The Tubes
The first time I saw the Tubes was in 1973, shortly after I moved to San Francisco. They were local here by then, but were originally called the Beans and were from AZ. They were theatrical, in a low-budget kind of way, but what I really got into was the music. It was quite different back then, more like prog-pop and they were excellent musicians and songwriters.
When their first album came out, it was Tubes-mania all over San Francisco. I was working at a record store in downtown San Francisco shortly afterwards, and we had an in-store with Tubes singer Fee Waybill dressed up as Quay Lewd (like the picture at the top) behind the counter, serving up free champagne to one and all. I had a great time, and the owner of the chain had an even greater time, as he ended up going upstairs, hurling on the posters we had up there and passing out on the couch.
They did a two-week engagement in 1975 at Bimbo’s 365 Club, where some of these pictures were taken, and the next year did a high-budget theatrical show at the prestigious Paramount Theater in Oakland, where some others of these were taken. At this point, they were still just a Bay Area phenomenon, but very shortly afterwards would break out nation wide….
Full Frame
Bimbo's 365 Club, San Francisco, 1975
Paramount Theater, Oakland, CA, 06/26/76
