Venue Address: 46th & Market St. - Philadelphia, PA 
Promotion: Fred Samango Presents
Event: In Concert
Also Performing:
Jim & Dale
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Setlist: |
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Early Show Back Door Man Break On Through When The Music's Over Maggie M'Gill The Soft Parade Light My Fire (Incomplete) |
Late Show Back Door Man When The Music's Over Light My Fire Roadhouse Blues (Incomplete) |
Recordings / Film:
Unavailable
Photographers:
Susan Hyman (Hotel & Concert)
George Widger
Unidentified (Distant Drummer)
Unidentified (Amateur)
Reviews / Info:
-The Doors are in New York rehearsing new songs in the days prior to this show.
-This venue is also known as Toppi's Arena, after boxing promoter Jimmy Toppi.
-This performance is nearly cancelled (See TIMELINE Below).
-Prior to Sept. 19th, the public creates demand for a second show after The Doors are only scheduled to perform for one.
-Jim Morrison is interviewed by Michael Cuscuna for Down Beat magazine prior to this show.
-7:00pm & 10:00pm scheduled start times.
-Approx. 2,000 in attendance during the early show.
-Approx. 6,000 in attendance during the late show.
-The Doors take the stage at approx. 8:30pm for the early show.
-Between the early and late show a bomb scare takes place at the venue.
-Jim Morrison gives a restrained performance due to the Miami incident.
-The Doors perform an early version of Maggie M'Gill during the early show.
-The Doors perform or include an excerpt of an early version of Roadhouse Blues during the late show.
PERFORMANCE CANCELLATION ATTEMPT:
The Doors are nearly cancelled in Philadelphia for a second time in late August 1969 when a $3 amusement license is revoked by city official Gerald P. Boyle who expresses his regret that it was not revoked sooner, and that the license should not have been issued in the first place. Promoter Fred Samango appeals the decision to revoke the license and fails, and goes on to battle with the Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections in court. Judge Edmund B. Spaeth Jr. sides with Fred Samango on September 19th, and The Doors go on to perform at The Arena for two shows later that evening.
JUDGE:
Hon. Edmund B. Spaeth Jr.ATTORNEY:
Herbert L. Olivieri (Plaintiff)COMPLAINANTS:
Alfred J. Samango (Promoter)DEFENDANTS:
Stanley M. Greenberg (Assistant City Solicitor)Alan Carpel (Assistant City Solicitor)
George J. Ivins (Assistant City Solicitor)
TIMELINE:
AUGUST 22ND
-Promoter Fred Samango obtains an amusement license to put on a concert by The Doors on September 19th.AUGUST 25TH
-The amusement license issued to promoter Fred Samango is revoked by city official Gerald P. Boyle.SEPTEMBER 3RD
-Newspapers report that promoter Fred Samango intends to have the amusement license reinstated, using legal action if necessary.SEPTEMBER 11TH
-Fred Samango appeals to the Department of Licenses & Inspections review board who upholds the city's decision.SEPTEMBER 16TH
-Fred Samango and his attorney Herbert L. Olivieri enter Common Pleas court for a hearing against the revocation of the amusement license.-The courts state that the basis for the revocation is an act from 1879 allowing the Mayor to revoke a permit for a performance that may be immoral or harmful to the community.
-Fred Samango's attorney argues that the old act from 1879 is unconstitutional to refuse a permit with no evidence of wrongdoing. He states "The act provides that there must be a performance before a license can be revoked." He also argues that The Doors have "appeared on nationwide educational television" following The Doors performance in Miami earlier in the year.
-City officials are in court on this date, one of them stating that "The city's position is that, because of the conduct of a member of this group, the city feels as though allowing them to appear at a concert would be detrimental to the city."
SEPTEMBER 17TH
-The case resumes in court with Judge Edmund B. Spaeth Jr.-Herbert L. Olivieri ensures the court that there would be no obscenities and that the show would be stopped immediately if there were.
-Judge Edmund B. Spaeth Jr. promises a ruling before the scheduled performances on September 19th and states to the assistant city solicitors in court that "It seems to me that you are saying that you want to close down the show before it starts."
SEPTEMBER 19TH
-At approximately 11:35am the amusement license allowing The Doors to perform is reinstated and The Doors go on to perform as scheduled.JEFF MCLAUGHLIN AT THE PHILADELPHIA ARENA
"Here are two items from The Doors show on Sept. 19, 1969. Densmore's drumstick and a photo of Jim Morrison. Though I took a whole roll of photos that night, this is the only one that remains. The best I can recall is that my girlfriend (at the time) had them and then … who knows? I wish I still had the negatives but they are gone, too.
I was in 11th grade in September of 1969 and do not recall many details from that concert. I suppose I could have been at either the early or the late one, but I don't recall. One thing I do recollect is that my friend and I were both somewhat disappointed at Morrison's flat and laid back demeanor. The photo represents how he stood for the entire concert, feet planted and holding on to the mic stand as he sang. The music was still great but poor post-Miami Jim was very subdued."
