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A Paul Kantner memory in Minneapolis: Feed your head

Remembering an encounter with the late Jefferson Airplane cofounder at the Minneapolis Auditorium during the Summer of Love.

January 29, 2016 at 7:10AM
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Paul Kantner circa 1978/ Photo by Don Patrick RPA
Paul Kantner circa 1978/ Photo by Don Patrick RPA (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

In a former life, when I barely knew what a rock critic was, I ushered at concerts (and Twins and Vikings games) in the Twin Cities.

My first concert as a teenage usher was Buffalo Springfield, Jefferson Airplane and, I believe, Moby Grape at the old Minneapolis Auditorium. It was the Summer of Love, if I recall correctly.

My assignment was taking tickets at the front gate. Apparently, the Airplane's pilot could not find the stage door. Because the band came roaring through my turnstile. They were wearing all kinds of flower-power regalia like we'd seen on Ed Sullivan.

But the most vivid memory was Airplane co-founder Paul Kantner -- who died Thursday of multiple organ failure in San Francisco at age 74 -- traveling through my turnstile on a skateboard, a quintessentially California accessory of the moment. Far out.

I believe right then and there I had my first truly psychedelic experience.

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about the writer

about the writer

Jon Bream

Critic / Reporter

Jon Bream has been a music critic at the Star Tribune since 1975, making him the longest tenured pop critic at a U.S. daily newspaper. He has attended more than 8,000 concerts and written four books (on Prince, Led Zeppelin, Neil Diamond and Bob Dylan). Thus far, he has ignored readers’ suggestions that he take a music-appreciation class.

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