music · 04 April 1970 · 55 years ago
Brinsley Schwarz's promotion company sent 133 UK journalists, by plane to New York to see the band supporting Van Morrison at the Fillmore East, at a cost of £120,000 ($204,000). The event turned into a disaster. The group planned to leave a few days before the show to rehearse, but were denied visas on a technicality. They were finally given visas on the morning of the show, and arrived hours before the concert. The plane carrying the journalists developed a mechanical fault, delaying the flight and when the journalists arrived In New York 18 hours later, they were all hung over. Brinsley Schwarz gave a underwhelming live performance, resulting in a flood of scathing reviews.