As world events and pop culture unfold
the San Francisco concert scene rocks on
the San Francisco concert scene rocks on
JANUARY
Vanilla Fudge, Steve Miller Band, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee at the Fillmore Auditorium Jan 4
Vanilla Fudge, Steve Miller Band, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee at Winterland Jan 5-6
The Youngbloods and Ace of Cups at the Avalon Ballroom Jan 5-7
Chambers Brothers, Sunshine Company and Siegal Schwall Blues Band at the Fillmore Auditorium Jan 11
Johnny Cash records live At Folsom Prison January 21 Photo: LA Times
Quicksilver Messenger Service, Kaleidoscope and Charley Musselwhite at the Avalon Ballroom Jan 12
Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jerry Abrams Headlights at the Carousel Ballroom Jan 17
The phrase ‘heavy metal thunder’ on Steppenwolf’s debut album defines emerging rock and roll genre.
Paul Butterfield, Charles Lloyd Quartet and Ultimate Spinach at the Fillmore Auditorium Jan 18
Genesis and Mother Earth at the Avalon Ballroom Jan 19-21
Big Brother & the Holding Company, Electric Flag, the Youngbloods and Ultimate Spinach at the Fillmore Auditorium Jan 25
Big Brother & the Holding Company, Electric Flag, the Youngbloods and Ultimate Spinach at Winterland Jan 26
There’s a Nightmare in my Closet by Mercer Mayer published January 28
Tet Offensive January 30
Massive enemy offensive threatens belief in US invincibility
FEBRUARY
Gore Vidal’s Myra Breckinridge in bookstores now
The Jimi Hendrix Experience, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and Albert King at the Fillmore Auditorium Feb 1
The Jimi Hendrix Experience, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and Albert King at Winterland Feb 2-3
Iconic Planet of the Apes movie opens February 2
Electric Flag and the Fugs at the Avalon Ballroom Feb 2-4
Vanilla Fudge, Steve Miller Band, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee at Winterland Feb 5-6
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Arlo Guthrie and Loading Zone at the Fillmore Auditorium Feb 9-10
Grateful Dead and Country Joe & the Fish at the Carousel Ballroom Feb 14
Paul Butterfield, James Cotton and Albert King at the Fillmore Auditorium Feb 15
The Youngbloods and Mount Rushmore at the Avalon Ballroom Feb 16
The Beatles Travel to India
The Beatles visit Maharishi in Rhishikesh February 16
Photo: Paul Saltzman
Photo: Paul Saltzman
Quicksilver Messenger Service and Son House at the Avalon Ballroom Feb 23
Fleetwood Mac debut album in stores February 24
MARCH
Eldridge Cleaver’s Soul on Ice in bookstores in March
Grateful Dead Leave the Haight
March 3 farewell concert on flatbed before leaving the Haight for Marin County
Photo: © Jim Marshall Photography LLC.
Photo: © Jim Marshall Photography LLC.
