It took nearly 45 years before Shagrat Records deemed the world ready for these astonishing Mad River recordings. Limited copies of

this beautiful 12 inch package, of what is bound to become a future collectable, can be procured by clicking on the above picture or

even here. The package includes a beautiful 36 page insert with David Biasotti's 26,000 word essay on the band and some rare

photographs. British psychedelic artist John Hurford has provided some beautiful artwork for the project and Tony Poole undertook

the audio mastering.

You can also download the Press Release.  

Mad River - Family Tree

Mad River - Some Art

Mad River - A Live Performance History

With thanks to Chris Till, Lawrence Hammond and Rick Bockner

Spring 1966 Antioch College, Yellow Springs, OH Mad River Spring 1966 The Gulch, Yellow Springs, OH Mad River Summer 1966 Basement Club, Washington, DC Mad River Summer 1966 Bus Station Club, Washington, DC Mad River Summer 1966 The Blue Sparrow, Washington, DC Mad River Late 1966 to Spring 1967 Yellow Springs, OH Mad River March 1967 Unknown Studio Dayton, OH  Demos of the following songs were cut: Jerry's Tune, Leave Her Alone, Timothy and an early version of Wind Chimes  March 1967   Relocate to Berkeley 19 March 1967 Provo Park, Berkeley, CA Loading Zone, Motor, New Delhi River Band, Ulysses S Crockett and the Afro Blues Persuasion, Mad River, Frumious Bandersnatch, Blue Cheer, Soul Purpose, Haymarket Riot [The Reversal of Earth Human Be-In] 09 April 1967 Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA Chambers Brothers, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Sandy Bull, Mad River (auditioning - thanks to contacts of Greg Dewey's sister) 14 April 1967 Panhandle Park, San Francisco, CA Country Joe and the Fish, The New Age, Mad River, All Night Apothecary, The Groop, Morning Glory, The Moebills, Richard Brautigan [Candle Opera - Diggers free show, part of Spring Mobilization] 10 May 1967 Tito's, Berkeley, CA Mad River (first paying show in Berkeley) 14 May 1967 Neighborhood Center, Telegraph Hill, San Francisco, CA Loading Zone, Freedom Highway, Kent Glenn's Big Band (Benefit for the Neighborhood Center) 28 May 1967 Provo Park, Berkeley, CA Loading Zone, Steve Miller Blues Band, Mad River, Purple Earthquake 03 June 1967 Isla Vista Beach, Santa Barbara, CA Raw Violet, Flying Circus, Alexander's Timeless Blues Band, Mad River, Phoenix, Underground Railroad, and The Group. Poets: Richard Brautigan, Lenore Kandel, Charles Upton, Bill Fritch, Lew Welch, Jeff Sheppard, and Andrew Hoyem. Lights were provided by Aurora Clorialis [Pacific Coast Free Thing - Poets Against Vietnam] 09 June 1967 New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA Mad River 13 June 1967 New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA Mad River  14 June 1967 New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA Mad River  21 June 1967 Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA Golden Gate Park, San Francisco with Big Brother and the Holding Company, Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Mad River [Summer Solstice Festival] 25 June 1967 Folsom and 7th, San Francisco, CA  Santana Blues Band, Amplified Ohm, Bay Area Quintet, Freedom Highway, Gossamer Kyte, Mad River, Morning Glory, Mount Rushmore, New Delhi River Band, The Raven, Ulysses S Crockett and Afro Blues Persuasion, Sonny Lewis Quintet, Freudian Slips, West Coast Distributor (First Annual Synanon Street Fair) 08 July 1967 Pauley Ballroom, Berkeley, CA Mad River, Cleanliness and Godliness Skiffle Band, Hastings Street Opera [We Won’t Go Rock Dance Resistance Benefit] 13 July 1967 Provo Park, Berkeley, CA Mad River, Cleanliness and Godliness Skiffle Band 13 August 1967 Straight Theatre, San Francisco, CA Patrick Sky, Mt. Rushmore, Mad River  13 August 1967 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA Moby Grape, Canned Heat, Mad River (Mad River replace Vanilla Fudge using Moby Grape's amps after Chet Helms turns up at the earlier Straight Theatre show and asks Sam Silver to have the band get over to the Avalon) 19 August 1967 Irwin Street Warehouse, San Rafael, CA Mad River, Morning Glory, Pyewacket, Transatlantic Railroad 10 September 1967 Provo Park, Berkeley, CA Mad River, Notes From The Underground, Savage Resurrection, Hades Blues Works 15 