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In the years 1967 to 1971, I had the extreme pleasure to personally perform live lightshows with a number of great bands.... As one of the three co-founders and operators of the Brotherhood Of Light lightshow in San Francisco, California...... I was there for every show listed in this timeline except the first three...The Audience, Promoters And Band Members All Agreed On One Thing.....that the Lightshow added a great deal of entertainment value to these Dance/Concerts and contributed to the overall atmosphere in a positive way.

This is the timeline of the early Brotherhood of Light Lightshow..... This page is 'a work in progress' and will be updated regularly as I remember and uncover stories and circumstances of related interest....including a display of vintage posters and vintage Lightshow Art.... (more text under timeline.)

DATES	LOCATION/PROMOTER	POSTER/ARTIST	BANDS	COMMENTS
2-4-67	Webb's at The Stockton Hotel Stockville Light Express Stockton, California	John Hardham	Family Tree Peanut and the Vendors	The history of The Brotherhood of Light lightshow really begins with Brian Eppes in Stockton, early '67.
2-25-67	Webb's at The Stockton Hotel Stockville Light Express	Brian Eppes	Mark IV The Epics	In these early weeks, Brian rented the hall, hired the bands and did the
3-4-67	Webb's at The Stockton Hotel Stockville Light Express	John Hardham	Yellow Brick Road	lightshow.... Stockton had never seen anything like this before...
3-11,18,25-67	Betty Hacket's Dance Studio Harding Way/Pacific, Stockton Stockville Light Express	no poster for 3 weekends	Family Tree Plastic Explosion Crystal Timetable	This is when Brian and I began doing shows together. Stockton required attendance by membership only.
4-1-67	Webb's at The Stockton Hotel Stockville Light Express	Neon Rose #11 Victor Moscoso	The Cloud Plastic Explosion	Brian and I rode double on my motorcycle to San Francisco on a
4-19-67	Webb's at The Stockton Hotel Stockville Light Express	Neon Rose #13 Victor Moscoso	Plastic Explosion The Plague	very rainy day to finalize the poster deal with Victor.
4-28-67	Stockton Ballroom Green Grass Productions	John Hardham	Grateful Dead	Brian&Bob help Jim Arnold and friends with lightshow
10-20-67	Straight Theater Haight&Cole, San Francisco	"Work It Out" SF was not allowing a dance permit...poster: Luther Green	Charlatans/ Soft Pretzel/ Congress Of Wonders	1st show with Marc,Brian,Bob. Marc called his lightshow 'Aerial Transit'
11-11-67	Sebastopol	"Something Happening in Sepastapol" poster artist unknown	Indian Summer/ Time Seekers	1st BOL show (not on poster)
1/9-13/68	Straight Theater Haight&Cole, San Francisco	poster artist: Terre'	Notes From The Underground/ All Men Joy/ Womb	1st show with Brotherhood Of Light on handbill
1/16-20/68	Straight Theater	poster artist unknown	Clover, Salvation/Indian Headband/Liberty Street	BOL on handbill
1/30/68-2/3/68	Straight Theater	unknown	Santana/Mt.Rushmore/Phoenix/Martha's Laundry	The lightshow was fantastic!
2/6-10/68	Straight Theater	unknown	Blue Cheer/Wildflower/Mother Earth/Liberty Street	We practiced in the daytime too with the bands.
2/27to3/2/68	Straight Theater	C. Braga	All Men Joy/Charlie Musselwhite/Santana/Retrus
3/4/68	Straight Theater	unknown	Charlie Musselwhite/Phoenix/All Men Joy/Marble Farm	"Peace&Freedom Benefit
3/5-9/68	Straight Theater	C. Braga	Siegel Schwall/Mad River/Curly Cooke/Fruminous Bandersnatch
3/19/68	Straight Theater	S.A.F.	Kaleidoscope/Mint Tattoo/It's A Beautiful Day/James Cotton
