QUESTING BEAST, 2504 SAN PABLO AVE, BERKELEY, CA

In the early 1960s, there was a “folk circuit” anchored by Cambridge, Massachusetts and Berkeley, California. Folksingers could play the Club 47 in Cambridge, go down to Greenwich Village, and work there way across the country, possibly hitchhiking, and sleeping on the couches and floors of other folkniks. The history of this circuit is best covered in the book Baby Let Me Follow You Down (Eric von Schmidt and Jim Rooney, UMass Press 1979).  The Cabale Creamery (2504 San Pablo at Dwight in Berkeley), founded by Rolf Cahn, Debbie Green, Howard Ziehm and Chandler A. Laughlin III, was a crucial stop on this circuit. By August 1964, the club was owned and run by Carroll Peery, manager of the Chambers Brothers who subsequently moved to Cambridge themselves, and Howard Ziehm. Bay Area bluegrass musician Sandy Rothman has written a brief but excellent memoir of the Cabale as part of a project on the great Clarence White and Jorma Kaukonen recorded his album "Cabale Creamery" here in 1964.

When the Cabale finally folded, probably sometime in the summer of 1965, the 2504 San Pablo premises briefly became The Good Buddy then Caverns West before being taken over, by Terry Sullivan and Tony Sage, and re-opened as the Questing Beast on November 19.

Unfortunately, by May 1966 The Beast had been slain with its downfall well documented in the May 6 (Vol 2, Number 18) and May 13 (Vol 2, Number 19) issues of the Barb.

The Questing Beast was primarily a folk coffeehouse and hosted similar acts to the Jabberwock on Telegraph Avenue with a fair amount of flamenco, bluegrass and classical guitar playing thrown in. By all accounts it never managed to turn a profit.

The end was bought about following problems with the local police department and Board of Health who had visited in mid April 1966 and demanded a number of costly improvements to be made. It also transpires that the joint managers of The Questing Beast, Terry Sullivan and Tony Sage, borrowed a patron’s car on Saturday April 30 in order to go for cider and donuts and were pulled over by Patrolman George Williamson, allegedly because of a defective rear light.

A subsequent routine ID check was conducted and the vehicle searched. A small amount of marijuana was found and the two arrested. Friends struggled to find the bail money and their fiancées apparently considered “turning tricks” to raise the funds. By May 2, the day of the arraignment, Sullivan’s bail was in place. However, immediately before the court session, Inspector Darrell Hickman of the Detective Division told Sullivan “I’m revoking your entertainment license” – despite that neither Sullivan nor Sage had been tried or convicted. Sage was taken after arraignment to the maximum security Greystone facility at Santa Rita. Sage recounted to the Barb stories of the scant conditions and food at Graystone in an article published on May 13.

A hastily arranged three day benefit was arranged with Solomon (Feldthouse – later of eclectic LA band Kaleidoscope) with the Holiday Dancers, Country Joe and The Fish, John Paul, Dave Cohen, Dan Paik and The Gospel Tonics (who had originally been scheduled) appearing.

By the time the Berkeley Barb was published on May 6, it was clear that without their cabaret license it would be impossible for The Questing Beast to have any paid performers, scheduled performances, admission or cover charge, and no advertising of live entertainment could be placed. Notwithstanding this, Country Joe and the Fish went on to perform as scheduled that evening. Although the staff at the Beast had told the Barb that emphatically and unanimously that “The Questing Beast will not close”, the Country Joe and the Fish show that Friday proved to be the last music performed there.

Sunday and Monday saw The Questing Beast host Jerry Abrams’ Berkeley Cinematheque (something they had done each Sunday since March 20) and the doors closed for the final time on May 9, 1966.

2504 San Pablo later became home to Tito’s, Babylon and then the Longbranch Saloon. Today the building houses a business called “Good Vibrations” (more Duracell than the Beach Boys).

This has been researched and prepared by Ross Hannan and Corry Arnold. Thanks are due to the late Cactus Pete Anderson who contributed significantly to the research.

