1967
Clover’s first gig was on July 4, 1967.
Benifit for Caspar Community School, November 18, 1967
(Ciambottis ex-wife was a teacher at the school)
Clover and The Flying Circus
Handbills and flyers from around that time:
(Click on pictures to enlarge)
Clover and Circus at Brown's Hall, Mill Valley
Poster Artist: Kevin Haapala
Pat Sky - Mt. Rushmore - Clover
Straight Theater, August 11-13, 1967
Poster Artist: Bob Harwayne
Flying Circus - Clover
Fairfax Pavillion, October 20, 1967
Clover
Straight Theater, December 22 and 23, 1967
following "The Blossom", a play by Michael McClure
1968
Clover
Straight Theater, January 16, 17 and 18, 1968
9 to Midnight, 75cents admission
Handbill Artist: unknown
Family Dog Presents
Junior Wells - Canned Heat - Crome Syrcus - Clover
Avalon Ballroom, May 3,4 and 5, 1968
Poster Artist: Carl Lundgren
Electric Flag - Clover - Pacific Flash
Hippodrome, June 21 and 22, 1968
Poster Artist: Rebecca Galdeano
1969
MC5 - Congress Of Wonders - Clover
Straight Theater, San Francisco, March 14-15-16, 1969
Poster Artist: Gary Grimshaw
Read more about this historic poster and the limited edition reprint.
Buy the limited edition reprint.
Story by Mike Walter
| We had never heard of the MC5 before the Straight Theater gig. After that one night we never forgot them. I was a roadie for Clover at the time and was one of the first to arrive to set-up the equipment for the night. The MC5's roadies were already there setting up a huge wall of Marshall amps on the rear of the stage. I had never seen such a massive wall of powerful amps ever. I set-up Clover's equipment in front of that wall and when I was done Clover's amps looked like toys in comparison. Having finished my job for the moment I went into the band room where the MC5 were sitting around in t-shirts, Levi's and black leather jackets. I thought, "Hey, these guys look pretty normal. What's the big deal?" About then Clover arrived and I left for the stage to finish my work. Clover opened the show and after their set I tore down the equipment and stored it behind the stage. The second act was The Congress of Wonders, a very hip and funny comedy team of three guys. As they took the stage one of them took off his jacket and tossed it at the wall of Marshalls. As the jacket brushed the massive amp, the giant wall fell over backwards off the stage, crushing Johnny Ciambotti's bass guitar case. Luckily the guitar was ok, but the amp was a mess. The guy in The Congress of Wonders was as white as a sheet muttering that if the amp had fallen forward he would have been crushed and that his jacket was not an amp killer and should be forgiven. I think that's when the two bands started talking to each other. Apologies from the MC5 and an "it's ok man, it was only my case and not my axe" from Johnny. Most times if we played first we would leave early and go home, but this night we stayed to catch the show. And what a show it was! The MC5 had changed from the Levi's and t-shirts into wild colored costumes and took the stage with a roar from the mighty Marshalls. Loud, no way, beyond loud, almost to pain loud. So loud, you could not even think! For a finale the lead singer calls a girl to come up on the stage. She does not want to, but is reluctantly led up to the stage where the singer starts to sing to her, and she responds lovingly. They both slowly get more frantic and she starts ripping his clothes off. He rips at her clothes and they both go down on stage, in each other's arms, screwing like mad till the song ended. We all figured that some poor girl was just raped on stage and our minds were blown. The show was over and I went backstage to load up the equipment and looked into the band room and saw the girl that had just been raped sitting at a sewing machine, repairing the ripped costumes for the next show! She was a plant; it was all an act! Wow! I drove back to Mill Valley in the equipment truck and brought the amps down to the living room for practice the next day. Someone in the band said that he had invited the MC5 to come over and had given them a map to our house. Time went by and nobody showed up so Mitch decides to go to bed. About twenty minutes later, two or three of the MC5 arrive after getting lost in the Mill Valley hills. After a few refreshments, Wayne Kramer, the lead guitar player of the MC5 wanted to jam. We say ok, but tell to be very quiet. So he plugs in to McFee's amp and starts wailing real loud. Mitch comes out of his bedroom yelling, "Get out of my house!" So they left. You might think that this is the end of the story, but about half an hour later a knock is heard at the door. It is the MC5 guys again. Seems that after they left our house they drove about two blocks and went off the road, down a hill and crashed into a neighbor's front room. We said, "Sorry to hear about it, not much we can do. Maybe you should go back and wait for a tow truck. Good luck!" We never saw the MC5 again. |
Rockarama
5 Days of Music at the Avalon Ballroom
March 26-30, 1969
Clover: March 29, 1969
Poster Artist: Gilbert Shelton
1970
Mother Earth - Steve Miller Band - Clover - Charles Lloyd
Handbill for a show at the Hofienz Pavillion on March 21, 1970.
