A Brief History
On January 29, 1967, the “hippie” counterculture scene melded with Hare Krishna at the Mantra-Rock Dance in San Francisco, later referred to as “the ultimate high.”
Digging Deeper
Digging Deeper, we find San Francisco about to give birth to the Summer of Love where the drug-using, free-loving, bead-wearing, mantra-chanting, status quo-rejecting, long-haired hippie counterculture reached its peak! Amidst this atmosphere, an Indian spiritual teacher, who was eventually popular enough to be featured on an Indian stamp, had founded the Hare Krishna Movement in 1966. He spent much of the 1960s and 1970s spreading his message around the world.
An event organized for the purpose of raising money for local Hare Krishna (International Society For Krishna Consciousness) west coast center, the Mantra-Rock Dance combined aspects of eastern religion and philosophy with the hippie counterculture and rock and roll music.
Other than the Krishna organizers and officials, the main attractions were the musical acts The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin (and her band, Big Brother and the Holding Company) and Moby Grape. In order to best serve the fundraising function of the event, the musicians worked for only the minimum union scale.
Other notable attendees/guest speakers included “LSD guru” Timothy Leary and the poet Alan Ginsberg (known as “the beatnik poet”). Several other counterculture figures also appeared, as well as 3,000 paying audience members.
Tickets were only $2.50. There was no pre-sale, with tickets only being sold at the door. The auditorium (Avalon Ballroom) was completely sold out, and people waiting outside were only admitted when someone else exited.
Not only was the get-together a success in terms of attendance, but it also gave Moby Grape much needed publicity and helped further the group’s career. The success included lots of exposure and publicity for the Krishna movement, and it became closely associated with the hippie counterculture as a result.
Looking grossly out of place among the flower children, security was handled by Hell’s Angels motorcycle club members, complete with their biker “colors,” German Army scuttle helmets and generally ferocious appearance! Incredibly, even the Hell’s Angels became interested in the Krishna message and adopted the philosophy a little!
This icon of Americana, the Mantra-Rock Dance, was remembered in 2007 at a 40th-anniversary event in Berkeley, California.
Question for students (and subscribers): What was the most unique concert you ever attended? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more on this event in its broader historical context, please read the following:
Goldberg, Philip. American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation How Indian Spirituality Changed the West. Harmony, 2013.
The featured image in this article, a listing for the en:Mantra-Rock Dance in the en:San Francisco Oracle, Vol.1. no.5 of January 1967, is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
You can also watch a video version of this article on YouTube:
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="1102 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=1102">51 Comments
The most surprising thing in this article is that tickets were only $2.50! The event seemed to be very successful though.
I can’t believe tickets were only 2.50 and that it sold out with not doing pre-sales. The fact that people waited outside the auditorium for the show is amazing, because I probably would have left if there was no more room and it was sold out.
The article is interesting however, I would of liked to learn more about hippies vs. Hipsters ( todays version of a hipster). Yacht
I find it interesting that the security was a group of motorcycle club members. Also the way they dressed was interesting because most security wear all black and do not have german army helmets.
I find it interesting that people would wait patiently outside the autitorium when the Ballroom Room was full. These people could only enter if someone exited the room. I am assuming no one wanted to exit unless absolutely nessessary or else there space would have been gone.
It was interesting how many people they ended up having at this event. It’s amazing that they sold out of tickets and the event was such a success for Krishna.
This would’ve been a pretty sick event to attend. The bands (especially Grateful Dead), as well as Alan Ginsberg is pretty sweet. The fact that the tickets were so cheap is even more indicative of how much better the 60’s were.
What I found most interesting about reading this article is that the tickets at this event were only $2.50. I would definitely attend more concerts if tickets were still that cheap.
I thought it was the most interesting that the concert tickets were so cheap. I went to a Foo Fighters- Rise Against concert that did not cost $2.50. I also enjoy Janis Joplin and Grateful Dead’s music. I am sure the event would have been an experience someone would never forget.
It’s surprising that tickets were only $2.50 with such popular keynote speakers!
i am surprised that people did not continue to live somewhat this way because people seemed happy and that people always seemed to have a great time with what ever concert that they want to and that the concerts always sold out and always seemed like a good time.
I think that would have been a really fun event to attend. It is amazing that it was only $2.50 to get in.
The 60’s have always been an era that has been interesting to study and examine. The fact that a person could attend a concert such as this and pay such a low dollar amount is astounding. If only that was how concerts were in today’s day and age.
This would have been an awesome even to attend. I would not mind paying $2.50 or even waiting in line. Hell’s Angels as body guards/ security was also kind of shocking but cool at the same time.
I have always been interested by the history of the 60’s and the music. It is awesome that you didn’t need to pay that much for a concert back in the day. The fact that people were able to be peaceful even with the Hells Angels there is pretty impressive. Not sure stuff like that would be able to happen today.