3/23-27/68	Straight Theater	unknown	Charlatans/Sons Of Champlin/Mad River/Peace
3/31/68	Straight Theater	unknown	All Men Joy/Flamin' Groovies/Mt.Rushmore/Freedom Hwy/ Fruminous Bandersnatch/Liberty St/Dandelion Wine	"Off Ramp" Benefit
4/5-7/68	Straight Theater	C. Braga	Charlatans/Curly Cooke/Marble Farm/Flamin' Groovies
4/9-13/68	Straight Theater	S.A.F.	Chrome Syrcus/Mad River/Santana/Dandelion Wine
5/3-4/68	Straight Theater	A. Snow	Country Weather/Martha's Laundry/Sons Of Champlin
5/5/68	Straight Theater	unknown	Youngbloods/Country Weather/Fruminous Bandersnatch/AB Skhy	McCarthy for President Benefit
5/17-19/68	Avalon Ballroom Post&Sutter, San Francisco	FD-119 William Henry	Junior Wells, Sons Of Champlin, Santana	BOL (not on poster)
5/28-29/68	Avalon Ballroom	FD-680528 artist unknown	Crystal Syphon, Phoenix, Indian Headband, Mint Tattoo,Initial Shock, Loading Zone, All Men Joy, Country Weather, Linn County, Santana, AB Skhy, It's A Beautiful Day	Spring Medicine Show Benefit for Haight/Ashbury Free Medical Clinic
6/12/68	Carousel Ballroom Market&Van Ness, SF	Stanley Mouse		Kelly Fire Dance Benefit
6/20-23/68	Carousel	Bob Seidemann	Big Brother, Fleetwood Mac, Dr.John	House Lights for a month
6/28-30/68	Carousel	S.A.F.	Steve Miller, Buddy Guy, Initial Shock
7/12-13/68	Sound Factory Sacramento	S.A.F.	Steppenwolf, Ace Of Cups, Initial Shock	Lots of liquids
8/9-10/68	Sound Factory Sacramento	S.A.F.	Quicksilver, Ace Of Cups, Congress Of Wonders	Bob Is 21
8/30-9/1/68	Fillmore West Market&Van Ness SF	BG-134 Conklin B&W Lion	Grateful Dead Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Sons Of Champlin	Audition for Bill Graham BOL unlisted
9/5,6,7/68	Fillmore West Bill Graham	BG-135 Conklin Skulls/Moose	Chuck Berry, Kensington Market, Steve Miller	BOL unlisted Hug from Chuck
9/19-21/68	Fillmore West	BG-137 Rick Griffin	Albert King, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Black Pearl	"Bull's Eye"
10/11,12/68	Fillmore West	BG-140A Pat Hanks	Buck Owens and his Buckaroos	BOL unlisted
10/17-19/68	Fillmore West	BG-141 Moscoso/Griffin	Iron Butterfly, Sir Douglas, Sea Train	Tao Dance
11/4/68	Longshoreman's Hall	Poster artist unknown	Grateful Dead	Mark Lane Benefit
11/7-10/68	Fillmore West	BG-144 Conklin	Quicksilver, Grateful Dead, Linn County	Face/Joker
11/14-17/68	Fillmore West	BG-145 Conklin	Ten Years After, Sutra, Country Weather	Octopus
12/5-8/68	Fillmore West	BG-148 Conklin	Jeff Beck, Spirit, Sweet Linda Devine, Sweetwater	Letter people
12/12-15/68	Fillmore West	BG-149 Conklin	Country Joe, Terry Reid, Sea Train	Bizzare creatures
12/31/68	Winterland Post&Steiner	BG-152 Conklin	Grateful Dead, Quicksilver, Santana, Beautiful Day	Baby from skull/New Years Eve
1/2-4/69	Fillmore West	BG-154 Tuten	Grateful Dead, Blood Sweat&Tears, Spirit	Queen Mary in doorway
1/9-11/69	Fillmore West	BG-155 Tuten	Country Joe, Led Zepplin, Taj Mahal	Car front
2/7-9/69	Avalon Ballroom Sound Proof Productions	B&W Cartoon handbill Gilbert Shelton	Youngbloods, Lee Michaels, Screamin' Jay Hawkins	Last Avalon show
2/13-16/69	Fillmore West	BG-160 Irons	Santana, Collectors, Melanie	Portrait/City
2/27-3/2/69	Fillmore West	BG-162 Conklin	Grateful Dead, Pentangle, Sir Douglas	faces
3/20-23/69	Winterland	BG-165 D. Bread	Big Brother&Holding Co.,James Brown, Aum	Janis portrait
4/3-6/69	Fillmore West	BG-167 Irons	Procol Harum, Buddy Miles, Blues Image	Train from mouth
4/10-13/69	Fillmore West	BG-168 Tuten	Jeff Beck, Ainsley Dunbar, Zephyr	Train
