Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever

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Fillmore East was called The Church of Rock and Roll for good reason. Promoter Bill Graham presented the cream of rock royalty at the historic theater in New York City's East Village. Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Janis Joplin, The Who, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Led Zeppelin, Elton John and many other stars performed during its brief three-year run.

And it was not just rock. Graham revolutionized the rock concert industry with shows that featured the giants of jazz, blues, soul, R&B, and folk music. Backed by a state-of-the-art sound system and the psychedelic imagery of the Joshua Light Show, performers at Fillmore East electrified fans and recorded many of the best-loved live albums in rock history. And ticket prices never topped $5.50.

Journalist and photographer Frank Mastropolo interviewed more than 90 of Fillmore East's musicians and crew members to write Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock History. Jack Casady, Dave Davies, Jorma Kaukonen, Robert Lamm, John Lodge, Nils Lofgren, Dave Mason, Roger McGuinn, and Steve Miller are among the 19 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees who contributed to the book.

The oral history features more than 200 performance photos, posters, letters, buttons, contracts, and memorabilia, many never before published.