Quaker City Rock Festivals

The 1st Quaker City Rock Festival was my first rock concert at The Spectrum in Philadelphia which operated there from late 1967 until 2009 when it was demolished and replaced. This concert was in October 1968. Prior to that I had been to many shows at various other venues throughout the city but all of them much smaller. 

This concert was a good show with several great bands and was a lot of fun. Too bad the sound wasn't great and the revolving stage had problems. I liked the clubs much more than these large venues which were fine for hockey and basketball. All the bands in this lineup except Vanilla Fudge I had seen before or would see again in a small club and two of them who were the highlight of this show, Janis Joplin and Chambers Brothers, I had seen earlier in the year at the Electric Factory and I would see again at a big rock festival in August 1969 in Atlantic City.

A few months later in December 1968 I would attend the 2nd Quaker City Rock Festival. This would be the only time I saw Steppenwolf. The other bands I saw a few time from the late 60's to the early 70's. I didn't go to the Spectrum for concerts too many more times except for several shows in 74-75... well except for Flyers and Sixers games.

I would go to a couple of more concerts in 1969 at the Spectrum and then none during my four years in the Navy. I went to a bunch more in 1974 through 1976 and then I stopped going to any arena or stadium concerts. From 1977 on I only went to small venue show in clubs and theaters or some of the outdoor concerts in parks or city squares. Just no more big hockey arena shows.

1st Quaker City Rock Festival

• Vanilla Fudge
• Big Brother & The Holding Company (feat. Janis Joplin)
• The Chambers Brothers
• Moby Grape
• Buddy Guy Blues Band

2nd Quaker City Rock Festival

• Steppenwolf
• Creedence Clearwater Revival
• Grateful Dead
• Sly & The Family Stone
• Iron Butterfly