Friday, May 16th, 1969

The Who return to the Fillmore East in Greenwich Village, New York City with opening acts Sweetwater and It's A Beautiful Day. The last time they played there was under the threat of rioting after the Martin Luther King assassination. This time the building next door to the Fillmore catches on fire. Policeman Dan Mulhearn runs on stage to stop the show and warn the crowd. "I was working plainclothes assigned to trying to get 'mugged' on the Bowery and responded to the Fillmore as a fire was reported there. Officer Gehrig began to usher people out the fire doors and I approached the stage, in plainclothes but with badge in hand. I thought the band understood what was going on as I was handed the microphone by Roger Daltrey. Then I was kicked in the groin area by Pete Townshend and two large gentlemen grabbed me from behind and I was thrown out the fire door backstage... There was no real injury as Pete missed his mark by a couple of inches, thankfully." The second show is cancelled and The Who spend the night at Bill Graham's apartment while the police search for them at their hotel.