4/24-27/69	Fillmore West and Winterland	BG-170 Tuten	Led Zepplin, Driscoll-Auger, Colwell-Winfield	Avocado
5/1,4/69	Fillmore West	BG-171 Tuten	Jefferson Airplane, Mongo Santa Maria, Cold Blood, Elvin Bishop	Praise the airplane
5/8-11/69	Fillmore West	BG-172 Conklin	Albert King, It's A Beautiful Day, Aum	Lumpy lady
5/23,24/69	Winterland	BG-174 Tuten	Creedence Clearwater Revival, Northern California Youth Choir, Bangor Flying Circus	Titanic
6/5-8/69	Fillmore West	BG-176 Tuten	Grateful Dead, Jr. Walker, Glass Family	Cool Aid
6/17-19/69	Fillmore West	BG-178 Singer	The Who, Woddy Herman, AB Skhy	Venus/Desert
6/27-29/69	Fillmore West	BG-179 Singer	Spirit, Lee Michaels, Pyewacket	Crucifix/ Junkyard
7/1-3/69	Fillmore West	BG-180 Singer	Lonnie Mack, Rockin', Jonny Winter	Lips/Tulips
7/4-6/69	Fillmore West	same poster	Eric Burdon, Beautiful Day, Cat Mother
7/11-13/69	Family Dog on the Great Highway	FD-690711 Artist unknown	Rubber Duck, Youngbloods, Lamb, Mother Bear	map on back
7/18-20/69	same	same	Sir Douglas Quintet, Bicycle, Kwan Ditos
7/22-24/69	Fillmore West	BG-183 Singer	Ten Years After, Ike&Tina Turner, The Flock	Shroud/ Pillars
8/5-10/69	Fillmore West	BG-185 Singer	Fleetwood Mac, Junior Walker, Lee Michaels	Horse/ shadow
8/15-17/69	Family Dog on the Great Highway Chet Helms	FD-690815 Artist unknown	NewLostCityRamblers,MikeBloomfield&Nick Gravenites with Southern Comfort, Devil's Kitchen, Taj Mahal	There was TV in the room with men on the Moon
8/19-21/69	Fillmore West	BG-188 Singer	John Mayall, Mother Earth, NYRR Ensemble	steps/moon/forest
8/29-31/69	Fillmore West	BG-189 Singer	Spirit, Savoy Brown, Womb	David on Moon
9/4-7/69	Fillmore West	BG-190 Singer	Santana, Sea Train, Yuseff Lateef	hand, globe
9/18-21/69	Fillmore West	BG-192 Randy Tuten	Taj Mahal, Buddy Guy, Spooky Tooth	S.Mouse portrait
9/24/69	Fillmore West	Eduardo Arderi	Sanpaku, Ace of Cups, Terry Dolan, Beautiful Day, Sons Of Champlin, The Outlaws	Biafra Benefit
10/3,4/69	Winterland	BG-194 Greg Irons	CSNY, Blues Image, John Sebastian	kissing
10/9-12/69	Fillmore West	BG-195 Randy Tuten	Country Joe, Blodwyn Pig, Albert King
11/6-9/69	Winterland	BG-199 Tuten	Led Zepplin, Bonzo Dog, Roland Kirk
11/20-23/69	Fillmore West	BG-203 Tuten	Jethro Tull, MC5, Sanpaku	bicycle/nude
12/4-7/69	Fillmore West	BG-205 Singer	Grateful Dead, Flock, Humble Pie	face/pills
12/18-21/69	Fillmore West	BG-207 Singer	Santana, Grand Funk RR, Fat Matress	horse/hoof
1/2-4/70	Fillmore West	BG-210 Singer	Byrds, Fleetwood Mac, John Hammond	eagle/flag
1/22-25/70	Fillmore West	BG-213 Singer	Albert King, Savoy Brown, Zephyr
2/5-8/70	Fillmore West	BG-216 Singer	Grateful Dead, Taj Mahal, Bigfoot	mushroom
3/7/70	Fresno, Ca. Joint Venture	Artist unknown	Paul Butterfield, Taj Mahal, Blue Grass Dakota	Fresno
3/26-29/70	Fillmore West and Winterland	BG-225	Chicago, James Cotton, Family Fritz	skeleton
4/2/70	"Festival" Stockton Civic Auditorium		Youngbloods, Loading Zone, Staton Bros.	Stockton
4/9-12/70	Fillmore West	BG-227 Singer	Grateful Dead, Miles Davis, Stone The Crows	shell
4/24,25/70	Winterland	BG-229 Singer	Joe Cocker, Van Morrison, The Stonemans
4/29/70	Fillmore West	BG-230 Pat Hanks	Pink Floyd	Bol unlisted
5/7-10/70	Fillmore West	BG-232 Singer	Lee Michaels, Small Faces, Catfish, Shorty
6/18-21/70	Fillmore West	BG-239 Singer	Quicksilver, Don Ellis Orch., Rockwell
6/30-7/2/70	Fillmore West	BG-241 Singer	Traffic, Leon Russell, John Hammond, Lamb	God&man
7/9-12/70	Fillmore West	BG-242 Singer	Quicksilver, Mott The Hoople, Silver Meter	eclipse/splash last BG

