Acid Rock lights up the night
January 4, 2010 – 1:38 pm
1966 Acid rock concert at the Establishment, San Luis Obispo. Photo by Jim Vestal/Telegram-Tribune
December 3, 1966
Memo to Hipster wannabees:
Chances are if you only get style updates from a newspaper you will be several months behind the cutting edge. While newspapers have a voracious appetite for content, by the time they find out about short lived trends the true hipster has already moved on. This story was an exception. Acid rock had staying power and while Wikipedia gives the first documented references to psychedelic and acid rock in 1964-65, there was still a lot of upside to the trend.
The Beatles brought the 12-string guitar and sitar to the fore with the album Rubber Soul released December 1965.
San Francisco bands including the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and others began to draw widespread attention in the mid-1960s transforming concerts into mind-altering events with light shows and long improvisational jams. The Byrds launched the hit single “Eight miles high” in March 1966. When questioned by authorities the band claimed it was about an airline trip but fans had a different trip in mind.
In San Luis Obispo the scene outside The Establishment looked like a Beach Boys album, with hot rods and Ye Olde Surf Shop. On the marque of the Obispo Theater across Monterey Street “The Swinger” is in a double feature with “The World of Henry Orient”.
Inside the hall the scene was closer to the Byrds and Grateful Dead. In some photos a what looks like a Fender 12-string guitar is in the hands of the lead singer and liquid light show is splashing on the walls and optic nerves.
The photos were made at two different youth dances at different halls The Establishment and The Pantry. I’m not sure what the film strip on the left of the page is about, if they are stills from a movie or if the photographer brought back images from Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip.
The thought skipping — unbylined — copy reads a little like an acid trip. Anyone who has taken an actual acid trip can provide a better analogy if one comes to mind.
If you think kids are nutty now…..
Kids are the same all over — they’re kooky.
They dress funny, talk funny, dance funny, wear their hair funny and listen to funny music. Kind of like kids did in the 30s and 50s.
City fathers are constantly being complained to about the young people’s noise, their fast cars and nutty behavior. Like in the 30s and 50s.
They talk a lot about LSD, marijuana, booze. And there is “acid music” to accompany a “light show” — sort of a pale imitation of the unreal sensations experienced while under the influence of LSD.
The student rebels of Berkeley, who talk about getting involved with the issues and call marijuana liberating, and the “teenyboppers” who defy the police on the Sunset Strip are the same. Except that they’re probably more into the latter. It’s not that easy to get into Cal.
And their behavior is explained by some who say, “They’re questioning their parents’ lives and middle-class standards.” Lives and standards that most of them will be living and adopting all too soon.
So don’t disappear. If you think kids are scary now, check this lead paragraph from a wire service story dispatched Friday:
“LAS VEGAS, Nev. (UPI)—High School seniors will be flying their own airplanes within another generation, according to a California physician.”
Picture captions include:
The latest craze at San Luis Obispo’s teen nightclub, “The Establishment,” are light shows which simulate LSD experiences to the accompaniment of “acid music.”
Dances, dress and hair styles are different but hardly the devil’s work.
Most striking thing about students dancing at the Pantry is the distance between the participants.
Teen age dances are kooky, but haven’t they always been?
Timothy Leary would visit the town in 1969 but the revolution had already begun.
Photos were by Jim Vestal
12 Responses to “Acid Rock lights up the night”
Anyone remember the location of the Establishment? I remember hearing about it but never was in the place.
By Joe Dunlap on Jan 4, 2010
The Establishment was GREAT! It was on Monterey Street just south of the Osos Street intersection and across the street from (take your pick) Obispo Theater, Dan’s Bar, Parking Lot or the new (kinda) Court Street shopping area. The Pantry was down on Marsh Street where San Luis Fish is now. It’s fun to remember some of the rock shows that came to SLO in the 60s and early 70s…The Doors, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Jefferson Airplane, The Eagles, Neil Young, Steve Miller Band, Poco, Chambers Brothers, Canned Heat…
By Hippie Rich on Jan 4, 2010
The Establishment is where Boo Boo’s Jazz store and Graham’s Art Store used to be. The Picture of the rock group is of The Knickerbockers (I was too young to attend but saw the show from the back window!)I did get in on afternoon for a mock acidtest show-whereby speakers would chant poetry ala Ginsberg/Leary through mic’s with the light show. I got to know one of the light show people- a Peter Vincent and his wild leopard-skinned capris girlfriend Sherri. They helped put to the only Rock Festival held at Montana de Oro-Which was promptly busted up in a controversial break-up. Sherri is show being arrested by local authoities who were pulling her hair-caught in a (TT) Tribune cover shot. Same Sherrif deputies also invovled in earlier corruption with Nipomo cockfighting ring. Interesting! David-You should look into the Montana de Oro Festival and The Nipomo thing-they were big stories then! Also the 1965? tsumani/waves that destroyed Avila pier and washed out the Beach.
