On The Road:

Performance History:

Recording History:

Film History:

Publication History:

Radio History:

Other History:

Trials & Arrests

AQUARIUS THEATER - 07/21/1969

HOLLYWOOD, CA - U.S.A.

Venue Address: 6230 Sunset Blvd. - Hollywood, CA
Promotion: Elektra Records
Event: Elektra Records Showcase Concert Series

Also Performing:
N/A

Setlist:

Soundcheck Maggie M'Gill (Instrumental) Maggie M'Gill

Early Show House Announcer (Unknown) Introduction (Jim Morrison) Back Door Man -Maggie M'Gill Break On Through Soul Kitchen -Pray The Lord You Make Me Real I Will Never Be Untrue When The Music's Over -Something Wrong Universal Mind Mystery Train -Crossroads Build Me A Woman -Sunday Trucker -Five Day Jesus Who Do You Love (False Start) Who Do You Love Light My Fire The Celebration Of The Lizard	Late Show House Announcer (Unknown) Introduction (Jim Morrison) Back Door Man -Maggie M'Gill Break On Through When The Music's Over Universal Mind Mystery Train -Crossroads Little Red Rooster Gloria -Coda Queen Touch Me The Crystal Ship Light My Fire The Celebration Of The Lizard Soul Kitchen Close To You (Ray On Vocals) Peace Frog (Instrumental) > Blue Sunday Five To One The Movie (Dialogue) Rock Me

Rehearsal (Jul. 22) We're Rolling (Dialogue) I Will Never Be Untrue Peace Frog (Instrumental) > Blue Sunday Maggie M'Gill (You Need Meat) Don't Go No Further (Ray On Vocals) Close To You (Ray On Vocals) Gloria Mystery Train -Crossroads Thousands of Dollars Rest Upon This Day (Dialogue) I'm Your Doctor (Ray On Vocals) Hyper Yachting (Instrumental) Build Me A Woman -Sunday Trucker -A Trip Around The World Yachting (Instrumental) Cars Hiss By My Window > -The Changeling -Woman Is A Devil -I Sought A New Life Money Beats Soul > Mental Floss -The Assasination -Tablecloths Are White In France -Lightning Struck The Magic Purse -I Want To Be Napoleon -School Days

Recordings / Film:
Multi-track Recording (Absolutely Live) (See Below)
16mm Stage Film (See Below)

Photographers:
Ed Caraeff
Sam Emerson
Craig Allan Folkes
James Fortune
Robert Haimer (Amateur)
Frank Lisciandro
Bill Mumy (Amateur)
James Roark
Jay Thompson

Reviews / Info:
-Elektra Records begins promoting its artists in a live series every Monday from July 7th through August 25th.
-This is show number 3 of 4 of Elektra's 4 Magic Evenings Of Music promotional series set for the Aquarius Theater.
-Promotional artwork by Leon Barnard (Poster;)
-All General Admission tickets for these performances are $2.00
-8:00pm & 10:30pm scheduled start times.
-Ode to L.A. While Thinking of Brian Jones, Deceased is printed and distributed exclusively at this performance.
-Approx. 1,200 in attendance during both performances including many photographers and newspaper reporters.
-Jim Morrison is unrecognizable to the audience with a full beard.
-Jim Morrison swings from a stage curtain rope during the late show.
-Setlists include the first known live performances of I Will Never Be Untrue, Universal Mind, and Peace Frog.
-Multi-track recordings of these shows are intended to become The Doors live album due for release in November.
-Road manager Vince Treanor films shoots 16mm footage from the stage during these shows.
-The Doors screen Feast Of Friends for the audience following the show.
-Reviews of these performances are positive.
-The Doors do a rehearsal at the Aquarius Theater on the following day and record it.
-Rehearsal setlist features unique and prolonged tuning and arrangement pauses, spoken dialogue, and other anomalies.
-The intended live album sourced from the recordings of these performances is shelved by Paul Rothchild.

MULTI-TRACK RECORDINGS

On July 21st, 1969 The Doors set out to record what was originally intended to become their live album at the Aquarius Theater. The following day before the equipment is torn down, a rehearsal by the band with no audience present is also taped. The band gives two impressive live performances at the venue, however producer Paul Rothchild decides upon playback of the tapes that more work is needed to be done in order to present The Doors to the public as they should be heard. Further plans to record the band live are made, and in 1970 they record their performances in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Detroit. The resulting tapes make up what is known today as the Absolutely Live! album released in July of 1970.

