Why it matters
Winterland became a major San Francisco rock room in a former skating rink, with a close association with Bill Graham and the Grateful Dead. The band's official release notes describe a roughly 5,000-capacity hall with an open floor and surrounding balconies. Winterland also hosted The Band's filmed farewell, The Last Waltz. Its final concert night was New Year's Eve 1978, with the Grateful Dead, and the building was subsequently demolished. Its influence survives in recordings rather than a functioning concert room.