Performance History

19 November 1965   Alice Stuart    Opening of The Questing Beast.  Alice Stuart was, and still is, a folk singer.  At the time she was riding high on the back of her Arhoolie debut album "All The Good Times".

20 November 1965   Alice Stuart   

21 November 1965   Hoot   

22 November 1965   Closed

23 November 1965            

24 November 1965            

25 November 1965   Clarence Van Hook    The ad says “Open Tuesday thru Sunday, 9-1”.  This suggests that the venue was open regularly but only had “name” acts on the weekend.  The same ad promotes a Sunday night  “Hoot.”

26 November 1965   Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas      KC Douglas was born in Sharon, MS in 1913, and played with blues legend Tommy Johnson.  He relocated to Vallejo, CA in 1945 to work in the Navy shipyards.  By 1947 he had relocated to Oakland and was working regularly as a blues performer.   He had a hit in 1949 with "Mercury Boogie," better known as "Mercury Blues" and recorded by Steve Miller (1967), David Lindley (1981) and Alan Jackson (1992), and later used by the Ford Motor Company.   From 1963 to 1970, Douglas was an employee of the Berkeley Public Works Department.   After a performance at the Berkeley Blues Festival in 1970, Douglas had a boost in popularity, and he performed successfully until his death in 1975.  Clarence van Hook, a guitar player, generally accompanied Douglas and continued to perform well into the 1990s.

27 November 1965   Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas     

28 November 1965   Hoot   

29 November 1965   Closed

30 November 1965   Jim Lynch      Ad states "rambler tunes and flat picking".

01 December 1965    Bob Cooper   

02 December 1965            

03 December 1965    Jean Redpath and Karen Williams    Jean Redpath was a singer of Scottish ballads.

04 December 1965    Jean Redpath and Karen Williams   

05 December 1965    Hoot   

06 December 1965    Closed

07 December 1965    Jim Lynch     

08 December 1965    David and Tina Meltzer        Ad says "electric bass, bluegrass and ballads".  Both would go on to be members of Serpent Power.

09 December 1965    John Shine     Blues

10 December 1965    Lee Underwood        Blues and kazoo

11 December 1965            

12 December 1965    Hoot   

13 December 1965    Closed

14 December 1965            

15 December 1965            

16 December 1965            

17 December 1965    Huck Rorick and His Rock & Roll Friends     By all accounts, a rock & roll band.

18 December 1965    Huck Rorick and His Rock & Roll Friends    

19 December 1965    Hoot   

20 December 1965    Closed

21 December 1965    Ken Spiker     Flamenco and classical guitar

22 December 1965    Bob Cooper    Bob Cooper plays Carter Family Bluegrass this evening at the Questing Beast.

23 December 1965    Golden Key Gospel Singers, Jay Vernon and His Group    

24 December 1965    Golden Key Gospel Singers, Jay Vernon and His Group    

25 December 1965    Golden Key Gospel Singers, Jay Vernon and His Group    

26 December 1965    Hoot   

27 December 1965    Closed

28 December 1965            

29 December 1965            

30 December 1965            

31 December 1965            

01 January 1966               

02 January 1966       Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [1:00 pm], Hoot         

03 January 1966       Closed

04 January 1966               

05 January 1966               

06 January 1966       John Paul      

07 January 1966       New Brothers

08 January 1966       New Brothers

09 January 1966       Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [1:00 pm], Hoot         

10 January 1966       Closed

11 January 1966       Jason Weininger - Classical guitar   

12 January 1966       Clarence Van Hook   

13 January 1966       Jim Lynch     

14 January 1966       The Friendly Strangers, Sandy Rothman, Lloyd Williams, Butch Waller, Ray Scott [Bluegrass Special]   Bluegrass Special

15 January 1966       The Friendly Strangers, Sandy Rothman, Lloyd Williams, Butch Waller, Ray Scott       

16 January 1966       Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [1:00 pm], Hoot         

17 January 1966       Closed

18 January 1966       Jason Weininger - Classical guitar   

19 January 1966       Clarence Van Hook   

20 January 1966       Joe McDonald "Although advertised as a Joe McDonald show, evidence points to this being the first true Country Joe and The Fish show as a band.  Country Joe McDonald, Barry Melton and Bruce Barthol played ""Bass Strings"" and other songs.  