9/18,19/70	Pepperland Ballroom 737 E. Francisco Blvd, San Rafael, Ca.	PL-700918 Behrens	Hot Tuna, Capt. Beefheart, Chas. Lloyd	Pepperland offered more creative control of the room. all Brotherhood of Light
9/25,26/70	Pepperland NBL Productions	PL-700925 Unknown	Frank Zappa & Mothers, Tim Buckley, Kindred	I got to shake Frank's hand
10/16,17/70	Pepperland	PL-701016 Gorchov	Pink Floyd, Kimberly, Osceola	Pink set up on the dancefloor
10/24,25/70	Pepperland	PL-701024 Gorchov	Steve Miller, Jerry Hahn, Dan Hicks & Hot Licks
11/13,14/70	Pepperland	PL-701113 Gorchov	Incredible String Band, Doug Kershaw, Joy Of Cooking
11/28/70	Pepperland	PL-701128 Unknown	Leon Russell, Capt. Beefheart, Clover, Truk
12/18,19/70	Pepperland	PL-701218 D.Bread	Chuck Berry, Sir Douglas, Boz Scaggs
12/20/70	Pepperland	PL-701220 Folklore Productions	Joan Baez
1/22,23/71	Pepperland	PL-710122 Behrens	Youngbloods, Sea Train, John Fahey
1/29,30/71	Pepperland	same poster	Cold Blood, Boz Scaggs, Stoneground
2/5,6/71	Pepperland	PL-710205 Behrens	Elvin Bishop, PG&E, Tower Of Power
2/20,21/71	Pepperland	PL-710220 Behrens	Big Brother, The Sons, Clover
2/26,27/71	Pepperland	PL-710226 Unknown	Spencer Davis, Dan Hicks&Hot Licks, Country Weather
3/5,6/71	Pepperland	PL-710305 Behrens	Steve Miller, John Lee Hooker, Bronze Hog
3/12,13/71	Pepperland	same poster	Lee Michaels, Joy Of Cooking, Fourth Way
3/11/71	Pepperland	PL-710311 Unknown	Linda Ronstandt, Clover, Little John, Chris Darrow
3/19,20/71	Pepperland	PL-710319 Marberry	Beautiful Day, Odetta, Victoria
4/2-4/71	Pepperland	PL-710402 Unknown	Taj Mahal, Boz Scaggs, Lamb, Grootna
4/11/71	Pepperland	PL-710411 Unknown	Quicksilver, Hot Tuna, Lizard	Last NBL show
9/9-11/71	Pepperland/Fun Productions	PL-710909	Steve Miller, Yogi Phlegm, Nazgul, Clover
9/24,25/71	Pepperland	PL-710924	Mike Bloomfield, Stoneground, Clover
11/13/71	Pepperland/ Litchfield	PL-711113	Tower Of Power, Cold Blood, Norman Greenbaum
12/4/71	Pepperland	PL-711204	Boz Scaggs, Earthquake, Staton Bros.
12/11/71	Pepperland	PL-711211	Joy Of Cooking, Commander Cody, Crossfire
1/22/72	Pepperland	PL-720122	Tower Of Power, Redwing, Roger Collins

