Chuck Berry may have helped pioneer rock ‘n’ roll music back in the ’50s, but a decade later, the quintessential early rockers were pushed aside by cultural heavy hitters like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix. But thanks to promoter Richard Nader, pivotal figures like Berry were resurrected for a new generation in a series of “rock ‘n’ roll revival” concerts.
Read: The 18 Best Chuck Berry Songs
One such concert took place on this day (March 18) in 1967 at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom, where Berry was billed with The Grateful Dead. Right on the cusp of the Summer of Love later that year, Berry launched into beloved classics like “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Sweet Little Sixteen” and “Reelin’ and Rockin.’” “Roll Over Beethoven” is the particular highlight—Berry’s vocals are especially raw and impassioned and of course, his guitar playing doesn’t disappoint. The song, which has become a genre standard and contains one of the best and most iconic intros of all time, was added to the National Recording Registry back in 2003 for its historic cultural influence.
Hear Chuck Berry perform live in 1967 via the Paste vault below.
