1960′s and 1970′s Culture Archives . . . . . . . . . . . . . SANTA MONICA CIVIC AUDITORIUM, CA . . . . HISTORIC ROCK CONCERT VENUE CLOSES! . . . . “THE END OF AN ERA”

EXPERIENCE ROCK HISTORY!

On June 30, 2013, the historic Santa Monica Civic went dark and closed its doors after fifty-five years of operation. Nearly fifty of those years it held concerts performed by virtually every Rock act you can imagine.

While many of the groups and artists listed below performed repeatedly at the SMCA over the years, this list is of their first appearances as either supporting acts and/or as the headliners and is surely incomplete, but here’s the gist:

1964 – Bob Dylan – one ’64 concert.
–  T.A.M.I. Show (Teen Age Music International) see poster below for the artists that performed. The house band for T.A.M.I., “The Wrecking Crew”, was under the musical direction of Jack Nitzsche with Hal Blaine – drums, Jimmy Bond – electric bass, Tommy Tedesco, Bill Aken, and Glen Campbell – guitars, Lyle Ritz – upright bass, Leon Russell – piano, Plas Johnson – sax, and others.
1965 – Bob Dylan (six concerts within ’65)
1966 – the Yardbirds
1967 – the Grateful Dead – the Doors – LOVE –  Capt. Beefheart & his Magic Band – the Mothers of Invention
1968 – Cream & the Electric Prunes – the Who
1969 – Led Zeppelin – Jethro Tull – Tim Buckley
1970 – Delaney & Bonnie – Pink Floyd – Mountain – Lee Michaels – Deep Purple – the Faces – Derek & the Dominoes
1971 – Poco – Van Morrison – the Beach Boys – Little Feat – Johnny Winter & J. Geils Band – the Incredible String Band – The Allman Bros. Band
1972 – Emerson, Lake & Palmer & Mahavishnu Orchestra –  Humble Pie – Eagles – David Bowie – Procol Harum – Alice Coltrane & Thelonius Monk & Herbie Hancock
1973 – Bruce Springsteen
1974 – New Riders of the Purple Sage – Boz Scaggs – Genesis – Mott the Hoople & Aerosmith – Jefferson Airplane – Todd Rundgren – Robin Trower & Poco & Strawbs & Spooky Tooth – Journey – Blue Oyster Cult – Rory Gallagher & Status Quo & Montrose – Zappa & Tom Waits – Golden Earring & Nektar – Lou Reed
1975 – Kansas & Queen – Black Sabbath – Sweet – Fleetwood Mac – (Blackmore’s) Rainbow
1976 – Queen – the Tubes – Country Joe & the Fish & Guests – Thin Lizzy – Spirit – Boston – Patti Smith
1977 – the Runaways & Cheap Trick – Blondie & Bowie & Iggy Pop – Tangerine Dream – BeBop Deluxe – Graham Parker – Rush – Billy Joel – the Outlaws – Nektar – Iggy Pop – Devo
1978 – the Ramones – Eric Clapton – Aerosmith – Elvis Costello – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – Quiet Riot – 10cc
1979 – Surf Punks – Buzzcocks & the Cramps & the Gang of Four – Joe Jackson & the Plimsouls

While I attended many of the above concerts, in much later years I saw White Zombie (with guest Glen Danzig), Marilyn Manson and an excellent drum ‘n’ bass electronica super fave of mine; Underworld, all at this totally cool and relatively intimate capacity of 3,000 venue.

Historic times, iconic groups, sublime memories!
Sigh.