Here are much-needed true archival reports on the concerts, music and culture in and around Los Angeles during the classic rock concert era: '65-'75 by someone whose life, heart and soul couldn't have been at a better place in time than in my late teens in the late '60s. Plus continued concert reviews from '75 right up to the present that benefit from the credibility of one who saw it all. Whew!
INTRODUCTION
The following are archival reports of concerts and concert-going from someone who was very fortunate to experience them personally. No embellishments were needed. We were all aware that the times were special, but were having too much fun to fully appreciate the magnitude of music history we were witnessing. We were living it! Through hindsight one can truly appreciate the cultural peak of the entire music scene and concerts specifically, from the mid-'60s up to the mid-'70s. This was an incredible time for all us music-loving concert-going fiends! In 1969 I was 18 and had an art job for the Government near LAX; on the opposite end of the country was Woodstock, so I missed-out. I made up for it by going to see as many rock icons as possible when they played L.A. I have included an LP cover or handbill header indicating material popular at the time or featured on tour. In many cases, these concerts were performed at the creative height of the artist/ bands' careers when they were making history! Although I have always had an extremely broad interest in music, you'll see that for a glorious decade Rock Ruled Supreme! And for a short period prior to big business smelling the money in our music; concert tickets were scaled anywhere from $ .50 up to the outrageous $7.50! Remember, that although much of the music of this era is considered classic now and served as the basis for all that came after; we were hearing this music, these songs, for the first time, it was new uncharted territory! There were no precedents!* Try and put yourself in this frame of mind; you have never heard the Beatles, the Stones or the Who, no Dylan, Zeppelin or Doors, and no Hendrix, weird world, huh? Then imagine the fun, fresh, thrilling and wonderfully strange impact this music, the LPs and the concerts had on us. Everyday was a celebration, everyday held forth excitement just to be living during this mass evolvement of the youth culture. And music led the charge, and I followed. People say everyone remembers where they were when they first heard about JFK's assassination; well, that I don't recall, but I do know exactly where I was the first time I heard Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone"! No apologies; I was, am and always will be a music fiend. As an artist I have had the luxury to control my environment and I can say that I've been listening to and enjoying music for the better part of the day for the better part of my life; and I'm definitely better for it!
Although most of these concert reviews are written in the first person, they generally reflect the universal reaction, enjoyment and feelings of the group of friends I ran with back then and could easily translate to include like feelings in many of our concert-going tribe during those high times.
For the record: That lame statement, "If you can remember the '60s, then you weren't there", is meant as a comment on memory loss due to the drug use of the era. The people that generally use this quote are those who sadly sat on the sidelines and therefore have no memories, while the rest of us were enjoying that precious fun time to its fullest and created memories. My memory of the '60's (and '70s) is vivid; I had my eyes open, my ears open and my mind open.
Terry L Lattimer 2007
*(African American Rhythm and Blues roots respectfully and rightfully-noted as the basis for all R 'n' R, R & B and Jazz. I refer to the cultural impact of this new music scene as a whole.)
SET ONE: 18 CLASSIC CONCERTS (1965-1970)
The Crossfires / The Turtles
1965 Westchester YMCA, L.A. (Capacity: 250)
I went to Westchester High (Westchester; "the home of LAX”; Los Angeles International Airport) and so did Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman of “the Crossfires”, a local instrumental dance band featuring raunchy sax and the "boss" surf music of the day. They were really good; their "Fiberglass Jungle" instrumental aggressively moves and slithers along while it growls its way from the surf to the night-time streets of the city and would have been perfect in the film, "Pulp Fiction". Very cool! Among other Southland venues, they played at the local "YMCA" dances. The two guys on the far left are Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan, the future "Florescent Leech & Eddie"; front men for Frank Zappa's “Mothers of Invention” and "200 Motels" film. Along with Volman and Kaylan most of the Crossfires band members went on to become extremely successful pop hit-makers as “the Turtles”.
Lineup: Kaylan (vocals, sax), Volman (vocals,sax), Al Nicho (lead guitar), Don Murray (drums), Chuck Portz (bass), Jim Pons (bass), Jim Barbata (drums), Jim Tucker (rhythm).
Epilogue: The Crossfires performances were energetic and great to dance to, I give them a 10!
