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QUESTINGBEAST
Latest Update: September 13, 2011
Copyright © 2004-2011 Ross Hannan and Corry Arnold. All Rights Reserved.
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The Questing Beast, 2504 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA
This has been researched and prepared by Ross Hannan and Corry Arnold
Thanks are due to Cactus Pete Anderson who contributed significantly to the research
In the early 1960s, there was a “folk circuit” anchored by Cambridge, Massachusetts and Berkeley, California. Folksingers could play the Club 47 in Cambridge, go down to Greenwich Village, and work there way across the country, possibly hitchhiking, and sleeping on the couches and floors of other folkniks. The history of this circuit is best covered in the book Baby Let Me Follow You Down (Eric von Schmidt and Jim Rooney, UMass Press 1979).
The Cabale Creamery (2504 San Pablo at Dwight in Berkeley), founded by Rolf Cahn, Debbie Green, Howard Ziehm and Chandler A. Laughlin III, was a crucial stop on this circuit. By August 1964, the club was owned and run by Carroll Peery, manager of the Chambers Brothers who subsequently moved to Cambridge themselves, and Howard Ziehm. Bay Area bluegrass musician Sandy Rothman has written a brief but excellent memoir of the Cabale as part of a project on the great Clarence White and Jorma Kaukonen recorded his album "Cabale Creamery" here in 1964.
When the Cabale finally folded, probably sometime in the summer of 1965, the 2504 San Pablo premises briefly became The Good Buddy then Caverns West before being taken over, by Terry Sullivan and Tony Sage, and re-opened as the Questing Beast on November 19.
Unfortunately, by May 1966 The Beast had been slain with its downfall well documented in the May 6 (Vol 2, Number 18) and May 13 (Vol 2, Number 19) issues of the Barb.
The Questing Beast was primarily a folk coffeehouse and hosted similar acts to the Jabberwock on Telegraph Avenue with a fair amount of flamenco, bluegrass and classical guitar playing thrown in. By all accounts it never managed to turn a profit.
The end was bought about following problems with the local police department and Board of Health who had visited in mid April 1966 and demanded a number of costly improvements to be made. It also transpires that the joint managers of The Questing Beast, Terry Sullivan and Tony Sage, borrowed a patron’s car on Saturday April 30 in order to go for cider and donuts and were pulled over by Patrolman George Williamson, allegedly because of a defective rear light.
A subsequent routine ID check was conducted and the vehicle searched. A small amount of marijuana was found and the two arrested. Friends struggled to find the bail money and their fiancées apparently considered “turning tricks” to raise the funds. By May 2, the day of the arraignment, Sullivan’s bail was in place. However, immediately before the court session, Inspector Darrell Hickman of the Detective Division told Sullivan “I’m revoking your entertainment license” – despite that neither Sullivan nor Sage had been tried or convicted. Sage was taken after arraignment to the maximum security Greystone facility at Santa Rita. Sage recounted to the Barb stories of the scant conditions and food at Graystone in an article published on May 13.
A hastily arranged three day benefit was arranged with Solomon (Feldthouse – later of eclectic LA band Kaleidoscope) with the Holiday Dancers, Country Joe and The Fish, John Paul, Dave Cohen, Dan Paik and The Gospel Tonics (who had originally been scheduled) appearing.
By the time the Berkeley Barb was published on May 6, it was clear that without their cabaret license it would be impossible for The Questing Beast to have any paid performers, scheduled performances, admission or cover charge, and no advertising of live entertainment could be placed. Notwithstanding this, Country Joe and the Fish went on to perform as scheduled that evening. Although the staff at the Beast had told the Barb that emphatically and unanimously that “The Questing Beast will not close”, the Country Joe and the Fish show that Friday proved to be the last music performed there.
Sunday and Monday saw The Questing Beast host Jerry Abrams’ Berkeley Cinematheque (something they had done each Sunday since March 20) and the doors closed for the final time on May 9, 1966.
2504 San Pablo later became home to Tito’s, Babylon and then the Longbranch Saloon. Today the building houses a business called “Good Vibrations” (more Duracell than the Beach Boys).
