00:00:01.340 - 00:00:25.180

Yeah, yeah. Okay. Bill, uh, Wonderland must have some special meaning to you. You know, it's been around a long time part of san Francisco history. Nostalgically though. What does it mean to you? Well, we've been there since 1966 and uh, it's a continuation of an, of

00:00:25.180 - 00:00:38.640

an era of the 60s where we started with the Fillmore auditorium, which is around the corner from Winterland. And when the shows were too big that this ticket demand was too big. Then we moved, the show's over to Winterland. So uh, it's the place where not

00:00:38.640 - 00:00:54.600

only were the name attractions went, but a certain lifestyle continued there also and a spree, a communal spirit with the X on the stage. You also have a situation there which was unique and is unique in our industry where the main floor was festival option. You

00:00:54.600 - 00:01:08.180

can sit on the floor, you can walk around and the balcony all the way around including behind the stage. There were seats so that the artist is surrounded by the fans and somehow or other because of the relationship in san Francisco in particular in the bay

00:01:08.180 - 00:01:22.020

area. The relationship between the artists and the and the patrons grew to a point where it became a club atmosphere in the 5400 seat facility and they just continued. We have sometimes we have volleyball games or tug of wars before the show as we show movies

00:01:22.020 - 00:01:35.360

if it was raining and there was a very uh, congenial spurred the building was never run on. There were never any riots and sometimes people would sleep over from the night before and maybe thousands of people, they were all day. And then we opened the doors

00:01:35.360 - 00:01:51.240

and they'd calmly walking. It was a very peaceful coexistence as good as you can have in the entertainment industry. And that's, that's what I'll miss. This particular place though, is known as a house for straight acts if you want to call it that before, before you

00:01:51.240 - 00:02:05.550

came in. No contrast that for us though, are you really giving it a second win a second life? You mean you mean, did we? I think it was used for ice skating and roller skating and basketball. And even in the last 10, 15 years that they've,

00:02:05.560 - 00:02:20.970

they've had a few times wrestling and some boxing, but it's a residential neighborhood. And uh, times change in the homes are being renovated there. And uh, it's very difficult for the people in the area to accept the fact that two or three in the morning, thousands

00:02:20.970 - 00:02:36.700

of people go into the streets and The, uh, the second life that the building did get was as a result of the growth of the music industry for the younger people, the 15-40 crowd. And that will continue. But I don't think, I don't think the other

00:02:36.700 - 00:02:54.740

buildings and no disrespect to Oakland or the cow palace or the san Jose facilities of the sacramento facilities that here, you have a situation where you have the option of seating and moving. It's not a reserve seating situation and this open communal is free, is very

00:02:54.740 - 00:03:07.840

difficult to attain in larger buildings. So you may have the same kind of situation and in some of the facilities with the 15,000 seats and you can only go so far you're gonna lose that club atmosphere. So the building, for me personally, I can't speak for

00:03:07.840 - 00:03:27.990

the patrons is a, is the, is the end of an era which exemplified camaraderie between the entertainer and the fan that they, even though they may never, never have spoken to one another, it was always hello jerry without saying anything to the guy. And I said,

00:03:27.990 - 00:03:39.980

hello bob, hello Elton. But it was never spoken. It was just a feeling between these people over a period of time. And I think the artists felt that and I think if you speak to the Bruce Springsteen's or the Elton john's or the or the Dillons

00:03:39.980 - 00:03:51.060

or the Jaggers and they will, they will tell you that there was something unique about playing at Winterland and that's one of the reasons. And I feel very proud of the fact that over the years, many of these acts that could have sold out stadiums, the

00:03:51.060 - 00:04:06.570

who and the Stones and Dylan and Led did come back and play the facility when they could have played bigger places. And I think that's a great commentary, not only about the building, about the bay area fan who I think is an exceptional person is that

00:04:06.570 - 00:04:19.210

the people here in san Francisco, some of them may be disgruntled sometimes about the ticket prices or the groups don't play long enough or they have to wait too long in between two sets. One of the things I always wish that existed was an other city

00:04:19.210 - 00:04:57.260

pill. What happened we're playing here? I haven't got the road so I gotta get to sleep one good like. Great. Oh, family. Yeah, We got the last two. Did you see his face?