Blues Project and Genesis at the Avalon Mar 1
Cream, James Cotton Blues Band, Jeremy & the Satyrs and Blood, Sweat & Tears at the Fillmore Auditorium Mar 7
Love, Congress of Wonders and Sons of Champlin at the Avalon,
Mar 8-10
Mar 8-10
Cream, James Cotton Blues Band, Jeremy & the Satyrs and Blood, Sweat & Tears at Winterland Mar 8-10
Otis Redding’s “Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay” tops charts March 16
Traffic, H.P. Lovecraft, Blue Cheer and Mother Earth at the Fillmore Auditorium Mar 14
Blood, Sweat & Tears and John Handy at the Avalon Mar 15-17
Jefferson Airplane and Grateful Dead at the Carousel Ballroom Mar 15-17
Traffic, H.P. Lovecraft, Blue Cheer and Mother Earth at Winterland Mar 15-17
Chariots of the Gods by Erik von Däniken published
Moby Grape, Traffic, Lemon Pipers and Spirit at the Fillmore Auditorium Mar 21
Siegal Schwall Blues Band and Kaleidoscope at the Avalon Ballroom Mar 22
Moby Grape, Traffic, Lemon Pipers and Spirit at Winterland Mar 22
Country Joe & the Fish, Steppenwolf, Flamin’ Groovies at the Fillmore Auditorium Mar 28-29
Jeremy & the Satyrs and Sons of Champlin at the Avalon Ballroom Mar 29
APRIL
Arthur C. Clark’s 2001: A Space Odyssey film released April 2
MLK Assassinated April 4
Martin Luther King Jr. shot dead while standing on a balcony outside his hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. Photo: Joseph Louw/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Eric Burdon & the Animals, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Sons of Champlin at the Fillmore Auditorium Apr 4
Eric Burdon & the Animals, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Sons of Champlin at Winterland Apr 5-6
Blues Project and It’s a Beautiful Day at the Avalon Ballroom Apr 5-7
Big Brother & the Holding Company, Iron Butterfly, Booker T & the MGs at the Fillmore Auditorium Apr 11
Moby Grape, It’s a Beautiful Day and Sweet Rush at the Carousel Ballroom Apr 12-13
Fugs and Ace of Cups at the Avalon Ballroom Apr 12-14
George Lois’ Esquire cover of Mohammed Ali as martyr St. Sebastian for choosing jail instead of Viet Nam.
Love, the Staple Singers and Roland Kirk at the Fillmore Auditorium Apr 18
Emma Franklin, The Santana Blues Band and Frumious Bandersnatch at the Carousel Ballrom Apr 19-21
“Dance to the Music” by Sly & the Family Stone cracks the Billboard Top Ten on April 20
Steppenwolf and Charley Musselwhite at the Avalon Ballroom Apr 19-21
Steve Miller Band, James & Bobby Purify and Sons of Champlin at the Carousel Ballroom Apr 26-28
San Francisco Peace March
Thousands march against the Viet Nam war in San Francisco April 27
Photo: UPI/Moffitt Library UC Berkeley
Photo: UPI/Moffitt Library UC Berkeley
Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Charlatans and It’s a Beautiful Day at the Avalon Ballroom Apr 26- 28
MAY
Moby Grape, Hour Glass and the United States of America at the Fillmore Auditorium May 2-4
Junior Wells and Canned Heat at the Avalon Ballroom May 3-5
Student uprising in Paris
Photo: Marc Riboud
Thelonious Monk, Dr. John the Night Tripper and the Charlatans at the Carousel Ballroom May 3-5
The Charlatans, Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks, Steve Miller Band and Jefferson Airplane at the Carousel Ballroom May 8
Loading Zone, Crome Syrcus and H.P. Lovecraft at the Fillmore Auditorium May 9- 11
Quicksilver Messenger Service and Ace of Cups at Winterland May 10-12
The Hells Angels present Big Brother & the Holding Company and the Youngbloods at the Carousel Ballroom May 15
Country Joe & the Fish, Incredible String Band and Albert Collins at the Fillmore Auditorium May 16-18
Junior Wells and Santana at the Avalon Ballroom May 17-19
Yardbirds, It’s a Beautiful Day, Cecil Taylor at The Fillmore Auditorium May 23
Carlos Castenada’s Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge in bookstores in May
The Papas and The Mamas released May 23
Monterey Pop Festival cancelled May 25
Over $50,000 of previous years profits missing; bookkeeper nowhere to be found
Big Brother & the Holding Company, Sara Ward Singers and H.P. Lovecraft at the Carousel Ballroom May 24-26
The Youngbloods and Kaleidoscope at the Avalon Ballroom May 24-26
Buffalo Springfield, the Chamber Brothers and Richie Havens, at the Fillmore Auditorium May 29
Grateful Dead and Charlie Musslewhite Blues Band at the Carousel Ballroom May 30-31
JUNE
Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” tops charts Jun 1
Grateful Dead and Charlie Musslewhite Blues Band at the Carousel Ballroom, Jun 1
Taj Majal & Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Avalon Ballroom Jun 1-2
Robert F. Kennedy Assassinated June 6
Robert F. Kennedy shot while campaigning for President at Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.