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The Seeds
00-00-66 Manchester Recreation Center, L.A. (Capacity: 200)
To see a band live who had a hit single was a new experience for me. The live music for all the local "dances" were performed by decent local garage bands. Once in a while a name band would play locally; like The Music Machine, whose single, "Talk, Talk" along with Love's "7 and 7 is" are thee archetypes for pure, raw, hard, seminal punk rock! There were no songs like these before, these two songs didn't just kick ass, they obliterated it! As simple as the drumming on 'Talk, Talk" was, the sheer power it induced compelled me to get a drum kit, at any costs. At fifteen, that cost was that I had to take professional lessons,... from a woman. The artist/musician in me didn't care one way or the other, let's rock! Later in life I joined a traveling band, actually they joined me, as whatever domicile rental I had at the time was inhabited or frequented by musician friends. So I played drums with the "house" band, made up of whoever dropped by and wanted to join in for jams and covers. This was probably more entertaining to ourselves, but fun's fun and that we had for sure. Anyway I missed out on The Music Machine when they played locally, as well as, gulp, the Doors; rumored to have played across town at Darby Park Recreation Center. So, to see Sky Saxon and the Seeds was a great experience! "Pushin' Too Hard" was a current hit, and they did several new tunes from the yet released, "Web of Sound". I really dug the Seeds' psychedelic sound and punkish attitude. All the songs were totally bitchen and they rocked the Rec. "Pushin' Too Hard" was my first deja-vu song. The first time I heard it I recognized it, I knew it, I not only felt as though I had heard it repeatedly before, I had! I could anticipate the next words, the next beats and the next sounds exactly. It was as weird for me then as it is now. I've had several déjà vu songs since; the Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin" is one of them.
Epilogue: I cruised by the Recreation Center during April 2006 and it was just as it was 40 years ago, just an indoor basketball court with no seating and a recessed stage at one end of the court. It sure seemed bigger back then.
Lineup: The Seeds: Sky Saxon (vocals, harmonica, bass), Jan Savage (guitar), Daryl Hooper (piano, organ) and Rick Andridge (drums).
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The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band
06-00-67 Hollywood Palladium and Grounds, Hollywood
Caught these guys at the Teenage Fair held once yearly at the Hollywood Palladium. They performed inside a huge tent to control their light show; which included the then very psychedelic strobed expanding smoke bombs! As the WCPAEB performed, the strobe lights made their movements jerky and weird, then smoke bombs from behind the stage grew ever larger with each strobe illumination until the band was engulfed in a cloud that seemed alive! The cloud moved out over the audience in strobed monstrous leaps, all the while to live amplified psychedelic music! Fun, huh? After their performance we explored the rest of the Fair and went on that ride where you get inside a huge vertical cylinder and stand against the wall and the whole thing spins until the centrifugal force is such that they can drop the floor out from under you! The people across from you are pinned against the wall with no floor beneath them, just like you are! Fun, huh? That is until the floor buckles on the way back up! It soon became apparent that we were in trouble; they couldn't stop it or we'd all fall, so they slowed it down. Slowly, the weightier people began to slide down the side of the wall as gravity began to win out over centrifugal force but the lighter weight people still stayed against the wall! It finally came down to one little girl who was still up against the wall as we were still slowly spinning. She was assisted down finally and when the spinning stopped they lowered a ladder down into the cylinder so that we could climb up to the entrance/exit! Fun, huh?
Lineup: Michael Lloyd (vocals/guitar), Ron Morgan (lead guitar), Danny Harris (guitar), Shaun Harris (vocals/bass), Bob Markely (vocals), and either Hal Blaine or Jimmy Gordon (drums).
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The Doors
Steppenwolf
The Chambers Brothers
04-05-68 Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood (Capacity: 18,000)
All Time “Top 15” Concert Award
Now we start to get heavy; the Doors were a standout among legends. Their music was so distinctly different it cast a spell that turned the night into a strange new world. I never felt the same about the night after hearing the Doors first LP on tape at night riding in a car near the beach and suddenly I’m in this, this, unknown landscape in an unknown city with a weird, yet assuring vibe in the air; kind of like what it must feel like just before a criminal pulls a crime; invigorated, scared, but cool, …not that I’d personally have that knowledge but I could hazard a guess that it would be similar.
Prior to the Doors performance was Steppenwolf and sadly, I believe we arrived late, as I don't remember the Chambers Brothers performance, which actually pisses me off now that I think of it. At a little over a month of being 17 years old, I had no reliable transportation or steady funds, as I was still in high school with a part-time minimum wage job. This meant the reliance on others for timely transport. The most inexpensive and fun way to get from one place to another in those days was hitch-hiking; a perfectly normal form of transportation. Stick out your thumb and not only could you get a ride to or near your destination, but in some cases the trip and any side ones you experienced were more fun than the original plan. Hitch-hiking was actually harmless fun, no killers or rapists to fear, brotherly love prevailed, that’s what it was like for a while. Fast forward to the present: I found myself in need of “thumbing” to pick up my Jeep in the shop and I stood on the onramp to the 101 but no one would pick me up. I realized that to some I may appear to indeed be a serial killer; so I planned ahead, I held up a sign that said, “Brad and Angelina’s Wedding”, yet even then no one picked me up. I called a cab. Hitch-hiking days are over.
Anyway, led by John Kay's unique voice, Steppenwolf's leather/motorcycle image served them well as thee psychedelic hard-rock band of the day. Their imprint singles, "Born to be Wild", "Magic Carpet Ride" and "The Pusher" were big hits that were perfect for the times. In the years that followed, "Born to be Wild" was required to be inserted in every tenth movie released. Personally, I believe Steppenwolf hit their creative highpoint with their future LP, "Monster", a real classic full of social awareness and monster rockin’ tunes!
