Fillmore closing in 1971. Photo: Amalie R. Rothschild.

Remember the Fillmore East?

Located at 105 Second Avenue at East Sixth Street in the heart of the East Village, the Fillmore East was one of the most famous music venues in NYC history! Originally a Yiddish theater built in 1925, the theater catered to the large Yiddish speaking Jewish immigrant population, before becoming a movie theater.

In 1967 rock promoter Bill Graham took over the theatre, fixing it up and maximizing the capacity to fit 2700 seats. The Fillmore East opened in March 1968 and operated just over three years until closing. Over those three years, the venue gained legendary recognition for its concerts including performances by Jimi Hendrix, Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Buddy Guy, The Who, Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, Santanna, Jefferson Airplane, Black Sabbath, B.B. King, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Doors and many more. The Fillmore was quickly dubbed "The Church of Rock and Roll," with two-show, triple-bill concerts several nights a week along with the Joshua Light Show, a psychedelic art light show behind the performances.

Due to changes in the concert and music industry, Graham closed the Fillmore East in 1971 with the final concert taking place on June 27, 1971 (The Allman Brothers Band, The J. Geils Band, Albert King with special guests Edgar Winter's White Trash, Mountain, The Beach Boys, and Country Joe McDonald.) Today the Fillmore site is an Apple Bank, only a small plaque and mosaic street pole on the corner commemorate the site's history. It wasn't until two years ago that a plaque was finally installed commemorating the legendary site.

Listen to Jimi Hendrix live at the Fillmore on New Year’s Eve, 1969, below.

Remembering the Fillmore