THE DOORS AT "THE SCENE", NEW YORK JUNE 1967

From 11 June to 1 July 1967, The Doors performed a series of spectacular concerts on the East Coast of the United States.

These twenty days were of great importance to the band, who had temporarily interrupted recording their second LP, "Strange Days", in order to perform for audiences in New York and the surrounding area.

Although they had not yet achieved the fame that would come within a month, this was the fourth time the band had performed on the east coast of the United States.

During the previous three tours, between October 1966 and April 1967, they had spent extended residencies (from a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 20 days) at a New York City venue called 'The Ondine'.

On this fourth trip, however, they performed at a famous New York club: 'The Scene'. Some amazing photos testify to the atmosphere created by the Doors during their time on this stage.

Reviews explicitly speak of dreamlike and experimental performances that combined theatre and rock music in surprising and unprecedented ways.

This highlights a fundamental innovation introduced by the quartet during that Summer: the incorporation of theatricality and dramatic expression into modern live music shows.

The Doors' concerts at "The Scene" therefore represent a pivotal moment in the evolution of live music, influencing every other artist from that moment onwards.

Indeed, the band's instrumental improvisations, coupled with the eerie fascination unleashed by Morrison's vocals and defiant stage behavior, changed our understanding of live rock performances forever.

Although there are no audio recordings of these memorable concerts, a shift in the spectacle offered by The Doors can be discerned just a few months later.

By the early summer of 1967, the Doors had begun to exhibit greater confidence and assurance. This was partly due to a year of almost daily concerts, as well as the shocking emergence of the group's creative drive.

Among the groups playing on the same nights as The Doors, The Free Spirits were notable. In June 1967, they were promoting their only album, "Out of Sight and Sound", which had been released earlier that year.

The album belonged to the pop-rock genre, and to get an idea of what it was like, we recommend listening to the song "Cosmic Daddy Dancer" (link here).

The Free Spirits' record is made even more interesting by two elements that characterize its sound: the band members' great instrumental ability and the jazz nuances that color the LP's tracks.

Finally, here's a curiosity. After The Doors' twenty-day residency at this New York club, the audience was delighted by the underground rock The Seeds and the rock-psychedelic vibes of Moby Grape.

Those kinds of bands, and especially The Doors, helped make "The Scene" a historic venue which would continue to make music history in the years to come.

P.S.: My book "The Doors Through Strange Days"- The most comprehensive journey ever made through The Doors' second LP, is available on Amazon.com, .uk, .mx, .it, etc.

Here’s a link:

Amazon – “The Doors Through Strange Days”