On May 20, 1967, Birmingham High School, now known as Birmingham Community Charter High School, in Van Nuys held a concert in their stadium as a fund raiser to pay off the debt incurred when the stadium was built.
The concert headlined Jefferson Airplane and the opening acts of The Doors, Peanut Butter Conspiracy, The Merry Go Round, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Sunshine Company as well as a “battle of the bands” finale featuring local San Fernando Valley bands.
Tickets were only $3!
It was the first big show The Doors played with over 10,000 people showing up.
Birmingham High School
17000 Haynes Street
Van Nuys, CA 91406
Our band “Distortion” was one of the Finalists of the KHJ Boss Battle. Members included: John Yaffe (guitar/vocals), Dan Sawyer (guitar, vocals, sax/flute) Steve Garrett (vocals / bass guitar), Dave Weinstein (rhythm guitar), and myself Steve Kitnick (drums).
I was there! Second row!
I was there.
We were in the same class at Madison. I remember all you guys
Funny I just found this, I was at that concert as I remember it was 2 books of Bluechip savings stamps that got you in also if you had 4 books you could go back stage as I did. I spoke with John Densmore back stage and mentioned I the saw Doors at the Cinnamon Cinder in Studio City Ca. With “Love” and “Iron Butterfly”.That show was a year or two before the “Doors” first record same with “Butterfly”.there was only 1 FM radio station it was the”PP” 106.7 KPPC.
I was there too. We sold candy bars for the new stadium to get in and I remember that Jefferson Airplane had ‘Top Billing’. But, after The Doors played (and really rocked the stadium) people were leaving early after Jefferson Airplane was playing. My group had to help take down the chairs. Who knew how really BIG The doors and Jefferson Airplane would turn out to be.
John Davidson
Birmingham High 1967-70
Hello, I was there too I remember that about everybody leaving, I remember we had seats in the bleachers. A lot of bands in that era graduated 1968 Van nuys high School in the summer. Remember going to the shrine exposition Hall a lot, saw The Yardbirds can’t heat the doors, remember the cheetah that was on the old Avalon Beach Pier, saw the fugs and a bunch of other bands it was $3.50 to get in and everybody thought that was a lot of money, what a thing huh
I was there too I don’t know why I remember this but they had the Battle of the bands and this guy one band I forgot the name of them. But they were doing a Jerry and a pacemaker song hey truth it was cracking us up
Such memories! I was there too. I must have shown up after the B of B. Not sure. Do remember the other bands. Remember my Mom made me wear a yellow eyelet dress she made me! With matching yellow patent leather shoes. I was so embarrassed! I was allowed to go alone. I was allowed to go backstage and met Paul and Grace. Very impressed 13.5 yr old me. Jim Morrison was not that friendly but damn, what a performer! I’m about to turn 70 and feel so very fortunate to have grown up in LA and during that great era!
I was there also and I tell people about it still! Was a senior at Portola that summer. Had to be home at 11, but still got to see Jim Morrison. So thankful for growing up in the late 60s and in LA.
Bought a ticket; but I didn’t use it because a friend and I went to the stadium early in the day to work out for track and field(I ran the 660 and long-jumped). Ended up staying there watching the place get set up for the concert. Nobody threw us out, so we hung around until the concert started. Watched the whole thing from different vantage points. Didn’t realize what I was witnessing until years later. The first concert I ever attended. What a trip!!!!!
Small World experiences. I was a senior at Notre Dame HS, and my girlfriend at the time attended Van Nuys HS and heard about the concert. So we bought tickets at the gate and enjoyed a great concert. Each band was worth the price of admission. The small world element is that I now live in Baja California Sur at the tip of the Baja California peninsula in a small expat community 10 miles northeast of San Jose del Cabo called Zacatitos. There are 3 other unrelated people who are now friends of mine much later in life that were also at that concert. A few years ago one of them, a woman a few years younger than me, was thrilled when she learned that I had also been at that concert. Now I could tell her husband, that yes, we had seen the Jefferson Airplane, the Doors, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band at Birmingham High School back in 1967. So finally, to her satisfaction, he would believe that it actually happened. Too funny. I shared the picture of the poster that you posted so that she can share that with her husband as well.
Add me to the list of attendees to this concert. I went to pick up my best friend who lived across the street from me in Encino, and his mother answered the door and told me that my friend was “grounded” and would not be attending the concert and that I should go ahead and sell his $3.00 ticket. Back in ’67, you could really only hear the Doors and Light My Fire after midnight on KFWB Am radio. But I was even more excited to hear The Merry Go Round and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, both of whom I liked. At the time, the Doors were an up and coming band while the Airplane was a top tier band. Even the Sunshine Company was a popular act at the time. And added to the evening was the local Battle of the Bands finalists. Quite a memorable evening.
I just wish I had been fortunate enough (and old enough) when the Byrds were playing high school gymnasiums around town a couple of years earlier. (Still my favorite band 60 years later)
I was there, too! I was a week shy of turning 14. My brother, Steve, was 4 years older than me and a senior at Birmingham. We saw so many great shows back then and there were always at least 3 or 4 bands on a bill, usually including a local act. $3.50 admission!! lol
What a great night it was. As someone else mentioned, feel incredibly fortunate to have grown up at that time and seen so many phenomenal bands locally, in small venues. I saw the Beatles at Hollywood Bowl and Dodger Stadium but having the Doors and Jefferson Airplane at my high school was nearly as amazing. The most memorable moment of this concert was iwhen Grace Slick was singing White Rabbit and the electricity/microphone cut out because it was midnight. An abrupt ending to a truly extraordinary experience.
I was not only there but I was a member of the band “The Moods” who actually one the Pepsi Boss Battle of the Bands that very night. Besides the great talent and other bands that were there, it was such a great night of Rock & Roll which I will never forget. Our band had to leave early because we were performing as the House Band at the famous Cinnamon Cinder dance club in Long Beach, California. Unfortunately missed some of the popular bands but got to see The Doors perform before we had to leave. So exciting! Looking forward to hearing other comments from others that attended.