Robert Fripp, lecture/demonstration, Frippertronics tour, Stony Brook University. March 11, 1983.
If you could, what live performances would you enjoy re-living?
I have interest in hearing about yours. I can think of some great concerts over the years in many great buildings, from Hancher in Iowa City, to Fisher Hall in New York, to some bars in Copenhagen.
Something I have noticed....performers have times they are more "on" just like us, and it can make their concerts be perceived at different levels. I know the three times I saw Jackson Browne, each was much different and most of that was his intent. Having a good sized group with very talented back up singers to the time I saw him solo....all great, but very different. He is a better guitar player than he may be given credit for.
The live Jazz I have been to in NYC is near the top. Sweet Basil and the Blue Note through the years have been very good to me, but in a much different vein, the lakefront festivals in Milwaukee are a somewhat unknown to most of America.
I did see a few artists before their success and fame, saw a famous British singer at a bar in Rapid City many years ago..and he has done well since.
Take care,
Something I have noticed....performers have times they are more "on" just like us, and it can make their concerts be perceived at different levels. I know the three times I saw Jackson Browne, each was much different and most of that was his intent. Having a good sized group with very talented back up singers to the time I saw him solo....all great, but very different. He is a better guitar player than he may be given credit for.
The live Jazz I have been to in NYC is near the top. Sweet Basil and the Blue Note through the years have been very good to me, but in a much different vein, the lakefront festivals in Milwaukee are a somewhat unknown to most of America.
I did see a few artists before their success and fame, saw a famous British singer at a bar in Rapid City many years ago..and he has done well since.
Take care,
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Jethro Tull playing all of Aqualung at the Schaefer Music Festival/Wollman Rink/Central Park/NYC in August 1970. That was a Monday night show at 8 PM - in fact the first show Tull played that day was at 2 PM! I believe this was before Aqualung was released for sale! I and the audience sat with rapt attention in drizzling rain! |
Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band opened for by It's a Beautiful Day, circa 1971 at the (abandoned) Fox West Coast Theater in Long Beach, California. The Mothers at the Phoenix Star Theater, circa 1968 (shortly after the release of "Freak Out"). Rotating stage and a "theater in the round" format. Another was Jethro Tull at the Phoenix College Gym somewhere around 1969. Open seating on the floor. I also have extremely fond memories of Blodwyn Pig at the Splinter Brothers and Sisters Warehouse (yet another abandoned building) in Phoenix, also circa 1969. Open floor standing/seating. Another music venue I really do miss are the 1960s "underground radio" stations (e.g., KCAC and KDKB in Phoenix). Free-form and whatever the DJ was in the mood for playing. No commercials. Hours long sessions. No interruptions. No excessive gabbing. Interesting goings on in the broadcast rooms when the microphones were off and the music was playing. Concert warnings, "Don't come bust-able or you're going to get burned" and so on and on. |
Charles Lloyd at the Village Vanguard around 1978 or so. Just an incredible evening! -- though he is always inspiring. Oh, and I just thought of Leon Thomas, singing at CBGB (yes, that one) around the same time, maybe a few years earlier. What verve! The band had both a drummer and a percussionist that night; wonderful. And one I didn’t attend, but would have loved to have been a fly on the wall: The historical evening of string quartets with the following personnel: First Violin: Joseph Haydn Second Violin: Baron Dittersdorf Violoncello: Johann Vanhal Viola: W. A. Mozart. |
there are many, but four immediately come to mind keith jarrett trio w peacock and dejohnette at san fran masonic center roughly 2008 - played three encores, we sat in 10th row could hear the instruments without amplification dianne reeves and her band at sf herbst theater in 2011 she was performing brazilian music ... lovely concert, then for the last two numbers and encore, she sang with acoustic guitarist romero lubambo without microphones... it was an awesome experience to hear the natural sound in a beautiful hall bobby mcferrin with a full choir at herbst in 2012 - he orchestrated the voices and did his amazing thing... stunning artistry and naturalness of massed voices in amazing improvised arrangements, we visited with him afterwards with my family and a friends, he did a little sing along with the kids after, just amazing ... he is an angel walking this earth with us chick corea and bela fleck at the sonoma state university green center in 2015 just awesome artistry and skill |
@roberjerman, you left out Mickey Waller on drums! I too saw that lineup, at the original Fillmore in San Francisco. I’d love to revisit seeing The Beatles at The Cow Palace (S. SF) in ’65, The Who at The Carousel Ballroom (I think) performing A Quick One in ’68, Leonard Cohen at The Universal Amphitheater in L.A. (very dramatic!), Rockpile at The Country Club in Reseda, Little Village on a soundstage in Burbank, Dave Edmunds at one of the big NYC clubs (The Ritz?), Marshall Crenshaw at same, and Big Joe Turner backed by The Blasters at Club Lingerie on Sunset Blvd. The one I wish I hadn't missed was seeing Moby Grape live. |
...as an unusual side note, When I saw James Taylor and then Jackson Browne, one of the backup singers was Valerie Carter...and as Steve Winwood sang "Valerie" and as Jackson Browne sang "that girl could sing". Her cd, "Wild Child" is worth a listen. I don’t know about youtube or any other sample you could do online. Valerie died and she never had the fame or sales she deserved. I may do a post in alerting other A’goN members to this singer? https://www.amazon.com/s?k=valerie+carter&ref=nb_sb_noss_2 |
I saw the original Jeff Beck group in July 1969. Schaefer Music Festival - Wollman Rink - Central Park, NYC. Monday 2 PM. Tickets $1.50 each! Jeff Beck played two Gibson Les Paul's - a gold one and a black one. Marshall stack. Rod Stewart sang and wore a pink jacket and green pants. Nicky Hopkins played piano. Ron Wood played bass. The music was all of Truth and Beck-Ola. No encore. The last song was "Rice Pudding" from Beck-Ola. This particular version of the Jeff Beck Group broke up at the end of July '69! |
