High School – First Velvet Underground Concert Location
The Velvet Underground made their performing debut here in 1965.
Washington Coliseum – Site Of The First Concert By The Beatles In The U.S.
On February 11, 1964, this was the site of the very first concert by The Beatles in the…
Newport Folk Festival
The Newport Folk Festival was founded in 1959 and continues on to this…
Civic Arena – Former Concert Venue In Pittsburgh
Also known as Mellon Arena, many large famous rock and pop acts have…
Atlantic City Race Track – Atlantic City Pop Festival
The Atlantic City Pop Festival took place at the Atlantic City Race Track on…
Harvard Stadium – Janis Joplin’s Last Concert Performance
Janis Joplin played the last concert of her life here with the Full Tilt Boogie…
Paul’s Mall – First Live Bob Marley Concert In The U.S.
Paul’s Mall had a relatively short life, but in their approximately 15 years of…
Hof Brau Hotel – First Performance Of “Rock Around The Clock”
On April 12, 1954 Bill Haley and the Comets first performed “(We’re Gonna)…
Maxwell’s – Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days” Video
Parts of the music video for Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days” were filmed…
At Newport 1960 By Muddy Waters Album Cover Location
Festival Field was the former location of the Newport Folk and Jazz Festival…
Hampton Comes Alive By Phish Album Cover Location
The front of Hampton Coliseum was used for the Hampton Comes Alive by…
The Boston Tea Party
The Tea Party was opened in January 1967 as a psychedelic club. In the years that…
The Peppermint Lounge
The Peppermint Lounge opened in 1958, this was the “hip” place to be in the…
Steve Paul’s The Scene
The Scene was one of the hippest venues in late-’60s Manhattan. Major rock…
The Trip
Owned by Elmer Valentine, who also owned and operated the nearby Whisky A Go Go…
The Metropolitan Opera House
In 1970, for two nights, The Who performed some of the first ever live performances…
The Cocoanut Grove
The Cocoanut Grove, was a supper club located in the Ambassador Hotel, it opened in April…
Carnegie Hall – Last Concert Performance Of R.E.M.
Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1891…
Longshoremen’s Hall – Early San Francisco Bay Area Venue
This is where the notorious Acid Test’s were held in the mid 1960’s. The Trips Festival…
The Firehouse
Located at the former quarters of Engine Co. 26 and Truck Co. 10, this building held concerts…
Swing Auditorium – Buffalo Springfield’s First Concert
The auditorium was the launching point of the first American tour of The Rolling Stones. The…
The Magic Mushroom/Cinnamon Cinder
Many rock bands of the ’60’s played here including Randy Meisner, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band…
Long Beach Sports Arena – Last Original Buffalo Springfield Concert Held Here
The original Buffalo Springfield played their last ever concert here on May 5, 1968, On the bill…
Grand Olympic Auditorium – Los Angeles
Originally built for the 1932 Summer Olympic Games, this venue has seen its share of…
The Ice House – Folk And Comedy Club
In the 1960s, Folk music was in its prime, and The Ice House was America’s top folk club…
Masonic Auditorium
Bob Dylan performed a famous concert here in November of 1964. Also, Van Morrison…
Drinking Gourd – The Beginning Of Jefferson Airplane
This is the location where Marty Balin first met Paul Kantner. The “Gourd” was a kind of…
Pandora’s Box, Inspiration For “For What It’s Worth” By Buffalo Springfield
This was an underage club that was a little too popular for it’s own good. In late…
The Turkey Joint West – Early Doors Performances Here
The Seeds first played here in 1964. The Doors honed their onstage presence…
Forest Hills Tennis Stadium In Queens New York
In its heyday, the stadium attracted the world’s best musical artists. The Beatles played…
Watkins Glen International Racetrack – The Summer Jam
On July 28, 1973 one of the largest rock concerts of all time took place here – The Summer…
Fox Theater – Brooklyn Site Of The Who’s U.S. Debut
On March 25, 1967, The Who made their U.S. debut here as part of a Murray the K Rock…
Woodstock Music and Art Fair
Commonly just referred to as “Woodstock” this is the location of the most famous rock…
Wingate Park Where Curtis Mayfield Was Struck And Paralyzed
On August 14, 1990, Curtis Mayfield was struck and paralyzed by a lighting scaffold…
NBC Studios – The Burbank Studios
Now known as “The Burbank Studios” it was the home to the long running …
The Central Park Concert By Dave Matthews Band Album Cover Location
In addition to the “Central Park Concert” album cover, Central Park was the location…
The Bitter End
Many music legends played here, many got some of their first gigs here as well. Here’s a…
