pOoTer's pSycheDelic shAcK
ChroniKles - 1966

January

8th January

KYA Super Harlow A Go-Go present The Vejtables, The Baytovens, Just Six and William Penn and His Pals at the Longshoremens Hall, San Francisco

8th January

2,400 people show up for an Acid Test at the Fillmore Auditorium, light shows, camera eqipment and Time-Lag audio eqipment create a mind blowing audio/visual feast, the Grateful Dead provide the music and the LSD flows like water..........the question is “Did anyone show up for the KYA gig (above)....?”

13th January

Big Brother and the Holding Company, Moby Grape and The Morning Glory at the Santa Venetia Armory, San Rafael.

21st/22nd/23rd January

Ken Kesey and The Merry Pranksters hold a Trips Festival at the Longshoremen's Hall, North Point, San Francisco. Truly a multimedia event, it featured theatre, mime, light shows, readings, films, the Grateful Dead, Allen Ginsberg, Big Brother and the Holding Company, The Loading Zone, Ron Boise, Neal Cassady, lots of LSD and many many more strange and bizarre happenings.

This is Big Brother's first Official gig.

23rd January

The Mystery Trend and The Great Society play at the Gate Theatre, Sausalito.

23rd January

The Birds play at The Dungeon Club, Nottingham.

29th January

Guerilla Lovefare at the Grande Ballroom, Detroit featuring the Spikedrivers, the MC5, Livonia Tool & Die Company, Detroit Edison White Light Band, Lyman Woodward Ensemble and the Joseph Jarman English Spangler Jazz Unit with light shows by The High Society and The Bulging Eyeballs Of Guatama.

29th January

International Times ‘Uncommon Market' at the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, London, a strange bring and buy sale……..

30th January

Spontaneous Underground opens its doors at the Marquee in Wardour Street, Donovan, Graham Bond, Mose Allison and a shed load of of LSD and Pot are in abundance.

February

Barry Miles, John dunbar and Peter Asher open Indica Books in Masons Yard, London.

5th February

Strike Benefit at the Fillmore with Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Country Joe and The Fish, The Loading Zone, Head Lights and light show by Dan Bruhns.

11th February

Stray Cat present The Great Society, The Charlatans, The Mystery Trend, The Family Tree and The Skins at the Fillmore Auditorium.

12th February

Peace Rock at the Fillmore Auditorium with The Great Society, The Wildflower, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Our Lost Souls and Big Brother and the Holding Company.

13th February

The Action play at The Dungeon Club, Nottingham.

14th February

The Purple Earthquake and Zephyr play at Berkeley High School, Berkeley, California.

19th February

The Family Dog presents a Tribal Stomp at the Fillmore Auditorium featuring the Jefferson Airplane and Big Brother and the Holding Company.

26th February

Bob Dylan plays at the Island Garden, New York.

27th February

Pink Floyd play at Spontaneous Underground, Marquee Club, Soho, London.

March

4th March

The Charlatans and the Electric Chamber Orkustra and Lynne Hughes play at the Sokol Hall, San Francisco.

4th/5th March

Jefferson Airplane and the Quicksilver Messenger Service play the Fillmore Auditorium.

6th March

London Free School launched.

11th March

The Hedds, The Styx and The Pussycats play at the California Hall.

11th March

Pink Floyd play at the Essex University Rag Ball, Colchester, Essex.

12th March

No.10 Truck No.26 Engine present The Charlatans, Sopwith Camel and Duncans Blue Boy & His Cosmic Yo-Yo at The Firehouse, Sacramento Street, San Francisco.

13th March

Pink Floyd and Soft Machine play at Spontaneous Underground, Marquee Club, Soho, London.
'TRIP bring furniture toy prop paper rug paint balloon jumble costume mask robot candle incense ladder wheel light self all others March 13th 5pm'

15th March

The Great Society play the Matrix Club.