September 1967 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA The Youngbloods, The Other Half, Mad River, North American Ibis Alchemical Co.  16 September 1967 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA The Youngbloods, The Other Half, Mad River, North American Ibis Alchemical Co.  17 September 1967 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA The Youngbloods, The Other Half, Mad River, North American Ibis Alchemical Co.  22 September 1967 Western Front, San Francisco, CA Other Half, Freedom Highway, Mad River 23 September 1967 Western Front, San Francisco, CA Peace, New Delhi River Band, Mad River 24 September 1967 Captain Ahab’s Homecoming, Muir Beach, CA West Coast Natural Gas Co., Blue Cheer, Mad River, Freedom Highway, Serpent Power, Burgundy Blues, Raven, Travel Consul, Black Swan, Mark Spoelstra’s Jade Muse. Phoenix, Gail, Carol and Sue Crystal Lite Company (Captain Ahab's Homecoming) 05 October 1967 Straight Theatre, San Francisco, CA Mad River, Poets, Dr. David Smith [Benefit for Haight- Ashbury Free Clinic] 05 October 1967 Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Grass Roots, Mad River, Lights by The Holy See  06 October 1967 Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Grass Roots, Mad River, Lights by The Holy See  07 October 1967 Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Grass Roots, Mad River, Lights by The Holy See  08 October 1967 Family Park, Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, San Jose, CA  Big Brother and the Holding Company, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Mother Earth, Mad River, Freedom Highway, Ace of Cups, Dr. West’s Medicine Show [Haight Ashbury Medical Clinical Benefit] 13 October 1967 Sproul Plaza, UC Berkeley, CA Mad River (Send-off for Caravan for Washington (Oct 21), sponsored by Campus Mobilization Committee) 29 October 1967 Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA Jefferson Airplane, Mother Earth, Mad River, The Committee, Phoenix [Benefit for Prop P] 10 November 1967 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA The Youngbloods, Mad River 11 November 1967 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA The Youngbloods, Mad River 12 November 1967 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA The Youngbloods, Mad River 21 November 1967 Steppenwolf, Berkeley, CA Mad River 22 November 1967 Steppenwolf, Berkeley, CA Mad River 28 November 1967 Steppenwolf, Berkeley, CA Mad River 29 November 1967 Steppenwolf, Berkeley, CA Mad River 01 December 1967 Straight Theatre, San Francisco, CA Mad River, Santana Blues Band, Lights by Puppy Farm  02 December 1967 Straight Theatre, San Francisco, CA Mad River, Santana Blues Band, Lights by Puppy Farm  03 December 1967 Straight Theatre, San Francisco, CA Mad River, Santana Blues Band, Lights by Puppy Farm  05 December 1967 Steppenwolf, Berkeley, CA Mad River 06 December 1967 Steppenwolf, Berkeley, CA Mad River 16 December 1967 2677 Mission St, San Francisco, CA Mad River [Anti-Policeman’s Ball] 17 December 1967 Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA  Country Joe and The Fish,  Phoenix, Mt Rushmore, Mad River, Initial Shock (Agit-Prop) 17 December 1967 Steppenwolf, Berkeley, CA Mad River, New Delhi River Band, Lincoln's Promise, Savage Resurrection, Sky Blue (Lights By Provo) [Peace and Freedom Party Benefit] 31 December 1967 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA Blue Cheer, Country Joe & the Fish, Lee Michaels, The Flamin' Groovies, Mad River, Mt. Rushmore, The Diogenes Lantern Works  07 January 1968 Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA Phil Ochs, The Loading Zone, Blue Cheer, Mad River, Mt. Rushmore, Committee Benefit for “Stop the Draft” Week. 26 January 1968 Straight Theatre, San Francisco, CA Mad River, Sons of Champlin, Peace 27 January 1968 Straight Theatre, San Francisco, CA Mad River, Sons of Champlin, Peace 30 January 1968 Pauley Ballroom, Berkeley, CA  [ASUC Benefit Dance]  Country Joe and the Fish, Charlie Musselwhite, Mad River 02 February 1968 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA Electric Flag, Mad River, Fugs, 13th Floor Elevators 03 February 1968 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA Electric Flag, Mad River, Fugs, 13th Floor Elevators 04 February 1968 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA Electric Flag, Mad River, Fugs, 13th Floor Elevators 16 February 1968 Balconades, 181 W Santa Clara, San Jose, CA Quicksilver Messenger Service, Freedom Highway, Mad River 31 March 1968 New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA Mad River, Frumious Bandersnatch, Cleanliness and Godliness Skiffle Band, Notes from Underground [Benefit for Port Chicago Vigil] 10 April 1968 Steppenwolf, Berkeley, CA Mad River 12 April 1968 Straight Theatre, San Francisco, CA Santana, Mad River, Dandelion Wine 13 April 1968 Straight Theatre, San Francisco, CA Santana, Mad River, Dandelion Wine 14 April 1968 Provo Park, Berkeley, CA Country Joe and the Fish, Mad River, Loading Zone, SF Mime Troupe performing “Ruzzante or The Veteran” 02 May 1968 Retinal Circus, Vancouver BC. Canada Mad River, Mother Tuckers, Yellow Duck, Seeds of Time, Paisley Rain, Addled Chromish  03 May 1968 Retinal Circus, Vancouver BC. Canada Mad River, Mother Tuckers, Yellow Duck, Seeds of Time, Paisley Rain, Addled Chromish  04 May 1968 Retinal Circus, Vancouver BC. Canada Mad River, Mother Tuckers, Yellow Duck, Seeds of Time, Paisley Rain, Addled Chromish  16 May 1968 Straight Theatre, San Francisco, CA Mad River, Frumious Bandersnatch (Mad River were scheduled to also play the 17th, but for reasons I don’t recall they and Frumious Bandersnatch were replaced by Allmen Joy, Curley Cooke's Hurdy Gurdy Band and Petrus) 19 May 1968 Provo Park, Berkeley, CA Mad River, The Circus, Crystal Syphon 24 May 1968 Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco, CA HP Lovecraft, Clara Ward Singers, Mad River [replacing Big Brother and the Holding Company who had cancelled] 25 May 1968 Frost Amphitheatre, Stamford, Palo Alto, CA [McCarthy For President] Peter, Paul & Mary, Mr Soul, Early Morning Fog, Mad River, Diamond Jim  25 May 1968 Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco, CA HP Lovecraft, Clara Ward Singers, Mad River [replacing Big Brother and the Holding Company who had cancelled] 26 May 1968 Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco, CA HP Lovecraft, Clara Ward Singers, Mad River [replacing Big Brother and the Holding Company who had cancelled] 23 July 1968 New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA Mad River 24 July 1968 New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA Mad River 25 July 1968 New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA Mad River 10 August 1968 Provo Park, Berkeley, CA  Allman Joy, Immaculate Contraption, Mad River [GI Teach In] 20 September 1968 Marina High School, Hayward, CA The People, Mad River, Abercrombie Lights [Welcome Dance] 15 October 1968 Matrix, San Francisco, CA Harvey Mandel, Mad River  16 October 1968 Matrix, San Francisco, CA Harvey Mandel, Mad River  17 October 1968 Matrix, San Francisco, CA Harvey Mandel, Mad River  20 October 1968 Greek Theater, Berkeley, CA Canned Heat, Grateful Dead, Mad River, Stonehenge, Linn County [All Cal Rock Festival] 25 October 1968 New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA Mad River, Popcorn [who were replacing Orion who was originally scheduled to appear] 26 October 1968 Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, CA Johnny Rivers, Jose Feliciano, Eric Burdon and The Animals, Iron Butterfly, Fraternity of Man, Buddy Miles Express, Rejoice, Lee Michaels, Mad River, Womb, Spyders [San Francisco Pop Festival] 26 October 1968 New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA Mad River, Popcorn [who were replacing Orion who was originally scheduled to appear] 03 November 1968 Mandrake’s, Berkeley, CA Notes from the Underground, Mad River, Cleanliness and Godliness Skiffle Band [Dick Gregory Benefit] 04 November 1968 Provo Park, Berkeley, CA Notes from the Underground, Mad River, Cleanliness and Godliness Skiffle Band, Sky Blue, Country Weather 29 November 1968 Pavilion Auditorium, Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, San Jose, CA Mad River, Coffee, Groovy Cactus, Gilded Cage 16 January 1969 Pauley Ballroom, Berkeley, CA Steve Miller Band, Sons of Champlin, Mad River, Mint Tattoo, Frumious Bandersnatch, Cleanliness & Godliness Skiffle Band, All Men Joy, Other Half, Little John, The Lamb, emcee: Chet Helms. “Support the Oakland 7 Benefit Dance”. 