Inimitable Purple Chinch Bug Esq. (Portland)

Now then !!

The event below was pivotal for the Pacific North West Psychedelic Scene as it was THE first Psychedelic event at the infamous Crystal Ballroom at SW 14th and Burnside in Portland, Oregon.

On Friday January 20th 1967 at 8:00pm the original Crystal Ballroom was 'reborn' as Crystal Ball opening its doors to the local 'Hippies'.

Admission fees were $1.25 per person or $2.00 for a Couple and on the bill were local band The Weeds, Family Tree from Hollywood and Tweedy Bros from San Francisco.

The Weeds featured a certain Fred Cole who had arrived back in 1966 in a van, travelling north to Canada in an attempt to evade the Vietnam Draft but their van ran out of fuel in Oregon.

The Fred Cole story is something we plan to take a very deep dive into later this year but for people who know his name it was HERE that he met a Staff Mamber called Kathleen 'Toody' Connor (the rest of the story became written in Rock 'n' Roll History).

(The Weeds became Lollipop Shoppe, then Fred formed King Bee, The Rats, Range Rats, Western Front, Dead Moon and Pierced Arrows).

I have no idea who was involved with Inimitable Purple Chinch Bug Esq. and I've not (so far) seen them listed on any other Crystal Ballrom posters so they are yet another Light Show mystery...

Maybe you know who was involved and if you do please get in touch via the link below.

If you can help with more information about this Light Show we would love to hear from you.

Tweedy Bros, Wild Weeds, Family Tree, Gazebo - Crystal Ballroom, Portland, Oregon