Winterland. Welcome to Bill Graham’s Dreamland.

Winterland in San Francisco was opened on June 29, 1928, as the New Dreamland Auditorium. It was a gathering place for thousands of Bay Area families. I remember my grandparents’ stories about their adventures at Playland at The Beach, swimming at Sutro Baths and skating at Dreamland. In 1936, Winterland began hosting the Shipstads and Johnson Ice Follies. My experiences with Winterland started in the early sixties when my parents had front row seats to the follies. During the performance a beautiful princess began giving kids rides on a glittering sleigh. She skated towards us and came to an abrupt stop as her blades snowplowed into the ice. She asked my parents for permission to take me onto the ice and over to her sleigh. It was AOK, and as the spotlights crisscrossed along the sparkling ice, the crowd jumped to their feet and roared their approval as we slowly made a full circle around the rink. On second thought maybe it was more like some light stretching and polite applause. Things seem larger than life when you’re a kid. Anyway, I was awe struck and remember it to this day. My next visit was an Ali Frazier closed circuit TV fight. Muhammad Ali was one of the most charismatic and controversial figures of the 20th century, and his anti-war stance made him wildly popular with most Bay Area fans. The chants of Ali, Ali, throughout the venerable hall, were deafening. Those live Ali, Frazer closed circuit TV fights are still some of the most exciting sporting events I have ever attended. Over the years the building hosted almost everything at one time or another including the San Francisco Opera and the Follies Bergère. Bill Graham pumped new life into the venue starting in 1966, with a double bill from The Jefferson Airplane and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. If not for his incredible escape from Nazi Germany, Graham’s arrival on the Bay Area music scene would never have happened. Bill Graham was a force of nature, he had a legendary temper, and heart to match. Actor Peter Coyote once described him as “a cross between Mother Theresa and Al Capone.” Love him or hate him, the amount of quality music he brought to the Bay Area is mind boggling! His shows had a warm family atmosphere that was tangible. To many of us baby boomers he was a constant, it seemed like he was everywhere. When Bill or Jerry Pompili introduced an act, it was much like hearing a family member announce that dinner was served. And when Graham died in a tragic helicopter crash, for some of us it was like losing a family member and we mourned, most of us never even knowing about his arduous journey to freedom. From his military service to his escape from Nazi Germany to his contribution to the music industry and to his philanthropy through the Bill Graham Memorial Foundation, he is the essence of the American Dream. And was, arguably, the greatest music promoter of all time. And unarguably, a San Francisco Legend. After closing both The Fillmore West and The Fillmore East in 1971, he began to lease Winterland on a year-to-year basis. By that time the building had fallen into a state of disrepair. Despite the venue’s limited seating, falling plaster and peeling paint, almost every major touring act played there, The Stones, Springsteen, Pink Floyd, and the list goes on and on. Isn’t it funny how we sometimes romanticize places like Candlestick and Winterland when at the time they were considered dilapidated. Winterland was like that discarded old couch in your parents’ living room that was just as comfortable as it was ugly. I speak as a native San Franciscan in saying, it’s a bit sad that there isn’t even a commemorative plaque at the corner of Post and Steiner. So, here is a look back at one of the most storied music venues in San Francisco History. And a small glimpse into the makeup of the Grand Impresario who left us way too soon, here is, “Remembering Bill Graham’s Dreamland, Winterland”. Music by Cab Calloway, The Jefferson Airplane, The Sons of Champlin, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Cold Blood, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ten Years After, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, J. Geils, The Closing of Winterland, The Blues Brothers, and The Grateful Dead. Winterland interviews by Wes ("Scoop") Nisker. Bill Graham interviews by KQED 9 TV & KRON 4 TV. Bill Graham’s childhood friend Ralph Moratz was interviewed by Bonnie Simmons, of the Bill Graham Memorial Foundation. All live performances and interviews are available on YouTube in their entirety. Editing, and research by yours truly. This Rockumentary is a nonprofit, informative and commemorative labor of love. Video meets all fair use guidelines. Best viewed on a laptop with headphones. HAPPY NEW YEAR!