Saturday, September 24, 2011

Carousel Ballroom (Fillmore West), 10 South Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA

The Carousel Ballroom was originally known as the El Patio Ballroom and dates back to the late 20's and into the 50's.
El Patio before it was the Carousel Ballroom
 It was located on the upper floor of a car dealership on the southwest corner of Market and Van Ness at 10 South Van Ness Ave and 1545 Market Street in San Francisco, CA. Musician Bill Weir's first union job was in a big band at the El Patio Ballroom. “I went up to one of the saxophone players and I said, `Oh, boy, this is the life, gee, this [Goodman-style] band is really swinging, I’m really excited.’ At the time I was nineteen, the youngest member of the band.

There were El Patio Ballrooms in Reno, Ca, Los Angeles, CA, Denver, CO.

You could actually park on Market street and walk down to The El Patio Ballroom and see Les Brown, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton and Harry James. You could dance too. One of the better-known clubs which billed itself as "America's Finest Ballroom."
Concerts with Sid Hoff in 1947 were simulcast remote every night from the El Patio Ballroom.



In 1968, Bill Graham left the Fillmore Auditorium on Geary Street to take over the Carousel Ballroom (renamed as the Fillmore West). 
Today the Carousel Ballroom is now the service and repair shop of a Honda car dealer. Go up the wide stairway to see it.(1)


Jerry performed here on
1/17/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
2/14/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
3/15/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
3/16/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
3/17/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
3/29/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
3/30/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
3/31/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
5/21/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
5/21/68 Jorma Kaukonen  Jack Casady  Elvin Bishop  Steve Miller
5/30/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
5/31/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
6/1/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
6/4/68 Elvin Bishop  Barry Melton  Steve Miller(1)
6/7/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
6/8/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
6/9/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
6/19/68 Grateful Dead (Carousel Ballroom)
8/20/68 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
8/21/68 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
8/22/68 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
8/30/68 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
8/31/68 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
9/1/68 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
11/7/68 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
11/8/68 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
11/9/68 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
11/10/68 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
1/2/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
1/3/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
1/4/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
1/5/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
1/11/69 Country Joe And The Fish (Fillmore West)
2/27/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
2/28/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
3/1/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
3/2/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
3/12/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
6/5/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
6/6/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
6/7/69 Grateful Dead with Janis Joplin (Fillmore West)
There was no advanced notice that Janis Joplin was going to perform that night, so when she stepped out from between the curtains behind the drums, that place went absolutely berserk! The few people who were still sitting on the floor were now on their feet. She stood to the left of Garcia, both enthusiastically charged for the occassion to do "Love Light" together. Sweating profusely two minutes into her performance, and wearing a pinkish outfit (CLEARLY sans bra), she was so animated that the Dead almost faded into the background.
6/8/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
11/19/69 New Riders Of The Purple Sage (Fillmore West)
12/4/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
12/5/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
12/7/69 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
2/5/70 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
2/6/70 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
2/7/70 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
2/8/70 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
4/9/70 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
4/10/70 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
4/11/70 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
4/12/70 Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
6/4/70 New Riders Of The Purple Sage and Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
6/5/70 New Riders Of The Purple Sage and Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
6/6/70 New Riders Of The Purple Sage and Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
6/7/70 New Riders Of The Purple Sage and Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
8/17/70 New Riders Of The Purple Sage and Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
8/18/70 New Riders Of The Purple Sage and Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
8/19/70 New Riders Of The Purple Sage and Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
2/25/71 New Riders Of The Purple Sage (Fillmore West)
2/26/71 New Riders Of The Purple Sage (Fillmore West)
2/27/71 New Riders Of The Purple Sage (Fillmore West)
2/28/71 New Riders Of The Purple Sage (Fillmore West)
3/3/71 New Riders Of The Purple Sage and Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)
7/2/71 Rowan Brothers, New Riders Of The Purple Sage and Grateful Dead (Fillmore West)





1.)^Hannan, Ross,Arnold, Corry, Carousel Ballroom, http://www.chickenonaunicycle.com/Carousel%20History.htm

3 comments:

  1. Johnny Cash performed here April 24th, 1968 as well. A show to be released by the Bear's Sonic Journals project in September 2021.

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  2. I own an original poster that I have hanging in the work shop! Love it!! Giddy up cowboy!!!

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  3. Not long after Bill Graham left this site it became the Resurrection. The club was short-lived but there were some spectacular shows there. The brand new reformation Jefferson Starship asked if they might have a night on stage for some public rehearsing basically. It was truly a gift. They even had Papa John Creech with them just in case they weren't good enough. Not to worry.

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