Jeff McLaughlin
Philadelphia, PA
Copyright © 2021 Jeff McLaughlin
A Special Thanks to Jeff McLaughlin for providing his photograph, memorabilia & memories of the concert to MildEquator.com!
DRUMSTICK:
PHOTOGRAPH:
FIRST-HAND REVIEWS:
"I attended The Doors concert in 1969 at The Arena in Philadelphia. This was my first time and only time I saw them. I know when we arrived on the EL at 46th St. Station it was twilight. It was a bad area of the city then now much worse. If there were two shows we would have been at the first. We did wait in the lobby for a long time packed like sardines. They were late opening the doors to the next lobby and the turnstiles/ ticket gate. The Arena had a set stage with floor seats in front and a tier on each side behind a metal railing. I was 17 and my friend was 16. We had taken the P&W to 69th street and from there the EL which stopped right above The Arena. There were 2 gates that lead down to the inside from the lobby that we all squeezed through. Our seats were on the left of the stage.
Steve, the friend I went with, now in Tampa, was the one that got the tickets for his 16th birthday (Sept 1st). I sat in the same area as Ida Miller, left of the stage up off the floor. As soon as they started playing people got up and went to the front of the stage. We did the same - over the railing we went. There were too many for the police to push back then. We were to left of the middle of the stage. I guess 5 people back. We were unbelievably close. Jim was smoking a cigar or cigarillo that he put out on the stage at sometime between songs. A girl at the center of the stage, with help, got up on the stage to get the butt. Frank Rizzo was Police Commissioner and he ruled the city even then. The cops immediately got the girl and tossed her down on top of the crowd. Her boyfriend was shouting and others were angry because of the callus treatment to the girl and the people she landed on. There was an uproar in the crowd and the front of the stage was lined with cops. Jim said something to us on the microphone like peace out. The crowd listened or the cops would have made The Doors leave. This was a fantastic place to be able to see them because the venue capacity was just about 5,000. The band was late starting. It might have been the police holding things up.
Jim did not, as seen in the photos, have on his leather pants. Jim looked pale and his hair was not curly and loose. He seemed burdened, down, even oppressed. His mystique and sensuality seemed missing that night. I guess the best analogy would be his wings were clipped and he couldn't fly. At the time I didn't care because I was there within 7 feet of the stage. I was 17 I loved The Doors and I was infatuated by Jim Morrison.
They did do at least one cover song I did not know and couldn't tell you what it was even then. Philly fans are hardcore. There were murmurings in the crowd because this is not what they/we wanted to hear. The crowd for being so packed and shoved together was good except for the incident with the cigar/cigarillo I mentioned before. Everyone was just 'grooving' to the music. The cops could have caused a riot with their actions. People were angry and shouting at the cops. Jim is the one that kept it together. When the concert was over the cops rushed us out. It might have been for the next concert. I always assumed it was because they didn't want any trouble. Control the crowd. Ray was enthusiastic as always. The Doors music undeniably excellent. Jim? Well he was Jim Morrison!
About 5 years ago my sister gave me a charcoal portrait of Jim she got at an auction. It is hanging to my right in my computer room. My youngest son was born on December 8th sharing the same birthday as Jim. I was fortunate to be one of the fans that got to see them. This was my second concert. My first was another timeless group. In 1964 at Convention Hall In Philly I saw The Beatles... that is another story.
The Arena is gone now. There are very few pictures available. My first time was 1956 with my grandmother to see Gene Autry and his horse Pal. Yes, his horse was brought on stage."
Carol Majewski
Hatboro, PA
Copyright © 2012 Carol Majewski
A Special Thanks to Carol Majewski for providing her review of the concert to MildEquator.com!
"My sister in Philadelphia grudgingly agreed to obtain me tickets for this show at a place called Toppi's Sports Arena. However, she refused to buy me only one ticket and insisted on a pair, to ensure that I didn't drive to that section of Philadelphia alone. This 7,000 capacity sports venue meant going into a rougher area of Philly. The tickets were deep red in color, and showed a $6.50 price (See Below)
Our seats were pretty close to the stage but on the side, up off the floor. I remember that as soon as the band hit the stage, we were up and over the barrier between our section and the floor to get in front of the stage. Joanie and I managed to be just a few bodies back from the edge, packed like sardines and jostling for position. I was positioned just left of center toward Ray's side of the stage.
This was the closest I had been yet, and I enjoyed that show tremendously. In hindsight I realized that this was the most dis-spirited of all the shows I was to see.