The history of The Brotherhood of Light lightshow really begins with Brian Eppes in Stockton, early 1967....In those early weeks, he was working hard on developing shows in Stockton. He named his show The Stockville Light Express.... He rented the hall, hired the bands, and did the light show. It was a lot for one guy to do so he was glad when a few of his friends would help.... One sunny day,I picked up Brian hitchhiking near the university. He told me of his shows...I was truly fascinated with his verbal desciptions of an art form that would soon consume me. Of course, I went to the very next show and began helping..... For the next shows I quickly built a light piano which provided colorful shadows of the building's rafters..... I also built a bubble machine that we set up above the strobelight.... I even brought a small aquarium to project the fish.... a good effect although the fish were upside down on the screen.

At that time, most of the kids who liked rock'nroll and lightshows were under 18 years old. Stockton had a law against minors attending public dances. We formed a free membership of hundreds of teenagers.... All card carrying members of The Stockville Light Express, they were legally allowed to attend our Dance/Concerts. We added more projectors for even more wall and audience coverage. We built pipe frames around the overhead projectors to allow free arm movement... the necks removed. the heads were mounted above the base on an adjustable pipe for focus. This made it possible for the glass plates to fit squarely upon the projector base. The pipe frame was also where we mounted our colorwheels. We had 3 or 4 slide projectors... One was a pretty nice Carousel.... Most of the slide projectors were oddly shaped, old fashioned donation from the family clothes closet.... One fellow would arrive sometimes with his 8mm projector ...... With bedsheets behind the band, and an off white wall, we projected or colors to an eager, enthusiastic and well mannered audience of teenagers. Stockton was smaller back then, and though we were getting a good response from everyone, we couldn't make enough money to finance our venture in Stockton....We felt ready to take the next step... to San Francisco.

Brian scouted ahead to San Francisco and found Straight Theater. Formerly called the Haight Theater, an old movie theater in what used to be the 'Russian District'. It seemed the perfect venue for the times.... I had lived in the Haight for a couple of months in the summer of '66 and was very comfortable with the magical vibrations of that area. To say the least, we met lots of very interesting people..... We were all young and enthusiastic... we were glowing with self assurance..... knowing that we were all very good at our chosen craft..... Even the very first time that we jammed in the Straight, everyone loved what we were doing and encouragement was everywhere....We were a bright and colorful spark that ignited a flame of joyful celebration.

Marc Maxman, recently departed from The North American Ibis alchemical Co. lightshow, was experienced from doing lights at the Avalon earlier in the year.... He had colors and a projector to add to the mix, as well as providing a place to stay temporairly . He called his one man lightshow 'Ariel Transit' and we worked together on one show with that name, after which we all agreed on a new name... Brotherhood of Light... We were indeed Brothers in Light.

The Straight was perfect for lightshows.... Reggie, the manager of the theater, was a lightshow man himself and was sensitive to our needs... With lots of electricity and big screens, our basic necessities were fulfilled.... Stagelights set as to not 'wash out' the screens, we were free to show our colors. When the music started, we took off with them.... people found themselves unable to look away from the imagery... it was a powerful moment.

Encouraged by our overwhelmingly positive reception, we continously developed and improved our style.... our goal, to synchronize our fluid colors with the music.... It was a time to illustrate the beauty of nature.... many of our slides were flowers.... many were painted glass.... In the early days at the Straight, we hadn't shot much photography yet.... But in the following months, as we became popular, we had the money to buy film and shoot lots of slides. My favorite camera attachment was a Kenko 180 degree Fisheye Lense that screwed onto the front of my Nikon F. I shot lots of fisheye everything including nature and time exposures.

To enhance the imagery and co-oridinate the whole lightshow into a collective projection of balance and harmony we would add color wheels. They were motorized so we could slow them to a crawl or adjust them to the tempo of the music. The wheels themselves were made of wood, well balanced and filled with a logical sequence of colored gel....(depending on the desired effect). From our portable control panel we could control all of these wheels and stop them entirely between songs. The panorama was awesome,a thing of beauty... Truly a worthy Artform.... with a life of it's own.