Fillmore East acts to play the Fillmore East was Jimi Hendrix. His album "Band of Gypsys" was recorded live on New Year's Day 1970. However, even before Hendrix hit the stage, British blues-rock trio Cream played the Fillmore East when it was called the "Village Theater" on September 20 & 23 1967. The Kinks played October 17th and 18th, 1969, supported by the Bonzo Dog Band. John Lennon and Yoko Ono sat in with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention at the theater on June 6, 1971. The Allman Brothers Band played so many shows at Fillmore East that they were
Live at Massey Hall 1971 (filmed February 1997). For much of 1971, Young was recuperating from a debilitating slipped disc back injury (he references this injury at the beginning of the "Helpless" take, saying, "bending over is... not so much fun" after dropping a pick). The year would be the first since 1965 not to see a new studio album featuring the prolific artist. The release of a live album was scheduled for March 1971. It may have featured material from just this show, or from several shows, including the one featured on the first "Archives" release, "Live at the Fillmore East." According to Young,