The Questing Beast as it was on October 7, 2005 - "Good Vibrations"
2504 San Pablo Avenue through the years ...
Art of the Questing Beast
A List of Questing Beast Shows
Friday | 19 November 1965 | Alice Stuart | Opening of The Questing Beast. Alice Stuart was, and still is, a folk singer. At the time she was riding high on the back of her Arhoolie debut album "All The Good Times". |
Saturday | 20 November 1965 | Alice Stuart | |
Sunday | 21 November 1965 | Hoot | |
Monday | 22 November 1965 | Closed | |
Tuesday | 23 November 1965 | ||
Wednesday | 24 November 1965 | ||
Thursday | 25 November 1965 | Clarence Van Hook | The ad says “Open Tuesday thru Sunday, 9-1”. This suggests that the venue was open regularly but only had “name” acts on the weekend. The same ad promotes a Sunday night “Hoot.” |
Friday | 26 November 1965 | Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas | KC Douglas was born in Sharon, MS in 1913, and played with blues legend Tommy Johnson. He relocated to Vallejo, CA in 1945 to work in the Navy shipyards. By 1947 he had relocated to Oakland and was working regularly as a blues performer. He had a hit in 1949 with "Mercury Boogie," better known as "Mercury Blues" and recorded by Steve Miller (1967), David Lindley (1981) and Alan Jackson (1992), and later used by the Ford Motor Company. From 1963 to 1970, Douglas was an employee of the Berkeley Public Works Department. After a performance at the Berkeley Blues Festival in 1970, Douglas had a boost in popularity, and he performed successfully until his death in 1975. Clarence van Hook, a guitar player, generally accompanied Douglas and continued to perform well into the 1990s. |
Saturday | 27 November 1965 | Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas | |
Sunday | 28 November 1965 | Hoot | |
Monday | 29 November 1965 | Closed | |
Tuesday | 30 November 1965 | Jim Lynch | Ad states "rambler tunes and flat picking". |
Wednesday | 01 December 1965 | Bob Cooper | |
Thursday | 02 December 1965 | ||
Friday | 03 December 1965 | Jean Redpath and Karen Williams | Jean Redpath was a singer of Scottish ballads. |
Saturday | 04 December 1965 | Jean Redpath and Karen Williams | |
Sunday | 05 December 1965 | Hoot | |
Monday | 06 December 1965 | Closed | |
Tuesday | 07 December 1965 | Jim Lynch | |
Wednesday | 08 December 1965 | David and Tina Meltzer | Ad says "electric bass, bluegrass and ballads". Both would go on to be members of Serpent Power. |
Thursday | 09 December 1965 | John Shine | Blues |
Friday | 10 December 1965 | Lee Underwood | Blues and kazoo |
Saturday | 11 December 1965 | ||
Sunday | 12 December 1965 | Hoot | |
Monday | 13 December 1965 | Closed | |
Tuesday | 14 December 1965 | ||
Wednesday | 15 December 1965 | ||
Thursday | 16 December 1965 | ||
Friday | 17 December 1965 | Huck Rorick and His Rock & Roll Friends | By all accounts, a rock & roll band. |
Saturday | 18 December 1965 | Huck Rorick and His Rock & Roll Friends | |
Sunday | 19 December 1965 | Hoot | |
Monday | 20 December 1965 | Closed | |
Tuesday | 21 December 1965 | Ken Spiker | Flamenco and classical guitar |
Wednesday | 22 December 1965 | Bob Cooper | Bob Cooper plays Carter Family Bluegrass this evening at the Questing Beast. |
Thursday | 23 December 1965 | Golden Key Gospel Singers, Jay Vernon and His Group | |
Friday | 24 December 1965 | Golden Key Gospel Singers, Jay Vernon and His Group | |
Saturday | 25 December 1965 | Golden Key Gospel Singers, Jay Vernon and His Group | |
Sunday | 26 December 1965 | Hoot | |
Monday | 27 December 1965 | Closed | |
Tuesday | 28 December 1965 | ||
Wednesday | 29 December 1965 | ||
Thursday | 30 December 1965 | ||
Friday | 31 December 1965 | ||
Saturday | 01 January 1966 | ||
Sunday | 02 January 1966 | Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [1:00 pm], Hoot | |
