As a result of my research into other areas of Rock Prosopography, I have ended up with a fairly detailed list of Jefferson Airplane performances from 1965-69. Since I have no other plans for it, I am posting it here. This list leans heavily on the posted Jefferson Airpane set lists document by Scott Abbott, as well as information from Jeff Tamarkin’s fine book Got A Revolution, but it includes considerably more shows. Please forward any changes, updates, advice or criticism.
The previous installments listed known shows from Jefferson Airplane’s formation through 1965 and 1966. The first post in the sequence is here. This final post covers known shows from October through December 1969.
October 4, 1969 Civic Center Music Hall, Oklahoma City, OK (two shows)
Jefferson Airplane
October 5, 1969 Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, TX “Rock Jubilee”
Jefferson Airplane/Grateful Dead/Byrds/Poco
The Sons of Champlin were originally on the bill, but did not play the show. The show ended at 10 pm with the plug getting pulled on the Airplane.
October 10, 1969 Agrodome, Vancouver, BC
Jefferson Airplane/Ace of Cups
October 11, 1969 Seattle Center Arena, Seattle, WA
Jefferson Airplane/Ace of Cups
October 24-25-26, 1969 Winterland, San Francisco
Jefferson Airplane/Grateful Dead/Sons of Champlin/Doug Kershaw
October 31, 1969 The Forum, Los Angeles
Jefferson Airplane
Possibly The Moody Blues opened.
November 1, 1969 Elysian Park, Los Angeles
Jefferson Airplane
Presumably a free concert
November 2, 1969 [venue], Big Sur, CA
Jefferson Airplane
Both the November 1 and 2 dates are dubious, particularly the locations.
November 11-2, 1969 East Town Theater, Detroit, MI (canceled?)
Jefferson Airplane/The Sons/King Crimson
This gig is very hard to confirm, and was likely canceled. The Airplane played the East Town a few days later, on November 15, and King Crimson played November 12 at a different venue (The Grande Riviera, supporting The Band).
November 15, 1969 East Town Theater, Detroit, MI
Jefferson Airplane/King Crimson
A show was scheduled on November 14, 1969 and apparently canceled. Clearly the Airplane played a show or two in Detroit this week, but exactly when is murky.
November 21, 1969 The Palestra, U. Penn, Philadelphia, PA
Jefferson Airplane/Lighthouse
November 22, 1969 Ritchie Coliseum, U. of Maryland, College Park, MD
Jefferson Airplane
Fall 69 [Utica Coliseum?], Utica, NY
Jefferson Airplane
Known from an fM broadcast on WOUR, Utica, New York.
November 26-29, 1969 Fillmore East, New Yok, NY
Jefferson Airplane/Youngbloods/Joseph Eger’s Crossover
November 30, 1969 International Raceway, West Palm Beach, FL
First Annual West Palm Beach Music and Art Festival
Jefferson Airplane/numerous others
“First Palm Beach Music and Arts Festival” A three-day festival (November 28-30, 1969). Headline acts included The Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, Sly and The Family Stone, Steppenwolf, The Byrds and Country Joe and The Fish.
December 6, 1969 Altamont Speedway, Livermore (free concert)
Rolling Stones/Grateful Dead/Jefferson Airplane/Flying Burrito Brothers/Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young/Santana
The Airplane appear briefly in the movie Gimme Shelter.
Decemer 31, 1969 Winterland, San Francisco
Jefferson Airplane/Quicksilver Messenger Service/Sons of Champlin/Hot Tuna
9pm to 9am with breakfast.
The Airplane continue touring and recording, but my research at 1969. For a good snapshot of subsequent Jefferson Airplane shows from 1970 to 1989, see the list here.
These thirteen posts represent all the live Jefferson Airplane shows known to me from 1965 to 1970. I am sure there are numerous missing shows, particularly outside of the San Francisco Bay Area. Any corrections, additons, insight or recovered memories (real or imagined) gratefully received.
[the photo above is a wire photo from the December 8, 1969 edition of the Lowell (MA) Sun]
The Airplane played two shows at Earl Warren Showgrounds in addition to the October 1967. One was Spring 1967, the other in 1969/70(?) outside in the horse arena. No tapes, no poster, no newspaper documentation. I WAS there, and it was not an hallucination.
