The Fillmore East

Having previously seen life as both a theatre and cinema, the Fillmore East opened as a Rock venue on March 8, 1968. The first performance was by Janis Joplin's band, Big Brother and The Holding Company.

Showing two concerts a night for several days of the week, always with major league bands, the Fillmore soon became New York's premier venue. It was the East Coast alternative to owner Bill Graham's hugely successful San Francisco based Fillmore West.


















In April of 1968 The Who became the first English band to headline the venue. As a follow up to their 'Sell Out' album they intended to release a live LP recorded at the Fillmore. Though the shows were taped, the project was shelved when Townshend started writing 'Tommy'. One of these Fillmore performances is pretty easy to find on bootleg, and being professionally recorded, is a must-have for any Who fan.


















During a 1969 Who gig at the Fillmore, a plain clothes Police Officer rushed the stage to warn that the grocery store next door was on fire. Assuming he was about to be attacked, Townshend kicked the officer "in the bollocks". This led to his arrest, followed by a Court appearance for Third Degree Assault, with a fine of £30.













Despite its immense popularity, with performers such as Jimi Hendrix, The Allman Brothers, Cream, Chuck Berry and Miles Davies recording live albums there, the Fillmore had a shelf-life of just three years. In 1971 Bill Graham decided to close the venue. He made an announcement claiming this was due to his not liking the commercialism rampant on the live scene, and that he was growing disheartened at the trend amongst audiences to scream for a band to play 'hits', rather than just sit back and enjoy the music itself.

Others have said the closure had more to do with the venue's proximity to the local Hells Angels clubhouse. Amongst other problems, Angels didn't pay entry fees. There was also an increasing flow of assorted "revolutionary" groups attempting to disrupt shows and use the Fillmore's stage to vocalise their anarchic rhetoric.

The final concert at the Fillmore took place on June 27, 1971, featuring the Allman Brothers, J. Giels Band, Albert King, Edgar Winter's White Trash, Mountain, The Beach Boys and Country Joe McDonald. Entry was by invitation only.














After the Fillmore's closure the building lay vacant for a number of years. In 1980 a gay disco, The Saint, took over the premises. The building was refurbished to the cost of $5 million dollars. When the club went out of business 6 years later, a 48 hour farewell party was held. The building then went disused until the 1990's, when a fleamarket moved in. In 1997 developers began to convert the building into apartments for young professionals. As of 2007 the former entrance lobby is a branch of Emigrant Savings Bank.


















The Fillmore East was at 105 2nd Ave, at E.6th St. New York.