In Joel Selvin's book San Francisco: The Musical History Tour, Selvin discusses an Instant Action Jug Band show in late 1965 that took place at the Cabale Creamery. By his account McDonald, Melton and Barthol played ""Bass Strings"".  If this were correct then it would date it to well before late 1965 as the Cabale had been closed since the Spring.  After November 19, 1965 the 2504 San Pablo location was home to the Questing Beast - the venue having also been called The Good Buddy and Caverns West since it was the Cabale Creamery.  Therefore either the date is wildly incorrect, or (much more probably in my view) the location correct (2504 San Pablo) but the venue name and date incorrect.  Furthermore, in an interview with Mojo Navigator (Issue 10), John Francis Gunning states that the first Country Joe and The Fish show was at the Questing Beast.  The implication is that earlier shows had either been Instant Action Jug Band shows or Country Joe and The Fish as the McDonald/Melton duo - with augmentation by others – typically the Jabberwock irregulars.

The first steady line-up of Country Joe and The Fish featured Joe McDonald and Barry Melton (The Fish – or Blind Ebbets Field), Bruce Barthol, David Cohen, John Francis Gunning and Paul Armstrong. Armstrong would stay until the July of 1966 when he would be unable to sustain his commitment to the band.

21 January 1966       Malachi          "Psychedelic Music".  Malachi, an eastern influenced ex jazz musician, was a self-styled "Existential Guitarist" who had appeared regularly at the Studio C Gallery at 1625 San Pablo during the summer and autumn of 1965.  He was often accompained on rattle by his wife.

22 January 1966       Malachi         

23 January 1966       Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [1:00 pm], Hoot         

24 January 1966       Spontaneous Hoot with Chess, Darts and Bridge   

25 January 1966       Ken Spiker    

26 January 1966       John Shine    

27 January 1966       Don Garrett  

28 January 1966       Vern and Ray with Herb Pederson  

29 January 1966       Vern and Ray with Herb Pederson  

30 January 1966       Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [1:00 pm]; Hoot  See Page 2 of January 28 Barb - multimedia projection show called the "Questing Beast" presented.  Composed as it is watched.

31 January 1966       Spontaneous Hoot with Chess, Darts and Bridge   

01 February 1966              

02 February 1966              

03 February 1966     New Brothers

04 February 1966     New Brothers

05 February 1966     New Brothers

06 February 1966     Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [1:00 pm]; Hip Culture Enterprises - Local Filmmakers; Hoot; The High Cinema of Berkeley presents "Green Desire".      

07 February 1966     Closed

08 February 1966     Ken Spiker, Clarence Van Hook      

09 February 1966     Jim Lynch, Paul Malecot      

10 February 1966     Saint James Five     

11 February 1966     Disassociates, Saint James Five      The ad says “Jazz, Rhythm and Blues Jam Session with The Disassociates.”  Films are advertised for Sunday night (February 13).  Supposedly, the Grateful Dead were using The Questing Beast as a rehearsal hall at this time.  This ended when the Dead abruptly decamped to Los Angeles with their patron, LSD king Augustus Owsley Stanley III.  The Bear was an old Berkeley hand, and there is a whiff that the Questing Beast arrangement was Owsley’s doing.  There may have been a Grateful Dead show scheduled at the Questing  Beast for Friday (February 11) which was canceled as well.  A Grateful Dead tape circulates as “Questing Beast Rehearsal February 11, 1966,” but both the date and venue are spurious.

12 February 1966     Disassociates           Advertised as a "folk rock" group but possibly incorrectly billed in the Berkelely Barb and should be "The Disaffiliates".

13 February 1966     Square Dancing with Reed Cooper calling [2:00 pm] WC Fields and Charlie Chaplin shorts with Bernie Burns at the Piano [8:00 pm and 10:30 pm]

14 February 1966     Closed

15 February 1966              

16 February 1966              

17 February 1966     Jesse Fuller    Advertised as "The Lone Cat, Jesse Fuller, playing his fodella, kazoo singing blues, Jazz and folk".