Jim's physical look had changed dramatically for this post-Miami show. No leather pants: his pants were light colored pin-stripes. He also behaved differently than at the Asbury Park show, just 12-1/2 months earlier, more subdued, like his heart wasn't really in it. However, at that time the thrill of being so very close to the stage outweighed any consideration of the band's mood that night, six months after the Miami incident. I didn't have a good understanding of the impact that Miami had on the band.
'The Doors On The Road' book indicates that there were two shows that night. I don't remember this, but it must be true. I do remember getting home very, very late so I assume we were at the late show. That section of my ticket stub was torn off so I'll never know for certain."
Ida Miller
Los Angeles, CA
Copyright © 2011 Ida Miller
A Special Thanks to Ida Miller for providing her ticket stub & memories of the concert to MildEquator.com!
TICKET:
"I saw The Doors at The Arena which was at 46th and Market in Philly toward the end of 1969. The Arena was a pretty small venue, and The Doors were selling out places like this very easily when I saw them. I did not attend the first show.
The band came out and played for about ten minutes or so without Morrison, and during the middle of 'Back Door Man', he made his appearance. As soon as he got on the stage, the entire place reacted like a huge electric shock had ran through them all. It's hard to desribe how tight and polished they were. There were a lot of really good bands around that I was lucky enough to see in small venues, including the Cream, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, and Vanilla Fudge, but The Doors were, by far, the very best. Manzarek held the band together he was like a complete rythym section by himself, Kreiger was, at that time, one of the best guitarists in the world, and Densmore, layed down the 4/4 as good as anyone, and could lay a backbeat in as well as Ringo or any other drummer from those times. They played a few covers, and a lot of their first album. 'Light My Fire' was maybe a half hour, and 'When The Music's Over' was what seemed like an hour of pulse pounding, loud, ecstasy. The set was maybe two hours and they came out and just jammed for the encore. It was about ten minutes of what sounded like an early version of 'Roadhouse Blues'. Morrison was sober, and the show was incredible!"
J. Kalli
Philadelphia, PA
Copyright © 2010 J. Kalli
A Special Thanks to J. Kalli for providing his review of the concert to MildEquator.com!
MICHAEL CUSCUNA INTERVIEWS JIM MORRISON
Publication: Down Beat
Issue: Vol. 11 No. 37
Interview Date: September 19th - 1969
Publish Date: May 28th - 1970
Interview Location: Philadelphia Hotel Room - Philadelphia, PA
Info:
This interview by Michael Cuscuna took place in Jim Morrison's hotel room prior to The Doors performance at The Arena in Philadelphia in 1969. The article is later published in the May 28th, 1970 edition of Down Beat Magazine, and includes a review of the show. During this interview, Michael is given a copy of Jim Morrison's private publication, The New Creatures, and photographer Susan Hyman is likely present.
ARCHIVE/MEMORABILIA:
ARTICLE #1:
Newspaper: Philadelphia Daily NewsAuthor: Charles Petzold
Publish Date: August 26th - 1969
Copyright © Philadelphia Daily News
Contributed By: jim4371
ARTICLE #2:
Newspaper: Philadelphia InquirerAuthor: Unknown
Publish Date: September 3rd - 1969
Copyright © Philadelphia Inquirer
Contributed By: jim4371
ARTICLE #3:
Newspaper: Philadelphia Daily NewsAuthor: Dave Racher & Lou Antosh
Publish Date: September 17th - 1969
Copyright © Philadelphia Daily News
Contributed By: jim4371
ARTICLE #4:
Newspaper: Philadelphia Daily NewsAuthor: Dave Racher & Nels Nelson
Publish Date: September 18th - 1969
Copyright © Philadelphia Daily News
Contributed By: jim4371
ARTICLE #5:
Newspaper: Philadelphia InquirerAuthor: Unknown
Publish Date: September 18th - 1969
Copyright © Philadelphia Inquirer
Contributed By: jim4371
REVIEW #1:
Newspaper: Philadelphia InquirerAuthor: Jack Lloyd
Publish Date: September 20th - 1969
Copyright © Philadelphia Inquirer
Contributed By: jim4371
REVIEW #2:
Newspaper: Philadelphia Daily NewsAuthor: Tom Fox
Publish Date: September 20th - 1969
Copyright © Philadelphia Daily News
Contributed By: jim4371
REVIEW #3:
Newspaper: The Evening BulletinAuthor: John Lombardi
Publish Date: September 20th - 1969
Copyright © The Evening Bulletin
Contributed By: MildEquator.com
REVIEW #4:
Newspaper: The Daily Tar HeelAuthor: Erica Meyer
Publish Date: October 1st - 1969
Copyright © The Daily Tar Heel
Contributed By: RFritts
REVIEW #5:
Newspaper: Distant DrummerAuthor: Unknown
Publish Date: Sept. 25th-Oct. 2nd - 1969
Copyright © Distant Drummer
Contributed By: jim4371
NEWSPAPER PHOTO:
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