I saw Phil at numerous antiwar rallies (I think he played the 67 March on Washington and Pentagon levitation. Pretty sure he sang at the eclipse, the main rally spot. I know I heard him a number of times in Chicago (all week of the Democratic National Convention August 1968) and marches Washington DC (Nixon Counter Inauguration and the '69 Moratorium march on DC (there are those who swear he was at the weatherman evening "stroll" on the Saigon embassy).

Phil was always available to perform benefits. I had an opportunity to see Phil dozens of time between 1867-1970, But there were five notable "concerts" that I personally will never forget. The first was at Vets Memorial Auditorium circa 1968 in Columbus, Ohio (Phil always gave a great concert in Columbus and I'm sure it felt like home to him). We met Phil after the show and invited him to the Urbana College Folk Festival. And of course Phil accepted. Phil was also playing 1968 McCarthy for President rallies if I'm not mistaken.

Second best ever show was at Urbana High School Auditorium in Urbana Ohio (very conservative) sponsored by the Urbana College Folk Festival. Phil performance was flawless and his setlist was endless. I don't know the exact date but I would guess May 1968. The McCarthy Kennedy campaigns were still going on.
I didn't see Phil at Lincoln Park. Both times, I arrived just in time for the police sweep.

Next was Tuesday night anti-birthday party for LBJ at the Chicago Coliseum late August 1968. Pigasus was there along with the Yippies, sds and me. Phil got the crowd so riled up with "I ain't A Marchin' Anymore" that the crowd poured out of the hall and into the streets of Chicago ending up in Grant Park.

Of course Phil performed in Grant Park with Chicago Police and National Guard and the Conrad Hilton as a backdrop that night. Phil's concert the next day at the bandshell in Grant Park was disrupted by the Chicago Police Riot (as described by the Kerner Commission). For a video view see "Medium Cool." Phil performed Wednesday night and possibly Thursday night in Grant Park using a bullhorn as a sound system. (Peter Paul and Mary also performed in the tear gas air of Grant Park. These were late night concerts that were held under the watchful eye of the international television, radio and print media (the whole world is watching).

The last concert I remember seeing Phil at was in 1970 in Pittsburgh. It was a benefit concert. Just remember it followed a anti-Gulf Oil/Corporate America Conference held at the same time. I believe that "the resistance" was the benefactors of the concert. For you youngins out there, the resistance was the Draft resistance movement. As in Hell No We Won't Go! This concert was the first time I saw Phil do his electric show. In an ala Dylan performance, Phil changed from folk to electric at his intermission and came out and did old time rock and roll. It was what Phil wanted to do and I won't say more than that.

That night I was crashing in the same house as Phil. Although Phil got a room and we got the floors. Stayed up listening to him rap about music scene. Asked a really idiot question about Lenny Bruce and Phil's song doesn't Lenny live here anymore. Which should have been a forewarning of things to come? Phil did have several backhanded compliments for the weatherpeople. Love em, hate em.Sort of can't live without them.

After that I can only remember hearing that Phil and Jerry Rubin had been deported from Northern Ireland and Chile where they had gone to stand with the oppressed peoples of those two places. Allende was dead and Bernadette Devlin was in jail. Can't remember dates. Never heard his voice live again. Got into the Grateful Dead after that. And today its Ratdog, RAGE and Greenday for the old man.
Free Mumia, Save Antioch College!
Phil