Cafe Wha? Where Jimi Hendrix Was “Discovered”
Many rock and roll stars got an early start at this Greenwich Village institution…
The Bowery Ballroom
A major Rock club located in the Bowery. The club serves as the namesake of Joan…
Mystic Theatre
A North Bay club that has hosted many great acts over the years including: Dread…
Shea Stadium
On August 15, 1965, The Beatles played here on their second concert tour of the United…
Apollo Theater – James Brown’s “Live at the Apollo” Recorded Here
This is one of the most famous clubs in the country, if not the world. The Apollo was…
CBGB-OMFUG
Most of the major acts from the 70’s played here including Blondie, David Bowie, The…
Fillmore East
The East Coast edition of Bill Graham’s concert venues which opened on March 8…
Max’s Kansas City
A true New York icon, Max’s is a place where art and music seem to fuse together…
Fox Venice Theater
John Lee Hooker recorded a live album here with Canned Heat called “Live at the…
Glen Helen Regional Park – Location Of US Festival I And US Festival II
Now known as The San Manuel Amphitheater, this was the site of both US Festivals put on…
Orange County Fairgrounds – 1968 Newport Pop Festival
The Newport Pop Festival was held here the weekend of August 3-4, 1968 with many…
Cafe Bizarre – Where Andy Warhol Discovered “The Velvet Underground”
This is the club where Andy Warhol discovered The Velvet Underground…
Gerde’s Folk City – Bob Dylan’s First Professional Gig
Bob Dylan played his first professional gig here in 1961. He opened for John Lee…
Rodney Bingenheimer’s English Disco
Rodney Bingenheimer ran this place for a while in the 70’s and early 80’s. He also…
Pasadena Civic Auditorium
The Civic Auditorium is probably best known for hosting the Motown 25th Anniversary…
Ontario Motor Speedway – Home Of Cal Jam I And Cal Jam II
The speedway was host to both the California Jam (Cal Jam) I concert in 1974 and…
Thee Experience, Former Rock ‘N Roll Venue
In the late ’60’s, this building had Jimi Hendrix’s head painted on the front and you…
Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Formerly known as both Anaheim Stadium (1966-1997) and Edison International Field…
The Nightbreak
A true San Francisco original, Nightbreak was the Alt/indie venue that everyone…
Madame Wong’s West – Famous Punk Rock Hang Out
A Famous punk rock hang out owned and operated by Esther Wong. A who’s who of…
Santa Clara County Fairgrounds – Northern California Folk-Rock Festivals
For many years, the Fairgrounds Grandstand Arena held huge concerts with famous …
Sonoma County Fairgrounds
Santa Rosa’s central location in Sonoma County made the Fairgrounds a good ‘extra date’…
The Masque – Former Venue On Santa Monica Blvd.
A small punk rock club in central Hollywood which existed off and on from 1977 to 1979…
The Comedy Store – Previously Ciro’s Where The Byrds Became Famous
Certainly famous in its own right as one the original places where the current…
The Ark, A Venue In The Remains Of A Wheelhouse Boat
The Ark was actually the remains of a wheelhouse boat called the Charles Van Damme…
The Bandshell At Golden Gate Park
Officially known as the “Spreckels Temple of Music”, it is located between the Steinhart…
The Boarding House
Besides being one of the premier comedy clubs in San Francisco many a great…
The Matrix – First Concert Location For The Jefferson Airplane
The Matrix was opened by Marty Balin in 1965 as a place where his new as yet unnamed…
The Panhandle In Golden Gate Park
This little strip of land, just a few blocks north of the Haight has been the site of many…
The Showcase
One of the Bay Area’s better known nightclubs for black acts in the 60’s and 70’s…
The Stone – Also Known As The Matrix
This location was numerous clubs at one time or another including The Matrix and the…
The Trident
After The Rolling Stones great 1972 performances at the Winterland, Bill Graham rented…
The Venetian Room At The Fairmont Hotel
Besides being the first place that Tony Bennett unveiled his classic “I left my heart in…
War Memorial Opera House
Besides being an historic location because Japan signed the final articles of surrender…
Warfield Theater
Opened in 1922, this nine story building was booked by Bill Graham in 1979 for…
The Winterland Ballroom – The Last Waltz
The Winterland Ballroom was an old ice skating rink in San Francisco, it was located…
Wolfgang’s
Almost immediately after opening in 1983, this 600 seat location called Wolfgang’…
Zellerbach Auditorium
A nice intimate 3,000 seat auditorium that has seen some great bands come…
Old Waldorf
This famous night club was originally opened by Jeff Pollack in 1976, Jeff sold…
Mabuhay Gardens
