Liberty Hall Concert Venue At 1610 Chenevert St.

[igemini]

Hey, there. I can scan that flyer... & others... but didn't want to post something that mighta been copywritten. ???

I have several flyers: Let me see what I can get going. I even found a couple of books of matches from Family Hand...

Who is this um, elderly woman in the mirror, staring back at me?... ???

[igemini]

This is a picture of the Jubilee Hall flyer. It was too large to scan. Not sure I know how to attach a pic, but here goes.

[icepickphil]

Please post them. Check out the ones I've got on flickr here. There are several from the Family Hand, etc.

Hey, there. I can scan that flyer... & others... but didn't want to post something that mighta been copywritten. ???

I have several flyers: Let me see what I can get going. I even found a couple of books of matches from Family Hand...

Who is this um, elderly woman in the mirror, staring back at me?... ???

[igemini]

Please post them. Check out the ones I've got on flickr here. There are several from the Family Hand, etc.

You have soooo many posters! I want to drop everything & start scanning. I don't have that many, but man! SOOO many memories come up from seeing yours!

I'm too pressed for time (travel coming up) to dig in as deep as I'd like. But to be sure, this is facsinating & wonderful. I'd just started a couple topics, before I took a look at your posters: Catacombs - the ORIGINAL not the Village... & also, Bellaire Gym.

I don't know how to put a scan in this to have it show, rather than be an attachment?

[isuredid]

This is a picture of the Jubilee Hall flyer. It was too large to scan. Not sure I know how to attach a pic, but here goes.

Thanks.....looks good as a JPG

[isuredid]

This is a picture of the Jubilee Hall flyer. It was too large to scan. Not sure I know how to attach a pic, but here goes.

I just noticed on the flyer that it says "Family of Hands Production" which was the original name of that operation, later shortened to The Family Hand.

[Fringe]

Please post them. Check out the ones I've got on flickr here. There are several from the Family Hand, etc.

Man those are great. Makes my few posters look pretty pitiful.

[terrbo]

Man those are great. Makes my few posters look pretty pitiful. Brought back some great memories.

I would like to put a link to your photos on my site if you don't mind.

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~tannahil/index.html

As I'm listening to these guys right now, wondering if anyone saw Steely Dan at Liberty Hall?

[BlueSquirrel]

Roger managed Anderson Fair for a while. One of the folks I remember from Liberty Hall was named Roberto. Another was a guy named Mike Condray.

Roger the dodger Ruffcorn is sadly missed. He was a nice guy and a good friend.

I never went there, but I think an old friend of mine used to manage it at one time. His name was Roger Ruffcorn, and he died 5.5 years ago of a brain tumor. Really nice guy. Anybody remember him and if he managed the place or not. I may have it confused with Anderson Fair.

[isuredid]

Roger managed Anderson Fair for a while. One of the folks I remember from Liberty Hall was named Roberto. Another was a guy named Mike Condray.

Roger the dodger Ruffcorn is sadly missed. He was a nice guy and a good friend.

[isuredid]

I found this in one of my boxes of stuff that I never threw away. We are coming up on the 30th anniversary of this show.

Edited July 5, 2007 by isuredid

[eileen]

I stumbled upon this posting and it is bringing back good memories. I saw Bruce Springstein, BB King, Kinky Freidman, and many others at Liberty Hall. God, I was so young, and so were they.

But the one that stands out, and one that no one else has mentioned, is Taj Mahal. That man's voice could melt anything in his path. I still, after all these years, have a clear image of him alone on stage w/his guitar. He was probably the most unique musician I heard at Liberty Hall.

[Fringe]

I found this in one of my boxes of stuff that I never threw away. We are coming up on the 30th anniversary of this show.

That's great. Wish I had seen that show. I probably didn't even know who the Ramones were in 1977.

[icepickphil]

There's a black and white video of this July '77 Ramones performance floating around among collectors that I've seen. It's awesome.

I found this in one of my boxes of stuff that I never threw away. We are coming up on the 30th anniversary of this show.

[JoePusateri]

I do remember Liberty Hall. Liberty Hall 'replaced' Jubilee Hall which was near or on Bagby & McGowen, downtown. The Family Hand Cafe (?Restaurant?) was a block or so away.

