Welcome to TIME LINE: A record of all Bottom Line shows.

In this section of the website we plan to publish a complete listing of every performance at the club beginning with the opening day party all the way through the new millenium. The list will be broken down year by year and appear in installments as we collate the information, confirm its accuracy, and elicit remembrances and commentary from those who were there.

Our primary sources are Allan Pepper and Stanley Snadowsky, the owners of the club, inseparable partners for twenty-six years in one of the longest running enterprises in the American music business. As you look down the schedule of our first year in operation, you start to feel like you're peering into a quarter century-old photo album....but the photos are all in your own imagination. Maybe you were at some of these shows. Maybe you still have some old vinyl in your collection by these artists, or maybe you were too young to be there, (Allan and Stanley's secretary weren't born yet!) and you can only imagine what it was like.

One of the striking things about the list is the number of artists who have made appearances in 1974 that have also appeared twenty-six years later at the club in the1999-2000 season. They include: Eric Andersen (the first month the club was open), Larry Coryell, Billy Cobham, David Johansen (with the New York Dolls), Tower of Power, Doc Watson and of course, David Bromberg. There are several more, but you get the idea. A twenty-six year career playing music is an amazing accomplishment in a business that eats its young. If browsing over these shows brings up any memories or thoughts you might like to share with our Bottom Line community, please feel free to email us, and with your permission we'll print some of your comments. The e-mail is BLTmailbox@aol.com. So without further ado....1976.

PERFORMANCE HISTORY OF THE BOTTOM LINE
* with occasional side comments by Allan and Stanley

1976

JAN 2-4, 1976
PROCTOR AND BERGMAN
ARTIE TRAUM

JAN 5-7, 1976
JOHN HAMMOND
ROOMFUL OF BLUES

JAN 8-11, 1976
An Evening With
DOC and MERLE WATSON

JAN 12-13, 1976
JAN HAMMER
DAVID LIEBMAN and LOOKOUT FARM

JAN 14-18, 1976
KENNY RANKIN
ELAYNE BOOSLER

JAN 19-21, 1976
THE NEW TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME
JOE FARRELL

JAN 22, 1976
BETTY CARTER
JAE MASON

JAN 23-25, 1976
BETTY CARTER
GINO VANNELLI

JAN 26-27, 1976
TASHI
Featuring: Peter Serkin, Ida Kavafian, Fred Sherry, Richard Soltzman
Also appearing: ANTHONY BRAXTON

JAN 29-31, 1976
THE NATIONAL LAMPOON SHOW
All seats $5.50

FEB 3-4,1976
THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA
CARL WAXMAN

FEB 5-7, 1976
THE FABULOUS RHINESTONES
MIRABI

FEB 8-9,1976
RORY GALLAGHER
BOB SHAW

FEB 10-12,1976
GARY BURTON QUINTET
JOHN KLEMMER

FEB 13-15, 1976
ACE
B.W.STEVENSON

FEB 16-18, 1976
COUNTRY JOE McDONALD
ELLEN McILLWAINE

FEB 19-21, 1976
PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE
JIMMY BUFFET

FEB 23-24, 1976
GIL EVANS and his ORCHESTRA
TED CURSON

FEB 25, 1976
An Evening with
JEAN PIERRE RAMPAL - CLAUDE BOLLING
All Seats $5.50

FEB 26-29, 1976
TOM SCOTT and the NEW YORK CONNECTION
FEB 26-27-29 - BOB SHAW
FEB 28 - RICHARD BELZER

MAR 1-3, 1976
MARY TRAVERS
DAVID POMERANZ

MAR 4-7, 1976
THE BRECKER BROTHERS
ROOMFUL OF BLUES

MAR 8-9, 1976
PAPA JOHN CREACH
BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST

MAR 11-14, 1976
MOSE ALLISON
WILLIE DIXON
* MAR 14 DICKIE BETTS sits in with Willie Dixon

MAR 15-17, 1976
PERSUASIONS
MERL SAUNDERS

MAR 18, 1976
An Evening With The
BILLY COBHAM -GEORGE DUKE BAND
Featuring : Alphonse Johnson, John Scofield
All seats $5.50

