Had third row seats for a Doors concert a few weeks after the Chicago Democratic Convention in 1968. Emotions were still raw.
It was a great show. Whipped the crowd into a frenzy.
With Jim's encouragement, folks from the back and the balcony surged to pack the area in front of the stage. Ushers and security tried to restore order - to no avail. And the band played on.
At a break in the music - the house PA announced that if everyone didn't immediately return to their seats, the show would be ended. Morrison lead the crowd in chants of "hell no - we won't go". And the band played on.
Dozens of police reinforcements rushed in and started throwing folks around, cracking heads, and dragging people out. For everyone removed, several more rushed forward. Still the band played on.
The house lights came on and they announced the concert was over. But the Doors wouldn't stop playing.
They lowered the curtain - At the last minute, Morrison saw what was happening, grabbed a microphone, and tried to dart out in front - but too late. He got smacked in the head by the weights at the bottom of the curtain and got a bad gash in his head. The band cranked up the volume. Many in the crowd were inspired to take a few more whacks from the police batons.
The image of Jim Morrison. shirtless, with blood freely running down his face and chest, prancing around in the midst of all that chaos, singing "Come on Baby Light My Fire", was forever burned into my psyche.
It was quite a night! And he was one badass, completely out-of-control showman!
