Cultural Impacts
Since the 1960s the Hearst Greek Theater has been a place fostering appreciation of all different types of music. From performances by the Grateful Dead and Miles Davis, to more recently, Phoebe Bridgers and Louis the Child, the diversity in music ranges immensely. The Greek Theater attracted multiple visitors throughout the later 1900s, being one of the only two medium capacity outdoor venues in the whole Bay Area [1]. This time period marked a change in the types of performances being held at the theater. However, since its founding in 1903, people affiliated with the UC Berkeley campus and community members of Berkeley, still flock the to the theater to see their favorite performers. During the 1980s people came out to see electronic dance music and modern rock, which proved to be extremely popular with residents and community members. In 1983, 20 concerts were held at the theater, averaging 8000 audience members for each show [2]. One group that in particularly left their mark on the venue and the Berkeley community were the Grateful Dead, who had their first performance in 1967. From 1967 to 1989, the Grateful Dead went on to perform a total of 29 times at the Greek Theater [3]. An audience member recounts one of their shows in the 80s as being blissful, stating that “those three Greek shows captured some crucial spark. Something about the sound quality in a bowl-shaped amphitheater on the edge of the Berkeley Hills gave the music added hop…” [4]. Throughout the 1970s until 2001, the Greek Theater was a venue under the influence of Bill Graham. Graham was a distinguished music promoter who got his start in the Bay Area. He was known for “bringing the bands creating the psychedelic sound together on the same stage with jazz, blues, and folk artist” [5]. Graham first started hosting shows at the Fillmore Auditorium, and then expanded to New York and other locations in San Francisco. His band management and tour company, “Bill Graham Presents” hosted shows frequently at the Greek Theater, even after his tragic death [6]. Graham’s influence on Bay Area was groundbreaking, with artists like the Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, and the Doors making appearances in venues throughout the Bay [7].
As of 2004, Another Planet Entertainment became the exclusive promoter at the Greek Theater. This contract was a big deal for Another Planet Entertainment, a Berkeley-based business, who beat out the corporate music company Clear Channel [8]. This deal was not only big for the Berkeley locals that started Another Planet, but it presented new opportunities for the performances at the Greek Theater. “Perviously the venue didn’t get high priority…because Clear Channel shipped most of its top shows to its outdoor theaters in Concord and Mountain View” [9]. The range of artists has greatly expanded throughout the years of the Greek being partnered with APE. A few artists that have performed with APE promotion include Led Zeppelin, Jack Johnson, Bon Iver, John Legend, Kygo, and many more. Many artists have talked about their excitement and experiences performing at the theater. In an interview with electronic funk duo Big Gigantic Duo, they shared their anticipation over their upcoming performance at the theater. Jeremy, one of the members of the group, stated, “I’ve been to the Greek before. It’s such a cool venue. It has that Red Rocks vibe with the naturally built-ish amphitheater with a lot of stone and rocks. We’re excited to play there” [10]. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, the Greek Theater had to shut down for over a season of events, meaning many artists never got to perform. However, the outdoor amphitheater finally reopened in 2021. Since then multiple artists and performers have graced the beloved stage. In April of 2022, indie band Beach House played to a crowd of nearly 9000 people [11]. Keyboardist Legrand noted how the setting portrayed a particular romance, “playing a warm spring night to an audience atop a hill, under the stars…” [12]. As evidenced, the Hearst Greek Theater has provided the space for hundreds of artists to freely express themselves and connect with the Berkeley community through music.
Image 1 (To the Left): Phil Lesh performing with the Grateful Dead at their May 21, 1982 show. Image from the Grateful Dead Archive Online.
A Look Back In Time
The creation and development of the Greek Theater has a long history. It was the first University building designed by John Galen Howard. It’s documented that Howard drew connections between Greece and Berkeley. At the time, President Wheeler saw Berkeley as a space “for bringing together the intellectual and philosophical ideals that the University should possess” [13]. Howard had originally placed fourth in Phoebe Hearst’s Architectural Competition, but after disagreements between Hearst and the chosen architect, Wheeler and Hearst wanted Howard to fill the open position [14]. Additionally, it was Edward B. Clapp, a professor of Greek Language and culture at Berkeley, who proposed the idea of constructing a Greek theater on campus at Ben Weed’s Amphitheater [15]. Wheeler was intrigued by this suggestion due to the fact that he had already made the comparison between Greek and California civilization/culture. However, a project like this would need substantial funding. Wheeler turned to Phoebe Hearst in hopes that she would agree to fund the project. After touring the site, Hearst was impressed by the amphitheater space and agreed to fund the construction if her son, William Randolph Hearst, could be associated with the University [16]. Hence the full name of the theater - the William Randolph Hearst Greek Theater. Before the final construction, Howard’s plan for the theater went through several changes. It was reported that the theater would be modeled after the Greek Theater at Epidaurus, however it included both Greek and Roman theater elements [17]. Construction of the theater began in mid-February of 1903. The construction presented more difficult than expected, but Wheeler had already arranged for President Roosevelt to speak at the Berkeley commencement in the beginning of May, which accelerated the efforts of the contractors [18]. While the final construction was not done by Roosevelts’s welcome to Berkeley, the theater was able to be set up in a presentable manner. Hearst had given the workers a deadline of July 1st, which was not meet. Ultimately, it wouldn’t be until September that the Greek Theater would be completely done. Since its founding, the Hearst Greek Theater has served as place for student rallies, debate practice, commencement ceremonies and graduations, musical entertainment and theatrical performances. Additionally, for over 119 years the Greek Theater has functioned to create a live music ecology, contributing to the fabrication of the value of not only musicians, but the venues they perform at.