18 February 1966     Jesse Fuller   

19 February 1966     Jesse Fuller   

20 February 1966     Hoot with Allan Kaplan        

21 February 1966     Closed

22 February 1966     Ken Spiker, Clarence Van Hook      

23 February 1966     Paul Malecot, Jim Lynch      

24 February 1966     John Shine    

25 February 1966     Jesse Fuller   

26 February 1966     Wizards and Witches Guild Party    

27 February 1966     Hoot with Allan Kaplan        

28 February 1966     Closed

01 March 1966         Paul Malecot  

02 March 1966         William Spires with Kathy Goldman, Paul Malecot   William Spires with Kathy Goldman sang and played traditional English and American ballads

03 March 1966         William Spires with Kathy Goldman, Charles Perry

04 March 1966         William Spires with Kathy Goldman, Lee Underwood        The Berkeley Barb ad says “Funky Blues and Ballads”.  Lee Underwood was a singer of "urban and delta blues".

05 March 1966         William Spires with Kathy Goldman, Lee Underwood       

06 March 1966         Disaffiliates   

07 March 1966         Hoot with Allen Kaplan MC   

08 March 1966         Disaffiliates   

09 March 1966         Bill Spires, John Paul 

10 March 1966         Disaffiliates   

11 March 1966         Lee Underwood, Juan Molina

12 March 1966                  

13 March 1966         Disaffiliates   

14 March 1966         Hoot with Allen Kaplan MC   

15 March 1966         Disaffiliates   

16 March 1966         Disaffiliates   

17 March 1966         New Brothers, Rick Sinclaire The Barb ad says Rick Sinclaire “Contemporary Guitar.”

18 March 1966         New Brothers, Rick Sinclaire

19 March 1966         New Brothers, Rick Sinclaire

20 March 1966         Berkeley Cinematheque: The Green Archer, The Flower Thief     A series of films are presented on Sunday nights at the Questing Beast (for the complete set of Barb ads for the films, see the Chicken site).  In the 60s, few films were shown on TV, and all those were bland Warner Brothers fare or contemporary “family” type movies.  Opportunities to see Classic, Foreign or Underground films were rare, and film events like this were a significant part of the counterculture at the time.

21 March 1966         Hoot with Allen Kaplan MC   

22 March 1966         Breadbasket - Chanties      

23 March 1966         Breadbasket - Chanties      

24 March 1966         Breadbasket - Chanties      

25 March 1966         Dan Paik, Ken Spiker, Paul Malecot  The Barb ad says Dan Paik-“folk-blues,” Ken Spicer-“flamenco” and Paul Malecot-“folk guitarist.”

26 March 1966         Dan Paik, Ken Spiker, Paul Malecot 

27 March 1966         Barn Dance Music (afternoon), Berkeley Cinematheque: George, The Inviolate House (evening)      

28 March 1966         Hoot   

29 March 1966         Breadbasket Jazz     

30 March 1966         Breadbasket  

31 March 1966         Juan Molina - Flamenco      

01 April 1966  Jesse Fuller, John Paul, Dan Paik, Raleigh Morris, Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas, Dave Van Campen, Ken Spiker, Rachel and Joyce Halmen, plus 20-30 others [Folk Fest Marathon and Rent Benefit for the Questing Beast]        The Barb ad says “Scores of Performers and more.”  Certainly Jesse Fuller played this date.