Monday | 03 January 1966 | Closed | |
Tuesday | 04 January 1966 | ||
Wednesday | 05 January 1966 | ||
Thursday | 06 January 1966 | John Paul | |
Friday | 07 January 1966 | New Brothers | |
Saturday | 08 January 1966 | New Brothers | |
Sunday | 09 January 1966 | Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [1:00 pm], Hoot | |
Monday | 10 January 1966 | Closed | |
Tuesday | 11 January 1966 | Jason Weininger - Classical guitar | |
Wednesday | 12 January 1966 | Clarence Van Hook | |
Thursday | 13 January 1966 | Jim Lynch | |
Friday | 14 January 1966 | The Friendly Strangers, Sandy Rothman, Lloyd Williams, Butch Waller, Ray Scott [Bluegrass Special] | Bluegrass Special |
Saturday | 15 January 1966 | The Friendly Strangers, Sandy Rothman, Lloyd Williams, Butch Waller, Ray Scott | |
Sunday | 16 January 1966 | Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [1:00 pm], Hoot | |
Monday | 17 January 1966 | Closed | |
Tuesday | 18 January 1966 | Jason Weininger - Classical guitar | |
Wednesday | 19 January 1966 | Clarence Van Hook | |
20 January 1966 | Joe McDonald | Although advertised by the Questing Beast as a Joe McDonald show, evidence points to this being more likely a Country Joe and The Fish show with Joe McDonald, Barry Melton, Bruce Barthol and possibly John Francis Gunning. It is likely that they played "Bass Strings" and other songs. In Joel Selvin's book "San Francisco: The Musical History Tour", Selvin says, about an Instant Action Jug Band show in late 1965, that took place at the Cabale Creamery and that McDonald, Melton and Barthol played "Bass Strings". If this were correct then it would date it to well before November 1965 as the Cabale had long closed at this point in time. After November 19, 1965 the 2504 San Pablo location was home to the Questing Beast - the venue having also been called The Good Buddy and Caverns West since it was the Cabale Creamery. Therefore either the date is wildly incorrect, or (more probably in my view) the location correct (2504 San Pablo) but the venue name incorrect. Furthermore, in an interview with Mojo Navigator (Issue 10), Gunning states that the first Country Joe and the Fish show was at the Questing Beast. The implication is that earlier shows had either been Instant Action Jug Band shows or Country Joe and the Fish as the McDonald/Melton duo - perhaps augmented by Richard Saunders, Carvel Bass or other members of the band. | |
Friday | 21 January 1966 | Malachi | "Psychedelic Music". Malachi, an eastern influenced ex jazz musician, was a self-styled "Existential Guitarist" who had appeared regularly at the Studio C Gallery at 1625 San Pablo during the summer and autumn of 1965. He was often accompanied on rattle by his wife. |
Saturday | 22 January 1966 | Malachi | |
Sunday | 23 January 1966 | Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [1:00 pm], Hoot | |
Monday | 24 January 1966 | Spontaneous Hoot with Chess, Darts and Bridge | |
Tuesday | 25 January 1966 | Ken Spiker | |
Wednesday | 26 January 1966 | John Shine | |
Thursday | 27 January 1966 | Don Garrett | |
Friday | 28 January 1966 | Vern and Ray with Herb Pederson | |
Saturday | 29 January 1966 | Vern and Ray with Herb Pederson | |
Sunday | 30 January 1966 | Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [1:00 pm]; Hoot | See Page 2 of January 28 Barb - multimedia projection show called the "Questing Beast" presented. Composed as it is watched. |
Monday | 31 January 1966 | Spontaneous Hoot with Chess, Darts and Bridge | |
Tuesday | 01 February 1966 | ||
Wednesday | 02 February 1966 | ||
Thursday | 03 February 1966 | New Brothers | |
Friday | 04 February 1966 | New Brothers | |
Saturday | 05 February 1966 | New Brothers | |
