GOOD OL' GRATEFUL DEADCAST

Episode: Skull & Roses 50: Fillmore East Late Show

Original Air Date: June 10, 2021

Episode Overview

This episode of the “GOOD OL’ GRATEFUL DEADCAST” celebrates the legendary Fillmore East venue and its vital role in the Grateful Dead’s history, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the “Skull & Roses” live album. Hosts Rich Mahan and Jesse Jarnow, along with special guests, offer a deep dive into backstage stories, vivid accounts of unforgettable shows, and the serendipity of New York’s Lower East Side counterculture. Special emphasis lies on recollections from Alan Arkish—a Fillmore East crew member and future television and film director—who forged a unique friendship with Jerry Garcia.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Legendary Fillmore East and Its Unique Scene

Host Jesse Jarnow and Dead Scholar Blair Jackson set the stage for the episode:

• The Fillmore East, founded by Bill Graham in 1968 in New York’s Lower East Side, quickly became a central venue for the Dead and the wider psychedelic scene.

• The venue stood out for both its stellar sound system and its singular, colorful audience—a far cry from other more suburban or mainstream crowds.

  • Blair Jackson reminisces:

    “There were no bad seats at the Fillmore, even though it was a pretty big balcony. I loved it. Fillmore was tremendous.” (04:04)
    “...that was really one of the first things that distinguished a Dead crowd... how they danced and were up all night at every show.” (04:04)

• The live experience was further characterized by wild line scenes and eccentric attendees—“guys in capes,” vibrant hippie energy, and a uniquely gritty Manhattan vibe (04:04).

2. Alan Arkish’s Backstage View: From Usher to Stage Crew

Alan Arkish shares stories from his formative years at the Fillmore East:

• Arkish attended NYU Film School across the street and entered Fillmore culture serendipitously, beginning as an usher for $10 a night (06:05).
• The job evolved into stage crew duty, where he witnessed a spectrum of classic acts, often multiple times in a weekend.
  • Notable moment:

    “I saw the first Led Zeppelin concert in America. I saw the Who when the theater caught fire... First time Santana played in New York.” (06:05)

  • Technological advancements at the Fillmore East led to the invention of true concert sound and lighting—a feat achieved by merging theater expertise with rock show demands (06:05, 09:29).

3. Inventing Concert Lighting: Candace Brightman Remembers

Candace Brightman, later the Dead’s lighting director, reflects on the experimental nature of the early Fillmore days:

• The Fillmore East’s lighting crew essentially invented modern concert lighting, improvising with what was available, including old radiators for counterweights.

  “There really was no such thing as concert lighting...we were inventing that. And that was absolutely wonderful. You just can’t imagine what fun it was.” (09:29)

4. Alan Arkish Meets Jerry Garcia

A personal and heartfelt anecdote that shaped Alan and Jerry’s lifelong friendship:

• In 1969, Arkish encountered Garcia alone in a dressing room while delivering sodas; Jerry serenaded him with “Mountains of the Moon” on request.

  “He starts playing ‘Mountains of the Moon’ and he plays it and sang it for me in the dressing room while I sat there on the floor... and that was the beginning of my friendship with Jerry.” (14:08)

• Their connection grew through discussions about music, musicianship, and movies—Garcia being open to intellectual conversations, preferring not to be praised but engaged.

5. Wild Nights: Memorable Late Shows and Community

Alan describes the surreal, no-curfew, all-night energy of the Fillmore East:

• The Dead had the freedom to play as long as they liked, contributing to legendary gigs, such as the February 14, 1970 late show (now famous as Dick’s Picks 4).
  • Anecdote: After an all-night show, the exhausted crew and musicians stepped out into freshly fallen New York snow, a moment Duane Allman likened to “leaving church” (28:25).

    “Duane Allman goes out... And he turns and he says to Bill Graham, ‘Bill, it's like leaving church.’ And all of us go off in the snow together. So it's like a really magic night.” (28:25)

• The mix of backstage personalities included Hell’s Angels carrying nitrous oxide and even Mickey Hart’s grandparents, who brought cookies to the crew (14:08).

6. The Lower East Side Cultural Milieu

Robert Cooperman, poet and Dead enthusiast, paints a rich picture of the Fillmore’s neighborhood:

• The venue was surrounded by head shops, record stores, hippie clothing boutiques, and classic eateries like Ratner’s, where Bill Graham sometimes used a back table as his office (19:56-21:10).
• The street scene was vibrant and eccentric, a key part of what made the Fillmore East both free-spirited and musically progressive.

