This story is the work of Bruno Ceriotti. Help in putting this together has been provided by Jerry Slick, Joe Jupille, The Daily Californian, San Francisco Chronicle, and Rob Branigin, to whom I'm most grateful.
UNNAMED REHEARSAL BAND (1965)
1) Grace Slick vocals, guitar
2) Darby Slick guitar
3) Jerry Slick drums
4) Jean 'Jeannie' Piersol vocals
THE GREAT SOCIETY #1 (AUG 1965 - MAR 16, 1966)
1) Darby Slick vocals, lead guitar
2) Jerry Slick drums
3) Grace Slick lead vocals, guitar, bass, tamburine, organ, flute, drums
4) Michael David Miner vocals, bass, rhythm guitar
5) Bard Dupont bass
October 15, 1965: The Coffee Gallery, 1353 Grant Avenue, North Beach, San Francisco, CA
The Great Society's first gig. On the concert poster they were billed as 'The Great! Society' (the idea of the exclamation point after the word 'The Great' was by Bard Dupont’s girlfriend Michele Sevryn).
October 16, 1965: Longshoremen‘s Hall, 400 North Point, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, CA with The Charlatans, Jefferson Airplane, The Marbles, DJ Russ 'The Moose' Syracuse, Notes From The Underground "A Tribute To Dr. Strange"
November 2 - November or December, 1965: Mother's, 430 Broadway, North Beach, San Francisco, CA with Dino Valente (sic)
Mother's was a strip-club recently opened by famous local DJ Tom 'Big Daddy' Donahue. The Great Society played there six nights a week for some weeks or so, after signing a recording contract with Donahue's 'North Beach Records'. Light shows by Don Lewis, Neal Rose, Rodney Richmond, Chris Roberts and others.
December 10, 1965: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Jefferson Airplane, The Mystery Trend, The John Handy Quintet, Sam Thomas And The Gentlemen's Band and "many others friends" (aka The Warlocks, The Vipers, Jeanne Brechan) "Benefit For San Francisco Mime Troupe - Appeal Party II, for Continued Artistic Freedom in the Parks"
December 13, 1965: The Committee, 622 Broadway, San Francisco, CA with Eartha Kitt, Freddie Red with Phillie Joe Jones, Gale Garnett, The VIP's
The band was advertised as 'The Great! Society'.
January 14, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Grateful Dead 'formerly The Warlocks', The Mystery Trend, Sam Thomas And The Gentlemen's Band and "many others friends" "Benefit For San Francisco Mime Troupe - Appeal Party III, Dance-Concert"
KQED-TV filmed at least part of the Mime Troupe Benefit, certainly a brief performance by The Great Society.
The Great Society's first gig. On the concert poster they were billed as 'The Great! Society' (the idea of the exclamation point after the word 'The Great' was by Bard Dupont’s girlfriend Michele Sevryn).
October 16, 1965: Longshoremen‘s Hall, 400 North Point, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, CA with The Charlatans, Jefferson Airplane, The Marbles, DJ Russ 'The Moose' Syracuse, Notes From The Underground "A Tribute To Dr. Strange"
November 2 - November or December, 1965: Mother's, 430 Broadway, North Beach, San Francisco, CA with Dino Valente (sic)
Mother's was a strip-club recently opened by famous local DJ Tom 'Big Daddy' Donahue. The Great Society played there six nights a week for some weeks or so, after signing a recording contract with Donahue's 'North Beach Records'. Light shows by Don Lewis, Neal Rose, Rodney Richmond, Chris Roberts and others.
December 10, 1965: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Jefferson Airplane, The Mystery Trend, The John Handy Quintet, Sam Thomas And The Gentlemen's Band and "many others friends" (aka The Warlocks, The Vipers, Jeanne Brechan) "Benefit For San Francisco Mime Troupe - Appeal Party II, for Continued Artistic Freedom in the Parks"
December 13, 1965: The Committee, 622 Broadway, San Francisco, CA with Eartha Kitt, Freddie Red with Phillie Joe Jones, Gale Garnett, The VIP's
The band was advertised as 'The Great! Society'.