Sunday | 06 February 1966 | Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [1:00 pm]; Hip Culture Enterprises - Local Filmmakers; Hoot | |
Monday | 07 February 1966 | Closed | |
Tuesday | 08 February 1966 | Ken Spiker, Clarence Van Hook | |
Wednesday | 09 February 1966 | Jim Lynch, Paul Malecot | |
Thursday | 10 February 1966 | Saint James Five | |
Friday | 11 February 1966 | Disassociates, Saint James Five | The ad says “Jazz, Rhythm and Blues Jam Session with The Disassociates.” Films are advertised for Sunday night (February 13). Supposedly, the Grateful Dead were using The Questing Beast as a rehearsal hall at this time. This ended when the Dead abruptly decamped to Los Angeles with their patron, LSD king Augustus Owsley Stanley III. The Bear was an old Berkeley hand, and there is a whiff that the Questing Beast arrangement was Owsley’s doing. There may have been a Grateful Dead show scheduled at the Questing Beast for Friday (February 11) which was canceled as well. A Grateful Dead tape circulates as “Questing Beast Rehearsal February 11, 1966,” but both the date and venue are spurious. |
Saturday | 12 February 1966 | Disassociates | Advertised as a "folk rock" group but possibly incorrectly billed in the Berkelely Barb and should be "The Disaffiliates". |
Sunday | 13 February 1966 | Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [2:00 pm] WC Fields and Charlie Chaplin shorts with Bernie Burns at the Piano [8:00 pm and 10:30 pm] | |
Monday | 14 February 1966 | Closed | |
Tuesday | 15 February 1966 | ||
Wednesday | 16 February 1966 | ||
Thursday | 17 February 1966 | Jesse Fuller | Advertised as "The Lone Cat, Jesse Fuller, playing his fodella, kazoo singing blues, Jazz and folk". |
Friday | 18 February 1966 | Jesse Fuller | |
Saturday | 19 February 1966 | Jesse Fuller | |
Sunday | 20 February 1966 | Hoot with Allan Kaplan | |
Monday | 21 February 1966 | Closed | |
Tuesday | 22 February 1966 | Ken Spiker, Clarence Van Hook | |
Wednesday | 23 February 1966 | Paul Malecot, Jim Lynch | |
Thursday | 24 February 1966 | John Shine | |
Friday | 25 February 1966 | Jesse Fuller | |
Saturday | 26 February 1966 | Wizards and Witches Guild Party | |
Sunday | 27 February 1966 | Hoot with Allan Kaplan | |
Monday | 28 February 1966 | Closed | |
Tuesday | 01 March 1966 | Paul Malecot | |
Wednesday | 02 March 1966 | William Spires with Kathy Goldman, Paul Malecot | William Spires with Kathy Goldman sang and played traditional English and American ballads |
Thursday | 03 March 1966 | William Spires with Kathy Goldman, Charles Perry | |
Friday | 04 March 1966 | William Spires with Kathy Goldman, Lee Underwood | The Berkeley Barb ad says “Funky Blues and Ballads”. Lee Underwood was a singer of "urban and delta blues". |
Saturday | 05 March 1966 | William Spires with Kathy Goldman, Lee Underwood | |
Sunday | 06 March 1966 | Disaffiliates | |
Monday | 07 March 1966 | Hoot with Allen Kaplan MC | |
Tuesday | 08 March 1966 | Disaffiliates | |
Wednesday | 09 March 1966 | Bill Spires, John Paul | |
Thursday | 10 March 1966 | Disaffiliates | |
Friday | 11 March 1966 | Lee Underwood, Juan Molina | |
Saturday | 12 March 1966 | ||
Sunday | 13 March 1966 | Disaffiliates | |
Monday | 14 March 1966 | Hoot with Allen Kaplan MC | |
Tuesday | 15 March 1966 | Disaffiliates | |
Wednesday | 16 March 1966 | Disaffiliates | |
Thursday | 17 March 1966 | New Brothers, Rick Sinclaire | The Barb ad says Rick Sinclaire “Contemporary Guitar.” |
Friday | 18 March 1966 | New Brothers, Rick Sinclaire | |
Saturday | 19 March 1966 | New Brothers, Rick Sinclaire | |
