Now that the majority of our Jefferson Airplane library is available for download, we made this playlist to help you navigate through all of their great content. It's a perfect intro for newbies and will help old fans pick out a favorite show.
1-2, 9.30.66
This set is notable for containing the earliest known live performances of several characteristic JA songs. The band was gaining confidence and diversifying their live repertoire.
3, 10.1.66
To end their set this night, Balin invites members of the Muddy Waters Blues Band to the stage, who join JA for a collaborative, loose, and spontaneous rendition of "Midnight Hour."
4-8, 10.14.66 - 10.16.66
This run of shows encompasses the departure original female vocalist Signe Anderson, and the emergence of Grace Slick as her replacement. Marty Balin's announcement about Anderson leaving the band and her actual farewell to the crowd precede 'Chauffeur Blues.' 'The Other Side of This Life,' from the following day, was the first song ever played live with Slick.
9-10, 11.6.66
This concert falls right in the middle of the initial studio sessions for Surrealistic Pillow, which included two songs Grace took with her from the Great Society: "White Rabbit" and "Somebody To Love." You can hear the band is still working out the arrangement for STL, but it would soon bring them international recognition.
11, 8.5.67
By August of 1967, Slick had been fully integrated into the band, and her confidence had increased. She was the visual focal point of the band, and an icon of the SF music scene. The band's sound was changing as well, heading in a far more experimental direction than before. The sessions for After Bathing at Baxter's were still in progress, and the live performances were similarly psychedelic.
12, 3.22.68
After Skip Spence left his gig drumming with JA, he picked more talented songwriter/musicians from various bands and recorded a great debut album. But, during their first three years together, the band experienced disastrous managem