By robert graham on Jan 9, 2010
Hey, We were there and want to see the rest of the photos (from Jan 9 article). Could have been our friend Dave Riordan from Pacific Grass and Electric Company or …..
By Corky Summers and Mike Ayers on Jan 9, 2010
Thanks everyone for all the extra details in the comments from folks who were there.
Robert,
I may have covered the rock festival you are thinking of at Montaña de Oro, the Free University Be In. I still have to post on the aftermath, there was a multi-day trial that followed. I’ll look into the tsunami, recently found reference to another one from the early 20th century, a future post.
Corky & Mike,
I’ll scan a couple of other photos from the story for a photos only post.
By David Middlecamp on Jan 9, 2010
Very cool piece of SLO sixties rock history; thanks David, for the story. Anyone know more
about The Establishment? When it first opened
or how long it existed? Who the owners or operators were, or what bands (both national
and/or local) played there? I never saw Dave Riordan with Pacific Grass and Electric, but
did see The Yankee Dollar a number of times a
couple of years later. A From The Vault piece
on The Yankee Dollar or The Sentinals would be
excellent. The year this article was published
I was passing through SLO for the first time,
never dreaming I’d end up living there. At age
sixteen, I spotted my dream car, (a cherried out, totally restored 1946 Ford wagon) a truly beautiful woody with a For Sale sign, parked
across from The Stuffed Olive restaurant. The
two recent high school grads (never learned if
they were SLOHS or Mission guys) from whom I bought my first (and still most dearly loved) car, mentioned that they were somwhow involved
in a cool rock n’ roll scene downtown called
The Establishment. When I moved to SLO, in mid
1968, not only was the place gone, but nobody I
asked seemed to know anything about it. So,
can anybody shed more light on the history of SLO’s The Establishment, circa 1966 or so?
By Rick Williams on Jan 10, 2010
My band (Fire) played the Free University Be-In. The way I remember it, we were in mid-song when the police arrived and announced “You have two minutes to disperse.” A few seconds later, they used force to get everybody to leave.
My former bandmate, Mike Brebes, thinks the band playing in the picture is Dave Riordan’s pre-P G and E group called The Cyrkus. I remember seeing them at a dance in the snack bar at Poly.
I was too young to go to the Establishment, but I sure enjoyed rocking out with The Arc at the “I”. Also Park Hotel at Aethel Reds.
By Eric Olsen on Jan 10, 2010
In case you missed it, the Sentinals were covered in a PFTV blog post in October 2008.
By David Middlecamp on Jan 10, 2010
Great shot of the old Obispo David. I was wondering if any of those either came with captions or if the resolution can be made any sharper. There are at least 2 people I think I rocognize, but cant tell for sure.
Joe
By Joe Dunlap on Jan 11, 2010
Hi Joe,
I uploaded images to my flickr account where I don’t have to worry about bandwith.
By David Middlecamp on Jan 11, 2010
The Establishment… Sullys… Aethel Reds… The Log Cabin (“Crazy Horse”)… The “I”… The Pantry… Laguna Village Inn… McCarthy’s… Bulls… The Cigar Factory (“I bet I can drink THREE ‘Adios Mothers” so line ‘em up!”)… Goodness. Now I see where I misspent my youth! I am mustering my remaining six brain cells to type this message…
By Hippie Rich on Jan 19, 2010
Hippie Rich,
Wow. I didn’t know anyone could drink three Adios Smother’s and survive. I had one for my 21st birthday and it was my last. You must have had a better training program than I did.
By David Middlecamp on Jan 20, 2010