Electric Factory Records

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.

The collection is arranged into 10 series as follows:

Series 1: Entertainment records: Jerry Market's show files, 2001-2007
Series 2: Entertainment records: Electric Factory show files, 2009-2017
Series 3: Entertainment records: non-Electric Factory show files, 1968-2018
Series 4: Entertainment records: large tours, 1997-2017
Series 5: Larry Magid personal papers, 1950-2015
Series 6: Administrative and financial records, 1978-2018
Series 7: Posters, 1961-2018
Series 8: Photographs, 1968-2005, undated
Series 9: Backstage passes, 1971-2006
Series 10: Objects, art and audiovisual materials, 1970-2009

Donated by Larry Magid in 2018.

Original audiovisual materials, as well as preservation and duplicating masters, may not be played. Researchers must consult use copies, or if none exist must pay for a use copy. Certain digital files may also be inaccessible. Please contact the Special Collections Research Center for more information.

Collection processed and finding aid prepared in July 2023 by Holly Beth Wilson, Part Time Processing Archivist/Librarian.

Magid, Larry. My Soul's Been Psychedelicized : Electric Factory : Four Decades in Posters and Photographs. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 2011

Use

The Electric Factory Records are the physical property of the Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. The creator has not assigned their rights to Temple University Libraries. Other creators' intellectual property rights, including copyright, belong to them or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for determining the identity of rights holders and obtaining their permission for publication and for other purposes where stated.

Preferred Citation

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

Publisher

Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center

Finding aids author

Holly Wilson, Part-Time Processing Archivist

Date

October 2023

Creator

Electric Factory (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Magid, Larry

Market, Jerry

Subject

Rock music--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia

Music-halls (Variety-theaters, cabarets, etc.) -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

Rock music--1961-1970--Posters

People

Spivak, Allen

Spivak, Herb

Spivak, Jerry

Organization

Academy of Music (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Temple University. Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts

The Note (West Chester, Pa.)

Kung Fu Necktie (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Milkboy (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Northstar Bar (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Place

Philadelphia (Pa.)

West Chester (Pa.)

Language

English

Form

Administrative records

Clippings

Correspondence

Drawings

Ephemera

Financial records

Legal documents

Objects

Phonograph records

Photocopies

Photographs

Posters

Press releases

Reports

Scrapbooks

Slides

Sound recordings