Winterland began life around 1919 as a huge skating rink with seats ringing the venue at ice and balcony levels. Looking like a Roman coliseum with a capacity of about 5,400, Winterland's acts played literally at center stage, and patrons could sit or dance as the spirit moved them. In the early days of rock concerts, Bill Graham and his staff would haul the equipment from the original Fillmore after the Thursday night show and set up at Winterland for the Friday and Saturday concerts. Winterland's capacity and layout made playing to larger crowds both possible and appealing to rock promoters, and Graham was among the first to recognize the potential of larger venues.