At the end of 1965, the new scene on the Strip was in high gear. The hottest spot was Elmer Valentine’s new club, The Trip, which took over the old jazz joint, The Crescendo.


In May 1966 Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable, a mixed-media show featuring some 14 performers including The Velvet Underground and Nico, was scheduled to appear at The Trip through May 18th. From the very beginning of their run, they clashed with the opening act, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. Each group seemed to thrive on making derogatory comments about the talent of the other, re-igniting the ancient East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry. The Doors replaced the Mothers of Invention as the opening act, and were scheduled to perform with the Velvet Underground starting in early May. However, The Exploding Plastic Inevitable only appeared for a few nights when the Sheriff's Department shuts down The Trip for suspected drug use and disturbing the peace. Warhol's entourage remains in L.A. for awhile before leaving to appear at Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco on May 27. Consequently, The Doors never get the opportunity to open the show.




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