Opened by Wire, a local band featuring Curtiss A (Almstead).

Paul Engel of Hundred Flowers reported that

Country Joe performed admirably, what with the unresponsive audience and the plasticity of the Depot on all sides … It was more like playing in a freakily-painted bus station for the cost of a bus ride from Mpls. to St. Cloud. The performance was lively, expertly delivered, and his material was fresh and poignant.

Dodd Lamberton reviewed the show for the Insider, agreeing that the audience was restrained – but appreciative. The solo acoustic show demonstrated changes for the better, opined Lamberton, citing his “soft, straight-toned voice” and clear annunciation. An interesting observation in the review was that McDonald seemed “pensive and depressed, as if he had just lost a friend” when Lamberton talked to him after the show. A WORD FROM CURTISS A… Dodd Lamberton’s review in the Insider included these remarks about Wire, known famously as the first band of local legend Curtiss A:

Wire, the preliminary group, did an amalgamation of oldies and current hard rock songs, from the early Chuck Berry to Savoy Brown. Their vocals were excellent, as they have three men who can both solo and blend well.

Years later, in an interview for KSTP Channel 5 news, Curtiss A had this to say about the show and the venue:

If I’m not mistaken, my first connection to the place was through Danny Stevens. He saw our band and thought we had something. We had played at George’s in the Park (in St. Louis Park) as kind of an audition-type gig, and then we wound up there, including playing with Country Joe McDonald.

I remember the sound system there was really good. I was impressed. Even if it wasn’t what I was expecting from a nightclub, having been a kid and watching TV. It wasn’t Ricky Ricardo and the Copacabana, but it was a great place. And the first couple of times there really did feel like big-time showbiz. We got to essentially debut in the biggest and best place in town, right when it was getting started, and I feel lucky about that.

It’s funny thinking about it now, because back then, I had no idea how relatively an important place it would become in my life. It really gave a focus to all the divergent threads you had in the music scene here, and they’ve always been really supportive of local acts. Some places just have national acts in, and that’s fine if you can sustain yourself that way. But I’ve always felt it’s been more interesting to see all the things we’ve had going on in the Twin Cities too.

At the time of the KSTP interview, Curtiss estimated he’d played the club more than 100 times. AND THIS: Don Driggs reported on Facebook:

At that time I was Wire’s manager and I booked that show. Curt was the lead singer. I have vivid memories of going on stage during a song and telling Curt that they were playing too long and if they did not quit, they would not be paid. Curt ran off the stage with me in hot pursuit, chasing him into the back interior parking area. I thought I saw him run into Wire’s bus. I followed but he must have gone out the back door and I lost him. I went back on the stage and searched the crowd – I finally saw him standing in the balcony beside Allen Fingerhut, the owner. Lol. Curt has his own great story about those events. Great Memories..I love that band.