Legendary music venue that hosted Pearl Jam, David Bowie closing

From coast to coast, iconic small music venues that staged some of the greatest bands and performers have closed down to the chagrin of concert fans.

The end of many great rock halls began way back in 1971 when legendary concert promoter Bill Graham closed his short-lived Fillmore East in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, which opened in March 1968 and closed June 27, 1971.

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Many great ones passed through the Fillmore East, including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Who, Santana, and the venue’s final show featuring The Allman Brothers Band.

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Graham, who also opened his Fillmore West rock hall in the former Carousel Ballroom in San Francisco in July 1968, closed that venue a week after closing Fillmore East on July 4, 1971, with a spectacular show featuring Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Tower of Power.

Graham next closed another legendary San Francisco rock hall, Winterland Ballroom, which he operated from 1971 until Dec. 31, 1978, with a memorable closing concert featuring Grateful Dead, Blues Brothers, and New Riders of the Purple Sage.

The evening began with a special showing of the National Lampoon film “Animal House” before N.R.P.S. took the stage. And the show ended with Grateful Dead leaving the stage after 6 a.m. on Jan. 1 (they took the stage at midnight, Jan. 1), and breakfast being served to anyone who stuck around after the show, including this writer.

Legendary music venues closed

Another great rock hall was the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, N.J., that opened in 1971 and closed on Dec. 31, 1984. The theater booked some of the greatest rock bands over the years, including Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Eagles, Bee Gees, and Chuck Berry.

Great bootleg recordings of some of these shows, including the Stones and Springsteen, exist as memories of the Capitol Theatre. 

One of the most iconic rock clubs to close in the last 20 years was CBGB in New York, which opened in December 1973 and closed in October 2006. Regulars performing at the club included Ramones, Talking Heads, and Patti Smith.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers were guests at The Phoenix.

Roy Rochlin/FilmMagic via Getty Images

Classic Phoenix hotel and music venue closes

And now, a classic San Francisco music venue and hotel, which at one time hosted guests David Bowie, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Nirvana, revealed that it will shut down on Jan. 1, 2026, KRON-TV 4 reported.

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The 44-room The Phoenix, located in San Francisco’s sketchy Tenderloin District, has decided not to renew its lease, SFGate reported. The business had difficulties remaining financially stable since the Covid-19 pandemic, which was a key factor in its decision.

More Las Vegas:

Chip Conley, who purchased the Caravan Lodge in 1987 and redesigned it as The Phoenix, sold his management company in 2010.

Zeigler Family LLC sold The Phoenix real estate to San Francisco Baking Institute owner Michel Suas in August 2024, Connect CRE reported.

Tickets for upcoming concerts at The Phoenix are available through the end of the year, including DJ Jazzy Jeff, half of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and a co-star on Will Smith’s hit TV show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” who performs July 26.

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