Molly Ayala
The Electric Factory, a music venue in Philadelphia, was sold to AEG and The Bowery Presents in 2018, marking the end of an era for the iconic club. The Electric Factory name and logo, which featured Ben Franklin, could not be retained due to licensing issues with the previous owner, Live Nation. Bowery Presents temporarily renamed the venue North Seventh, and a public naming contest was held to decide on a new name. The winning entry was Franklin Music Hall, and four lucky fans who submitted the name received complimentary tickets for two years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Former name | Electric Factory |
| New name | Franklin Music Hall |
| Former location | 22nd and Arch Streets |
| Current location | 421 N. 7th St. |
| Year opened | 1968 |
| Year closed | 1970 |
| Year reopened | 1995 |
| Former owner | Larry Magid |
| Former co-owner | Adam Spivak |
| New owner | Bowery Presents |
| Parent company | AEG |
| Venue type | Concert venue |
| Venue capacity | 2,500-3,000 |
| Music genres | Rap, electronic, heavy metal, rock, grunge, pop |
| Notable performers | The Chambers Brothers, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, St. Vincent, Little Steven, Yeah Yeah Yeahs |
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What You'll Learn
The Electric Factory was renamed Franklin Music Hall
The Electric Factory, a music venue in Philadelphia, was renamed Franklin Music Hall in 2018. The Electric Factory was an integral part of the Philadelphia music scene for 50 years, hosting acts such as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Elton John, St. Vincent, and Little Steven. The venue was first opened in 1968 by Sheldon Kaplan, Herbert Spivak, Jerry Spivak, Allen Spivak, and Larry Magid.
In 2018, Larry Magid and his business partner Adam Spivak sold the Electric Factory to Bowery Presents, a subsidiary of the concert company AEG Presents. Bowery Presents was unable to acquire the rights to the Electric Factory name, which were owned by Live Nation, so they decided to rename the venue. Initially, the venue was temporarily renamed North Seventh, but Bowery Presents launched a naming contest to involve the public in choosing a new name.
The winning submission for the new name was Franklin Music Hall, which was suggested by four different entrants to the contest. The new name pays homage to Benjamin Franklin, a beloved figure in Philadelphia. The four winners of the naming contest received complimentary tickets to shows at the venue.
The Electric Factory's legacy as a renowned music venue in Philadelphia continues under its new name, Franklin Music Hall, and it remains a popular destination for music lovers in the city.
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The Electric Factory's new owners
The Electric Factory, a historic music venue in Philadelphia, was sold to a new owner in 2018, bringing an end to its 50-year legacy. The venue, which played a significant role in shaping Philadelphia's rich musical heritage, was acquired by a New York-based concert promotion and venue management company, The Bowery Presents, a subsidiary of AEG Presents.
The Bowery Presents, which owns other Philadelphia venues such as Union Transfer and the Boot & Saddle, purchased The Electric Factory from its previous owners, Larry Magid and Adam Spivak, for an undisclosed sum. Magid, a Philadelphia promoter, had redeveloped the building, originally a General Electric plant, into a concert venue in 1994. The Electric Factory hosted legendary acts such as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and Elton John, and was an integral part of Philadelphia's counterculture and music scene.
Following the sale, The Bowery Presents announced that the venue would be renamed due to restrictions by the previous owner, Live Nation, which held the rights to the Electric Factory name and logo. Live Nation, the world's leading promoter, had acquired the trademark through a series of mergers and acquisitions in the 1990s. Bowery Presents temporarily named the venue North Seventh, referencing its location on North 7th Street, while seeking a permanent name through a public naming contest.
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The Electric Factory's history
The Electric Factory was a concert venue and club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that played a significant role in the city's music scene for 50 years. The original Electric Factory was located at 22nd and Arch Streets and was open from 1968 to 1970 (some sources say 1971). It was owned by Sheldon Kaplan, Herbert Spivak, his brother Jerry Spivak, and Allen Spivak. The venue hosted performances by iconic acts such as The Chambers Brothers, Jimi Hendrix, and The Who.
