But when music was still alternative, when the rock culture existed outside the mainstream, prior to the networking of communities through technology, in most major markets there were rock shrines. Where you'd go to leave the world behind, commune with your brethren, experience something more important than school, all the lessons of your elders. In the early days of the Fillmore East there were three acts a night. As time wore on, frequently there were only two. And there were only two that night in December 1970 when I saw Jackson Browne open for Laura Nyro.
Nobody even wants to see the opening act anymore.
People aren't into being turned on to new stuff, they just want a direct hit of what they expect. Now one always didn't fall in love with the opening act. But oftentimes there was something intriguing about their music, and you went home and purchased their record. But in the case of Jackson Browne, this was impossible. For there was no record extant.