Also known as The Mab and The Fab Mab, this was one of the hot spots for the…
Kezar Stadium
The stadium was built between 1922 and 1925 in the southeast corner of…
Monterey County Fairgrounds, Home Of The 1967 Monterey Pop Festival
The Monterey County Fairgrounds has hosted the world renowned Monterey…
The Mountain Theater – KFRC Fantasy Fair And Magic Mountain Music Festival
Officially known as the Sidney B. Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre. On June 10th…
North Beach Revival
Another SF location that has seen many incarnations, the North Beach Revival…
Oakland Coliseum Arena And Stadium
In 1966, the city of Oakland constructed Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum for…
The Orphanage
Another location that housed many clubs, as the Orphanage, this location hosted…
Palace of Fine Arts Theater
The Panama Pacific Exposition of 1915 was an event dedicated to progress, the…
The Paramount Theatre
The Paramount Theatre is one of the finest remaining examples of Art Deco design…
Pauley Ballroom
In 1965 as part of the “Berkeley Folk Festival” The Jefferson Airplane and Country…
The Purple Onion
The club that launched the Smothers Brothers and The Kingston Trio is still…
Savoy-Tivoli
In 1976, in a back room here, many great or soon to be great attractions played here…
The Shoreline Amphitheatre
Opened in 1986, the Shoreline Amphitheatre is considered the most successful outdoor…
Slim’s
Boz Scaggs and Huey Lewis manager Bob Brown opened this venue in 1987. While…
Sonoma State University Campus
On August 14, 2005 The Eagles played here on the athletic field and became the largest…
Straight Theater – Grateful Dead Rehearsal Hall
The Grateful Dead used this location as a rehearsal hall before its official opening…
Peppermint Tree
As are many locations in the Bay Area, this location had many persona’s throughout…
The Viper Room
On Oct. 1, 1996, a paparazzo in the club snapped a photo of The Rolling Stones’ Mick…
The Wiltern
The Wiltern’s name was derived from its location at the intersection of Wilshire and…
Candlestick Park – Site Of The Last Beatles Concert Performance
It so hard to keep track of all of the name changes for this place, it’s currently called Monster Park after the Monster Cable Company.
The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
The Civic Auditorium was renamed in 1992 following Bill’s death. At the entrance are…
The Concord Pavilion
The Sleep Train Pavilion (formerly known as the Concord Pavilion and then the…
The Cow Palace
The Cow Palace, located in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, hosts well over one…
The Fillmore Auditorium
The Fillmore Auditorium is a legendary music venue in San Francisco made famous…
Frost Amphitheater
Frost Amphitheater is located on the Stanford University campus at the corner of …
Gilman Street Music Club
This place is best known as the birthplace for the bands Green Day and Rancid…
Great American Music Hall
San Francisco’s oldest and grandest nightclub opened in 1907 after the 1906 earthquake…
William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre
The William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre opened in Berkeley in September 1903…
Henry J. Kaiser Auditorium
Built in 1913, it was originally known as the Oakland Civic Auditorium. In 1984, following…
Hungry i
The Hungry i was a legendary San Francisco nightclub operated in the late 1950s…
The I-Beam
The I-Beam was a famous gay disco for years, in 1980 they started to have special…
The Kabuki Theater
In 1981 Bill Graham started weekly shows here with such famous acts as Eurythmics…
Keystone Berkeley – Creedence Clearwater Revival’s First Gig
Creedence Clearwater Revival played their first gig here when it was called New…
Keystone Korner
This was a very happening spot in the late 60’s when such Rock luminaries as Elvin…
Lindley Meadows – Golden Gate Park
In 1975 Jerry Garcia and Friends (really The Grateful Dead) returned from a year off …
House of Blues
Part of the chain that includes locations in New Orleans and Cambridge, MA…
Ivar Bar
One of the few rock venues in the early 60’s in Hollywood, it then became a strip…
Greek Theater
A wonderful outdoor setting located in Griffith Park. Many of the top bands of the last…
Hollywood Bowl
The home of the L. A. Philharmonic, but has seen many famous rock shows, including …
Maverick’s Flat
Some great early black groups played here at what came to be known as the West…
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Coliseum has held numerous rock concerts, including five sold-out nights of…
The Palomino
The Palomino has long been known as a country-flavored club, but in the 80’s…
Raymond Theater
From 1979 through 1991, The Raymond Theatre was known as Perkins Palace. It…