January 14, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Grateful Dead 'formerly The Warlocks', The Mystery Trend, Sam Thomas And The Gentlemen's Band and "many others friends" "Benefit For San Francisco Mime Troupe - Appeal Party III, Dance-Concert"
KQED-TV filmed at least part of the Mime Troupe Benefit, certainly a brief performance by The Great Society.
January 21-22, 1966: The Matrix, 3138 Fillmore Street, Marina District, San Francisco, CA
January 23, 1966: Gate Theater, Sausalito, CA with Mystery Trend
February 1, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Grateful Dead, Loading Zone "Tuesday Afternoon Audition"
February 11, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with The Charlatans, Mystery Trend, The Skins, Family Tree
February 12, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Big Brother And The Holding Company, Mystery Trend (cancelled), The Grateful Dead (cancelled), Quicksilver Messenger Service, Wildflower, Our Lost Souls (cancelled) "Rock For Peace - Benefit for Democratic congressional candidates and the Viet Nam Study Group"
February 26, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Big Brother And The Holding Company, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Grass Roots "King Kong Memorial Dance"
March 11, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Quicksilver Messenger Service, Gentlemen’s Band "The Great Blondin 2-day Dance Benefit"
A two day benefit (11-12) for Canyon, CA filmmaker Robert Nelson whose film "The Great Blondino" was released in 1967.
March 15-16, 1966: The Matrix, 3138 Fillmore Street, Marina District, San Francisco, CA
February 11, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with The Charlatans, Mystery Trend, The Skins, Family Tree
February 12, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Big Brother And The Holding Company, Mystery Trend (cancelled), The Grateful Dead (cancelled), Quicksilver Messenger Service, Wildflower, Our Lost Souls (cancelled) "Rock For Peace - Benefit for Democratic congressional candidates and the Viet Nam Study Group"
February 26, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Big Brother And The Holding Company, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Grass Roots "King Kong Memorial Dance"
March 11, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Quicksilver Messenger Service, Gentlemen’s Band "The Great Blondin 2-day Dance Benefit"
A two day benefit (11-12) for Canyon, CA filmmaker Robert Nelson whose film "The Great Blondino" was released in 1967.
March 15-16, 1966: The Matrix, 3138 Fillmore Street, Marina District, San Francisco, CA
THE GREAT SOCIETY #2 (MAR 17, 1966 - JUN ?, 1966)
1) Darby Slick
2) Jerry Slick
3) Grace Slick
4) Michael David Miner
5) Peter Van Gelder bass, sopran sax, flute, sitar
March 17-19, 1966: The Matrix, 3138 Fillmore Street, Marina District, San Francisco, CA
March 20, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Skins "Batman Dance And Film Festival"
March 26, 1966: The Firehouse, San Francisco, CA with The Outfit
April 1-2, 1966: Harmon Gymnasium, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA with Big Brother and The Holding Company, The Band (Monty Waters), Jefferson Airplane (cancelled), Quicksilver Messenger Service (cancelled), The Skins, The Exiles, Lights and Sounds by Don Buchla, Go-Go Girls provided by Dance USA as auditioned by Carol Doda "A Delano Grape Strike Benefit"
March 26, 1966: The Firehouse, San Francisco, CA with The Outfit
April 1-2, 1966: Harmon Gymnasium, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA with Big Brother and The Holding Company, The Band (Monty Waters), Jefferson Airplane (cancelled), Quicksilver Messenger Service (cancelled), The Skins, The Exiles, Lights and Sounds by Don Buchla, Go-Go Girls provided by Dance USA as auditioned by Carol Doda "A Delano Grape Strike Benefit"
The Great Society, and Big Brother and The Holding Company fillied in for Jefferson Airplane and Quicksilver Messenger Service.
