Led Zeppelin playing the packed Kezar Stadium in June 1973. (via themusicsite.com)

#TBT: 6 Epic Concerts in San Francisco History

10 May 2018

There's no denying it—San Francisco has an unparalleled musical past.

The Bay Area has been home to some of the industry's best—from Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin all the way to Journey, MC Hammer, and Green Day—and has hosted every major player (hello, Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones) in genres as diverse as our culture.

In the 1950s, North Beach held a jazz scene where the Beat Generation hung out; and the '60s, of course, brought psychedelic rock and counterculture to the forefront with the Fillmore at the heart of it, the concert hall of the same name bursting with the sounds of Santana, the Who, and the Doors, as well as jazz and R&B stars including Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, and Otis Redding. During the Summer of Love, in 1967, Rolling Stone magazine published its first issue from its original headquarters on Montgomery Street.

When the '70s hit, punk arrived along with the Dead Kennedys, later making way for modern bands such Metallica, who settled in San Francisco after having gotten their start in Los Angeles. Since then, the Bay Area has turned out Third Eye Blind, Counting Crows, Kendrick Lamar, and G-Eazy to name a few.

The result of this, of course, is a history of countless epic shows. We've selected six that were truly unforgettable.

Over the course of three nights in 1968, Hendrix played three shows at the city's Winterland Ballroom at the corner of Post and Steiner Streets. The sessions were recorded and released on a live album, Live at Winterland, in1987. It sold more than 200,000 copies and became the highest selling album from an indie label that year.
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A rowdy and epic set of shows, this was perhaps not only The Stones' most anticipated but covered tours with tear gas and fan riots across the country. Oh, and Stevie Wonder was the supporting act.
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Holy Houses of the Holy, people. The song has just been released, and members of Led Zeppelin took to the stage at jam-packed Kezar Stadium as thousands also watched from the surrounding rooftops. There was even an appearance by the Tubes, all dressed up in cowboy attire.
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This was an unforgettable show with Keith Moon fainting twice, and drummer Scott Halpin (just 19 at the time) brought up to take over for the last three songs.
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The S.N.A.C.K. benefit concert was put on when SF schools were about to cut athletic programs. Legendary promoter Bill Graham put together a stellar lineup for a fundraising show that included Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Santana, Jefferson Starship, and Joan Baez. There was even a surprise appearance by Marlon Brando.
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A top selling album along with the film release, Purple Rain was huge, with Prince at the peak of his career. At Cow Palace, he played most of the album including I Would Die 4 U, Let's Go Crazy, When Doves Cry, and of course the hit album's title track.
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