MAR 19,1976
An Evening With
ELVIN BISHOP
All seats $5.50
3 shows- 9:00 pm, 12am, 2 am. This marked the second time in the history of
the club that there were 3 shows in one night. The only other time was PATTI
SMITH - see Patti Smith, 12/28/75
* DICKIE BETTS jams with ELVIN

MAR 20-21, 1976
TOM RUSH in a special solo performance
ED BLUESTONE

MAR 22-23, 1976
MARIA MULDAUR
THE STANKY BROWN GROUP
* Mar 22 PAUL BUTTERFIELD jams with MARIA MULDAUR
* Mar 23 DICKIE BETTS jams with MARIA the next night

MAR 24, 1976
ELLIOT MURPHY
THE STANKY BROWN GROUP

MAR 25-27, 1976
BILL WITHERS
RON DOUGLAS
* Mar 27 JOHN BLAIR and BILL COSBY guest with BILL WITHERS

MAR 28, 1976
SHAKTI
featuring : John McLaughlin
BOB SHAW

MAR 29-31, 1976
NILS LOFGREN
THE CATES BROTHERS

APR 1,1976
Press party for Michael Franks

APR 2-4, 1976
ERIC CARMEN
RON DOUGLAS
*Apr 3 show broadcast live on WNEW FM

APR 5-6, 1976
An Evening With
TAJ MAHAL
All Seats $5.50

APR 7-11, 1976
An Evening With
DONOVAN
With special guest Derroll Adams
All Seats $5.50
* April 10 show broadcast live on five radio stations:
WHCN (Hartford), WMMR (Philadelphia), WBRV (Providence), WBCN (BOSTON), WNEW (N.Y.)

APR 12-14, 1976
FLORA PURIM and AIRTO
featuring: Hermeto Pascoal
THE DAVID SANBORN BAND

APR 15-17, 1976
BILL EVANS TRIO
KENNY BURRELL QUARTET

APR 18-19, 1976
BOBBY SHORT

APR 20-21,1976
ROBERT PALMER
GALLAGHER AND LYLE

APR 22-24, 1976
JEAN LUC PONTY
Also appearing - A special presentation: Night Sounds 1 - An Environmental Sound Theater based on two Master works of Horror - Edger Allen Poe's "The Tell Tale Heart" and Bierce's "The Damned thing"

APR 25, 1976
An Evening With
RAVI SHANKAR
All seats: $5.50
* (From Allan Pepper) "The afternoon of this engagement I had gotten a call at home from our stage manager Mark Silag, who said he had a couple of major problems. Mark had been informed by Ravi's very aggressive tour manager that because of the nature of this very serious and culturally important music there could be absolutely no smoking or service during the musician's performance, and furthermore the musicians would also require a rather large riser on stage because they played sitting down and had to be elevated for the audience to see them. Mark was frazzled. We didn't have any kind of a riser, and he was concerned that Stanley and I would flip out at not being able to serve during the performance. Ravi's tour manager did not know the meaning of the word Karma. Mark had a sound check that was to begin in one hour and a mad dog tour manager who was demanding that things be done his way. Thus the call at my home at 3:00 on a Sunday afternoon.

What to do? Stanley and I agreed, as long as we could serve until Ravi actually started to play, we could live with the restriction of no service during the show. OK, first problem solved. Now, how do we handle the riser situation. Mark hesitated for 15 seconds and then said, " leave that to me. I just got an idea." When Stanley and I got to the club, we were astounded at the three foot high riser that covered most of out 16 foot stage. Ravi played great that night and there was no smoking or service during his performance. His tour manager basked in the glow of satisfaction of a job well done. After the musicians had loaded out and everyone had left the club, Stanley and I could no longer contain our curiosity. Where did the riser come from? Mark smiled and said while we were on the phone that afternoon trying to solve the problem, he noticed the club was getting a beer delivery. He quickly piled the cases side by side and one on top of the other across the stage. Next he covered the sides and the top with some black velour and presto we had a riser. Stanley and I were flabbergasted. Ravi and his musicians had performed two shows during which people could not eat, drink or smoke because, as Ravi insisted that was disrespectful to the music and the performers, without being aware that they were sitting and performing on a mountain of Heineken boxes."

