school and hitchhike back to San Francisco with them. Later he would bring her to the attention of Big Brother and the Holding Company. Arrival in San Francisco After arriving in San Francisco in 1962, he scrounged a living in various ways, including selling marijuana, an occupation that caused him to go to a boardinghouse at 1090 Page Street. The house was in Haight-Ashbury, then a rundown, low-rent neighborhood. Having met many musicians in his trade, and appreciating the vibrant music scene in San Francisco, he instinctively recognized the need for a forum for musicians to play music together. When he saw the large basement at Page Street, he began arranging jam sessions for the local bands and musicians. Helms, an astute organizer, made those sessions popular and started charging an admission fee of 50 cents. His career as a rock concert promoter began. Big Brother and the Holding Company formed and Helms functioned as their informal manager. He teamed up Janis Joplin with Big Brother for music sessions in the Haight-Ashbury basement. Family Dog Productions Founding In February 1966 he formed a loose connection with the Family Dog at 2125 Pine Street, a hippie commune, which hosted dances and events. Helms was the ideal person to help this group organize their presentations and he moved into the Family Dog house. Their first formal production was a concert at Longshoremen's Hall. In February 1966, Helms formally founded Family Dog Productions to begin promoting concerts at The Fillmore Auditorium, alternating weekends with another young promoter, Bill Graham. Helms was instrumental in introducing Bill Graham to the nascent music scene in the Haight Asbury District of S.F. Helms was nurturing when Graham caught wind of the excitement Helms was creating and promoting. As the concerts became more popular, inevitable "conflicts" arose between the two promoters. Chet's style was "easy-going, mellow, soft-tempered until pushed." Graham's style was more driven. Within a few months Helms secured the permits necessary to host events at the Avalon Ballroom, an old dancehall at 1268 Sutter Street, on the corner of Sutter and Van Ness. Big Brother and the Holding Company debuted there in June 1966. Later Helms would get them the appearance that made them famous, the Monterey Pop Festival, where Albert Grossman spotted Joplin and offered her a contract. Family Dog Concerts In the context of the Avalon's "anti-business model" and loose ambience, Helms' Family Dog