Bands and Concerts and Musicians from 1968-1973

61 Concerts, events, musicians I "kind of" remember.

Pre- Woodstock:

1. Johnny Winter

2. Edgar Winter

3. The Band

4. Van Morrison

5. Sound outs, coffee houses, etc.

Woodstock (the acts remembered):

6. Santana

7. Canned Heat

8. Grateful Dead

9. Mountain

10. Creedence Clearwater Revival

11. Sly & The Family Stone

12. Janis Joplin [ of course]

13. The Who [the windmill arm was awesome]

14. Jefferson Airplane

15. Joe Cocker [love, love, love Joe.. saw him again a few years back 2008 or 09]

16. Country Joe & the Fish [got to see him later as well]

17. Ten Years After

18. The Band [had seen them locally too]

19. Blood Sweat and Tears [saw them several years later as well]

20. Johnny Winter [use to see him perform in coffee houses]

21. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

22. Paul Butterfield Blues Band

23. Sha-Na-Na [never liked them, but saw them twice]

24. Jimi Hendrix [best guitar player… saw several times before his death]

NYC – other

25. Janis Joplin [met on streets, saw in December 69 in concert]

26. Richie Havens [got to meet him backstage, friend of his opening act, was at Carnegie hall]

Met –outside of performance

27. Arlo Guthrie – Eugene Oregon

28. Tim Hardin – his house, Woodstock

29. Art Garfunkle – coffee shop, Woodstock

30. Janis Joplin – St. Mark’s place, NYC

31. Jimi Hendrix – coffee house in Woodstock

32. Richie Havens- back stage at Carnegie hall

Filmore East:

33. Jimi Hendrix

34. Grateful Dead

35. Blood, Sweat and Tears

36. Voices of East Harlem

37. Iron Butterfly

38. Canned Heat

39. Sly & the Family Stone

40. Ike & Tina Turner

41. Santana

42. Sha-Na-Na

43. Procal Harem

44. Edgar Winter

45. Allman Brothers

46. Isaac Hayes

47. Youngbloods

48. Chicago

49. Humble Pie

50. Joe Cocker

51. Big Brother & The Holding Company

52. Moody Blues

53. Credence

54. Jethro Tull

On Road:

55. Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Winterland:

56. 1972 June Rolling Stones

Berkeley Era:

57. 1973 June Led Zeppelin

58. B.B. King

59. Country Joe & Fish

60. Doobie Brothers

61. Asleep at the Wheel

The day they pointed the shotguns at the pregnant girl. © 2011 Dakini Verona

The day they pointed the shotguns at the pregnant girl © 2011 Dakini Verona

 “Hi, I'm Rebecca. Call me Rebecca, Becca, but never Becky." Funny how those little things stick out in my mind. When I was introduced to my “old man’s” friends that is what I remember. Her name was Rebecca. She had long shiny vibrant red hair, which fell just below her shoulders. She had soft full lips that when stretched into a bright radiant smile revealed teeth that were impeccable. She seemed more like a loving older sister than a hard assed drug dealer.  

I guess that was because she was always kind to me. 

Rebecca’s “old man”, Daniel, was a drug dealer. The typical kind. Not the happy go lucky pot smoking, acid dropping dealer. Oh, no. He was the hard edged, gun toting, tough son-of-a-bitch cocaine dealer.  His clothes were dirty and his long stringy hair was flat and greasy. You know the type, the ones you see in the movies.  I am sure that not many of you have come face to face with this type of a scenario, so I will try to give you as many details as I can, or want to remember.

One of those life changing defining moments.

Defining moments.. when something occurs that is so significant it forces you to make a choice as to which path to follow. 


I was reminded today by someone from my past, about a day long, long ago when I was pregnant and in the middle of a drug deal gone wrong... the sawed off shotguns were pointed at no other than me.. yep.. the pregnant girl!... 


stayed tuned


Dakini


update... someone on Facebook made a comment: "What that's crazy!"


my response:

yes..all true. I would sometimes doubt my memory of that day, but then yesterday someone, that I knew back on the streets sent me a random email in response to a post I had on Amazon (about the book Telegraph 3 am). Seems he was also photographed, but they did not publish his image.

Anyway.. turns out he was in that room.. his email trigged my memory and I am trying to muster up the courage to go back to that day and pull it all together.

You see, my boyfriend at the time was a coke dealer.

What is it you ask of me? © 1973 Dakini Verona

What is it you ask of me, Kind Sir? © 1973 Dakini Verona

Please unveil your mask so I may see who you were.

Is it love you speak of? Please say what you mean!

What rules do you go by? Reveal them, I pray.

You’ve soft eyes, I must note.

And still I am sad on the hurt I inflict, I dote.

Is that good? Or am I bad?

You speak so of wisdom, and what there’s yet to learn.

Bring me to your kingdom, for you know all I yearn.

Teach me with kindness, I may yet come around.

I love you not less, I just don’t know where I’m bound.

Take my hand gently, yet with a firm grip.

By my side you shall be, to prevent me a trip.

The thing that seems to be in the way, is how you’re tattered and worn.

I don’t hesitate to pray for you, but  in another form!

Scattered Thoughts © 1973 Dakini Verona

Clouds through the sky, there’s just you and I.

Flowing, forever. Ever on. Our love flows on.

Could there be more? Than a walk by the shore?

- with you? Forever? Ever more?

Our reality - Simply a gaze.

An eternal bound, linking our souls forever. Ever, my love.

Forever more.

Horses running free. Just as you and me.

But together, love. Together, are we.

Mountains climb high, the time passes by.

Is it for you, as it is for me?

Do you feel whole… only with me?

Or do you wander over the hill?

Are there others? Or is your love still?

I’m blue. I think I’m afraid of you.

Your love closes in and my mind starts to spin.

Will it be forever? A lovely forever?

Or just for a smile?

Hold me close. Oh love, never let go.

If I wander away- don’t let me stray too far.

I get lost too easily.

I forget my needs.

I need you.

Let’s let it flow – let’s let it flow

Never letting go.. grab a tight hold

Holding our love. Treasuring our love.

Contentment within the boundaries of a profound love.

So pure and simple - cast down upon the sea

“our reality”?

Just us – we. Three.

Pregnant and Backstage with Led Zeppelin in 1973 © 2010 Dakini Verona

Led Zeppelin Concert © 2010 Dakini Verona

It was a warm day in Golden Gate Park, which was very unusual if you have ever been to San Francisco in the summer. It was June 6^th 1973. It happened to be Led Zeppelin’s last San Francisco concert- however it was my first.

I was just 10 weeks shy of giving birth to my love child. I was very pregnant and flaunted my “condition” by wearing a tie-on halter top and low slung short cut-off hip hugger jeans with wildly colored tights. I refused to conform to the mandates of society and therefore not only did not own any maternity clothes, but flashed my ample belly at every opportunity.

I had become proficient at finding my way into concerts without paying. There were always spare tickets to be had. A smile, pleading eyes, who could refuse? So there I was..at Kezar Stadium smack dab in the center of Golden Gate Park,  in a crowd of more than 50,000,  swaying to the music of yet another rock legend. Led Zeppelin. I could barely contain myself. I swooned at the sight of Robert Plant and Jimmie Page. I worked my way up towards the front of the crowd and planted myself right in front of the gigantic speaker on the left of the stage. This had come to be one of my favorite spots at most concerts, because not only could I see all the performers on the stage clearly, but I could feel the music reverberate through my entire body. Little did I know that my baby did not feel the same way about the music.

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Kezar Stadium June 6, 1973