 Interactive map of Fillmore West | |
| Former names | 'The Carousel Ballroom', 'El Patio' |
|---|---|
| Address | 10 South Van Ness Avenue |
| Location | San Francisco,California |
| Coordinates | 37°46′29″N122°25′10″W / 37.774742°N 122.419433°W /37.774742; -122.419433 |
| Capacity | 3,000 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | July 5, 1968 |
| Closed | July 4, 1971 |
| Demolished | No, building is now SVN West |
TheFillmore West was a historicrock and rollmusic venue inSan Francisco, California, US which became famous under the direction of concert promoterBill Graham from 1968 to 1971. Named afterThe Fillmore at the intersection ofFillmore Street andGeary Boulevard (which was Graham's principal venue from 1966 to 1968), it stood at the southwest corner ofMarket Street and SouthVan Ness Avenue in theCivic Center district. In June 2018, the top two floors of the building reopened as SVN West, a new concert and corporate event venue.
Originally, the El Patio Ballroom,[1][2][3][4] later the Carousel Ballroom, it was aswing-era dance palace, located at 1545 Market street,[5][6][7] on the second floor,[8][9] above the street-level retail at 10 South Van Ness Avenue.[10] Beginning in 1968, it was briefly operated by a collective formed by theGrateful Dead,Jefferson Airplane,Quicksilver Messenger Service andBig Brother and the Holding Company as a social/musical "laboratory experiment". According to criticJoel Selvin, the "six-month run may well have corresponded with the height of the whole '60sHaight-Ashbury/San Francisco thing."[11]
Due to various reasons[12][13][14] (including the socioeconomic deterioration of the Fillmore District, the modest capacity of The Fillmore, and financial difficulties faced by the collective), Bill Graham moved his prime concert location in July 1968 to this larger venue, one and a half miles[15] from the original Fillmore at 1805Geary Boulevard.[16] He called this venue theFillmore West (in contrast with Graham'sFillmore East auditorium inNew York City).
The Celestial Synapse was a musical event held at the Fillmore West on the evening of 19 February 1969. At least 3,000 people attended the event, hosted by the Frontiers of Science Fellowship. The performance began with aTibetan Buddhist monk playing Tibetan gongs, andGrateful Dead played a set.[17]
The Grateful Dead were among the regulars at theFillmore West, playing 64 concerts (including 18 under the name of theCarousel Ballroom) from 1968 to 1971.[18]
After three years,Bill Graham closed theFillmore West on July 4, 1971, with five nights of shows featuring such San Francisco bands asSantana,Creedence Clearwater Revival, theGrateful Dead andQuicksilver Messenger Service (who headlined the final performance at the venue)[19][20][21] and a poetry reading fromAllen Ginsberg. A documentary film of the last several concerts, calledFillmore, and a three-disc album, calledFillmore: The Last Days, were released in 1972.
After housing aHonda car dealership for many years, the venue reverted to a music venue and event space called SVN West. Its first concert, a benefit, was held on June 14, 2018.[22][23]
On March 6, 2025, permits were filed to develop the site to a 67-story skyscraper.[24]
The Carousel was owned by an Irishman, and Bill Graham apparently flew to Ireland to wrest the lease away from the bands. He succeeded, and moved his Fillmore operation to the much larger Fillmore West.
KPIX Eyewitness News report from January 28th 1969 in San Francisco by Belva Davis featuring scenes from a rock concert at the Fillmore West venue and an interview with rock promoter Bill Graham
signed by 21 performers in blue sharpie pen including: Robby Kreiger, Paul Kantner, John Kay, Rick Derringer, Country Joe, Duck Dunn, Jaimoe, Bonnie Bramlett, Cynthia Robinson, Gene Cornish, Corky Laing, Steve Katz, David LaFlame, Paul Cotton, Rusty Young, Dino Danelli, David Freibert, Gary Duncan, Steve Knight, Jerry Martini and Marty Balin.
Fillmore West (San Francisco, CA), 07/03/1971
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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