April 22-23, 1966: Avalon Ballroom, Sutter Street at Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA with The Blues Project
May 7, 1966: Harmon Gymnasium, University of California, Berkeley, CA with The Billy Moses Blues Bag, The Charlatans, The Grateful Dead, Russ 'The Moose' Syracuse (MC) "Dance/Concert - Peace Rock 3 - Berkeley Benefit Peace Candidates" (from 9:00pm to 1:00am)
THE GREAT SOCIETY #3 (JUN ?, 1966 - SEPT 10, 1966)
1) Darby Slick
2) Jerry Slick
3) Grace Slick
4) Peter Van Gelder
June 4-9, 1966: The Matrix, 3138 Fillmore Street, Marina District, San Francisco, CA with Solomon
These shows were recorded.
June 10-11, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Jefferson Airplane
The Heavenly Blues Band was also on the bill but dit not actually make the gig due to an illness in the band. The first show (June 10) was recorded and an excerpt can be found on the 'Wolfgang's Vault' website.
June 21-26, 1966: The Matrix, 3138 Fillmore Street, Marina District, San Francisco, CA with Dan Hicks, Don Garrett
These shows were recorded.
June 10-11, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Jefferson Airplane
The Heavenly Blues Band was also on the bill but dit not actually make the gig due to an illness in the band. The first show (June 10) was recorded and an excerpt can be found on the 'Wolfgang's Vault' website.
June 21-26, 1966: The Matrix, 3138 Fillmore Street, Marina District, San Francisco, CA with Dan Hicks, Don Garrett
The shows were recorded and some tracks were later released posthumous on their album: 'Conspicuous Only In It’s Absence' (1968).
June 26, 1966: The Mod Hatter, Town & Country Village, Mill Valley, CA with KYA's Johnny Holiday (MC) "Teen Boss Bash to celebrate the Grand Opening"
June 28 - July 3, 1966: The Matrix, 3138 Fillmore Street, Marina District, San Francisco, CA with Dan Hicks
June 28 - July 3, 1966: The Matrix, 3138 Fillmore Street, Marina District, San Francisco, CA with Dan Hicks
The shows were recorded and some tracks were later released posthumous on their album: 'Conspicuous Only In It’s Absence' (1968). The band cancelled their appearance on July 2 (because they had a gig at the Fillmore, see below) and the Final Solution filled in for them at last minute.
July 2, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with The Charlatans, Sopwith Camel
July 2, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with The Charlatans, Sopwith Camel
July 19, 1966: California Hall, 625 Polk Street at Turk, San Francisco, CA with Baltimore Steampacket, Buddah (From Muir Beach) and others
July 22-23, 1966: Avalon Ballroom, Sutter Street at Van Ness, San Francisco, CA with Jefferson Airplane
July 28, 1966: California Hall, 625 Polk Street at Turk, San Francisco, CA with The Charlatans, Big Brother And The Holding Company "Bilbo's Birthday Party"
This show was originally planned for day 22.
August 5, 1966: Losers South, San Jose, CA with Jefferson Airplane
August 5, 1966: Losers South, San Jose, CA with Jefferson Airplane
The Great Society filling in for the advertised Big Brother and The Holding Company.
August 8, 1966: The Matrix, 3138 Fillmore Street, Marina District, San Francisco, CA with Little Walter and His Band
The show was recorded.
August 26, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Quicksilver Messenger Service (filled in for 13th Floor Elevators)
September 9-10, 1966: Avalon Ballroom, Sutter Street At Van Ness, San Francisco, CA with Quicksilver Messenger Service
THE GREAT SOCIETY #4 (SEPT 11, 1966)
1) Darby Slick
2) Jerry Slick
3) Grace Slick
4) Peter Van Gelder
5) Oscar Daniels vocals, rhythm guitar
September 11, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, John Hendricks Trio, Elvin Jones, Joe Henderson Quartet, Big Mama Thornton, Denny Zeitlin Trio, The Wildflower, Garry Goodrow (MC), Lights by Bill Ham "Both/And Jazz Club Benefit - Gigantic All-Night Jazz/Rock Dance Concert"