Rose Bowl Stadium
In June 1988, Depeche Mode played a famous concert here, Thomas Dolby, and…
The Roxy Theatre
At one time or another, if you played Los Angeles, you played at the Roxy. Van Morrison…
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
The Civic hosted some of the coolest concerts of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Such greats as…
Shrine Auditorium Home To The Grammy Awards, The MTV Music Awards & The Emmy Awards
When it was built by the Shriners back in 1906 (and rebuilt in 1920 after a fire) the…
Staples Center
Incredible newer venue which opened in 1999 with concerts from Bruce Springsteen…
Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
The Fred Kavli Theatre, located in the arts plaza, is a nice newer venue that seats…
Valley Music Center
Many rock bands played here in the 60’s and 70’s including but not limited to: The Doors…
The Anti Club
This was the closest thing left in L. A. to the underground clubs of the eighties. The Anti-Club…
The Aquarius Theatre – Parts Of The Doors Album “Absolutely Live” Recorded Here
How many lives can one building have? Opened in 1938, by the time the 60’s rolled around…
The Ash Grove, One Of The Greatest Folk/Blues Clubs
The Ash Grove was probably the greatest folk/blues club of the sixties. In 1965 the …
Cathay De Grande
An influential small club where many bands including the “Go-Go’s”, “The Blasters” and…
Club Lingerie
Once a very popular club site for the late-night set. Don’t blink when you drive by as…
Coconut Teaszer
This location has a long history as a club, but its longest incarnation was as the Coconut…
The Country Club
This site, which first opened in 1974, had been up and down constantly since its inception…
Devonshire Downs – Home Of The Newport Pop Festival
This ex-racetrack is probably best known for hosting the Newport ’69 Pop Festival. This show…
Dodger Stadium
Entertainers from around the world have performed here such as KISS, The Rolling Stones…
FM Station
Filthy McNasty had run this place since the early 70’s. The Band, Edgar Winter and many…
Gazzarri’s
The Godfather of Rock and Roll was a staple on L. A. airwaves with his commercials for years…
Gibson Amphitheater
Formerly the Universal Amphitheater, this longtime venue has been a rock and roll landmark…
The Forum
Formerly The Great Western Forum, it had seating for over 17,000 people, The Great Western…
El Cid – The Beau Brummels were discovered here
Disc Jockey Tom Donahue discovered the Beau Brummels here. It’s said that he heard…
The Lion’s Share – Janis Joplin’s Wake Was Held Here
San Anselmo was home to Marin’s premiere rock venue, the Lion’s Share located near United…
Mother’s Nightclub – San Francisco
Some people consider this to be the first ever psychedelic night club. The Lovin’ Spoonful…
The Sweetwater
The Sweetwater is the legendary Mill Valley music club which for over 30 years has been the…
Vesuvio Cafe
One of the early North Beach hangouts for beatnicks, many of the local music talent…
The Starwood – Venue For Mötley Crüe’s First Concert
The hard rock club of the seventies and one of the first clubs to book L.A. punk bands…
Altamont Motorsports Park
On December 6, 1969 The Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young…
Avalon Ballroom – Janis Joplin’s First Public Appearance With Big Brother
On June 10, 1966, Janis Joplin made her first public appearance with Big Brother and the…
Basin Street West
Basin Street West was a famous Jazz club which gradually migrated towards rock before…
Berkeley Community Theater – Metallica “S&M” Album Cover Location
On the campus of Berkeley High School. The theater has 3,500 seats, including a balcony…
Bimbo’s 365 Club
Lines of long-stemmed chorus girls kicked high to the music when this club first opened…
Both/And – “Ball And Chain” By “Big Mama” Thornton Heard Here By Janis Joplin
“Big Mama” Thornton was a regular at this jazz club, one of her songs “Ball and Chain” was…
B.R. Cohn Winery, Founded By The Manager Of “The Doobie Brothers”
In 1969, Bruce Cohn began managing a local band called The Doobie Brothers, and the rest…
Chateau Liberte – Early Doobie Brothers Venue
The Chateau Liberte was a legendary rock & roll bar in the Santa Cruz mountains. It was an…
Chuck’s Cellar – The Beginning Of The Eagles
In 1971, Linda Ronstadt put together a backup band to play a gig here, the members Randy…
Duke’s Coffee Shop/London Fog – The Doors First Official Club Gig
Once the coffee shop to the Tropicana, a motel previously next door where…
McCabe’s Guitar Shop
McCabe’s is one of the oldest guitar stores in the Los Angeles area. Shows…
Paramount Theater
Alan Freed presented live rock shows here including those by artists like Buddy Holly…
