Venue Address: Flushing Meadows, Queens - New York, NY 
Promotion: Gary Kurfirst & Shelley Finkel Present
Event: New York Rock Festival

Also Performing:
The Who
Kangaroo

Setlist:
Introduction (Scott Muni)
Backdoor Man >
Five To One
Break On Through
When The Music's Over
      -Vast Radiant Beach
      -Dawn's Highway
      -The Royal Sperm
Wild Child
Wake Up!
Light My Fire
The End
      -Strange Gods Are Coming
      -The Sea Is Green
      -I Hear You Calling
      -Ensenada

Recordings / Film:
16mm Professional Film - 'Feast of Friends' (See Below)
8mm Amateur/Audience Film - First Source (See Below)
8mm Amateur/Audience Film - Second Source (See Below)
Amateur/Audience Recording - First Source
Amateur/Audience Recording - Second Source

Photographers:
Allan Grossman
Thom Lukas
Unidentified (Amateur & Professional)

Reviews / Info:
-8:30pm scheduled start time.
-Promotional artwork by Dominic Sicilia (Poster;Flyer;Print Ads;)
-Outdoor performance.
-Approx. 16,500 in attendance.
-Backstage and performance footage is shot for Feast Of Friends. (See Below)
-Jim Morrison mingles with the audience prior to The Doors performance.
-Pete Townshend of The Who begins to smash The Doors amplifiers during their performance.
-The Doors perform on a revolving stage which breaks down partway through the performance.
-Setlist includes the first known live performance of Wild Child. (See Below)
-Audience members repeatedly attempt to get on the stage.
-Cameraman Paul Ferrara protects his equipment by filming from behind John Densmore's drumkit.
-Approx. 200 audience members throw chairs causing injury following The Doors performance.
-Jim Morrison attempts to console an injured concert attendee after the show.
-This performance is recorded on tape by at least two audience members.
-Newspapers across the U.S. publish reports about the injuries and chair throwing during The Doors performance.
-A crowd control squad is immediately formed as a result of this show by Police Commissioner Howard R. Leary.


"I saw The Doors on August 2nd, 1968 at the Singer Bowl at the old World's Fair grounds in Flushing, NY. The Singer Bowl was my very first concert and manoman was I impressed! My father wouldn't let me go to the show because he knew about Morrison, but I told him that I was going to sneak out of the house and go anyway, and that he could kill me later. He relented. He was waiting for us outside after the show, threw me and my friend into the car and swore that I wouldn't be able to leave the house again until I was 36!

The opening act was a band called Kangaroo which featured Jon Hall later of the band Orleans and some hippie chick singer and the middle act that night was The Who! I was 12 years old at the time and wasn't too familiar with The Who and they rocked the house big time and smashed their instruments at the end of their performance.

The Doors came on after being introduced by WNEW FM DJ Scott Muni, and they were amazing. There was a revolving stage and it broke down with the band facing me. My seat was way up top, but when The Doors came on I went up front and was about 15 feet from them. Jim was wearing brown leathers and a purple paisley shirt and he looked great. I also remember thinking that Robbie Krieger looked like he was about to cry. He looked worried. The Doors finished their set with "The End" and then a riot broke out with the cops busting heads everywhere! I walked right through it knowing that no one would crack the skull of a 12 year old kid!

I borrowed my mom's Instamatic camera, but the pictures didn't come out too well, and I don't know where they are now. I don't have the ticket stub either, but I have a great memory of that amazing show!"

Steven Pearl
Los Angeles, CA
Copyright © 2010 Steven Pearl

A Special Thanks to Steven Pearl for providing his review of the concert to MildEquator.com!

8MM AUDIENCE FILM #1

---

Info:

Silent color footage of The Doors shot on an 8mm Kodak camera with one 4-minute cartridge at the Singer Bowl in New York. Portions of the reel include performance footage of 'The Who'. Film shifts in and out of focus. Appears to have been shot close to the stage.

8MM AUDIENCE FILM #2

---

Info:

This source of film was shot over 4 different 8mm rolls, however it is possible that they do not all contain performance footage. The films whereabouts are currently unknown, and are said to be in the possession of the filmer.

FEAST OF FRIENDS:

---

Info:

Backstage color footage with sound shot at the Singer Bowl in New York on August 2nd, 1968. Features Jim Morrison wandering through the audience prior to the performance while Paul Ferrara and Babe Hill follow in close. Numerous chairs thrown by the audience during this performance, however the event is not captured on film. Following the performance, Jim Morrison talks with an injured concert attendee.

The Doors are captured on film during their performance at the Singer Bowl on August 2nd, 1968. Features footage of the band as they make their way to the stage, and Jim Morrison performs wildly to an aggressive audience. While filming on-stage during this performance, Paul Ferrara hides behind John Densmore's drums to shield himself and his camera from audience projectiles.

PUBLISHED INTERVIEW

---

Publication: Hit Parader
Issue: November 1969
Interview Date: Mixed Dates - 1968/1969
Publish Date: November - 1969
Interview Location: Singer Bowl, Madison Square Garden - New York, N.Y.

Info:
This lengthy article by Ellen Sander, who would later become Jac Holzman's wife, is a mixed report of quotes and thoughts on The Doors conducted during her exclusive backstage access to the band during their performances in New York in August 1968 at the Singer Bowl. This article also features memoirs of the Madison Square Garden performances in 1969 and Jim Morrison at the Plaza Hotel in New York. The article also features a rare publication of quotes from 'Feast of Friends' filmmaker Paul Ferrara, and sound engineer Babe Hill.

ARCHIVE/MEMORABILIA:

---

REVIEW #1:

Newspaper: The News Journal
Author: UPI
Publish Date: August 3rd - 1968
Copyright © The News Journal

Contributed By: jim4371

REVIEW #2:

Newspaper: San Francisco Examiner
Author: UPI
Publish Date: August 3rd - 1968
Copyright © The San Francisco Examiner

Contributed By: jim4371

REVIEW #3:

Newspaper: The News Herald
Author: UPI
Publish Date: August 3rd - 1968
Copyright © The News Herald

Contributed By: jim4371

REVIEW #4:

Newspaper: Bridgeport Post
Author: UPI
Publish Date: August 3rd - 1968
Copyright © Bridgeport Post

REVIEW #5:

Newspaper: The Chicago Tribune
Author: UPI
Publish Date: August 4th - 1968
Copyright © The Chicago Tribune

Contributed By: jim4371

REVIEW #6:

Newspaper: Nevada State Journal
Author: UPI
Publish Date: August 4th - 1968
Copyright © Nevada State Journal

REVIEW #7:

Newspaper: Paterson News
Author: Gregg Carannante
Publish Date: August 5th - 1968
Copyright © Paterson News

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

Newspaper: Paterson News
Author: Bob Vargo
Publish Date: August 10th - 1968
Copyright © Paterson News

Contributed By: MildEquator.com

ARTICLE:

Newspaper: New Musical Express
Author: June Harris
Publish Date: July 20th - 1968
Copyright © New Musical Express

Contributed By: MildEquator.com

TICKET #1:

Contributed By: MChauby

TICKET #2:

Contributed By: RTurcino

PRINT AD #1:

Contributed By: MildEquator.com

PRINT AD #2:

Contributed By: MildEquator.com

PROGRAM:

Contributed By: Chris Eline

---

Back