Sunday | 20 March 1966 | Berkeley Cinematheque: The Green Archer, The Flower Thief | A series of films are presented on Sunday nights at the Questing Beast (for the complete set of Barb ads for the films, see the Chicken site). In the 60s, few films were shown on TV, and all those were bland Warner Brothers fare or contemporary “family” type movies. Opportunities to see Classic, Foreign or Underground films were rare, and film events like this were a significant part of the counterculture at the time. |
Monday | 21 March 1966 | Hoot with Allen Kaplan MC | |
Tuesday | 22 March 1966 | Breadbasket - chanties | |
Wednesday | 23 March 1966 | Breadbasket - chanties | |
Thursday | 24 March 1966 | Breadbasket - chanties | |
Friday | 25 March 1966 | Dan Paik, Ken Spiker, Paul Malecot | The Barb ad says Dan Paik-“folk-blues,” Ken Spicer-“flamenco” and Paul Malecot-“folk guitarist.” |
Saturday | 26 March 1966 | Dan Paik, Ken Spiker, Paul Malecot | |
Sunday | 27 March 1966 | Barn Dance Music (afternoon), Berkeley Cinematheque: George, The Inviolate House (evening) | |
Monday | 28 March 1966 | Hoot | |
Tuesday | 29 March 1966 | Breadbasket Jazz | |
Wednesday | 30 March 1966 | Breadbasket | |
Thursday | 31 March 1966 | Juan Molina - Flamenco | |
Friday | 01 April 1966 | Jesse Fuller, John Paul, Dan Paik, Raleigh Morris, Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas, Dave Van Campen, Ken Spiker, Rachel and Joyce Halmen, plus 20-30 others [Folk Fest Marathon and Rent Benefit for the Questing Beast] | The Barb ad says “Scores of Performers and more.” |
Saturday | 02 April 1966 | John Paul, Dan Paik, Raleigh Morris, Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas, Dave Van Campen, Ken Spiker, Rachel and Joyce Halmen, plus 20-30 others [Folk Fest Marathon and Rent Benefit for the Questing Beast] | |
Sunday | 03 April 1966 | Berkeley Cinematheque: Confessions of a Black Mother Succuba, Schmeerquntz, The Green Archer; Folf Festival: John Paul, Dan Paik, Raleigh Morris, Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas, Dave Van Campen, Ken Spiker, Rachel and Joyce Halmen, plus 20-30 others | |
Monday | 04 April 1966 | Hoot with Allen Kaplan MC | |
Tuesday | 05 April 1966 | Breadbasket | |
Wednesday | 06 April 1966 | Breadbasket | |
Thursday | 07 April 1966 | Breadbasket | |
Friday | 08 April 1966 | Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas | |
Saturday | 09 April 1966 | Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas | |
Sunday | 10 April 1966 | Berkeley Cinematheque: High Noon, The Cat People, The Green Archer | |
Monday | 11 April 1966 | "Play or Listen" for free | |
Tuesday | 12 April 1966 | Robbie Basho, Jan Ward | |
Wednesday | 13 April 1966 | Jim Lynch, Jim Brown | |
Thursday | 14 April 1966 | Party: Witches and Wizards | |
Friday | 15 April 1966 | Solomon (Feldthouse), Nino and Catana [Psychedelic Music, Malachi, Flamenco Guitar and dancing, Cante Jondo] | Solomon Feldhouse would later go on to play with Kaleidoscope |
Saturday | 16 April 1966 | ||
Sunday | 17 April 1966 | Berkeley Cinematheque: Oh Dem Watermelons, Thick Pucker, St Chicago, Poon Tang Trilogy, Some Don't Olds Mo-bile, The Green Archer; Health People | The Board of Health scheduled a visit to inspect the Beast. |
Monday | 18 April 1966 | Health People | The Board of Health took the opportunity to conduct an inspection of The Questing Beast. |
Tuesday | 19 April 1966 | Health People | Mance Lipscomb show cancelled whilst the Board of Health inspected the Beast. |
Wednesday | 20 April 1966 | Health People | Mance Lipscomb show cancelled whilst the Board of Health concluded the inspection of the Beast. It transpires they were less than pleased and, like the Jabberwock a year later, demanded a series of costly improvements to be made. Although attempts were made to keep the Beast afloat with the "folk festival" and benefit at the end of April, by the second week of May the Beast was slain. |
Thursday | 21 April 1966 | Mance Lipscomb, Dan Paik | |