In 1973, the original Electric Factory was torn down and replaced by condominiums. However, in 1995, Larry Magid, a Philadelphia promoter, re-opened the Electric Factory in a new location at 7th and Willow Street. This new venue was a converted building from the General Electric Switchgear Plant. The Electric Factory continued to host notable musical acts across various genres, including rock, electronic, and pop.
In 2018, the Electric Factory was sold to The Bowery Presents, a New York-based company, for an undisclosed sum. However, the trademarked name "Electric Factory" was owned by rival Live Nation, which did not relinquish the rights to the name and logo. As a result, the new owners temporarily renamed the venue "North Seventh" and launched a public naming contest to choose a permanent new name.
The contest yielded over 5,000 submissions, and the venue was eventually renamed Franklin Music Hall. The new name was suggested by four different submissions, and the winners received complimentary tickets to shows at the venue. Despite the name change, the Electric Factory's impact on Philadelphia's music scene remains a significant part of the city's cultural history.
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The Electric Factory's impact on the Philadelphia music scene
The Electric Factory, now known as Franklin Music Hall, has had a significant impact on the Philadelphia music scene. When it first opened its doors in February 1968, it quickly became a staple of live music performance in the city. At a time when Philadelphia offered a range of venues for jazz, blues, soul, rhythm & blues, and rock, the Electric Factory stood out and made an immediate impact, with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Cream performing in its first three months.
The Electric Factory Concerts (EFC) soon followed, and the venue became the largest popular music promoter in the United States. EFC organised the three-day Atlantic City Pop Festival in 1969, just before Woodstock, further solidifying the Electric Factory's place in Philadelphia's music scene. The venue also hosted performances by The Chambers Brothers and The Who during its early years.
The Electric Factory's original location at 22nd and Arch Streets operated until 1970. It then reopened in 1995 at 7th and Willow Street, in a converted building from the General Electric Switchgear Plant. The new location continued to host renowned artists, including Jimi Hendrix, who returned to the Electric Factory stage. In 1995, it was renamed Franklin Music Hall after a fan contest, with the new name paying homage to Benjamin Franklin, one of Philadelphia's most iconic public figures.
The venue has been described as a "cornerstone of the city's music scene" and has played a significant role in shaping and showcasing major musical acts over the last 50 years. It has hosted both up-and-coming artists and established acts looking to reboot their careers, including Frank Zappa, Van Morrison, and Rod Stewart. The Electric Factory's impact extended beyond just the performances it hosted; it also influenced generations of music tastes and the concert experience, leaving a lasting legacy on Philadelphia's musical landscape.
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The Electric Factory's replacement venue
The Electric Factory, a music venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been a significant part of the city's music scene for 50 years. The venue has hosted performances by artists such as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and Elton John. In 2018, the Electric Factory was sold, and with it, the rights to its name and logo. As a result, the new owners, Bowery Presents, a New York-based company, decided to rename the venue through a fan contest.
The Franklin Music Hall is located in a converted building that was once part of the General Electric Switchgear Plant. It has a capacity of between 2,500 and 3,000 people and is owned and operated by Bowery Presents. The venue features a variety of musical acts, including rap, electronic, heavy metal, rock, grunge, and pop.
The Electric Factory's original location was at 22nd and Arch Streets, and it operated from 1968 to 1970. The venue was then reopened in 1995 at 7th and Willow Streets, where it continued to host notable musical acts until its sale in 2018.
While the name has changed, the Franklin Music Hall continues to be a prominent music venue in Philadelphia, carrying on the legacy of the Electric Factory and its impact on the city's musical heritage.
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Frequently asked questions
The Electric Factory was a music venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that hosted acts such as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and Elton John.
The Electric Factory changed its name because its trademark was owned by Live Nation, a rival of the new owner, Bowery Presents. Bowery Presents temporarily renamed it North Seventh and then Franklin Music Hall after a fan contest.
The Electric Factory is now called Franklin Music Hall.
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