The Capitol Theatre was an entertainment venue located at the intersection of Monroe Street and Central Avenue in Passaic, New Jersey. Opened in 1921 as a vaudeville house, the Capitol later served as a movie theater under Fabian Theaters and Warner Bros. Pictures (later Stanley Warner Corporation), then as a venue for rock concerts.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the 3,200-seat theatre was a popular stop on many major rock artist's tours. The venue was known for its in-house video system which resulted in a number of good quality, black and white video bootlegs. After it closed, the building fell into disrepair and it was demolished in April 1991. A shopping center known as Capitol Plaza occupies the site now.
History
Vaudeville and films The Capitol Theatre opened on October 7, 1921 with a sold-out concert by the U.S. Marine Band, which helped raise funds for a pipe organ in the city's high school.
By the 1960s, it was known as the Capitol Cinema, and by 1970s the theater was showing adult films.
Rock venue On June 27, 1971, the popular Fillmore East theater in New York City closed, ending owner and rock promoter Bill Graham's stipulation that acts who played at his venue were prohibited from performing at any theater within 75 miles for the following four months. John Scher, a young rock promoter from West Orange, New Jersey, seized on the closure of the Fillmore East by acquiring the Capitol Theatre and transforming it into a rock venue.
The first concert at The Capitol Theatre was by The J. Geils Band and Humble Pie on December 16, 1971.
Jerry Garcia played at the Capitol Theatre over 40 times - either with the Grateful Dead or in one of his many side projects (the Jerry Garcia Band, Old & In The Way, Garcia & Saunders, etc). Several of the Grateful Dead shows were released on CD, including the June 17, 1976 performance, which appeared on Dave's Picks Volume 28.
Kiss recorded side 4 of their 1977 live album, Alive II at this venue.
On Monday, November 6th, 1978, a Gala Benefit performance to elect Senatorial candidate Bill Bradley was held at the venue. The featured musical guest was Parliament-Funkadelic and the Brides Of Funkenstein.
The theater closed in 1989 for various reasons, including the changing music industry and the 1981 opening of Brendan Byrne Arena at the nearby Meadowlands Sports Complex. John Scher had also started to promote concerts at the arena, enabling much of the Capitol Theatre staff to obtain employment there when the theater closed.
In popular culture The Marshall Tucker Band concert from February 18, 1977 was released on December 4, 2007 as a 2 CD/DVD package called Carolina Dreams Tour '77, marking the 30th anniversary of the concert. This is the only known footage of a complete concert by the original members.
Notable appearances The Three Stooges - February 14, 1959 Melanie - February 19, 1972 The Four Seasons - 1972 Frank Zappa - October 31, 1972 - 2 shows (With the Petite Wazoo Orchestra) The Beach Boys - November 19, 1972 Genesis - March 1, 1973 Edgar Winter - March 17, 1973 Bette Midler - March 10, 1973 Jerry Garcia Band - June 6, 1973 Jerry Garcia Band - June 16, 1973 Jerry Garcia Band - September 6, 1973 The Pointer Sisters - December 1, 1973 The Byrds - 1973 (last concert before break-up) Mountain - 1973 Johnny Winter - January 9, 1974 Melanie - April 5, 1974 Mountain - April 20, 1974 Hot Tuna - October 4, 1974 Lou Reed, Hall & Oates - October 5, 1974 Santana, Tower of Power - October 10, 1974 Bruce Springsteen, John Sebastian, Dan Fogelberg - October 18, 1974 Kiss - October 23, 1974 Frank Zappa - November 8, 1974 Jerry Garcia Band - November 9, 1974 Gregg Allman - 1974, Several recordings appear on The Gregg Allman Tour Procol Harum - 1975, Several recordings appear on Procol's Ninth (Deluxe Edition) Queen, Argent, Kansas - February 21, 1975 (Sheer Heart Attack Tour) Jerry Garcia Band - April 5, 1975 Lou Reed - May 3, 1975 Kiss - October 4, 1975 (2 shows) Fleetwood Mac - October 17, 1975 (on their tour for Fleetwood Mac across the US and Canada. Show was recorded for broadcast on the King Biscuit Flower Hour.) Jerry Garcia Band - November 11, 1975 Linda Ronstadt - December 6, 1975 Peter Frampton - February 14, 1976 (2 shows) Dan Fogelberg - March 20, 1976 Jerry Garcia Band - April 2, 1976 Janis Ian - April 18 1976 Steve Goodman - April 18, 1976 Grateful Dead - June 16, 17, 18 and 19, 1976 (released as Grateful Dead Download Series Volume 4 and as part of the 30 Trips Around the Sun and June 1976 box sets) Billy Joel - October 2, 1976 Sparks - November 27, 1976 Rush - December 10, 1976 Peter Gabriel - March 5, 1977 (his first concert as a solo artist) Grateful Dead - April 25, 26 and 27, 1977 (released as Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ, 4/25/77 and as part of the 30 Trips Around the Sun box set) Al Stewart - April 30, 1977 Jerry Garcia Band - November 26, 1977 Rick Danko - December 17, 1977 Randy Newman - February 11, 1978 Jerry Garcia Band - March 17, 1978 Ramones, The Runaways, Tuff Darts - March 25, 1978 Journey - June 10, 1978 (first tour with Steve Perry) Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Mink DeVille, Nick Lowe & Rockpile - May 5, 1978 Meat Loaf - May 26, 1978 The Rolling Stones - June 14, 1978 Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - September 19–21, 1978 (the Sept. 19 show was broadcast throughout the tri-state area) Player - October 8, 1978 Frank Zappa - October 13, 1978 (two shows on one day) The Roches - October 21, 1978 Harry Chapin - October 21, 1978 (performing alone, without his band) Parliament-Funkadelic - November 6, 1978 Outlaws and Molly Hatchet - November 10, 1978 Grateful Dead - November 24, 1978 Cheap Trick - December 8, 1978 Robert Gordon and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes - December 30–31, 1978 Heart - January 26, 1979 Willie Nelson and Leon Russell - March 1, 1979 Judy Collins - March 10, 1979 (Hard Times for Lovers tour) Irakere - March 23, 1979 Toto with Sad Cafe - April 21, 1979 The Who - September 10–11, 1979 Van Morrison - October 6, 1979 Talking Heads - November 17, 1979 (part released on The Name of This Band is Talking Heads) Rainbow - December 1, 1979 Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes - December 31, 1979 Jerry Garcia Band - March 1, 1980 (released as Garcia Live Volume One) The Clash - March 8, 1980 Willie Colón & his Orchestra, featuring Rubén Blades and Celia Cruz - March 22, 1980 Cheap Trick - March 29, 1980 Grateful Dead - March 30, 31, and April 1, 1980 The Brothers Johnson - April 25, 1980 Genesis - June 28, 1980 Jerry Garcia Band - July 26, 1980 The English Beat - September 26, 1980 Gary Numan - October 18, 1980 Talking Heads - November 4, 1980 The B-52's - November 7, 1980 The Police - November 29, 1980 Boz Scaggs - November 30, 1980 Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes - December 31, 1980 The Allman Brothers Band - January 3 and 4, 1981 Jerry Garcia Band - February 13, 1981 Ozzy Osbourne - April 24, 1981 (with Randy Rhoads, Tommy Aldridge and Rudy Sarzo) Alice Cooper - October 10, 1981 Jerry Garcia Band - November 6, 1981 Blue Öyster Cult - December 26, 1981 Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes - December 31, 1981 Prince - January 30, 1982 (with Bobby Z., Brown Mark, Dez Dickerson, Doctor Fink and Lisa Coleman) Jerry Garcia - April 10, 1982 John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers - June 18, 1982 Jerry Garcia Band - June 24, 1982 Warren Zevon - October 1, 1982 (show was recorded for a later broadcast on the King Biscuit Flower Hour) Stray Cats (Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble were added to the bill a half-hour before showtime) Randy Newman - March 26, 1983 U2 - May 12, 1983 Jerry Garcia Band - June 3, 1983 R.E.M. - June 9, 1984 Culture Club - September 3, 1983 Jerry Garcia Band - December 10, 1983 George Thorogood and The Destroyers - July 5, 1984 Lou Reed - September 25, 1984 Jethro Tull – October 28, 1984 Dave Edmunds’ Ten Great Guitars with Link Wray, Dickey Betts, Johnny Winter, Brian Setzer, Steve Cropper, David Gilmour, Neal Schon, Lita Ford and Tony Iommi - November 3, 1984 Jerry Garcia Band - November 24, 1984 Dave Edmunds - February 28, 1985 Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes with guest appearance by Little Steven - September 20, 1985 Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - September 21, 1985 Jerry Garcia Band - January 31, 1986 Metallica with Metal Church opening - November 29, 1986 (Damage, Inc. Tour) The Kinks - March 4, 1987 Beastie Boys - April 1, 1987 (Murphy's Law and Public Enemy open. The first show in which Flavor Flav wears his signature clock necklace on stage.) Megadeth with Warlock and Sanctuary opening - April 23, 1988 (So Far, So Good. . . So What! Tour) Duran Duran - March 11, 1989 Pig Light Show appeared from the Opening Night in December 1971 till the end of June 1973, performing with all artists during those dates.
References
External links The Capitol Theatre Passaic Website Extensive collection of photos and programs from the music era of the Capitol