Concert Privileges

Bill Graham, 1931-1991 (Chronicle photo)

If Starship, successor to Jefferson Starship, in turn the successor to Jefferson Airplane, "built this city on rock and roll", it was promoter Bill Graham who built rock and roll in the City:

he rose to prominence during the Summer of Love, having brought Jefferson Airplane to the Fillmore in 1966, the first show under his new company, Bill Graham Presents. He also helped launch the careers of such artists as Janis Joplin and Big Brother & the Holding Company as well as the Grateful Dead.

During the 1970's Mrs. Blogger took her first job at Bill Graham Presents. Well-known musicians often dropped by the offices at 10th & Harding, hardly meriting a glance from the overworked staff. There would be opportunities enough to see them perform from backstage.

Decades later, the line-ups for BGP's Oakland Coliseum Days on the Green seem incredible (examples: The Who and The Grateful Dead appeared together, as did Fleetwood Mac and Peter Frampton, in 1976). The music lasted all day.

And then the moment was gone.