7. Bill Graham’s Vision and Personality

Alan recalls the impact of Graham, beloved and sometimes controversial:

• Graham insisted on professional standards, pep-talking the staff, and providing a show with the refinement of theater.

  “He used to love to give us pep talks... And this everyone remembers, this one afternoon where he starts talking about a beautiful show... ‘You know, a good show is like a beautiful woman. There are beautiful women, but then there’s Ava Gardner.’” (21:19)

8. Sound & Light Innovations and Legendary Jams

The Fillmore East’s technical crews broke new ground:

• The on-site eight-track tape machine led to thorough documentation of shows—feeding the riches of Wolfgang’s Vault and many live releases.
• The Joshua Light Show and later Joe’s Lights became synonymous with the Grateful Dead’s cosmic sound, mixing abstract visuals in sync with the band’s improvisations (32:07).

  “We were theatrical... so it wasn’t just spatial, it was temporal. So we move through time with the music...” (32:07)

9. The End of the Fillmore Era and Its Afterlife

The Fillmore East closed in summer 1971, but its spirit and alumni lived on:

• The building was remade several times before becoming condos, with the famous facade still visible (34:41).
• Fillmore East alumni, including Ben Haller and Candace Brightman, continued working with the Dead and contributing to the band’s evolving live legacy.

10. Alan Arkish and the Dead: A Lifelong Friendship

Alan’s stories extend beyond New York:

• After moving to LA, Arkish kept in touch with Garcia, offering creative feedback on the Grateful Dead Movie and collaborating on oddball projects, like using Garcia’s guitar as sci-fi sound effects for the B-movie “Death Sport” (40:28).
• Alan would trade movie recommendations with Jerry, sharing zany films like “Hellzapoppin’” and Fellini’s “8½.”

  “That’s a Garcia double bill. You know, there’s nothing real about that.” (37:03)

• Alan last saw Jerry in 1995 at Giants Stadium, where Garcia warmly equated Arkish’s TV show to the band’s own sold-out shows:

  “He looks at me, goes, ‘Hey buddy, Tuesday nights at 9pm—that’s Giant Stadium too.’ And that was the kind of guy he was. He did not want to be overpraised, but wanted to let you know he appreciated it.” (41:53)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Blair Jackson on Fillmore crowds:

  “…a lot of, you know, guys on acid, hashgrass. Acid, hashgrass. Acid, hashgrass, you know, a lot of that stuff. And these colorful folks you would see, like, around every show…” (04:04)

• Candace Brightman on the spirit of invention:

  “There really was no such thing as concert lighting... I mean, you just can’t imagine what fun it was.” (09:29)

• Alan Arkish on his first private Jerry performance:

  “He starts playing ‘Mountains of the Moon’ and he plays it and sang it for me in the dressing room while I sat there on the floor.” (14:08)

• Duane Allman, after a transcendent night:

  "Bill, it's like leaving church." (28:25)

• Robert Cooperman on light shows:

  “...it was just incredible because it was like a visual corollary of Dark Star.” (30:54)

• Jerry Garcia, ever gracious:

  “‘Hey buddy, Tuesday nights at 9pm—that’s Giant Stadium too.’” (41:53)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:06 — Introduction to the Fillmore East and its mythos
• 04:04 — Blair Jackson on the Fillmore’s unique Dead scene
• 06:05 — Alan Arkish on joining the Fillmore crew and witnessing iconic concerts
• 09:29 — Candace Brightman on inventing concert lighting
• 14:08 — Alan Arkish’s bonding moment with Jerry Garcia
• 19:56 — Robert Cooperman on the Lower East Side and Fillmore neighborhood culture
• 21:19 — Bill Graham reminiscences and workplace culture
• 28:25 — The legendary February 14, 1970 late show (“Dick’s Picks 4”) experience
• 30:54 — Light shows as psychedelic accompaniment
• 32:07 — Alan Arkish on the Joshua/Joe’s Light Show crew
• 34:41 — The afterlife of the Fillmore East and alumni careers
• 37:03 — Alan’s continued friendship and creative collaboration with Garcia
• 41:53 — Final meeting and signature Garcia wisdom

Conclusion

This episode is a kaleidoscopic oral history celebrating the Fillmore East’s vital energy, the Dead’s intertwined journey with the venue, and the friendships, artistry, and improvisational spirit that defined an era. Lively recollections blend with behind-the-scenes details, sketching a bygone scene that remains at the heart of Deadhead lore—equal parts spectacle, experiment, and sincere community.