The Main Point

This article is about the coffeehouse. For the settlement in Canada, see Main Point, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Main Point was a small coffeehouse venue on Lancaster Ave. in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The club was known for its small intimate atmosphere and low ticket prices. It hosted performers such as Livingston Taylor, Kate Taylor, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, David Bromberg, John Prine, Jimmy Buffett, Allen Ginsberg, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Billy Joel, The Stone Poneys with Linda Ronstadt, Dan Fogelberg, Jim Croce, Cat Stevens, Jonathan Edwards, Steve Gillette, Tim Hardin, Deodato, Bill Withers, Arlo Guthrie, Don McLean, Joni Mitchell, Odetta, Blind Faith, Laura Nyro, Phil Ochs, Jimmy Webb, Spencer Davis, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Emitt Rhodes, Elton John, Richie Havens, Maynard Ferguson, Janis Ian, Mandrake Memorial, Elizabeth, Warren Zevon, Doc Watson, Edgar Winter, Loudon Wainwright III, Tom Rush, Tom Waits, Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, Dave Van Ronk, John Mayall, Stevie Wonder, Leonard Cohen, and Martin Mull and His Fabulous Furniture, Tim Buckley, Luther Allison, and The Strawbs. Additional performers: Ramblin Jack Elliot, Len Chandler, Michael Cooney, John Pilla, Rick Von Schmidt, Eric Andersen, James Cotton, Merle Watson, Leon Redbone and Tom Paxton. The Main Point also offered performances by classic folk, blues, bluegrass and country legends to younger audiences. Through the 1970s the Main Point was the place to hear local folk rock acts from the Delaware Valley area, including Alchemy, Wire & Wood and Daniels, Mason & McGowan.

History

The Main Point was formed in 1964 by Jeanette and Bill Campbell and several others inspired by the Philadelphia Folk Festival, as a small folk-based coffeehouse venue. By that fall, the ownership was shared by Jeanette Campbell, Bill Campbell, and new co-owner, Bill Scarborough. Scarborough was the Main Point’s booking director from 1964-1975. When asked at a peak in the Main Point’s success how he made booking decisions, Scarborough cited several factors but admitted that occasionally his own musical tastes influenced him. “I think that the booking of a singer named Bruce Springsteen is the best example I can give you of personal taste and hunch entering into my final choice. Here was a new act out of nowhere, who happened to sign with a major label (Columbia), and put out an album that reminded me of the best of Dylan. I decided to book him as a headliner, even though he was barely known. We did alright with him, but not as well as we’d hoped. I still feel, though, that he’s going to be a big star.” (The Sunday Bulletin, September 30, 1973) The venue was popular among both musicians and listeners. Dan Fogelberg cited the venue as one of his two favorite places to perform.^[1]

David Fricke, writer for RollingStone Magazine, was promotion director in the mid 1970s.

The venue was popular for not only its music, but also for its homemade food and homebaked goods. The venue constantly ran into financial troubles related to its intimate size (ironically, its size was what made it so popular). Musicians gave benefit concerts for the coffeehouse to help it out of its financial straits. Some of these concerts were broadcast over the local progressive rock radio station WMMR, and many well known bootleg recordings have been made from these performances. The Main Point finally closed its doors in 1981.

The Point

The Point, the successor to The Main Point, was opened two doors down from the original Main Point in 1998. It was located at 880 W Lancaster Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010. ^[2] It was owned and operated by Richard Kardon. The Point lost its lease and closed in June 2005. Point Entertainment (Kardon and talent buyer Jesse Lundy) continues to book shows around the greater Philadelphia area; they have booked talent for the Philadelphia Folk Festival from 2008 through 2015.

Concerts

The caliber of the performers, coupled with the intimate venue, resulted in many memorable performances. On February 5, 1974, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band played for 160 minutes, offering epic versions of "New York City Serenade" and "For You". The concert also featured the first live performance of "Thunder Road", under its earlier title, "Wings for Wheels". The concert was given as a benefit, broadcast over WMMR, and hosted by deejay Ed Sciaky. Later that year, Jackson Browne and David Lindley also performed in a series of benefits for the struggling club.

References

External links

Coordinates: 40°01′21″N 75°19′15″W / 40.02250°N 75.32083°W / 40.02250; -75.32083

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