19th March

No.10 Truck No.26 Engine present Big Brother and the Holding Company with lights by Elias Romero.

21st/26th March

The Rock Garden presents Big Brother and the Holding Company and Love at 4742 Mission Street, San Francisco.

25th March

Vietnam Day Committee Peace Trip at the Harmon Gym, University of California, Berkeley with Jefferson Airplane, The Mystery Trend.

27th March

Spontaneous Underground at the Marquee Club, Wardour Street, London featuring The Pink Floyd.

April

1st April

Stray Cat presents a dance concert with The Friendly Stranger, The Family Tree and The Hedds at the California Hall.

4/5/6th April

Big Brother and the Holding Company play the Matrix.

7th April

City Lights Books present Andrei Voznesensky reading poetry and Jefferson Airplane playing music.

7th April

Pink Floyd play at Spontaneous Underground, Marquee Club, Soho, London

8th April

Jefferson Airplane and the Quicksilver Messenger Service play at the California Hall.

9th April

A.K.P. Productions present Let's Go Tripping at the California Hall, San Francisco with The Baytovens, the Intruders, The Hedds, the Illusions, and The Friendly Strangers.

9th April

Week of the Angry Arts - Vietnam Mobilisation Benefit at the Longshoremens Hall with Sopwith Camel, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Country Joe and the Fish and the Grateful Dead with lights by Dan Bruhns.

16th April

The Charlatans, Wanda and her Birds, The Mystery Trend and The Haight St. Jazz Band play at the California Hall, San Francisco.

15th/16th & 17th April

5th Annual Folk Festival held at San Francisco College.

22nd/23rd/24th April

Trips Festival at the Longshoremens Hall, San Francisco featuring the Grateful Dead, The Loading Zone plus others.

30th April

Bill Graham presents Quicksilver Messenger Service, Lightnin' Hopkins and The Jay Walkers.

May

6th/7th May

The Mojo Men, The Vejtables and The Hedds play at Winterland.

19th May

The Straight Theater Reading and Dance Concert at the Avalon Ballroom. Playing are The Wildflower and the Grateful Dead, also on the bill is Michael McClure and Ed Bullins.

29th May

LEMAR Prohibition Ball Benefit with the Grateful Dead and The Charlatans, with lights by Ted Ball.

30th May

HALO (Haight Ashbury Legal Organisation) Benefit at Winterland with Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Charlatans and the Grateful Dead

4th June

Jefferson Airplane, The E Types and William Penn and His Pals play at the Civic Auditorium, San Francisco.

5th June

Black activist James Meredith is shot and wounded in Mississippi.

10th June

Big Brother and The Holding Company play at the Avalon Ballroom, singing with them for the first time.....Janis Joplin.

17th/18th June

The Grateful Dead and The Jaywalkers play at the Veterans Hall, San Jose.

19th June

The Steve Miller Blues Band and Curly Cooke's Hurdy Gurdy Band play at The Ark, Sausalito.

21st June

The Great Society play the Matrix Club.

26th June

Leander Productions present Them, The Association, The Grassroots, The Baytovens, The Wildflower, The Harbinger Complex and William Penn and His Pals at the Oakland Auditorium Arena.

26th June

Grand Opening of The Mod Hatter at the Strawberry Town & Country Village, Mill Valley with The Great Society plus other bands.

29th June

U.S troops bomb Hanoi in North Vietnam.

July

Nottting Hill Fair and Pageant is held in London's Notting Hill, in later years it becomes known as the Notting Hill Carnival.

2nd/3rd July

Karma Productions & Brotherhood Of The Spirit presents Big Brother and the Holding Company, Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Gladstones with Bill Hams Light Show at the Monterey Fairgrounds Dance Hall, Monterey.

3rd July

9th Berkeley Folk Festival at the Pauley Ballroom, Berkeley with Jefferson Airplane, Pete Seger, Robert Pete-Williams, John Fahey and Ralph Gleason.

