At Fillmore East the band was paid $1250 each show. The shows were typical performances for the band, and regarded as slightly above average by drummer Jai Johanny Johanson. Ads for the shows read: "Bill Graham Presents in New York — Johnny Winter And, Elvin Bishop Group, Extra Added Attraction: Allman Brothers." While Winter was billed as headliner, by the third night the Allman Brothers were closing the show. Tom Dowd produced "At Fillmore East"; he had previously worked on their second studio album, "Idlewild South". He had recently returned from Africa from working on the film "Soul to Soul", and stayed in
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,