Clover - Muskadine Blues Band
Poster for a show at Brown's Hall, Mill Valley on July 3, 1970.
Clover - Flying Circus
Poster for a show at the Mill Valley Youth Center on July 18 & 19, 1970.
(Pictured are Andre Pessis from FC & girlfriend.)
Clover - Flying Circus
Poster art by Kevin "Kid" Haapala.
(Not sure if this concert was in 1970 but as the 5th and 6th are on a Saturday and Sunday it is most likely.)
Clover at the Fillmore West, San Francisco:
October 1, 2, 3 and 4 - together with Eric Burdon & War, Seals & Croft
Leon Russell - Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band - Clover - Truk
Pepperland Ballroom, November 27-28, 1970
1971
Clover at the Fillmore West, San Francisco:
February 11, 12, 13 and 14 - together with Fleetwood Mac, Tom Rush
Pepperland Ballroom, February 20-21, 1971.
The Sons - Big Brother And The Holding Company - Clover
Summer Jam with Clover, Beffy Red and Circus at the College of Marin for a PEACE COALITION BENEFIT on June 24, 1971
Grand Reopening of San Rafael's Pepperland September 09-10-11, 1971.
The featured acts were the Steve Miller Band, Yogi Phlegm, Nazgul, and Clover.
Pepperland, September 24-25, 1971
Mike Bloomfield and Friends - Stoneground - Mike Finnegan - Clover.
1972
Clover with Elvin Bishop
Hayward Theater, January 30, 1972 and Pepperland, February 09, 1972.
John Lee Hooker - Clover
August 5, 1972
Steve Miller - Clover - Asleep At The Wheel
Marin Civic Center, September 23, 1972
"A Cold Turkey Rock Party"
Show presented by Edwin Heaven, November 24, 1972 - Thanksgiving Eve
at Marin County Civic Center Auditorium.
Quicksilver - Big Brother And The Holding Company - Clover - Yogi Phlegm
1973
Clover -- Stuart Little Band
Keystone Berkeley, August 5, 1973.
1974
The New Riders Of The Purple Sage - Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen - Clover
The show took place at the Sonoma State College Gym in Cotati,Ca. - Saturday, March 30, 1974
Clover
Lion's Share, San Anselmo, July 1974
Handbill Artist: Kevin Haapala
This image of the dancers also was adapted to
become a 'logo' for a while,
inside a shamrock outline, for
the Pyramid Associates / Joe Kerr management business
cards.
1975
Clover - Pegasus - Stephanie
Petaluma Veterans Memorial Building,
March 28, 1975
1976
- the year Clover made their way to England ... -
Melody Maker Magazine (September 11, 1976) wrote:
"Clover - currently in Britain and appearing at London Roundhouse on September 12 - are recording their first album with Nick Lowe, to be released by Phonogram early next year. Clover feature John McFee, the Hollywood steel guitarist who has played on albums by the Greatful Dead, Steve Miller and Boz Scaggs ..."
Renaissance - Clover
New Victoria Theatre, London
Sunday 17th October 1976
Clover was the guest group on Thin Lizzy's "Johnnie The Fox" Tour.
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1977
On the British Road again ...
 | 
|
Clover was the guest group on Lynyrd Skynyrd's "British - On The Road" Tour.
|
| |||||||||||||||||
U.S. Tour 1977
Clover
Boarding House, June 14-18, 1977
Handbill Artist: Ralph Merzlak
Seen from left on the stage are Southside Johnny, Huey Lewis of Clover, and Martin Belmont.
RUMOUR CLOVER JOINS JUKES
| CHICAGO, August 11, 1977 --- It seems that sooner or later, nearly every rock artist gets to New York City. And sometimes, it seems, they wind up on the same stage at the same time. So it was when Mercury recording artists Clover ended thier seven-week U.S. tour at the Bottom Line in the Big Apple. During Clover's set, in which they played several selections from the Mercury debut album, "Clover," they were joined onstage by Southside Johnny and several members of the Ashbury Jukes, along with Martin Belmont, guitarist with the Rumour, who was in the city promoting the Rumour's new album, "Max." (Source: Phonogram/Mercury Publicity Information 1977) |
... and back to England
Advertisement taken from the magazine 'Melody Maker', Nov. 12, 1977
(original trade ad is black and white only)
Advertisement taken from the magazine 'SOUNDS', Nov. 26, 1977
(original trade ad is black and white only)
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
