Call Number:

SCRC 485

Repository:

Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center

Extent:

70.27 linear feet (84 boxes + 104 map folders)

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Electric Factory Records, SCRC 485, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Date:

1961-2018 (inclusive)

Creator:

Electric Factory (Philadelphia, Pa.), Magid, Larry, and Market, Jerry

Form:

Administrative records, Clippings, Correspondence, Drawings, Ephemera, Financial records, Legal documents, Objects, Phonograph records, Photocopies, Photographs, Posters, Press releases, Reports, Scrapbooks, Slides, and Sound recordings

Abstract:

The Electric Factory was founded in Philadelphia in 1968 by Larry Magid and Herbert, Jerry, and Allen Spivak. On its opening night on February 2, 1968, at 22nd and Arch, the Electric Factory began its forty-three year history of presenting music, a history which changed the music scene in Philadelphia. With its iconic Ben Franklin logo, the venue had hosted Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, Frank Zappa among others within its first year. Situated in an old tire warehouse, it became one of the most popular venues in Philadelphia. In addition to booking the Electric Factory, Larry Magid was also booking acts at the Tower Theater and the Spectrum. Frank Rizzo, former Philadelphia mayor, often threatened to shut the club down. In 1970, Magid, Herb and Allen Spivak started the Bijou Cafe, which continued to operate for over ten years and jump-started the careers of many acts. Around this time they realized they needed bigger venues to host larger shows. They started booking at JFK Stadium and on July 13, 1985, pulled off one of the largest festivals in history: Live Aid. The sixteen hour show raised over $127 million dollars, the most money ever to be raised by one charity event. Twenty years later, in 2005, they helped host Live 8, another charity event for poverty in Africa, which drew one million people to the Philadelphia show.

In 1995, the Electric Factory moved to its new location at 7th and Willow Streets in the Callowhill section of Philadelphia. By the time Magid and Adam Spivak (Allen Spivak's son) sold the venue to Bowery Presents, over 2,500 acts had performed at the Electric Factory.

The Electric Factory Records detail the long history of the live music venue, the Electric Factory, spanning fifty years. The entertainment records include various bands' rider contracts, correspondence, audit reports, tickets, and backstage passes. A large collection of posters documents the musicians that played not only at the Electric Factory but at other theaters such as Theater of Living Arts, the Tower Theater, and the Spectrum. There are a significant number of posters, photographs, and backstage passes relating to these shows. A small amount of Larry Magid's personal papers include materials from his high school reunions and his daily calendars. Administrative and financial records of the Electric Factory are included as are some articles of clothing, sound recordings, and plaques.