GAMH

Forums:

I was lucky enough to see a show there on Saturday.  Cross it off the to-do list. It sure is a beautiful building. 

Not a brag - but I've lived in SF since Spring of '87 and have seen hundreds there - it's one of the nicest and best sounding venues I know of  - of it's size.
When I first moved to the Bay a good pal o mine was a waiter there.  He got me in for free to dozens of gigs.
I've seen many shows from Jazz to Bluegrass, Swing, Rock, Reggae, GD off shoot bands, DSO, Zero, Kimock, Grisman, Marshall & Anger, Gypsy Kings, Zappa family bands, Rockabilly Bands, John Hartford, Ry Cooder and so much more.  

I've even played there a few times!

In terms of beauty - I can think of only one theater in the Bay Area that surpasses it: The Fox in Oakland and I was there for the Grand Opening with Furthur about 8 years back.  

I somehow wound up baking a giant Mandolin Carrot Cake , for Rudy Cipolla's 90th Birthday um in 1990! He lived to be 100 , fantastique player, and a real swell night in that there room!

IMG_2689.JPG

 

If the walls could talk.  The sound was good, up front and in the back.  I had imagined it to be a larger venue than it is but that is probably the legendary status making it appear larger than life.

 

 

In terms of beauty - I can think of only one theater in the Bay Area that surpasses it: The Fox in Oakland and I was there for the Grand Opening with Furthur about 8 years back

Furthur wasn't the grand opening.   BB King was the 1st show@the Fox.  I was 5th row center.  I was also at those Furthur shows too.

 

As far as the GAMH, one of my favorite venues as well.  I saw Robert Plant there with James Cotton, Jimmie Vaughn, and Buddy Miller for a fundraiser show, but my favorite is still the Chet Helms memorial show I saw there.  I smoked a joint with Santana at that show

When I had some down time while out for the GD NYE '82 Oakland shows, a friend and I decided to check out Van Morrison at the GAMH.

Our waitress was from Long Island and sat us at a front table for the early show; hid us upstairs between shows, and re-sat us at that front table (for free).

It was the best concert I saw, up until Ian Hunter this past May.

It's acoustics are not in the same league as Carnegie Hall or Radio City.  The room is rectangular and meant dine in. But a landmark.

Hi Rob!

Was nice to sit with u Sat. @ Crabmeesh"s Craw Fish Party !!

Whoopsy - my bad on the confusion about the Fox being opened by Furthur.
It was however (other than about 10 paid rehearsal shows - most of which I attended) the debut shows of Furthur.

What a beautiful room.  Saw Melvin's faux JGB there.

Got to party with Froggy & Hippomansmiley

Well Treble, the teacher in me compels me to correct you once again; the Furthur rehearsal shows were all after those Fox shows.

The Fox shows were in September of '09, the first two rehearsal shows at the Masonic Hall (now the Sweetwater) were in late December, then the 10 show run at the Throckmorton and Masonic were very early January '10.

But you're right that the GAMH is a great place for a show.

One of the things I love most about it is that it was built 110 years ago, during the first rebuild after the 1906 earthquake & fire, yet it is virtually the same today as it ever was.

gamh_1.jpg

I love that sort of thing, especially in the tear it down, everything must always be new mentality we live in today.

Saw a great Max Creek show there. I think it was one of their only west coast swings.

I am chronologically challenged....

Hi Blaise!  I was nice seeing you as well, wish we had more time to chat...there was a lot going on last weekend!