28 February 1969 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA  Love, Mad River, Zephyr, Pulse 01 March 1969 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA  Love, Mad River, Zephyr, Pulse 02 March 1969 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA  Love, Mad River, Zephyr, Cleanliness and Godliness Skiffle Band 21 March 1969 Finnish Center, Berkeley, CA (1819 10th Street, 10th & Hearst)  MC5, Mad River, Sky Blue, Flesh, Joy of Cooking [Benefit for Black & White Panther candidates for Berkeley city elections].  This venue may also have been known as the Finnish Cultural Hall.  22 March 1969 Finnish Center, Berkeley, CA (1819 10th Street, 10th & Hearst)  MC5, Mad River, Sky Blue, Flesh, Joy of Cooking [Benefit for Black & White Panther candidates for Berkeley city elections].  This venue may also have been known as the Finnish Cultural Hall.  11 April 1969 New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA Congress of Wonders, Mad River 12 April 1969 New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA Congress of Wonders, Mad River Unknown April 1969 Bear's Lair, UCB, Berkeley, CA Mad River 01 May 1969 Palace Theater, 1731 Powell Street (at Columbus Ave), San Francisco, CA Mad River, Lamb, Douglas Mac and His Electric Moog (Red Lab Moog), James E Smith, Dementia, James Rinehart, Dorothy Combs Morrison (Oh Happy Day). A mobile Palace Theater video recording was made of this four hour performance. 02 May 1969 Poppycock, Palo Alto, CA Mad River 03 May 1969 Poppycock, Palo Alto, CA Mad River 23 May 1969 Practice Field, San Jose State College Aquarian Family Festival Ace of Cups, All Men Joy, Birth, Beggars Opera, Boz Skaggs, Crabs, Crow, Cleanliness & Godliness Skiffle Band, Devine Madness, Denver, Scratch, Elgin Marble, Flaming Groovies, Frumious Bandersnatch, Gentle Dance, Greater Carmichael Traveling Street Band, Glass Mountain, High Country, Jefferson Airplane, Joy of Cooking, Last Mile, Libras, Lamb, Living Color, Linn County, Mother Ball,  Morning Glory, Mad River, Mt. Rushmore, Nymbus, Old Davis, Red Grass, Green Smoke, Rubber Maze,  Rising Tide, Rejoice, Sunrise, Sable, Sons of Champlin, Sounds Unlimited Blues Band,  Sandy Bull, The Steve Miller Band,  Stoned Fox, South Bay Experimental Flash, Throckmorton, Tree of Life, Weird Herald, Womb, Warren Purcell, Zephyr Grove 24 May 1969 Practice Field, San Jose State College Aquarian Family Festival Ace of Cups, All Men Joy, Birth, Beggars Opera, Boz Skaggs, Crabs, Crow, Cleanliness & Godliness Skiffle Band, Devine Madness, Denver, Scratch, Elgin Marble, Flaming Groovies, Frumious Bandersnatch, Gentle Dance, Greater Carmichael Traveling Street Band, Glass Mountain, High Country, Jefferson Airplane, Joy of Cooking, Last Mile, Libras, Lamb, Living Color, Linn County, Mother Ball,  Morning Glory, Mad River, Mt. Rushmore, Nymbus, Old Davis, Red Grass, Green Smoke, Rubber Maze,  Rising Tide, Rejoice, Sunrise, Sable, Sons of Champlin, Sounds Unlimited Blues Band,  Sandy Bull, The Steve Miller Band,  Stoned Fox, South Bay Experimental Flash, Throckmorton, Tree of Life, Weird Herald, Womb, Warren Purcell, Zephyr Grove 25 May 1969 Practice Field, San Jose State College Aquarian Family Festival Ace of Cups, All Men Joy, Birth, Beggars Opera, Boz Skaggs, Crabs, Crow, Cleanliness & Godliness Skiffle Band, Devine Madness, Denver, Scratch, Elgin Marble, Flaming Groovies, Frumious Bandersnatch, Gentle Dance, Greater Carmichael Traveling Street Band, Glass Mountain, High Country, Jefferson Airplane, Joy of Cooking, Last Mile, Libras, Lamb, Living Color, Linn County, Mother Ball,  Morning Glory, Mad River, Mt. Rushmore, Nymbus, Old Davis, Red Grass, Green Smoke, Rubber Maze,  Rising Tide, Rejoice, Sunrise, Sable, Sons of Champlin, Sounds Unlimited Blues Band,  Sandy Bull, The Steve Miller Band,  Stoned Fox, South Bay Experimental Flash, Throckmorton, Tree of Life, Weird Herald, Womb, Warren Purcell, Zephyr Grove June 1969 Fresno, CA Mad River 27 June 1969 Kings Beach Bowl, North Lake Tahoe, NV Mad River, Bicycle, Lights by Kinetic Art 28 June 1969 Kings Beach Bowl, North Lake Tahoe, NV Mad River, Bicycle, Lights by Kinetic Art About 30 June 1969 Colorado Springs, CO  Mad River. The final show was in Colorado. With an unclear future and Vietnam becoming a popular destination for many young men, the band call it a day. But 43 years later ....

 

Mad River - Some Photographs