9th July

The Move play at The Dungeon Club, Nottingham.

10th July

Delano Strike Benefit at the Fillmore Auditorium, with Quicksilver Messenger Service and the San Andreas Fault Finders.

14th July

San Francisco Calliope Co. present the Hindustani Jazz Sextet, the Grateful Dead and Big Brother and the Holding Company at the Fillmore Auditorium with lights by Elias Romero.

17th July

A.R.T.S Benefit at the Fillmore. Readings from Allen Ginsberg, music from Sopwith Camel plus others.

17th July

The Action play at The Dungeon Club, Nottingham.

22nd July

The Rolling Stones play the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. Also on the bill are The Standells, The McCoys and The Tradewinds.

29th/30th/31st July

Electric Media Trips Festival at the PNE Garden Auditorium, Vancouver, Canada.

August

Jefferson Airplane Takes Off is released in America, their debut album.

2nd thru 5th August

Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother and The Holding Company and The Great Society play at Losers South, San Jose.

7th August

Children's Adventure Day Camp Benefit at the Fillmore Auditorium. On the bill are Quicksilver Messenger Service, Big Brother and the Holding Company, the Grateful Dead, The Grassroots, Sunshine, SF Mime Troupe and the Jook Savages.

9th August

The Great Little Walter and The Quicksilver Messenger Service play at the Matrix Club.

17th August

The Mod Hatter present a Psychedelic Fashion Show at the Fillmore. As well as the fashion show, Tarot Reading and other surprises Mimi Farina, Jefferson Airplane and the Quicksilver Messenger Service play music.

18th/19th/20th August

The P.H. Phactor Jug Band play at Cedar Alley (between Polk & Geary), San Francisco.

19th & 20th August

The Young Rascals and Quicksilver Messenger Service play at the Fillmore Auditorium presented by Bill Graham.

25th August

Teens 'n' Twenties present The Yardbirds, The Harbinger Complex, Peter Wheat & The Breadmen and The Just V at the Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco. This show also took place on the 26th August at the Rollerena, San Leandro.

26th/27th/28th August

Tour Del Mar Bicycle Race and Folk-Rock festival at the IDES Hall, Pescadero, California, featuring in-between bike racing (!!) The Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service and the Colossal Pomegranate.

27th August

Amboy Dukes play at The Dungeon Club, Nottingham.

29th August

The Beatles play their last live gig in San Francisco's Candlestick Park, supporting bands included The Cyrkle, The Ronettes, and The Remains.

September

3rd September

Sunshine Superman by Donovan reaches No.1 in the U.S charts.

4th September

The Herd play at The Dungeon Club, Nottingham.

7th/15th September

The Blues Project play at the Matrix Club.

10th September

Trip City at the Skate Arena, San Francisco with The Charlatans and Country Joe and The Fish

10th September

The Action play at The Dungeon Club, Nottingham.

11th September

BOTH/AND Club Benefit at the Fillmore Auditorium, among the many artists featuring are the Jefferson Airplane, The Great Society and The Wildflower.

11th September

The Blues Project and Country Joe and The Fish play at Tilden Park, Berkeley.

11th September

The Move play at The Boat Club, Nottingham.

18th September

The Syn play at The Dungeon Club, Nottingham.

20th September

The first edition of the San Francisco Oracle is published

23rd/24th September

The Family Dog present Howlin' Wolf and Big Brother and the Holding company at the Avalon Ballroom.

23rd/24th September

The Grateful Dead and The Experience play at the Pioneer Ballroom, Suisun City with lights by Diogenes Lantern Works.

October

30th September till 2nd October

Andrew Staples plays at the Matrix.

30th September till 2nd October

Acid Test at the San Francisco State College.

30th September

San Bruno A-Go-Go presents The 13th Floor Elevators, The Inmates and The Westminster 5 at the National Guard Armory, San Bruno.

30th September

London Free School ‘Celebration Dance' with Pink Floyd at the All Saints Hall, Powis Gardens, London.