02 April 1966  John Paul, Dan Paik, Raleigh Morris, Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas, Dave Van Campen, Ken Spiker, Rachel and Joyce Halmen, plus 20-30 others [Folk Fest Marathon and Rent Benefit for the Questing Beast]

03 April 1966  Berkeley Cinematheque: Confessions of a Black Mother Succuba, Schmeerquntz, The Green Archer; Folf Festival: John Paul, Dan Paik, Raleigh Morris, Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas, Dave Van Campen, Ken Spiker, Rachel and Joyce Halmen, plus 20-30 others 

04 April 1966  Hoot with Allen Kaplan MC   

05 April 1966  Breadbasket  

06 April 1966  Breadbasket  

07 April 1966  Breadbasket  

08 April 1966  Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas     

09 April 1966  Clarence Van Hook, KC Douglas     

10 April 1966  Berkeley Cinematheque: High Noon, The Cat People, The Green Archer 

11 April 1966  "Play or Listen" for free      

12 April 1966  Robbie Basho, Jan Ward     

13 April 1966  Jim Lynch, Jim Brown         

14 April 1966  Party: Witches and Wizards 

15 April 1966  Solomon (Feldthouse), Nino and Catana [Psychedelic Music, Malachi, Flamenco Guitar and dancing, Cante Jondo]         Solomon Feldhouse would later go on to play with Kaleidoscope

16 April 1966          

17 April 1966  Berkeley Cinematheque: Oh Dem Watermelons, Thick Pucker, St Chicago, Poon Tang Trilogy, Some Don't Olds Mo-bile, The Green Archer; Health People        The Board of Health scheduled a visit to inspect the Beast.

18 April 1966  Health People The Board of Health took the opportunity to conduct an inspection of The Questing Beast.

19 April 1966  Health People Mance Lipscomb show cancelled whilst the Board of Health inspected the Beast.

20 April 1966  Health People Mance Lipscomb show cancelled whilst the Board of Health concluded the inspection of the Beast.  It transpires they were less than pleased and, like the Jabberwock a year later, demanded a series of costly improvements to be made.  Although attempts were made to keep the Beast afloat with the "folk festival" and benefit at the end of April, by the second week of May the Beast was slain.

21 April 1966  Mance Lipscomb, Dan Paik  

22 April 1966  Mance Lipscomb, Dan Paik  

23 April 1966  Mance Lipscomb, Dan Paik  

24 April 1966  Mance Lipscomb, Dan Paik  

25 April 1966  Berkeley Cinematheque: "Twicew A Man", "Everybody Hit Their Brother Once", "Faces of Mexico", "The Green Archer"         

26 April 1966  Jesse Fuller, Lynne Hughes   Jesse Fuller, a "folk blues" multi-instrumentalist and singer who invented the Fodella known as ‘The Lone Cat,” was based in San Francisco.  Lynne Hughes (her name misspelled on the poster), was a fellow traveler and part-time member of The Charlatans from the Red Dog Saloon of the previous year.

27 April 1966  Jesse Fuller, Lynne Hughes   Lynne Hughes was the singer, barmaid and book keeper for the Red Dog Saloon in Virginia City, NV during the summer of 1965 when the Charlatans played their legendary six week stint.  Lynne was later involved with both Stoneground and Tongue and Groove, as well as appearing at live shows with The Charalatans.

28 April 1966  Jesse Fuller, Lynne Hughes, Country Joe and The Fish, Dan Paic, Blind Ebbets Field, Dave Cohen, KC Douglas, Clarence Van Hook, Solomon, Nino, Catana, Flamenco and others [Folk Festival] The Barb ad says "psychedelic music" and "other nights, other guests".  Solomon was Solomon Feldthouse, a major figure on the West Coast folk scene, and later a mainstay of the eclectic LA group Kaleidoscope.  He often appeared with flamenco or gypsy dancers. K.C. Douglas was an Oakland bluesman.  Blind Ebbetts Field, is a  Nom Du Folk of Barry Melton.

29 April 1966  Jesse Fuller, Lynne Hughes, Country Joe and The Fish, Dan Paic, Blind Ebbets Field, Dave Cohen, KC Douglas, Clarence Van Hook, Solomon Nino, Catana, Flamenco and others [Folk Festival]  The configuration of Country Joe and The Fish at this time would have been Joe, Barry, David Bennett Cohen (guitar, organ), Bruce Barthol (guitar), Paul Armstrong (bass), John Francis Gunning (drums).  Interestingly, the Dave Cohen listed on the poster is likely to be the Fish organist rather than the Los Angeles session musician with the same name.  That Dave Cohen was Country Joe’s guitar teacher in about 1963 in Los Angeles. 