And of course, it seems light years ago in a galaxy far far away... I was going thru a few boxes of packed away memories & I found multiple flyers for John Lee Hooker playing at Jubilee Hall on Sunday, Feb 1...but it doesn't say the year... 7-11pm. My guess is that it was '67 or '68? Maybe '69? hmmm. Opening act was Sherwood, a Houston group...

Ahh, memories are sketchy... but I'd give anything for a bowl of beans & rice from the Family Hand.

I found this website forum by googling . This is the first post I've done. I'm hoping to hear from some ole Houstonians...

I seem to remember Lightnin' Hopkins playing at the family Hand. The Beans and Rice were to die for...

[Scott08]

I went to Liberty Hall a few times in the early '70's while still in high school. Missed Springsteen (although I did see him at the Music Hall right after Born to Run broke), Kinky Friedman, Doug Kershaw, etc...My most vivid memory was having the doorman inspect the contents of my paper bag (I was only 17), a bottle of Wild Turkey. He looked at it, looked at me, said "gobble, gobble" and let me in. Going off on another tangent, remember Rock Island aka The Island? I think that might qualify as Houston's first mostly punk venue.

[icepickphil]

Sure I remember The Island very well. It was on South Main right?

Early Houston punk venue. Many touring national acts came through there as well as other Texas bands. Great place.

I went to Liberty Hall a few times in the early '70's while still in high school. Missed Springsteen (although I did see him at the Music Hall right after Born to Run broke), Kinky Friedman, Doug Kershaw, etc...My most vivid memory was having the doorman inspect the contents of my paper bag (I was only 17), a bottle of Wild Turkey. He looked at it, looked at me, said "gobble, gobble" and let me in. Going off on another tangent, remember Rock Island aka The Island? I think that might qualify as Houston's first mostly punk venue.

[Scott08]

Yep, the island was on South Main, around where all of the flower places are now I think.

[J W]

Yep, the island was on South Main, around where all of the flower places are now I think.

[/quote

The original name was Paradise Island . Patrons simple called it the Island . It was supposedly a struggling Latino bar when around 1977 a local group of punk rock promoters convinced the owner he could draw new customers by booking live bands . It think it lasted until around 83 or 84 .

[nyc_tex]

The Island was just a tad before my time, but I did make it to Cab. Voltaire and a few other mid 80s Punk clubs (e.g. Pic 'n Pack, Consolidated Arts Warehouse, Lawndale, Cafe Mode)

Wasn't the Omni another?

The Ramones at Liberty Hall:

The Ramones at somewhere in Houston in '78

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-yDdwLDjMU

Really Red at the Island

Edited November 8, 2007 by nyc_tex

[Scott08]

RIP Ramones.....I got to see them a number of times both here and in Austin. Most interesting show was around '90 or '91 when they played at The Unicorn Ballroom. It was a converted Safeway supermarket on East Crosstimbers, mostly used for Latino Quincineras (sp?). A new act from Chicago, Smashing Pumpkins, opened the show, middle act was co-headliner Social Distortion, followed by the Ramones. Gabba Gabba Hey!

Edited November 8, 2007 by Scott08

[isuredid]

The Ramones at somewhere in Houston in '78

The Ramones played at a place called On the Border, which was way out Telephone Road by Hobby Airport. I saw that show and that might be the one from 1978. I remember Joan Jett also played there.

[TikiOwl]

Spent a few New Year's Eves at Liberty Hall as well as catching Kinky Friedman and the Jewboys. Before one concert he and the Jew Boys performed a whole set on KPFT for Huey Meaux which I recorded on an old reel-to-reel that I need to find. The Kinkster spent a good amount of time kidding several Baylor Med students who showed up at the studio.

[nyc_tex]

RIP Ramones.....I got to see them a number of times both here and in Austin. Most interesting show was around '90 or '91 when they played at The Unicorn Ballroom. It was a converted Safeway supermarket on East Crosstimbers, mostly used for Latino Quincineras (sp?). A new act from Chicago, Smashing Pumpkins, opened the show, middle act was co-headliner Social Distortion, followed by the Ramones. Gabba Gabba Hey!

Great show. I think I saw the Surfers, Sonic Youth and the Bad Brains at the Unicorn as well. I fortunately got to see one of the last Ramones shows here in NYC in '96. I saw Joey on the subway about 6 months before he died. Hard to miss him.....

