The Who Played Tommy Before Denver’s Fillmore Had Its Name

The Who’s first Colorado appearance took place on June 9, 1970, inside the building now known as Denver’s Fillmore Auditorium. At the time, the room was Mammoth Gardens. Keeping that earlier name attached to the story puts the show in its proper setting.

The University of Colorado Boulder’s Dan Fong collection documents the performance and identifies a complete presentation of Tommy. Fong photographed Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon during the Mammoth Gardens period.

The concert also left an official audio trace. Magic Bus from the Denver show appeared on The Who’s View From a Backstage Pass collection in 2007. The photographs and recording connect the present-day Fillmore building to a specific night in the band’s early American touring history.

Explore Fillmore Auditorium Denver on CouchLot.

Sources: scap.omeka.net; thewho.com.