Mothers of Invention, B.B. King and Booker T. & The MGs at the Fillmore Auditorium Jun 6
Mothers of Invention, B.B. King and Booker T. & The MGs at Winterland Jun 7-8
Iron Butterfly and the Velvet Underground at the Avalon Ballroom Jun 7-8
Big Brother & the Holding Company, Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Foundations at the Fillmore Auditorium Jun 13
Joan Didion’s impressions of Haight-Ashbury Slouching Towards Bethlehem published
Big Brother & the Holding Company, Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Foundations at Winterland Jun 14-15
The Charlatans, Cleveland Wrecking Company and Uncut Ballroom at Haight-Ashbury Straight Theater Jun 14-15
Fumious Bundersnatch and Clear Light at the Avalon Ballroom Jun 14-16
Big Brother & the Holding Company, Steve Miller Band, Sandy Bull, Dan Hicks and Santana at the Fillmore Auditorium Jun 16
The Thomas Crown Affair movie opens June 19
The Chambers Brothers, It’s Beautiful Day and the Crazy World of Arthur Brown at the Fillmore Auditorium Jun 18-20
Quicksilver Messenger Service and Sly & The Family Stone at the Fillmore Auditorium Jun 21-23
Mother Earth and Kaleidoscope at the Avalon Ballroom Jun 21-23
Big Brother & the Holding Company at the Carousel Ballroom Jun 23
Tikki Tikki Tembo wins 1968 Boston Globe-Horn Best Picture Book Award
Albert King, Loading Zone and Rain at the Fillmore Auditorium Jun 25-27
Ten Years After, Canned Heat and Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks at the Fillmore Auditorium Jun 28-30
Randy Newman’s debut album released June 29
The Youngbloods and It’s a Beautiful Day at the Avalon Ballroom Jun 28-30
A Saucerful of Secrets by Pink Floyd released June 29
JULY
Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Avalon Ballroom Jul 1
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Steppenwolf and It’s a Beautiful Day at the Fillmore Auditorium Jul 2-4
The Green Berets starring John Wayne in theaters July 4
Initial Shock, Allmen Joy, Phoenix and Indian Head Band at the Straight Theater Jul 3
Iron Butterfly and Indian Head Band at the Avalon Ballroom Jul 4-7
Creedence Clearwater Revival debut album released July 5
Butterfield Blues Band, Tens Years After, and Truth at the Fillmore Auditorium Jul 5-7
Electric Flag, Buddy Guy and Freddy King at the Fillmore Auditorium Jul 9-11
Blue Cheer, Ike & Tina Turner and Freddy King at the Fillmore Auditorium Jul 12-14
Steve Miller Band and Howlin’ Wolf at the Avalon Ballroom Jul 12-14
The Fillmore West Opens July 16
Big Brother & the Holding Company headline as Fillmore West opens in former Carousel Ballroom
Grateful Dead’s psychedelic rock album Anthem of the Sun in stores July 18
Big Brother & the Holding Company, Richie Havens and the Illinois Speed Press at the Fillmore West Jul 16-18
Sly & the Family Stone, Jeff Beck, Siegal Schwall Blues Band at the Fillmore West Jul 19-21
Tim Buckley and the Velvet Underground at the Avalon Ballroom Jul 19-21
Moby Grape, Jeff Beck and Mint Tatoo at the Fillmore West Jul 23-25
The 5th Dimension song “Stoned Soul Picnic” #3 on the Billboard charts July 27
Charles Lloyd Quartet, Herd and James Cotton Blues Band at the Fillmore West Jul 26-28
Quicksilver Messenger Service and Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks at the Avalon Ballroom Jul 26-28
Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Santana and Hello People at the Fillmore West Jun 30-31
AUGUST
Iron Butterfly, the Holy Modal Rounders, Canned Heat and Initial Shock at the Fillmore West Aug 2-4
Pink Floyd, Crome Syrcus and the Holy Modal Rounders at the Avalon Ballroom Aug 2-4
The Chambers Brothers, the Charlatans and Queen Lily Soap at the Fillmore West Aug 6-8
Eric Burdon & The Animals, Blood, Sweat & Tears and Gypsy Wizard at the Fillmore West Aug 9-11
Steppenwolf and Siegal Schwall Blues Band at the Avalon Ballroom Aug 10-11
The Who, James Cotton and Magic Sam at the Fillmore West Aug 13-15
Tom Wolfe embedded in The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test is the New Journalism.