Spent a few New Year's Eves at Liberty Hall as well as catching Kinky Friedman and the Jewboys. Before one concert he and the Jew Boys performed a whole set on KPFT for Huey Meaux which I recorded on an old reel-to-reel that I need to find. The Kinkster spent a good amount of time kidding several Baylor Med students who showed up at the studio.

I saw Kinky here in NYC with one of the Jewboys at one of the old Bleeker Street bars in Greenwich. Probably 98 or 99. He did his tribute to Dylan, Kinky style. Quite funny. Edited November 11, 2007 by nyc_tex

[Wahoo82]

Replying to a previous poster, I use to frequent Sand Mountain from time to time. Don Sanders (sp?) used to play there I believe ("Roaches are on the pathways down"). Also went to Liberty Hall (Roy Buchanan was the best concert I saw there) as well as Damian's near West Gray, a basement club near old Market Square that I cannot remember the name of, Carnaby's, just to name a few. Back then there was so much good music in Houston you could not catch it all.

I checked out the website with the ticket stubs. I was at a lot of those concerts. The Allman Bros./Grateful Dead concert I believe was one week after Barry Oakley was killed in a motorcycle wreck. Allman Bros. cancelled, but Grateful Dead did a marathon concert that I recall lasting for many many hours.

Remember when KPFT was in the Atlanta Life Building downtown. You could walk in and talk with the staff anytime of the day or night. I did a lot of volunteer work for them when they first moved to the Montrose house.

Good times back then, thanks.

[homas]

Ah yes The Family Hand (then Texas Rose Cafe) and Liberty Hall. I was the dishwasher at the Hand then managed the Rose and lived upstairs. Remember Little Feat coming by after one of their shows to smoke & drink. Lowell George said that he liked the Texas Rose so much that he was going to write a song about it. I figured it was just so much beer talk but there it was on their next album! Was the bartender at Liberty Hall. All places for great and very special music. A good time to be in Houston. This sure brings back some fine memories. Thanx.

Tom

[jtfenske]

Yes, I have stories about Liberty Hall...Crazy Roberto, red beans & rice, and placing my beer right on the stage at the feet of performers. I read over the thread here and it brings back great memories. Every thursday night KPFT broadcast live - I heard Springsteen, Taj Mahal, and many others. I saw Jerry Jeff and and many other Cosmic Cowboy bands there.

It was the best place to see bands and really enjoy being there for the music. I remember a guy named Radar in a backup band to Doug Kershaw (I think). He did a version of the Orange Blossom Special on his guitar. Of course, Doug Kershaw did it in his own way. The night I saw him he walked off the stage because people were hootin and hollerin during the slow and quiet parts of some songs. He came back 20 minutes or so later looking really bug-eyed (probably from coke) but put on a fantastic show. (Two months ao he was in concert at a local venue but I couldn't make the time to see him).

The crowd at Liberty Hall gave Springsteen the kind of reception he got nowhere else. I loved his 1st album and so did many other Houstonians. He showed his gratitude for years with 5-hours shows and always closed with Rosalita.

A friend and I frequented Liberty Hall and we had a trick for getting in first to sit up front. We would act like we were supposed to get through the crowd waiting at the door by saying "Excuse Me", the person would step aside and let us by. Then we'd do it again and again....We would excuse ourselves all the way to the front of the crowd. It was a blast and it worked well.

I grew up, got married and had kids there in Houston so I didn't get to hang out in the music scene anymore. I've missed it ever since. I also miss KPFT. I helped tear down the old station above the Bowery Restaurant downtown - it was never the same after that.

Thanks for this thread - One more thing - I always thought Bruce Springsteen was singing about Libery Hall when he mentions "The darkness on the edge of town" - I know it doesn't fit with the song but that's how I saw and felt about Liberty Hall. It was something special in the darkness on the edge of town. If you ever parked your car there to see a show you know what I mean...

[YallerKitty]

Ah, the memories. I hung out at the Family Hand, the Old Quarter & Liberty Hall (with a couple of visits to Jubilee Hall just before it went defunct) during '69, '70 & '71. I don't think I went to the Hand but once after it became 'Texas Rose'. I moved to New Orleans in '72 & came back 6 years later to a different world. Only Anderson Faire was essentially the same, complete with Joy. Sigh. By the way, Mike Condray's birthday is Feb. 7th, so if anybody sees him, tell him Sylvia says 'Happy Birthday'.

