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Film of epic Doors concert to be shown in Valley theaters one night only

Legendary Hollywood Bowl show hits the big screen in November

Posted 9/23/21

The Doors are making their return to the Valley.

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Film of epic Doors concert to be shown in Valley theaters one night only

Legendary Hollywood Bowl show hits the big screen in November

Posted

The Doors are making their return to the Valley.

It will be on film, as “Live at the Bowl ’68: Special Edition” hits the big screens for one night only as a remastered chronicle of the band’s celebrated concert at the Hollywood Bowl on July 5, 1968, in what is widely regarded as one of the Doors’ finest live shows captured on film. The movie will be shown at a number of theaters across the Valley on Thursday, Nov. 4.

In the summer of  ’68, the Doors were riding the wave of their third studio album release, “Waiting For The Sun,” as well as having the number one single in the country with “Hello, I Love You.” The quartet had been touring nonstop for a couple years, and as the “Live at the Bowl ’68: Special Edition” promotional material accurately notes, they “were in absolute peak form” by the Hollywood Bowl show.

“On November 4th, 2021, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Doors final studio album ‘L.A. Woman’ (1971), ‘The Doors: Live At The Bowl ’68 Special Edition’ will transform movie theaters into concert venues, giving Doors fans around the world the closest experience to being there live alongside Jim Morrison, John Densmore, Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger,” a news release states.

In addition, this special event includes a brand-new musical performance and a conversation with Densmore, Krieger and Doors manager Jeff Jampol, which was filmed exclusively for the big screen.

“The magic that has been done to enhance the picture and sound quality of this show will make everyone feel as though they have a front row seat at the Hollywood Bowl,” Krieger stated in the news release.

The Valley does have an exclusive place in Doors’ history.

As noted online at radiofreephoenix.com in a story written by Dan Nowicki, Arizona 1960s record producer Jim Musil brought the band to the old venue The Fifth Estate, located at Scottsdale and Curry roads in Tempe, in July 1966.

“Musil brought the elite of the Los Angeles Sunset Strip scene to Arizona,” Nowicki noted. “He’s probably most celebrated in retrospect for booking The Doors in 1966 for what was their first gig outside California.”

An online Doors touring archive confirms the exclusive booking.

Musil, who died in 2013, recalled to Nowicki that he paid the Doors $750, plus round-trip tickets for four, and put them up at the old Royal Inn near Scottsdale and Thomas roads. Their Fifth Estate engagement was three-shows-a-night for three nights. Among the nights they played in Tempe was July 29, 1966, which was exactly one year to the day in 1967 that their iconic single “Light My Fire” reached number one on the Billboard pop charts and launched their epic career.

“Live at the Bowl ’68: Special Edition” captures the Doors during their long run of live shows in 1968, which included three Valley stops: Feb. 17 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum; May 24, less than two months before the Hollywood Bowl show, in Tucson at Hi Corbett Field; and back at the Coliseum in Phoenix for a Nov. 7 concert.

The Nov. 7 show would turn out to be the Doors’ last-ever appearance in Arizona, including when the three remaining members toured after the death of Morrison in July 1971.

“Live at the Bowl ’68: Special Edition” is remastered in Dolby ATMOS (where available) and 5.1 surround sound by Bruce Botnick, the original engineer and mixer for the Doors who recorded the live performance at the Hollywood Bowl and co-produced the “L.A. Woman” album. The new film features the concert in its entirety.

Tickets are available online at thedoorsfilm.com.