The following technical information is printed in the liner notes of the complete 2001 Aquarius Theater performance releases:

"The remote facilities were provided by Elektra Records Sound Studios and Wally Heider Remote Recording Services. The concerts were recorded onto four 3M M56 solid state 1" 8 tracks and Ampex model 351 tube 2 track Analog recorders. The console was a Langevin 18 X 8 console, the same console used for the 'L.A. Woman' sessions. The 1" tape used was 3M Scotch 206 with the speed at 15 IPS nab and recordings levels at +3db elevated level above Ampex Standard Operating level of 185 nwb. The 1/4" tape was 3M 126 with the speed at 15 IPS nab and recordings levels at Ampex Standard Operating level. The A 8 track recorders used no noise reduction and the B 8 track recorders used the new Dolby A Noise Reduction process. We staggered the recorders so that we would be able to have overlaps and continuity. When it came time to do this album I re-discovered an anomaly with the early Analog 8 track recorders that I had forgotten about. When a tape machine was loaded with a full reel of tape on the left side and an empty take-up reel on the right, the machine ran at the proper speed of 15 IPS (inches per second). As the supply reel got smaller, the machine would slow down as the tension from the breaks increased. When cutting together "Light My Fire" from the first show, right in the middle of Robby's solo, all of a sudden the pitch changes and Robby and Ray play somewhat flat compared to the outgoing. The incoming is actually the accurate pitch as the outgoing portion of the solo is being played faster because of the original slowdown. The Studer 827 used for the transfer is servo driven so no matter what, it always runs on speed. Joining these two pieces together was the only way to have a complete performance.

Microphones used were AKG C12A's on Ray & Robby's amps and a Direct Box was on Ray's piano bass. Sennheiser 405 tube microphones were used for John's overheads and a Shure SM57 on the snare with an Altec Salt Shaker microphone on the kick. Jim's microphone was a Shure SM57. The audience pick up was a Neumann SM69 stereo microphone in MS."

- Bruce Botnick

16MM FOOTAGE

The Doors - Aquarius Theater & Cow Palace 16mm

Info:

400' of high quality 16mm silent color footage shot from the stage by road manager Vince Treanor at the Aquarius Theater on July 21st 1969, the Cow Palace on July 25th, and the Seattle Pop Festival on July 27th. Although Vince parted with the recordings he made of Vancouver, Seattle and Bakersfield 1970 in the 1990's, this 16mm roll of film remained his personal property until purchased by a collector in 2022. For years, this footage was said to have been shot only at the Cow Palace, however a transfer of the film and a comparison with photos reveals that footage from the Aquarius Theater and the Seattle Pop Festival is also included.

ORIGINAL FILM CAN:

ODE TO L.A. WHILE THINKING OF BRIAN JONES, DECEASED

Contributed By: Rainer Moddemann

Size: 9.44" x 6.10"

Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones was deceased on July 3rd, 1969. These pamphlets featuring original poetry were written and privately printed by Jim Morrison and distributed amongst the audience at the Aquarius Theater on July 21st, 1969. Many of these original printings were left behind or tossed in the trash after The Doors performances and only a small number exist today. For more information on Jim Morrison's privately printed poetry compilations, etc. please visit the Poetry Books & Publications section of the site!

INSIDE:

ARCHIVE/MEMORABILIA:

REVIEW #1:

Newspaper: The Los Angeles Times
Author: John Mendelson
Publish Date: July 23rd - 1969
Copyright © The Los Angeles Times
The Doors - Aquarius Theater 1969 - Review

The Doors - Aquarius Theater 1969 - Review

REVIEW #2:

Newspaper: The Los Angeles Times
Author: Robert Hilburn
Publish Date: July 28th - 1969
Copyright © Los Angeles Times
Aquarius Theater - Review

Contributed By: jim4371

REVIEW #3:

Newspaper: Los Angeles Free Press
Author: Harvey Perr
Publish Date: August 8th - 1969
Copyright © Los Angeles Free Press

Contributed By: RFritts

REVIEW #4:

Newspaper: The Corpus Caller
Author: Kathy Orloff
Publish Date: August 9th - 1969
Copyright © The Corpus Caller
Aquarius Theater - Review

REVIEW #5:

Newspaper: Cash Box
Author: Unknown
Publish Date: Unknown - 1969
Copyright © Cash Box
Aquarius Theater - Review

Contributed By: RFritts

ARTICLE #1:

Newspaper: The Journal News
Author: Richard Robinson
Publish Date: June 21st - 1969
Copyright © The Journal News
Aquarius Theater - Article

Contributed By: MildEquator.com

ARTICLE #2:

Newspaper: Van Nuys Valley News
Author: Jeff Sherwood
Publish Date: July 18th - 1969
Copyright © Van Nuys Valley News
Aquarius Theater - Article

Contributed By: MildEquator.com

ARTICLE #3:

Newspaper: Chicago Tribune
Author: Sally Simpson
Publish Date: July 31st - 1969
Copyright © Chicago Tribune
Aquarius Theater - Article

Contributed By: MildEquator.com

ARTICLE #4:

Newspaper: Rockland County Journal News
Author: Mike Jahn
Publish Date: August 23rd - 1969
Copyright © Rockland County Journal News
Aquarius Theater - Article