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Zeppelin at Thee Image Club, Miami, 1969


FireOpal

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Today I came across a photographer's web site that has some very lovely photos of the lads I'd never seen before:

David E. LeVine's Led Zeppelin story

He also talks about meeting the band, and a very amusing story about running into them years later during one of the "Riot House" pool parties. So *that's* how Jimmy injured his finger! :)

Jimmy with his Black Beauty (and colorful trousers):

zeppelin-37frame-400.jpg

John Henry Bonham, matinee idol:

zeppelin-16frame400.jpg

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They had flown in from San Diego and Jimmy allegedly injured his finger on the fence at the airport while greeting fans. I don't know for certain if that's the truth but the concert postponement was announced on the radio as fans were arriving for the show.

The promotional shot of the four of them sitting on a hotel room chair (squashing JPJ!)

was taken in their Miami hotel. Peter Grant had spent his day off (May 6th 1973) fishing

in the Biscayne Bay.

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Steve, you wouldn't happen to know the name of their hotel in Miami, would you? In the foggy recesses of my mind, I seem to recall they opened their U.S. tours in Miami on a couple of occasions. I could be wrong about that...

I've never seen that photo of them squashing poor Jonesy. But the one of them clowning around with stewardesses at the airport has been posted here a few times.

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Steve, you wouldn't happen to know the name of their hotel in Miami, would you? In the foggy recesses of my mind, I seem to recall they opened their U.S. tours in Miami on a couple of occasions. I could be wrong about that...

It was the Doral Hotel on Collins Avenue in 1973. I don't have their Miami hotel for 1969 confirmed yet. Obviously, we have a lead in that the author says it was just

down the road from Thee Image Club.

They never opened a tour in Miami. Even in 1973, they opened in Atlanta, but they used

Miami as a base for that date and Jacksonville. Perhaps more.

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The first photo of Jimmy is awesome. Wicked style that was much differant from others. As a side note i always thought the black and white square toed shoes he wore in many shots are the coolest.

Cav

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It was the Doral Hotel on Collins Avenue in 1973. I don't have their Miami hotel for 1969 confirmed yet. Obviously, we have a lead in that the author says it was just

down the road from Thee Image Club.

Surprisingly, it still stands - though with a different name: Miami Beach Resort & Spa

I'm having less luck finding the address for Thee Image. It was run by a guy called Kenneth Collier, since deceased, and it was in Sunny Isles, a.k.a. North Miami Beach. That's all I've got so far.

Plus this memory by Phil Lesh, who recently played a festival in sorta nearby Big Cypress. He was interviewed by the Miami Herald:

Lesh has toured through South Florida dozens of times. But he says he'll never forget his first concert here, with the Grateful Dead. "The one that stands out the most is the very first show we ever played in South Florida," he recalls. "It was in 1967 at a place in Miami called Thee Image , and it was run by a guy who also managed a band called The Blizzard, so we opened for them for two nights. And those gigs were amazing because we played so well -- I just remember being astonished at how well we were playing, just in disbelief. I don't know what it was."

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I'm having less luck finding the address for Thee Image.

You really have no idea how thrilled I am that you would even care to know. :lol:

I have been trying to confirm the addresses of all the Zep/solo venues in addition to

contributing to venue galleries such as the one Nech put together. The reason for this

interest is because oftentimes the original venues are moved (JB's in Dudley just one example), renovated beyond all recognition (King's Hall in Aberystwyth, Wales) or demolished (far too many!).

We'll get that address for Thee Image Club sorted soon, I guarentee it! Just need a

little help from someone.

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It looks like Marshall Brevitz was the owner of Thee Image -- Ken Collier may have just been the promoter. Brevitz also had a famous club on Sunset in L.A. called Thee Experience. The Doors and other luminaries played there in the late 60's.

Weird coincidence: do you recall the phone interview that Robert recently did with your namesake (of The Sex Pistols) on his radio show? Robert introduced himself as Marshall Brevitz. Oooh!!

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Thank you, Sam! That would make sense as its location. One of the club's owners/promoters recalls a crowd of people backed up to Haulover Beach (not for Zep, but for Hendrix), which would be just south of the address you gave us.