Friday | 22 April 1966 | Mance Lipscomb, Dan Paik | |
Saturday | 23 April 1966 | Mance Lipscomb, Dan Paik | |
Sunday | 24 April 1966 | Mance Lipscomb, Dan Paik | |
Monday | 25 April 1966 | Berkeley Cinematheque: "Twicew A Man", "Everybody Hit Their Brother Once", "Faces of Mexico", "The Green Archer" | |
Tuesday | 26 April 1966 | Jesse Fuller, Lynne Hughes | Jesse Fuller, a "folk blues" multi-instrumentalist and singer who invented the Fodella known as ‘The Lone Cat,” was based in San Francisco. Lynne Hughes (her name misspelled on the poster), was a fellow traveler and part-time member of The Charlatans from the Red Dog Saloon of the previous year. |
Wednesday | 27 April 1966 | Jesse Fuller, Lynne Hughes | Lynne Hughes was the singer, barmaid and book keeper for the Red Dog Saloon in Virginia City, NV during the summer of 1965 when the Charlatans played their legendary six week stint. Lynne was later involved with both Stoneground and Tongue and Groove, as well as appearing at live shows with The Charalatans. |
Thursday | 28 April 1966 | Jesse Fuller, Lynne Hughes, Country Joe and The Fish, Dan Paic, Blind Ebbets Field, Dave Cohen, KC Douglas, Clarence Van Hook, Solomon, Nino, Catana, Flamenco and others [Folk Festival] | The Barb ad says "psychedelic music" and "other nights, other guests". Solomon was Solomon Feldthouse, a major figure on the West Coast folk scene, and later a mainstay of the eclectic LA group Kaleidoscope. He often appeared with flamenco or gypsy dancers. K.C. Douglas was an Oakland bluesman. Blind Ebbetts Field, is a Nom Du Folk of Barry Melton. |
Friday | 29 April 1966 | Jesse Fuller, Lynne Hughes, Country Joe and The Fish, Dan Paic, Blind Ebbets Field, Dave Cohen, KC Douglas, Clarence Van Hook, Solomon, Nino, Catana, Flamenco and others [Folk Festival] | The configuration of Country Joe and The Fish at this time would have been Joe, Barry, David Bennett Cohen (guitar, organ), Bruce Barthol (guitar), Paul Armstrong (bass), John Francis Gunning (drums). Interestingly, the Dave Cohen listed on the poster is likely to be the Fish organist rather than the Los Angeles session musician with the same name. That Dave Cohen was Country Joe’s guitar teacher in about 1963 in Los Angeles. |
Saturday | 30 April 1966 | Jesse Fuller, Lynne Hughes, Country Joe and The Fish, Dan Paic, Blind Ebbets Field, Dave Cohen, KC Douglas, Clarence Van Hook, Solomon, Nino, Catana, Flamenco and others [Folk Festival] | |
Sunday | 01 May 1966 | Berkeley Cinematheque: Senseless, Quixote, Eric and the Monsters, Sandusk, The Green Archer; Jesse Fuller, Lynne Hughes, Country Joe and The Fish, Dan Paic, Blind Ebbets Field, Dave Cohen, KC Douglas, Clarence Van Hook, Solomon, Nino, Catana, Flamenco and others [Folk Festival] | |
Monday | 02 May 1966 | Solomon with the Holiday Dancers/Country Joe and The Fish/John Paul/Dave Cohen/The Gospel Tonic/Dan Paic | [Benefit Help] There are a few surviving posters from this week (4.26-5.5.66) at The Questing Beast. They list numerous acts over several days. Logic and David Bennett Cohen’s comments suggest that the listed acts played one or two nights at the club each, rather than all appearing every night. However, we have been unable to determine the exact breakdown of acts aach night. Solomon was Solomon Feldthouse, a major figure on the West Coast folk scene, and later a mainstay of the eclectic LA group Kaleidoscope. He often appeared with flamenco or gypsy dancers. John Paul was a local Berkeley musician, very influential in the intellectual appreciation of musical developments at the time (e.g. the Beatles). David Cohen recalls that he was probably booked to play separately from Country Joe and The Fish, although could well have just played a set with the band. |
