13 Aug
My first trip to the Fillmore East
by Donna Greenberg, Bensalem, PA
When I was in college, a popular date was dinner and a concert at the Fillmore. The first time I went (1970?), I was amazed to see drug dealers calmly walking up and down the ticket lines, saying, “coke, smack, ludes,” under their breath. That nite, there was a triple bill: Elton John (right after “Your Song” was released), playing piano while crouched on the floor below; Leon Russell and the Shelter People (featuring Rita Coolidge), and McKendrie Spring. It wasn’t a bit unusual to see that many fine performers on one bill….but it wasn’t till years later that this sort of thing became popular again.