Critics say it creates a fictional Ken Kesey.
Critics say it creates a fictional Ken Kesey.
Creedence Clearwater Revival, It’s a Beautiful Day and Albert Collins at the Fillmore West Aug 16-18
Bill Haley & Comets, Drifters at the Avalon Ballroom Aug 16-18
USSR invades Prague August 20
200,000 troops and 2,000 tanks enter Czechoslovakia.
Photo: Andrej Holan
Photo: Andrej Holan
Grateful Dead, Kaleisdoscope and Albert Collins at the Fillmore West Aug 20-22
Quicksilver Messenger Service, Spooky Tooth and Cold Blood at the Fillmore West Aug 23-25
Riots at Democratic Convention August 28
‘Police Riots’ aka violence against war protesters sparks Chicago city riots
Protest leaders--the Chicago Seven--will be prosecuted.
Photo: Village Voice
Protest leaders--the Chicago Seven--will be prosecuted.
Photo: Village Voice
Spirit, Douglas Quintet, Notes from The Underground at The Avalon Ballroom, Aug 23-25
Steppenwolf, Staple Singers and Santana The Fillmore West, Aug 27-29
Grateful Dead, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Sons of Champlin at The Fillmore West, Aug 30-31
SEPTEMBER
Grateful Dead, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Sons of Champlin at the Fillmore West Sep 1
James Cotton Blues Band and Sir Douglas Quintet Plus 2 at the Avalon Ballroom Sept 7-9
Big Brother & the Holding Co, Santana, and Chicago Transit Authority at the Fillmore West Sep 13-15
James Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and Big Mama Mae Thornton at the Avalon Ballroom Sept 14-16
Funny Girl opens September 19 with Barbara Streisand and Omar Sharif
Albert King, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Black Pearl at the Fillmore West Sep 20-22
Steve Miller Band and Muddy Waters at the Avalon Ballroom Sept 21-23
Hawaii Five-O debuts in September with villain Wo Fat played by Taoist priest.
Fillmore Peace & Freedom Benefit: Steve Miller Band, Santana, Flamin Groovies, It’s a Beautiful Day, Frumious Bandersnatch, Country Weather, Womb, Cleveland Wrecking Company at The Fillmore West, Sep 26
Mike Bloomfield Al Kooper & Friends It's a Beautiful Day The Loading Zone at The Fillmore West, Sept 27-29
In Black Feeling, Black Talk young poet Nikki Giovanni shares a powerful new political and spiritual awareness
Flatt & Scruggs, Jack Elliot, Sons of Champlin and Country Weather at the Avalon Ballroom Sep 27-29
The Beatles’s song “Hey Jude” is a #1 hit single on September 28
OCTOBER
Canned Heat, Gordon Lightfoot and Cold Blood at the Fillmore West, Oct 3-5
Quicksilver Messenger Service, Black Pearl and Ace of Cups at The Avalon Ballroom, Oct 4-6
Barbarella with Jane Fonda opens October 10
The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Buddy Miles & Dino Valenti at Winterland Ballroom Oct 10-12
Buck Owens and the Buckaroos at the Fillmore West Oct 11-12
G.I.’s march for peace on October 12
G.I.’s and Vets march for peace from Golden Gate Park to Civic Center
Grateful Dead, Lee Michaels, Linn County and Mance Lipscomb at the Avalon Ballroom Oct 11-13
Iron Butterfly, the Sir Douglas Quintet and Seatrain at the Fillmore West Oct 17-19
Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs becomes New York Times first astrology bestseller
