GRANDE OPENING

(10-12-12)    THE FEW, THE PROUD, THE STOOGES...

On Oct. 7, '66 Detroit's GRANDE BALLROOM first opened its doors to ROCK N'ROLL ( see Blooge Archive "HOUSE OF STROBE LIGHT" 3/23/12). Opening for the MC 5 that night was the CHOSEN FEW. Their first song, "Everybody Needs Somebody", starts out with a short bass intro. So the first notes ever heard at the Grande were played by the Few's bassist and future STOOGE RON ASHETON! Which shouldn't be surprising. Most "scenes", whether they're London or Liverpool, the Haight or Hollywood, Seattle or Silver Lake, are pretty small and incestuous (WILLIAMSON also did time in the Few). One of the great things about the Grande scene was the fact that local bands, even ones that had barely just formed, could get high profile gigs. Some of the PSYCHEDELIC STOOGES very first shows were opening for national acts with songs on the radio like Sly Stone, Blood Sweat & Tears, and the James Gang. Whether the headliners enjoyed being upstaged by the locals is another matter...
SQUARES HAVE FENCED MY VERY SOUL!
(10-12-12) BONUS GRANDE BLOOGE

      IN GRANDSTYLE...Another cool thang about the late '60's Michigan scene is how well documented it is by the locals. Perhaps it's got something to do with their assembly line roots..you know..keeping stock, tool cribs, etc. Here's a poster from that very first Grande show. Notice how they are advertising it as "in the San Francisco style". They won't have to do that for long. They'd soon have they own, better model.