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The Legendary Trident Flashback Photos amd Video!
There's a gravitas you feel when you stand in a place where something important happened. The Sausalito Historical Society's April 23 fundraising dinner for this year was a sellout, with every table packed with people ready to turn back the clock to recreate the legendary Trident Restaurant of the 1960's and 70's. The event was almost surreal, since it was held at Horizons Restaurant, the current incarnation of the Trident's building, which still features much of the look of the original 1960's and 1970's decor: beautifully hand-carved woodwork, wall and ceiling murals and gracefuly curved arches and windows. (Story continues after the illustration of the Trident menu below.)
The feeling was amplified by many guests arriving decked out in their memories of the clothing of 40 years ago, some with stunning accuracy. I wondered if the people sitting at or near "Janis Joplin's table" knew its significance, but the place was so packed it was impractical to work my way over there to ask.
Jonathan Westerling of Radio Sausalito was a great MC for the evening. Before dinner we were entertained by Chris and Lorin Rowan of The Rowan Brothers, who shared the stage with bands like the Grateful Dead at the Fillmore and who started out playing at the Trident during its 1966-76 glory days.
During and after dinner Dick Conte's trio performed. In addition to having performed at the Trident (as did the Rowan Brothers) and his long career in radio, Conte is the bedrock anchor of Bay Area Jazz for over forty years and simply a fabulous musician.
Now tell me, if you go to a typical fundraising dinner how good is the food? I can't speak for the salad option, but the steak I was served was the best fundraiser entree I have ever had. Including San Francisco events at major hotels with big-name performers. Big props go to Horizons for the food and the Historical Society for giving us quality.
The history of the Trident is covered online by The Trident website, and its Editor, Mark Lomas, was part of the evening. Although Chala Werber (daughter of Kingston trio manager and restaurant co-owner and impresario Frank Werber) could not attend, Josh Reynolds (son of Kingston Trio founding member Nick Reynolds) was there as part of the event. This editor's only real regret of the evening was not having a chance to meet them in the crowded room.
Watching the video on the Trident website gives you a feeling for how packed it was, since this comes from the mid-point in people checking in!
Back in the 1960's and 70's The Trident was owned by the Kingston Trio, one of the most influential groups in 1950's and 60's folk music, which was one of the root musical styles of what later became "San Francisco Rock." The Youngbloods' "Get Together" and the Byrds' "Turn Turn Turn" are just two examples of late-sixties anthems that descend from those folk traditions.
Local recording studios like The Record Plant drew the top rock performers from all over the world, and a trip here often included time at The Trident for the musicians, as guests, performers or both.
Trident busboy Robin Williams later went on to do pretty well for himself, and server Dee Bell (whom we also would have loved to have met) is a successful jazz performer who also sang at the Trident and later recorded with the legendary Stan Getz.
We promised a link to photos, and here it is, courtesy of the Trident Website. (Click the second of the two links at the bottom of their post, titled "The Rise of the Legendary Trident Event Photos.")
Congratulations to the Sausalito Historical Society for a great idea, a wonderful dinner and a fabulous evening!
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