6th October

Possesion of LSD outlawed in California.

7th October

The San Bruno A Go-Go present The Chocolate Watchband, The Generations and The Sit Ins at the National Guard Armory, San Bruno.

7th/8th October

Big Brother and The Holding Company play at The Avalon Ballroom.

8th October

1st Congressional District Write In Committee For Phil Drath and Peace featuring Bola Sete, the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Ed Keating and Don Duncan at Mt. Tamalpais Outdoor Theatre, Marin County.

8th October

Amboy Dukes play at The Dungeon Club, Nottingham.

10th thru 16th October

Country Joe and The Fish play at The Jabberwock, Berkeley.

11th October

Pink Floyd play at the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, London.

10th October

International Times launch party at the Roundhouse, London featuring Pink Floyd and Soft Machine as well as light shows.

14th October

Pink Floyd play at the London Free School, Powis Gardens, London.

15th October

The Purple Earthquake, The Just V and The 5th Dimension play at the Maple Hall, San Pablo.

15th October

International Times All Night Rave and ‘Pop Op Costume Masque Drag Ball Et Al' at the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, London with Pink Floyd and Soft Machine

15th October

The Black Panther Party is launched by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale in Oakland, California.

15th/16th October

Artists Liberation Front Free Fair at The Panhandle, Golden Gate Park.

21st October

Teens 'n' Twenties present The Byrds, Peter Wheat & The Breadmen, The Baytovens and Jack and The Rippers at the Rollerena, San Leandro.

21st October

Pink Floyd play at the London Free School, Powis Gardens, London.

22nd October

Big Brother and the Holding Company, the Grateful Dead and The Quicksilver Messenger Service play at Winterland.

23rd October

Amboy Dukes play at The Dungeon Club, Nottingham.

24th to 27th October

Jefferson Airplane play the Matrix club.

27th/28th October

The Western Front Dance Academy present The Charlatans, Triple AAA and The Frumious Bandersnatch.

28th October

Jefferson Airplane, Patty Philips and The Chosen Four play at St. Mary's College, Moraga, California.

28th October

Pink Floyd play at The London Free School, All Saints Hall, Notting Hill Gate, London.

28th/29th/30th October

The Wildflower play at the Matrix.

30th October

Larry Hankin and the Jefferson Airplane play at The University of California, Berkeley.

30th October

The Herd play at The Dungeon Club, Nottingham.

30th/31st October

Country Joe and The Fish play at The Jabberwock, Berkeley.

31st October

Acid Test Graduation at Winterland with Ken Kesey & The Merry Pranksters, The Grateful Dead, The Calliope Co. and various others

31st October

Bob McKendrick presents a Dance of Death costume Ball at the California Hall, with the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Mimi Farina. Light and sound by Caliope.

31st October

Blackhill Enterprises is formed

November

1st thru 6th November

Big Brother and the Holding Company play the Matrix Club.

1st thru 3rd November

Country Joe and The Fish play at Jabberwock, Berkeley.

4th November

Pink Floyd play at The London Free School, All Saints Hall, Notting Hill Gate, London.
The famous poster that was created for this event read:

'The Pink Floyd Turn On, Tune In, Drop out....Sound/Light Workshop'
Note: Curiously the Bletchley gig below featured on the same poster.

5th November

Pink Floyd play at Wilton Hall, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire.

5th November

Pink Floyd play a 2nd gig, a Guy Fawkes night event at the 'Five Acre Psychedelic Nudist Colony' in Watford, Hertfordshire, run by Psychedelic Nudist & Light show Operator Jack Braceland (who in the summer of 1967 opened Happening 44 in London)

6th November

Jefferson Airplane play at an Edwardian Ball at the Fillmore Auditorium.

6th thru 10th November

Country Joe and The Fish play at Jabberwock, Berkeley.