Tuesday | 03 May 1966 | Solomon with the Holiday Dancers/Country Joe and The Fish/John Paul/Dave Cohen/The Gospel Tonic/Dan Paic [Benefit Help] | One of the posters says “Help” and lists a Berkeley Public Health and Safety Ordinance by number. We must presume that the venue was in violation of some requirement, but what exactly is unknown. The last Berkeley Cinematique ad for the film series in the Barb is for Sunday May 8. Whatever violations may have been subject to statute, it appears the venue closed, later to become Tito’s and then the Longbranch. |
Wednesday | 04 May 1966 | Solomon with the Holiday Dancers/Country Joe and The Fish/John Paul/Dave Cohen/The Gospel Tonic/Dan Paic [Benefit Help] | |
Thursday | 05 May 1966 | Solomon with the Holiday Dancers/Country Joe and The Fish/John Paul/Dave Cohen/The Gospel Tonic/Dan Paik [Benefit Help] | |
Friday | 06 May 1966 | Country Joe and the Fish | |
Saturday | 07 May 1966 | Country Joe and the Fish | |
Sunday | 08 May 1966 | Berkeley Cinematheque: Uptight, LA is Burning - Shit, Acid Camp, Colorfilm, White Trash, The Green Archer | |
Monday | 09 May 1966 | Berkeley Cinematheque: Uptight, LA is Burning - Shit, Acid Camp, Colorfilm, White Trash, The Green Archer | The Questing Beast closes. |
Tuesday | 10 May 1966 |
Jan Ward |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Wednesday | 11 May 1966 |
Dave Cohen |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Thursday | 12 May 1966 |
Dave Cohen |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Friday | 13 May 1966 |
Robbie Basho |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Saturday | 14 May 1966 |
Robbie Basho |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Sunday | 15 May 1966 |
Films |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Monday | 16 May 1966 |
Folk Festival |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Tuesday | 17 May 1966 |
Dan Paik, Solomon |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Wednesday | 18 May 1966 |
Dan Paik, Solomon |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Thursday | 19 May 1966 |
PH Phactor Jug Band, Lynne Hughes |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Friday | 20 May 1966 |
PH Phactor Jug Band, Lynne Hughes |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Saturday | 21 May 1966 |
PH Phactor Jug Band, Lynne Hughes |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Sunday | 22 May 1966 |
Films |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Monday | 23 May 1966 |
Folk Festival |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Tuesday | 24 May 1966 |
Solomon |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Wednesday | 25 May 1966 |
Ken Spiker, Jon Paul |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Thursday | 26 May 1966 |
Ken Spiker, Jon Paul |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Friday | 27 May 1966 |
W&W Party |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
Saturday | 28 May 1966 |
"Special" |
Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast |
One day, when King Arthur stopped to rest by a spring, he was surprised by a sound like thirty baying hounds. A strange animal with a snakes head the body of a leopard the back legs of a lion and the hooves of a deer burst through the underbrush, pursued by King Pellinore. Pellinore had hunted the Questing Beast, as the creature was called, all his life but never managed to capture it. Malory describes it as "the strongeste beste that ever he [Arthur] saw or herde of."
This strange beast reappears frequently, beginning with Suite du Merlin and Perlesvaus, in French, Spanish, and Italian romance and in Malory. The Questing Beast also goes by the name of "Beste Glatissant".
In Search of the Questing Beast