The building is surely torn down then: that area is choked with condo towers now. There's a massive Trump resort in that location [gags]

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Thank you, Sam! That would make sense as its location. One of the club's owners/promoters recalls a crowd of people backed up to Haulover Beach (not for Zep, but for Hendrix), which would be just south of the address you gave us.

The building is surely torn down then: that area is choked with condo towers now. There's a massive Trump resort in that location [gags]

Thanks very much, Sam. That's awesome! Three nights of The Yardbirds at Thee Image Club (Apr 8-10 1968). It's worth noting that when they played the Action House in

Island Park, NY on April 12th Jimmy told Ron Kellerman he was thinking of starting a new band. (The Yardbirds knew when they left for America this was to be their final tour).

Great Hendrix anecdote; you can see where sometimes an address comes into play.

I'm guessing but it looks like they MAY have stayed at the Doral in '69 given that it

was on the same street as the venue and they returned in '73. Speculation at this

point.

I'm aware of Robert's interview with S. Jones but unfortunately haven't heard it yet. He's still got a sense of humor!

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It looks like Marshall Brevitz was the owner of Thee Image -- Ken Collier may have just been the promoter. Brevitz also had a famous club on Sunset in L.A. called Thee Experience. The Doors and other luminaries played there in the late 60's.

Weird coincidence: do you recall the phone interview that Robert recently did with your namesake (of The Sex Pistols) on his radio show? Robert introduced himself as Marshall Brevitz. Oooh!!

I remember seeing a pic of "Thee Experience" in a (go figure) Hendrix bio. The entrance of the club, the door, is basically Jimi's 'face' and above it is a huge afro painted on the wall above the door...right?

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I remember seeing a pic of "Thee Experience" in a (go figure) Hendrix bio. The entrance of the club, the door, is basically Jimi's 'face' and above it is a huge afro painted on the wall above the door...right?

Yes, although that mural may have been done as a tribute to him after his death.

It's ironic if The Jimi Hendrix Experience is confused as inspiration for Thee Experience:

In the midst of deep affliction, the Prophet Joseph was told, "All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."

Here's an excellent link to the Sunset Strip / Hollywood scene in the rock n roll era:

www.hollywoodhangover.com

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Yes, although that mural may have been done as a tribute to him after his death.

It's ironic if The Jimi Hendrix Experience is confused as inspiration for Thee Experience:

In the midst of deep affliction, the Prophet Joseph was told, "All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."

Here's an excellent link to the Sunset Strip / Hollywood scene in the rock n roll era:

www.hollywoodhangover.com

ironic? downright incorrect, apparently. Myself, that is. I have believed all these years (not that it really matters) that he was the inspiration for that club! I guess you cant always believe everything you read!!!

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ironic? downright incorrect, apparently. Myself, that is. I have believed all these years (not that it really matters) that he was the inspiration for that club! I guess you cant always believe everything you read!!!

Ironic if they are mistaken for the origin of the phrase. They may well have been the

inspiration for the name of the club. I'll have to look into when it opened and what not.

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Thank you, Sam! That would make sense as its location. One of the club's owners/promoters recalls a crowd of people backed up to Haulover Beach (not for Zep, but for Hendrix), which would be just south of the address you gave us.

The building is surely torn down then: that area is choked with condo towers now. There's a massive Trump resort in that location [gags]

Thee Image was definitely located at 18330 Collins Avenue. The "Mothers of Invention" were the first act to play the club on March 15, 1968. Here's a handbill for the Country Joe (4/5-4/7/68) & Yardbirds (4/8-4/10/68) shows. Note the address: 18330 Collins Avenue.

YardbirdsMiamiedited.jpg

Here's another poster from a Grateful Dead show with a clearer version of the address:

GratefulDead-Miami_edited.jpg

Before it was "Thee Image," it was the Sunny Isles Bowling Center. Here's a 1963 picture of "Thee Image" back when it was a bowling alley (building on the left side of the photo):

Miami-TheeImageClub-edited.jpg

The building at 18330 Collins Avenue is now a Publix Supermarket (see photo of building):

Miami-SunnyIsles2.jpg

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MikeZep! You are a freakin' STAR -- thanks so much for the information, great job :)

About the L.A. club Thee Experience: I read online that Brevitz was a friend of Hendrix, and named the club after his band as an homage. It will have to be verified of course.

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