The following is taken from an email exchange with my old friend, music journalist Dan Forte, who now lives in Austin. He's referring to this item on the web page referenced in the body of the text:
28th June [1967]
Teens 'n' Twenties present The Young Rascals, Country Joe and The Fish, The Sons of Champlin, The Sparrow and Grass Roots, with lights by Bob Holt Light Productions at the Oakland Auditorium, Oakland.
David,
Thought this might interest you. I found this listing on a website called pOoTers pSycheDelic shAck ( http://www.pooterland.com/index2/chronikles/1967/1967.html ). I was at this show, 6/28/67, but the website's listing is wrong; Sparrow wasn't on the bill, the Dead was. I even remember who the promoter was -- a guy named Bill Quarry, who I think was a car dealer who put on more conventional package shows which overlapped the rise of Graham and the Family Dog. The Sons came on first, then the Dead, then Country Joe, then the Grass Roots (who were a bit slick and poppy), and then the Rascals, who were great -- and closed with an extended improvised jam, complete with an amazing drum solo from Dino Danelli. I remember the Dead did "Golden Road," "Beat It on Down the Line," "Cold Rain & Snow," "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl," and I think "Morning Dew." Maybe "Cream Puff War" or "Minglewood," too, but it was a fairly short set -- probably 30-40 minutes.
Also, there was one point in the show where (and you have to remember they were in their earliest, young incarnation, but already were starting to resemble elements of things to come) I think Weir dropped his pick -- which they joked about on mike. So in between songs you had these guys literally crawling around on the stage in the dark looking for this one pick. Quite a contrast from the professionalism of the Grass Roots. (And it just busts me up that they didn't have, like, a dozen extra picks -- Weir just had the one.)
Another vivid memory was Bill's drum fills in "Cold Rain & Snow," which he did exactly like the record, but with just his left hand -- his right hand never leaving the ride cymbal. My brothers and I did an immediate double-take at each other, then back at the stage in amazement.
Country Joe & the Fish were really good that night, too. David Cohen played his Vox or Farfisa, but Pigpen and Felix Cavalieri both used a B-3, as did the guy in the Sons of Champlin who walked with crutches.
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David Gans - [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] Truth and Fun, Inc., 484 Lake Park Ave. #102, Oakland CA 94610-2730