30 April 1966  Jesse Fuller, Lynne Hughes, Country Joe and The Fish, Dan Paic, Blind Ebbets Field, Dave Cohen, KC Douglas, Clarence Van Hook, Solomon, Nino, Catana, Flamenco and others [Folk Festival]

01 May 1966  Berkeley Cinematheque: Senseless, Quixote, Eric and the Monsters, Sandusk, The Green Archer; Jesse Fuller, Lynne Hughes, Country Joe and The Fish, Dan Paic, Blind Ebbets Field, Dave Cohen, KC Douglas, Clarence Van Hook, Solomon, Nino, Catana, Flamenco and others [Folk Festival]       

02 May 1966  Solomon with the Holiday Dancers/Country Joe and The Fish/John Paul/Dave Cohen/The Gospel Tonic/Dan Paic         [Benefit Help] There are a few surviving posters from this week (4.26-5.5.66) at The Questing Beast.  They list numerous acts over several days.  Logic and David Bennett Cohen’s comments suggest that the listed acts played one or two nights at the club each, rather than all appearing every night.  However, we have been unable to determine the exact breakdown of acts aach night.  Solomon was Solomon Feldthouse, a major figure on the West Coast folk scene, and later a mainstay of the eclectic LA group Kaleidoscope.  He often appeared with flamenco or gypsy dancers.  John Paul was a local Berkeley musician, very influential in the intellectual appreciation of musical developments at the time (e.g. the Beatles).  David Cohen recalls that he was probably booked to play separately from Country Joe and The Fish, although could well have just played a set with the band.

03 May 1966  Solomon with the Holiday Dancers/Country Joe and The Fish/John Paul/Dave Cohen/The Gospel Tonic/Dan Paic [Benefit Help]         One of the posters says “Help” and lists a Berkeley Public Health and Safety Ordinance by number.  We must presume that the venue was in violation of some requirement, but what exactly is unknown.  The last Berkeley Cinematique ad  for the film series in the Barb is for Sunday May 8. Whatever violations may have been subject to statute, it appears the venue closed, later to become Tito’s and then the Longbranch.

04 May 1966  Solomon with the Holiday Dancers/Country Joe and The Fish/John Paul/Dave Cohen/The Gospel Tonic/Dan Paic [Benefit Help]        

05 May 1966  Solomon with the Holiday Dancers/Country Joe and The Fish/John Paul/Dave Cohen/The Gospel Tonic/Dan Paik [Benefit Help]        

06 May 1966  Country Joe and the Fish    

07 May 1966  Country Joe and the Fish    

08 May 1966  Berkeley Cinematheque: Uptight, LA is Burning - Shit, Acid Camp, Colorfilm, White Trash, The Green Archer

09 May 1966  Berkeley Cinematheque: Uptight, LA is Burning - Shit, Acid Camp, Colorfilm, White Trash, The Green Archer The Questing Beast closes.

10 May 1966  Jan Ward       Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

11 May 1966  Dave Cohen   Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

12 May 1966  Dave Cohen   Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

13 May 1966  Robbie Basho Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

14 May 1966  Robbie Basho Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

15 May 1966  Films   Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

16 May 1966  Folk Festival   Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

17 May 1966  Dan Paik, Solomon    Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

18 May 1966  Dan Paik, Solomon    Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

19 May 1966  PH Phactor Jug Band, Lynne Hughes          Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

20 May 1966  PH Phactor Jug Band, Lynne Hughes          Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

21 May 1966  PH Phactor Jug Band, Lynne Hughes          Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

22 May 1966  Films   Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

23 May 1966  Folk Festival   Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

24 May 1966  Solomon        Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

25 May 1966  Ken Spiker, Jon Paul  Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

26 May 1966  Ken Spiker, Jon Paul  Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

27 May 1966  W&W Party    Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast

28 May 1966  "Special"        Show cancelled following the closure of the Questing Beast