Fillmore East Reborn at Bay Street
For those old enough to remember the psychedelic ’60s, and those who wish they could, Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor will present “A Night at the Fillmore East: A Musical Tribute to the Legendary Venue” on Saturday at 8 p.m.
Bill Graham’s theater, located on Manhattan’s Lower East Side from 1968 to 1971, was a spin-off of his Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, later renamed Fillmore West. Joe Lauro, a musician, filmmaker, and music archivist who conceived the program, said, “We’re going to re-create what a night at the Fillmore East was like. They always had three bands. A single show I went to in 1970 had the Grateful Dead, Arthur Lee’s Love, and the Allman Brothers.”
Saturday’s program will pay tribute to the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Janis Joplin, and Jefferson Airplane. “We have some very serious musicians who are taking on the roles of these icons,” said Mr. Lauro. “Joe Cumia does a brilliant Jimi Hendrix Experience show; we have Amber Ferrari, who’s known for her show ‘Joplin’s Pearl,’ and I’ve put together the Jefferson Airplane group. Carolyn Droscoksi is doing Grace Slick. When I closed my eyes during rehearsal, I thought Grace was in the theater.”
Other Airplane musicians include George Feaster, who is taking Marty Balin’s role, Dave Giacone, Dan Koontz, and Christopher Walsh, a writer for The Star, who is playing the Paul Kantner part with a 12-string electric guitar and some of the vocals. “Jack Casady, the Airplane’s bass player, was one of my first idols,” said Mr. Lauro, “so I get to really dig into his sound.”
Another highlight of the Fillmore concerts were the psychedelic light shows that provided backdrops for the bands. Gary Hygom, Bay Street’s managing director for production, will create a light show in the Fillmore style. “Gary is the art director for all these shows,” said Mr. Lauro. “I never ask him, and I never know what to expect, but I’m always pleasantly surprised. For our Beatles show, he re-created the Ed Sullivan set.”
In addition to his staging, Mr. Hygom has worked closely with Mr. Lauro on conceptualizing all six of this year’s rock ’n’ roll shows. “Gary and I get together late summer and come up with a list of ideas we think we can pull off and that people would be interested in.” The final program of the series, scheduled for May 7, will be devoted to great music from the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Tickets for Saturday’s show are $30.
Those who prefer their entertainment in a slightly less hallucinogenic key can catch a new “All Star Comedy Show” at Bay Street tomorrow at 8 p.m. Joseph Vecsey, the longtime series host, will welcome the guest comedians Nore Davis, Neko White, and Kase Raso. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 the day of the show.