Live Music Ecologies
The Greek Theater is place that hosts musical talents, as well as fosters connectivity through appreciation of live music. Recently, live music ecologies have been studied to better understand the social and cultural values of live performances. Social values included social capital, public engagement and identity, while cultural values included musical creativity, cultural vibrancy and talent development [19]. In a study done on live music ecologies, it was found that “Indicators of a vibrant live music ecology are the number of spaces for music-making and the extent to which a diversity of genres and styles is performed on music stages” [20]. An engaging live music ecology plays a part in the “richness of cultural offerings in a city” [21]. Within UC Berkeley there are multiple spaces where this vibrancy is cultivated, including the Greek Theater. Urban planning is also extremely important for a live music ecology to prosper. Policies regarding venues focus on both negative (noise and traffic) and positive impacts of live music. While restrictions are important for venues and regulations, being too restrictive limits a venues potential. For example, in 2004 the Greek Theater was permitted 15 performances for the year [22]. Without being too restrictive and limiting live music possibilities, the theater is given a number of performances they can put on throughout the year, which allows the venue to decide on what type of artists and acts they want to promote for that particular season. It is interesting to examine the growth and change in the ecology of the Greek Theater because of the ever-changing nature of music. The way people interacted in the space in the 80s with artists like the Grateful Dead and John Denver differs from how people interact at the Greek with artists like Rufus Du Sol and Louis the Child. However, the essence of connection between artist, place, and audience stays true no matter what time period.
Image 5 (To the Right): Taken from a performance at the Greek Theater (performance and date unknown). Image from. the Greek Theater at UC Berkeley website
Reminiscing on the Past - Full 1989 Grateful Dead Performance
While UC Berkeley functions as a highly established educational institution, there are many more parts of campus that serve as spaces of leisure and entertainment. The William Randolph Hearst Greek Theater cultivates a relationship between musical entertainment and the Berkeley community. The material above shows that UC Berkeley’s place in American culture spans to areas of entertainment. Whether its concerts, festivals, or other musical performances, the Greek Theater has provided Berkeley with a space for people to congregate and appreciate artists of all different genres.
- Sources:
- [1] Wardrip, Mark Allen. “A Western Portal of Culture : the Hearst Greek Theatre of the University of California 1903-1984”. Thesis (Ph.D. in Dramatic Art)--University of California, Berkeley, Dec. 1984., 1984.
- [2] Ibid.
- [3] “Venue Info.” Greek Theatre. https://thegreekberkeley.com/venue-info/.
- [4] Kettmann, Steve. “40 Years Ago, the Grateful Dead Launched the Tradition of Yearly Outdoor Shows at Berkeley's Greek...” Medium. The Bold Italic, September 13, 2021. https://thebolditalic.com/40-years-ago-the-grateful-dead-launched-the-tradition-of-yearly-outdoor-shows-at-berkeleys-greek-14dd05d059aa.
- [5] “Bill Graham and The Rock & Roll Revolution.” The CJM. Contemporary Jewish Museum . https://www.thecjm.org/exhibitions/6.
- [6] Knapp, Frederic. “Historic Structure Report: The Hearst Greek Theatre.” University of California, April 2007.
- [7] Ibid.
- [8] Artz , Matthew. “Clear Channel Loses Greek Theater Concerts.” The Berkeley Daily Planet. March 30, 2004. https://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2004-03-30/article/18560?headline=Clear-Channel-Loses-Greek-Theater-Concerts.
- [9] Ibid.
- [10] Montalvo, Carlos Olin. “Interview: Big Gigantic Bringing 3D Experience and New Album 'Free Your Mind' to Berkeley's Greek Theatre.” SF Station | San Francisco's City Guide. SF Station | San Francisco City Guide and Events Calendar, March 12, 2020. https://www.sfstation.com/2020/03/12/interview-big-gigantic-bringing-3d-experience-and-new-album-free-your-mind-to-berkeleys-greek-theatre/.
- [11] Ramos, Alex. “Review: Beach House Embodies the Trust between Artist and Audience at Sold-out Berkeley Show.” Datebook. Datebook | San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide, April 10, 2022. https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/music/review-beach-house-embodies-the-trust-between-artist-and-audience-at-sold-out-berkeley-show.
- [12] Ibid.
- [13] Ibid.
- [14] Ibid.
- [15] Ibid.
- [16] Ibid.
- [17] Ibid.
- [18] Ibid.
- [19] van der Hoeven, Arno, and Erik Hitters. “The Social and Cultural Values of Live Music: Sustaining Urban Live Music Ecologies.” Cities 90 (2019): 263–271.
- [20] Ibid.
- [21] Ibid.
- [22] Ibid.
BY SOPHIE GOLDBERGER