Does anybody remember the concert, Spring of '70, at the Colisseum, that started out with Josephus, then progressed through John Mayall, Beautiful Day, and Quicksilver, culminating with the Grateful Dead? After the concert, 'everybody' went to the Hand for resurrection. I was focusing on a guy with really curly black hair & granny glasses who I thought was my friend Kenny (things were a tad wavy). The saloon-type doors burst open, and a tall, skinny guy in a fringed leather jacket came in, walked up to 'Kenny', and started stabbing at him with a knife! 'Kenny' pulled a 'gun'! This was unheard of among all us peace-lovin' types. Anyhow, it transpired that 'Kenny' was Jerry Garcia and the tall fringed one was John Cipollina, from Quicksilver. The knife was rubber and the gun was a water pistol. Apparently this was something they pulled on a semi-regular basis . . . I went back to talking to one of the Beautiful Day adjunct personnel until it was time to melt back into the night . . .

Sigh.

[Earlydays]

Ah, the memories. I hung out at the Family Hand, the Old Quarter & Liberty Hall (with a couple of visits to Jubilee Hall just before it went defunct) during '69, '70 & '71. I don't think I went to the Hand but once after it became 'Texas Rose'. I moved to New Orleans in '72 & came back 6 years later to a different world. Only Anderson Faire was essentially the same, complete with Joy. Sigh. By the way, Mike Condray's birthday is Feb. 7th, so if anybody sees him, tell him Sylvia says 'Happy Birthday'.

Does anybody remember the concert, Spring of '70, at the Colisseum, that started out with Josephus, then progressed through John Mayall, Beautiful Day, and Quicksilver, culminating with the Grateful Dead? After the concert, 'everybody' went to the Hand for resurrection. I was focusing on a guy with really curly black hair & granny glasses who I thought was my friend Kenny (things were a tad wavy). The saloon-type doors burst open, and a tall, skinny guy in a fringed leather jacket came in, walked up to 'Kenny', and started stabbing at him with a knife! 'Kenny' pulled a 'gun'! This was unheard of among all us peace-lovin' types. Anyhow, it transpired that 'Kenny' was Jerry Garcia and the tall fringed one was John Cipollina, from Quicksilver. The knife was rubber and the gun was a water pistol. Apparently this was something they pulled on a semi-regular basis . . . I went back to talking to one of the Beautiful Day adjunct personnel until it was time to melt back into the night . . .

Sigh.

My wife and I did not go to the Spring '70 show, but we did attend the show in October'69 with the Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Byrds and Poco

[Fringe]

Ah, the memories. I hung out at the Family Hand, the Old Quarter & Liberty Hall (with a couple of visits to Jubilee Hall just before it went defunct) during '69, '70 & '71. I don't think I went to the Hand but once after it became 'Texas Rose'. I moved to New Orleans in '72 & came back 6 years later to a different world. Only Anderson Faire was essentially the same, complete with Joy. Sigh. By the way, Mike Condray's birthday is Feb. 7th, so if anybody sees him, tell him Sylvia says 'Happy Birthday'.

Does anybody remember the concert, Spring of '70, at the Colisseum, that started out with Josephus, then progressed through John Mayall, Beautiful Day, and Quicksilver, culminating with the Grateful Dead? After the concert, 'everybody' went to the Hand for resurrection. I was focusing on a guy with really curly black hair & granny glasses who I thought was my friend Kenny (things were a tad wavy). The saloon-type doors burst open, and a tall, skinny guy in a fringed leather jacket came in, walked up to 'Kenny', and started stabbing at him with a knife! 'Kenny' pulled a 'gun'! This was unheard of among all us peace-lovin' types. Anyhow, it transpired that 'Kenny' was Jerry Garcia and the tall fringed one was John Cipollina, from Quicksilver. The knife was rubber and the gun was a water pistol. Apparently this was something they pulled on a semi-regular basis . . . I went back to talking to one of the Beautiful Day adjunct personnel until it was time to melt back into the night . . .

Sigh.

Feb 23, 1970 to be precise. Great concert. Wish I had made it to the Family Hand afterwards. Of course I probably wouldn't