APR 26-28, 1976
BUDDY GUY AND JUNIOR WELLS
LES DUDEK
* Jack Cassidy jams with BUDDY GUY and JUNIOR WELLS on April 28

APR 29-MAY 1, 1976
CHARLES MINGUS JAZZ WORKSHOP
THE ELVIN JONES GROUP

MAY 3-6, 1976
McCOY TYNER
THE HEATH BROTHERS

MAY 7-9, 1976
J.D. SOUTHER
TOM PACHECO

MAY 10-11
One Show Per Night
DR FEEL GOOD
THE RAMONES

MAY 12-13, 1976
THE ELEVENTH HOUSE
Featuring Larry Coryell
THE L.A. EXPRESS

MAY 14 - 16, 1976
LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III
POUSETTE - DART BAND

MAY 17-18, 1976
ELLIOT MURPHY
ROY HARPER

MAY 19, 1976
Private party for WNEW FM
HARRY CHAPIN

MAY 20-23,1976
EDDIE HARRIS
May 20 - JUNIOR MANCE TRIO
May 21 - 23 THIRD WORLD

MAY 24-26, 1976
TOMMY BOLIN
SAILOR

MAY 27-29, 1976
THE CHUCK MANGIONE QUARTET
ESTHER SATTERFIELD
All Seats $5.50

MAY 30-31, 1976
JOHN HARTFORD
BOB GIBSON

JUNE 1-3, 1976
SAVOY BROWN
RUSS BALLARD
* June 2 show- broadcast live on WNEW FM

JUNE 4-5, 1976
THEODORE BIKEL
LARRY ADLER

JUNE 6-7, 1976
ELLY STONE
PHIL CODY

JUNE 8-9, 1976
BILLY JOEL
ED BLUESTONE
* Billy Joel performance on June 19 carried live on radio stations: WNEW FM (N.Y.), WMMR (Philadelphia), WCOZ (Boston), WCMF, WBUF (Buffalo), WHCN (Conn) WBRU (Providence)

JUNE 11-13, 1976
JOHN HAMMOND
WARREN ZEVON

JUNE 14-15, 1976
ESTHER PHILLIPS
HORACE SILVER QUINTET

JUNE 17-20, 1976
PETER ALLEN
MARILYN SOKOL

JUNE 21, 1976
An Evening With SUN RA
and his MYTH SCIENCE COSMOS SWING ARKESTRA
All Seats $5.50

JUNE 22-24, 1976
OREGON
GERRY NIEWOOD

JUNE 25-26, 1976
TOWER OF POWER
BOB SHAW

JUNE 27-28, 1976
SHAWN PHILLIPS
LESLIE DUNCAN

JUNE 29, 1976
Press Party for DORIAN ZERO

JUNE 30, 1976
TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS
THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS

JULY 1-3, 1976
CHEECH AND CHONG
L.A. JETS

JULY 6-8, 1976
PAT MARTINO
ANTHONY BRAXTON QUARTET

JULY 9-11, 1976
KENNY RANKIN
THE CONVENTION featuring: Janet Coleman, David Dozer, Paul Dooley, Emily Levine. Nick Ulett, Nancy Franklin, Marjory Bond, Ellen Sherman, Brooke Alderson, Bill Weeden, David Finkle
* July 9 - KEVIN O'CONNOR guests with THE CONVENTION
July 10 - JAE MASON SITS IN WITH KENNY RANKIN

JULY 12, 1976
THE DEADLY NIGHTSHADE
THE CONVENTION
* SANDY BARON guests with THE CONVENTION

JULY 13, 1976
ERIC ANDERSEN
THE CONVENTION

JULY 14,1976
LIVINGSTON TAYLOR
THE CONVENTION

JULY 15, 1976
MARY TRAVERS
THE CONVENTION

JULY 16, 1976
TOM PAXTON
THE CONVENTION

JULY 17, 1976
NOVELLA NELSON
THE CONVENTION

JULY 19, 1976
TOMMY JAMES
BOB SHAW

JULY 20-21,1976
HENRY GROSS
DON HARRISON BAND

JULY 22, 1976
Press party for BUCKEYE POLITICIANS
Guest Host PROFESSOR IRWIN COREY