It would be so cool to go to a concert like this, especially if it only cost $2.50. I love that they were raising money and awareness and that the musicians didn’t get paid a lot to do it. I love going to concerts and music festivals, but I would especially love to help raise money for a cause and to see all these awesome bands.
It’s crazy that it was only $2.50 to get into the event. It sounds really interesting and if it was to happen now I would probably go.
I thought it was cool how cheap the tickets were. It seemed like a really fun event.
For $2.50 i would go. it sounded like it was a good event and i bet it was a good time.
I thought it was really interesting to compare ticket prices from then and now. I also thought the Hell’s Angels security detail was interesting, and such a juxtaposition to the event.
I would go in a heartbeat for $2.50! Sounds like an interesting show too!
Sounds like it would have been an interesting show to attend, and you can’t beat the price.
It seems like it was quite the event! It’s interesting to hear all the different groups of people who attended and participated in the event.
Low ticket prices were interesting, seemed like an exciting event to attend.
Low ticket prices were interesting, and it seemed like an exciting event to attend.
I so would of went if tickets were only $2.50. Its nice to see that they were raising money to help others out and even the musicians didn’t get paid a lot to help with this event.
It sounds like a great event. I definitely would have gone to see these musicians especially since the tickets were so cheap
Its crazy to think about how much times have changed when you look back at entertainment events. Nowadays, you can’t find a concert that only costs $2.50 nor those kinds of actions. It sounded like a fun concert for a great cause.
Picturing a group of scary looking bikers acting as security for a group of hippies…
When I fist started reading this article I thought had to do with Woodstock. I was kind of surprised that they had Hell’s Angel’s as security because they were very violent, and “hippies” don’t like fighting. From what I have been taught anyway.
Thinking that concert tickets were only $2.50 shows the dramatic change through time. It is almost unheard to buy tickets for $25. I found funny that the Hell’s Angels were the security guards at this concert for “hippies”, because you think of them to be incredibly violent and hippies to be peace and love.
I think it’s always interesting to see how times change so much. Like the price of tickets and the type of “bouncers” they use!
This is a great article to see how things have really changed. Big name performers not getting payed well, tickets only being sold at the door, and of course the fact that the tickets were only 2.50 is amazing.
It’s interesting that the Hell’s Angels motorcyclists would safeguard the hippies, who were promoters of peace. Ironic really since hell’s angels are symbols of the devil as fallen angels are demons. I suppose God must have been in these peoples’ hearts after all, and Hell’s Angels was just a name. As for $2.50 for tickets being sold at the door for groundbreaking performances, doesn’t anyone think that’s outlandish, not to mention unfair to the performers? This shouldn’t have been anything like a concession stand or have been treated like a snack bar, good music is deserving of higher pay, no doubt. Perhaps celebrities make a bit too much, but $2.50 per customer? Really?
To think that tickets used to only be $2.50 is crazy! It is interesting to see how times have changed with the price of tickets and the way the performers are treated.
Using drugs is a great way to spend time. They’re totally healthy and not completely idiotic to use. Much of the ignorance of drug use is still prevalent today and it seems like a lot of talk mixed with inaction because people are too stoned to create change.
I found that the price for the tickets were only 2.50 and that the Hell’s Angels were security to the hippies were interesting.
For $2.50, I would definitely go to this show! It seems like it would be entertaining and interesting.
I probably would have gone considering the ticket prices were so low. It also would have been a great experience because I love music. I wouldn’t have participated in the drug usage, but the music was probably phenomenal.
Low ticket prices, I am already sold!!!! But I doubt I would have participated in any of the drug usage that happened there.
$2.50 for a music concert and drugs? It’s no wonder drugs were so popular back then. If we sold cigarettes for $2.50 a pack AND provided music with each purchase, I guarantee we would have more smokers in this world. What a horrible thought.
I think it’s always interesting to look back on how times have changed and think about if i lived in that day and age
Only $2.50 for music tickets?? That is very cheap for a music concert.. That is why there were so successful.
I would have gone especially for that price! I am always open to expanding my musical horizons and I personally think it would be an awesome time!
For that price i probably would of participated. Drugs were very popular back then, so it is no wonder why this was so popular.
San Fran is such a badass place. You never hear of anything bad over there because everyone loves everyone over there. And although Im not friends with any legitimate hippies, Im guessing they are great people. Rock on and mellow out.
With just those ticket prices I would have went it is no wonder that so many people were on drugs. Haha. But honestly sounds so fun and amazing.
Never really been interested in hippies or the hippie culture. Bet there was a lot of drug use at that concert
I have never been interested in the hippie culture, but I was recently in LA, and drug use is definitely prominent there, which makes sense when taking this article into consideration.
Wow man! No Zeppelin? Bummer! RIP Janis Joplin so little time so much more music.Janis Joplin – Mercedes Benz with lyrics – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tGuJ34062s
I am not a fan of the 1960’s. Too much drugs and free love. some of the music was good byt thats about it.