ReplyDelete:-)
was at the Oct 5, 1969 concert for the Dead, Airplane, poco, & Byrds....great stuff and great site
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the Airplane's LA appearance(s) of October 69, I can't say anything about the Forum show. It is well known however, that while playing the Long Beach Arena, with special guests, The Moody Blues, a PA failure occurred, ending the JA's performance early/mid set. This lead to the free festival show of both bands at Elysian Fields. Now legendary amongst Angelino's and So Cal lore, as well as occasionally commented on by John Lodge of the Moody's, when playing the LA area. Thank you
ReplyDelete10/31 no Moody Blues..they got held up in Customs at LAX ..Airplane played three hours. Next day MB and JA had free concert at Elysian PARK near Dodger Stadium.
DeleteThat's correct. Forum 10/31 and Elysian Park the next day. See my comment below.
DeleteJefferson Airplane played the Boston Music Hall on Wednesday, November 5, 1969. It was reviewed here (page 5):
ReplyDeletehttp://tech.mit.edu/V89/PDF/N44.pdf
For completeness as it is not mentioned in the review, Spider John Koerner & Willie Murphy provided the support in Boston.
DeleteThe Detroit show was Nov. 15, 1969. I was at that show and it was truly spectacular - certainly the best concert I attended during the 1960s and 70s. The show the night before had been cancelled (the Airplane's equipment truck driver got busted at the border) and they didn't want to per form without their own equipment and light show. They did one long set, close to 2-1/2 hours. I smuggled in a cassette recorder but the volume completely overloaded the deck and the tape was basically useless. Really unfortunate because it was an amazing show by a band pretty much at the peak of it's game.
ReplyDeleteOct 31, 1969, LA Forum - Airplane played "all night" (almost 3 hours!) as the Moody Blues were held up in Customs and couldn't make it as the warm-up. They announced the free concert with the Moody Blues the next day at Elysian Park.
ReplyDeleteNov. 1, 1969 - Free concert with the Airplane and Moody Blues.
I was at both shows.
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ReplyDeleteI was at the Jefferson Airplane concert and I remember Grace Slick saying that the Moody Blues had been held up in customs, and that there would be a free concert the next day in Elysian park.
ReplyDeleteI remember at the Elysian park concert when the Moody Blues were singing "Timothy Leary's Dead" Timothy Leary jumped up on stage. Now I was still tripping on LSD from the night before at the Jefferson Airplane concert but I swear I remember him jumping up on stage with the Moody Blues.
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ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, back at the Jefferson Airplane show I was tripping on LSD (purchased in front of the Mystic Art World shop in Laguna Beach). Somehow through a process of osmosis I ended up front and center next to the stage -- right in front of Grace Slick. She was so trippy beautiful. I was a goner.
ReplyDeleteI will never forget her leaning over the edge of the stage pointing right at me (an ordinary college kid from Long Beach) and singing "Don't you want somebody to love....". She could probably tell by my eyes that I was tripping. Heck, the whole place was probably tripping.
The Jefferson Airplane played the Palace Theatre in Albany, NY on November 19, 1969. The theatre has copies of ads and a review of the show to confirm.
ReplyDeleteI have a jpg of an advert for "Homecoming '69" at my future alma mater Southern Ct State College on Nov 7 in the school PE building....I never see this show listed anywhere
ReplyDeletehey, rugbydan, send me the jpg I'd love to post it here
DeleteThey performed this song in a free concert in the late 60's at Elysian Park. It was their opening song and with several attempts, never got more then half way through, hundreds of riot police. Thought I would not get out of there a live...~November 1, 1969 Elysian Park, Los Angeles
ReplyDeleteJefferson Airplane
7/17/24 I KNOW I saw JA in a FREE concert at CSULB between 1967 to 1969. I've literally been looking for DECADES for the exact date & always came up blank ... until tonight. Suddenly there's a long list of sites to check listing this concert! It was a FREE concert & Be-In (remember those ♡?) & was held outside on one of the lawns. The date AND (shock!) poster I've come across is November 9, 1968. I remember it being warm & sunny - & Summer - & most of us wore .. um ... very little. Can anyone out there verify if that is the SAME concert or were there 2 different JA concerts at CSULB? I kinda remember maybe seeing Spirit bc they're one of my faves but time , other factors ;-) cloud the memory. lol. Thanks! (PS That's where I met "John" - the "one that got away")
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