JULY 23-25, 1976
JAMES COTTON BAND
TERRY REID

JULY 26-28, 1976
RICHARD DAVIS with Marvin Peterson, Freddie Waites
also appearing GABOR SZABO

JULY 29-AUG 1, 1976
DOC AND MERLE WATSON
KEN BLOOM

AUG 2-4,1976
WOODY HERMAN AND HIS YOUNG THUNDERING HERD
RICHARD BELZER

AUG 5-7,1976
TRACY NELSON
RICHARD BELZER
* On Aug 5 - BOZ SCAGGS jams with TRACY NELSON

AUG 10 - 11, 1976
JOSE FELICIANO
ELAYNE BOOSLER

AUG 12 - 15, 1976
YUSEF LATEEF
BOBBY HUTCHERSON

AUG 16 - 17, 1976
IAN MATTHEWS
GRAHAM PARKER

AUG 18. 1976
FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS
JIM POST
* DAVID BROMBERG jams with FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS

AUG 20-21, 1976
TIM HARDIN
RAUN MACKINNON

AUG 22-23, 1976
JOHN FAHEY
ARTIE TRAUM

AUG 24-26, 1976
ROGER McGUINN
BYRON BERLINE and SUNDANCE

AUG 27-29, 1976
JOHN HANDY
AL JARREAU

AUG 30-SEPT 1, 1976
RAY BARRETTO and his CONCERT ORCHESTRA
THE DAVID SANBORN BAND

SEPT 2-3,1976
An Evening With SPIRIT
All Seats $5.50

SEPT 4-5, 1976
An Evening With SUN RA and his MYTH SCIENCE COSMOS SWING ARKESTRA
All Seats $5.50

SEPT 7-8, 1976
STEPHANE GRAPPELLI
ROBIN WILLIAMSON

SEPT 9-12, 1976
RICHIE HAVENS
JOAN ARMATRADING

SEPT 13-15, 1976
JANE OLIVOR
DON SHIRLEY

SEPT 16-18, 1976
THE STAPLE SINGERS
THE METERS

SEPT 19, 1976
BREWER AND SHIPLEY
EDMONDS AND CURLY

SEPT 20-22 1976
TONY WILLIAMS
THE MIKE GREENE BAND

SEPT 23-25, 1976
KENNY BURRELL QUARTET
RON CARTER

SEPT 26-27, 1976
THE MARK ALMOND BAND
MICHAEL FRANKS
* The show on Sept 27 was broadcast live on WNEW FM (N.Y). and WHCN FM (Conn)

SEPT 28-29, 1976
ALBERT KING
DUKE and the DRIVERS
* TOMMY BOLIN sits in with DUKE and the DRIVERS on Sept 28
DICKIE BETTS jams with ALBERT KING on the Sept 29 show.

SEPT 30-OCT 2, 1976
JOHN MAYALL
THE FABULOUS RHINESTONES

OCT 5, 1976
VICKY SUE ROBINSON
THE BUCKEYE POLITICIANS

OCT 6-10, 1976
PETER ALLEN
CATHY CHAMBERLAIN'S RAG ' N' ROLL REVUE
* Oct 10, label mate PETER FRAMPTON guests with PETER ALLEN

OCT 11,1976
DION
SANFORD AND TOWNSEND

OCT 12, 1976
DION
BUCKACRE

OCT 13, 1976
THE RICHIE FURAY BAND
BUCKACRE

OCT 14-15, 1976
RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK
FRANKLYN AJAYE

OCT 16-17, 1976
SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY AND THE ASBURY JUKES
RICHARD BELZER
* RONNIE SPECTOR guests with SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY and the ASBURY JUKES

* The Southside Johnny Show on Oct 17 was broadcast live on WNEW FM. That live radio broadcast was issued as a record and was released only to radio around the country as a tool for radio promotion. That recording yielded the classic Southside version of "We're Having a Party."

