The Avalon
| Former names | Avalon Ballroom |
|---|---|
| Address | 1268 Sutter St. |
| Location | San Francisco, California |
| Coordinates | 37°47′15″N 122°25′17″W / 37.78761°N 122.42129°WCoordinates: 37°47′15″N 122°25′17″W / 37.78761°N 122.42129°W |
| Type | ballroom |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1911 |
| Opened | 1966 |
| Closed | 1969 |
The Avalon Ballroom was a music venue in the Polk Gulch neighborhood of San Francisco, California, at 1244 Sutter Street (or 1268 Sutter, depending on the entrance). The space operated from 1966 to 1969, at the height of the counterculture movement.
The building that housed the Avalon Ballroom was built in 1911 and was originally called the Colin Traver Academy of Dance.
The Avalon was founded by Robert E. Cohen, impresario Chet Helms and his music production company, Family Dog Productions, which had offices on Van Ness. Bands were frequently booked to perform at the Avalon on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Extraordinary posters advertising each event were produced by psychedelic artists, including Rick Griffin, Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelley and Victor Moscoso.
A classic Liquid light show was often provided by "Diogenes Lantern Works."
In the 1960s, at the Avalon, two bands typically performed two sets during the evening beginning at about nine o'clock. Many local bands, such as Quicksilver Messenger Service and the Steve Miller Band, served as backup bands, as did the early Moby Grape and headliners such as The Doors, the 13th Floor Elevators, the Butterfield Blues Band and Big Brother and the Holding Company, which Helms organized around singer and performer Janis Joplin in spring 1966.
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