Filmed in San Francisco, movie Bullitt opens in theaters October 17
The Velvet Underground, Charlie Musselwhite and Initial Shock at The Avalon Ballroom, Oct 18-20
Jefferson Airplane, Ballet Afro-Haiti and A.B. Skhy at The Fillmore West, Oct 24-26
Tommie Smith (gold medalist) and Juan Carlos (bronze) raise Black Power salute at Mexico City Olympics
Buddy Miles, Dino Valenti and Country Weather at the Avalon Ballroom Oct 25-27
San Francisco International Pop Festival: Johnny Rivers, Jose Feliciano, Eric Burdon and The Animals, Iron Butterfly, Fraternity of Man, Buddy Miles Express and Rejoice Oct 26
San Francisco International Pop Festival: The Chambers Brothers, Canned Heat, Grass Roots, Procol Harum, Deep Purple, Creedence Clear Water Revival and Loading Zone Oct 27
Canned Heat, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, the Sir Douglas Quintet at the Winterland Ballroom Oct 31
Procol Harum, Santana and Salloom-Sinclair at the Fillmore West Oct 31
NOV
Procol Harum, Santana and Salloom-Sinclair at the Fillmore West Nov 1-2
The Byrds, Taj Mahal and Genesis at the Avalon Ballroom Nov 1-3
Welsh singer Mary Hopkin sums up the 60s zeitgeist in “Those Were the Days” reaching #2 on the charts November 9
Quicksilver Messenger Service, Grateful Dead and Linn County at the Fillmore West Nov 8-10
Mother Earth, Kaleidoscope and A.B. Skhy at the Avalon Ballroom Nov 8-10
Ten Years After, Country Weather and Sun Ra at the Fillmore West Nov 14-17
Love, Lee Michaels and Saloom Sinclair & Mother Bears at the Avalon Ballroom Nov 15-17
November 22 the Fab Four release double album The Beatles aka The White Album
The Moody Blues, Chicago Transit Authority and Frumious Bandersnatch at the Fillmore West Nov 21-24
It's a Beautiful Day, Deep Purple and Cold Blood at the Fillmore West Nov 28-30
San Francisco native O.J. Simpson wins 34th Heisman Trophy Award November 26
Motown sounds of “Love Child” by The Supremes tops the charts November 30 with unforgettable lead singer Diana Ross
Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Sons of Champlin and Initial Shock at the Avalon Ballroom Nov 28-30
DEC
Jeff Beck Group, Spirit, Linda Tillery, Sweet Linda Divine and Sweetwater at the Fillmore West Dec 5-8
The Chambers Brothers, Mother Earth and Country Weather at Winterland Dec 6-7
Apple’s first recording of a non-British singer--James Taylor debut album December 5
Blood, Sweat and Tears debut album released December 11
Country Joe & the Fish, Terry Reid and Seatrain at the Fillmore West Dec 12-15
Congress of Wonders, the Cleveland Wrecking Company and Cold Blood at New Committee Dec 18
Santana, the Grass Roots and Pacific Gas & Electric at the Fillmore West Dec 19-22
Steve Miller Band, Sly & the Family Stone and Pogo at the Fillmore West Dec 26-29
Apollo 8 Christmas Eve Broadcast
First manned mission to moon enters lunar orbit Christmas Eve 1968
Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, It's a Beautiful Day and Santana at the Winterland Ballroom Dec 31
Vanilla Fudge, Richie Havens, the Youngbloods and Cold Blood at the Fillmore West Dec 31
As world events and pop culture unfold
the San Francisco concert scene rocks on
the San Francisco concert scene rocks on