Most people don't realize that was done live at the Bottom Line as part of the live radio broadcast for WNEW. The next time you listen to that record, pay special attention to the very end of the song and you'll hear Johnny say, "Thank you, New York." That was meant for the WNEW listeners in general and specifically for those people in the audience at The Bottom Line that night.

OCT 18-20, 1976
THE BILL EVANS TRIO
SYLVIA SYMS
* OCT 19 JEREMY STEIG sits in with the BILL EVANS Trio.

OCT 21-24, 1976
MOSE ALLISON
STUFF featuring: Gordon Edwards, Cornell Dupree, Steve Gadd, Chris Parker, Richard Tee and Eric Gale

OCT 25-26, 1976
JIMMY BUFFET
MIKE FINNEGAN
* STEPHEN STILLS sits in with MIKE FINNEGAN on Oct 25
* RICHIE HAVENS sits in with MIKE FINNEGAN on Oct 26

OCT 27-28, 1976
RY COODER
JOEY GEORGE AND LEWIS McGHEE

OCT 29-31, 1976
STEELEYE SPAN
KEN BLOOM

NOV 1, 1976
MANFRED MANN
CRACK THE SKY

NOV 2-3, 1976
DON McLEAN
EDWIN HUBBARD AND PRANA
* WNEW FM broadcast the DON McLean Nov 3 show live on the radio

NOV 4-7, 1976
An Evening With MELANIE
All Seats $5.50
* Nov 5 show broadcast live on WNEW FM

NOV 8-9, 1976
AL STEWART
DIANA MARCOVITZ

NOV 10-11, 1976
CATES BROTHERS
SANFORD AND TOWNSEND

NOV 12-14, 1976
JOHN HAMMOND
THE PERSUASIONS

NOV 15-16
AZTEC TWO STEP
DAVID FORMAN

NOV 17-18, 1976
OZARK MOUNTAIN DAREDEVILS
FUNKY KINGS

NOV 19-20, 1976
ELLY STONE
DON SHIRLEY

NOV 21, 1976
JEAN LUC PONTY
RICHARD BELZER

NOV 22-28. 1976
An Evening With PATTI SMITH
All Seats $5.50
* BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN sits in with PATTI on 11-26.
JOHN CALE also guests on 11-26

NOV 29, 1976
JOHN KLEMMER
NEW YORK MARY

NOV 30-DEC 2, 1976
LEO SAYER
RICHARD BELZER
* LEO SAYER show broadcast live Dec 2 on WNEW FM

DEC 3-4, 1976
TERRY CASHMAN
LANI HALL

DEC 5-6, 1976
FLO AND EDDIE
JIMMIE SPHEERIS
* FRANK ZAPPA romps with FLO AND EDDIE on the night of Dec 6

DEC 7-8,1976
ENGLAND DAN AND JOHN FORD COLEY
WENDY WALDMAN

DEC 10-12, 1976
JOHN HARTFORD
ARTIE TRAUM

DEC 13-15, 1976
AL KOOPER
EDMONDS AND CURLEY

DEC 16-18, 1976
TOM WAITS
ELAYNE BOOSLER

DEC 19-20, 1976
RON CARTER QUARTET
ART FARMER

DEC 21-22, 1976
SPARKS
BOB SHAW

DEC 23, 25, 26, 1976
JOE FARRELL
CHARLES EARLAND AND ODYSSEY

DEC 27-29, 1976
BUDDY GUY AND JUNIOR WELLS
ROOMFUL OF BLUES

DEC 30, 1976 - JAN 1, 1977
STUFF Featuring: Gordon Edwards, Cornell Dupree, Steve Gadd, Chris Parker, Richard Tee, Eric Gale
Also appearing: GERRI GRIFFINS
* DEC 31 only
Special guests appearing with STUFF:
ASHFORD AND SIMPSON and VAN McCoy
* New Years Eve show with STUFF, ASHFORD and SIMPSON and VAN McCOY broadcast live on WNEW FM