Magazine article relates history of storied Ann Arbor teen club Fifth Dimension
An article in Ugly Things magazine details a fascinating chapter in Ann Arbor music history: the story of the Fifth Dimension, a downtown teen club that hosted an amazing roster of musical performances from 1966-1968.
They included local and national legends like Bob Seger, the Rationals, and the Scot Richard Case—but also outside acts on the cusp of superstardom, like Jimi Hendrix, the Who, Pink Floyd, and many more.
The author is local writer and WCBN host Frank Uhle.
“The process of interviewing over 20 individuals, mostly Michiganders, and digging up the countless bits of ephemera I used as source material, and really immersing myself in this astounding story left me in awe,” Uhle said in a press release. “The Fifth Dimension came to exist thanks to its founders’ long hours and elbow grease, of course, but also because of a few amazing strokes of luck, combined with the exact right alignment of late 1960s music and culture and the city of Ann Arbor itself.”
The article is fascinating and well worth the time of anyone interested in local music or Ann Arbor history. Although not online, the piece is in the current issue (No. 35) of Ugly Things, which is available for sale at Wazoo Records and Literati Bookstore.
Comments
Bertha Venation
Fri, May 24, 2013 : 4:13 p.m.
My sister and I used to hang out there. We also used to hang out at "Mother's," which was a short-lived dance place in the old building on Ann and 5th Ave., kitty corner from City Hall. Ahhh Memories! :)
Steve Bean
Fri, May 24, 2013 : 3:12 p.m.
Bob, do you know where it was located?
technoido
Fri, May 24, 2013 : 8:23 p.m.
North side of 2nd block of W. Huron, where the Century Lanes was, later on the Whiffletree.
B2Pilot
Fri, May 24, 2013 : 6:54 p.m.
If I remember correctly the whiffletree was on the north side of huron I was a youngster then. The 2nd chance had some amazing national bands come through I remember seeing the stones showing up there one night as a warm up concert before their national tour started.
Brad
Fri, May 24, 2013 : 6:31 p.m.
According to ArborWiki it started as a bowling alley, was the Fifth Dimension at some point and ended as the Whiffletree restaurant, which burned in 1988.
Bob Needham
Fri, May 24, 2013 : 3:26 p.m.
216 W. Huron (at Ashley), although I'm not sure which corner. The article details how it was created out of a former bowling alley. The building was apparently demolished in 1968.