8th November

Ronald Reagan elected governor of California, vows to stamp out anti-war protestors and obscene publications.

8th November

Pink Floyd play at the London Free School, Powis Gardens, London.

11th November

Pink Floyd play at The London Free School, All Saints Hall, Notting Hill Gate, London.

12th November

The Old Cheese Factory present an anniversary party with the Grateful Dead and Andrew Staples with lights by Bill Ham.

12th November

The Hells Angels M.C present Big Brother and the Holding Company and Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters at the Sokol Hall, San Francisco.

15th November

Pink Floyd play at the London Free School, Powis Gardens, London.

18th November

Pink Floyd play at the Philadelic Music for Simian Hominids at the Hornsey College of Art, London with lights by Joe Gannon.

19th November

The Special Events Committee present The Righteous Brothers, April Stevens and Nino Tempo at the University of San Francisco.

19th November

Teens 'n' Twenties present The Beau Brummels, Tame Greens and The Daytrippers at the Rollerena, San Leandro.

19th November

Philadelic Music For Simian Hominids, featuring Pink Floyd at the Canterbury Technical College, Kent, England. Support band is The Koalas.

20th November

SNCC Benefit at the Fillmore Auditorium featuring The James Cotton Chicago Blues Band, Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Grateful Dead and Johnny Talbot & De Thangs.

22nd November

Pink Floyd play at the London Free School, Powis Gardens, London.

28th November to 1st December

Grateful Dead and Jerry Pond play the Matrix Club on Fillmore.

29th November

Pink Floyd play at The London Free School, All Saints Hall, Notting Hill Gate, London.

13th November

Zenefit - Zen Mountain Center Benefit featuring the Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, and Quicksilver Messenger Service with lights by Bill Ham at the Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco.

December

3rd December

Pink Floyd and the Ram Holder Messengers play at ‘Psychedelphia vs. Ian Smith' Giant Freakout at the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, London.

6/7/8th December

Moby Grape play at the Matrix.

12th December

Pink Floyd play an Oxfam Benefit at the Royal Albert Hall, London

17th December

Benefit for Legalization of Marijuana (LEMAR) at the California Hall with Country Joe and The Fish and The Only Alternative and his Other Possibilities.

18th December

Ralph & Al Pepe present Carol Doda, The Styx, The Morning Glory and the Sun Flowers with light shows at the Santa Venetia Armory, San Rafael.

20th/21st/22nd December

Bill Graham presents Otis Redding at the Fillmore Auditorium. Support bands for each respective night are Grateful Dead, Johnny Talbot and Country Joe and The Fish.

22nd December

Pink Floyd and The Ivey's play at the Marquee Club, Wardour Street, London.

23rd December

The UFO club opens at 31,Tottenham Court Road, London. The promoters were Joe Boyd, Barry Miles and John ‘Hoppy' Hopkins. The first two events were called ‘UFO Presents Night Tripper' before the club became just ‘UFO' (Underground Freak Out). The first band to play on the opening night?...........Pink Floyd, who pretty much became the house band there. Also playing were Soft Machine.

26th December

Grope For Peace Benefit at The Ark, Sausalito with The Charlatans, Big Brother and The Holding Company and The Final Solution.

28th December

Goathead Limited Presents the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service at the Beaux Arts Ball, Governors Hall, Sacramento.

29th December

Pink Floyd play at the Marquee Club, Wardour Street, London, supported by The Syn.

29th December

Ralph & Al Pepe present the Grateful Dead, Moby Grape and The Morning Glory at the Santa Venetia Armory, San Rafael.

30th December

Pink Floyd and Soft Machine play at the UFO club, London.

30th December

Double Giant Freak Out Ball ‘Psychedelicamania' at the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, London, with Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, The Cream and The Alan Bown Set. 10pm till dawn.

31st December

New Years Eve All Night Rave, ‘Psychedelicamania' at the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, London, with The Who, The Move, The Pink Floyd. 10pm till dawn.