Quicksilver Messenger Service - live 1971 Filmore West
4301 Bill Graham Introductions/Fresh Air 0:00
2 Baby Baby 6:12
3 Dr. Feelgood 11:11
4 Much to Say 15:55
5 Words Can't Say 29:18
6 Mona 32:29
7 Subway 40:22
8 Ain't That a Shame 46:00
9 Doing Time in the USA 54:20
10 Mojo 1:00:05
11 Come Along 1:05:05
12 The Truth 1:08:46
13 Roadrunner 1:16:25
14 The Hat 1:20:42
15 Who Do You Love 1:30:05
16 What About Me 1:44:44
17 Call On Me 1:52:30
Dino Valenti - guitar, vocals;
Gary Duncan - guitar, vocals;
David Frieberg - bass, vocals;
Dale Ockerman - keyboards;
Greg Elmore - drums;
unknown - congas, percussion
From 1965 to 1971, Bill Graham closely observed the San Francisco music scene develop from young aspiring bands playing at dances to seasoned recording and touring vets known around the world. For the closing week at Fillmore West, Graham presented a week of festivities celebrating the San Francisco bands, featuring many of the musicians that established the original Fillmore Auditorium and Graham's earliest forays into live concert production and promotion. Every night was special and featured an impressive triple bill. As the week progressed, each night became more extraordinary than the night before and by the time closing weekend rolled around, expectations were extremely high. On Friday night, July 2nd, Jerry Garcia embarked on one of the most monumental nights of his career, performing on nearly every song by all three bands on the bill, the Rowan Brothers, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, and of course the Grateful Dead, in their farewell performance to Fillmore West. By Saturday night, July 3rd, the Fillmore West ticket holders were anticipating another legendary night. Bill Graham didn't disappoint, with another triple bill that featured openers Yogi Phlegm (a scaled down version of Sons Of Champlin) followed by Hot Tuna and one of the most legendary of all the San Francisco bands closing, Quicksilver Messenger Service.
Originally formed in 1965 in San Francisco, Quicksilver Messenger Service, although not as commercially successful as Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, or Big Brother & the Holding Co, are just as responsible for establishing the "San Francisco Sound." The group's first two albums are widely considered to be two of the finest examples of this sound in its purest form, especially their second album, Happy Trails, which emphasized extended arrangements and the fluid twin-guitar improvisations of guitarists John Cipollina and Gary Duncan. Much like their contemporaries, Quicksilver's root sound was based on folk and blues, but by mixing in jazz and classical elements, they created a distinctive individual sound that was both innovative and distinctively different. Unlike the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream, bands that also thrived on improvisation and heavy amplification, QMS featured two highly distinctive guitar players. Duncan's unparalleled melodic sensibilities and penetrating lead style combined with Cipollina's finger picking, slide technique, and individualistic twang bar infused leads to create a clear biting sound that would literally define what it meant to be a "psychedelic jam band."