Reflections; the Electric Factory

The Electric Factory was a concert venue located on 22nd and Arch Sts. in Philadelphia.  Audience capacity could have been about 2,000-3,000.  Besides bench seating, concertgoers at this venue could watch the shows from barber chairs, coffins, monkey bars and sliding boards.  On the floor of this hall was a genuine, 20' square Monopoly board.

In the Fall of 1969, I learned that The Who would play the Electric Factory, then located on 22nd and Arch in Philadelphia.  I refused to see this concert because they were charging the unheard of, outrageous price of $4.00 PER TICKET!

Phil Ochs - Some time in the early 1970's, Phil Ochs appeared at the Electric Factory.  Mr. Ochs was in the pantheon of folk singers that incuded Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan and his songs were provocative, compelling, and thought provoking.  When I learned that Phil Ochs was playing the Electric Factory, I immediately bought tickets to the concert.  When Mr. Ochs appeared onstage, I was amazed, shocked, and dumbfounded because he was wearing a silver lame' cape and channeled Elvis Presley!  This was a singular musical artist who described the burning issues of the 1960's, when racial discrimination was real and the Vietnam conflict was tearing our country apart.  So, out comes Phil Ochs and his new songs were as if he had never been the premier voice of the 60's protest movement.  I thought, "this is bad" because Phil Ochs' transformation was so schizophrenically pronounced that I feared for his welfare.  In 1976, not long after this concert, Phil Ochs committed suicide.

Other concerts seen at the Electric Factory were: the Chambers Brothers (Time Has Come Today!), the Crazy World of Arthur Brown (Fire!), and the MC5 ("Kick Out the Jams M#%*@r F%&*#r!)

Comments

[Stan Denski]

I was at that Ochs concert as well (also the Chambers Brothers) and, though I don't have the date, I do know the Electric Factory shut it's doors in April of 1970. Ochs was confrontational, and in that period, enjoyed rupturing audience expectations.

[John Sole]

It seemed like Phil Ochs had lost his way at the time and flailing for a new identity. I also saw the Chambers Brothers at the Electric Factory and THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN! Not sure how he did that crazy special effects stuff on stage with all that smoke and fire. Also saw the MC5 (Kick Out the Jams, M@#%&r F*&@#r!) and, if not mistaken, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, who came out onstage in a closed coffin. Creeeepy.