The Doors were more than a rock band, the Doors were an event. I knew I was in for something special. Their sound; I knew it like my own skin, every turn of each song, the mood it created and the way it made me feel; I was liberated by the Doors sound! Only now it was live, and as we all know Live Music Rules! We had pretty good seats, back a bit, just right of center. In the Doors world, they had their own unique vibe, probably the closest to ritual music, very otherworldly and dark, even the "up" songs came from a deep source that inhabits their sound. While focus is on the Lizard King, seeing the band live reinforces the fact that each members' contribution came from that same source. A unity of creativity of not just music but of mood is a rare formula. Like Hendrix; maybe the Doors as a group were yet another example that maybe you can't be that good and exist on this plane of existence for too long! I know, I know, then how does that explain all the truly excellent and gifted artists that are still with us today! Hey, when I'm given the power to be the Master of Space, Time and Reality, I'll get back to you on that one but until then I'll chronicle concerts. Filmed "Live at the Hollywood Bowl" during the Fourth of July weekend 1968, this is the only complete concert performance ever filmed of the Doors, so check out the video! I have not seen it yet, it would probably be fun, until I do I still have my memories of being present as The Doors, at their peak, performed their music for me and a sold out crowd.
Steppenwolf Lineup: John Kay (guitar and vocals), Goldy McJohn (keyboards), Jerry Edmonton (drums), Michael Monarch(guitar), Rushton Moreve (bass).
The Doors Lineup: Jim Morrison (vocals), Robby Krieger (guitar), Ray Manzarek (keyboards, some vocals), and John Densmore (drums).
The Doors Setlist: When the Music's Over, Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar), Backdoor Man, Five to One, Moonlight Drive, Horse Latitudes, from Celebration Of The Lizard (A Little Game, The Hill Dwellers), Spanish Caravan, The Unknown Soldier, Light My Fire, The End.
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Cream
Spirit
03-18-68 Anaheim Convention Center Arena, Anaheim (Capacity: 9,100)
All Time “Top 20” Award
Spirit was a local L.A./Topanga Canyon band, so to have them open for Cream was a real kick; hometown boys make good! I remember vividly their performance of "Fresh Garbage" and "Mechanical World" as well as Ed Cassidy's drum solo. Spirit were a bit ahead of the curve; these guys tapped into and presented an inventive and pioneering blend of musical styles and elements that would later serve as a career basis for other artists. Spirit organically blended hard rock and jazz-fusion with melodic interludes, great diverse vocals and lyrics that touched on social and ecological issues.
Our seats were mid-way back and mid-way up to the left of stage, you know the experience, you're there, the music, sound and performances are great but the band members are these brightly-lit featureless humanoids on stage. There were no huge monitor/screens to bring the artists closer to their less-fortunately seated fans back in '68. This concert has always left a definite “flavor” in my mind; it was/is one of those memories that also accompany a strong feeling from that time, mind you, virtually all music can have that effect for one reason or another, but this is sideways from that, more emblematic of a period-shift or state of mind shift. This was my first indoor arena concert and it seemed huge even though it was half the size of the Fabulous Forum, so relatively speaking these were good seats! The "Wheels of Fire" LP live cuts were featured and we were treated to lengthy jams plus "Sunshine of Your Love"; loved it! I was fortunate to experience live Cream! I mean this was Eric Clapton of the Yardbirds! I Loved the Yardbirds and am sad to say I never saw them live. The payoff of being able to experience all the historic concerts to come, was the sacrifice of not being born just a little sooner for the Sunset Strip/Olympic Auditorium days of Led Zep, the Doors, Hendrix, Zappa and more, I was just too young, no wheels, no money.
Spirit Lineup: Randy California (guitars, vocals), Jay Ferguson (vocals, percussion), Mark Andes (bass), John Locke (keyboards) and R. California’s stepdad Ed Cassidy (drums)
Cream Lineup: Eric Clapton (guitar), Jack Bruce (bass) and Ginger Baker (drums).
Incomplete Set List: Spoonful, Sunshine of Your Love, Rollin’ & Tumblin', Stepping Out, Traintime, Toad, I’m So Glad.
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Blue Cheer
08-03-68 1st Annual Newport Pop Festival, O.C. Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa
My girlfriend and I doubled with another couple; which kinda cut the day short, - but not before seeing Blue Cheer up close as they decimated the audience with "Summertime Blues". Blue Cheer, named after a popular run of Owsley LSD, were the first hard rock punk power trio and are now widely-recognized as pioneers of heavy metal. Some of the events from the day of this festival are chronicled in the true-life short story, “Supernatural Summertime Blues” at this site under “Short Stories”.
I really liked this album; the other cuts were just as savage; “Parchment Farm”, “Out of Focus” and “Doctor, Please”.
Lineup: Leigh Stephens (guitar), Dickie Peterson (bass/vocalist) and Paul Whaley (drums).
Trippy Note: We stopped off at the "Nu Pike" in Long Beach on the way home from the Festival and rode the Cyclone rollercoaster; a few weeks later they shut it down. So who decides which ride is the last one before it's condemned?
"Zeitgeist": Original "Vincebus Eruptum" cover art was printed on a "metallic" background similar to the semi-reflective foil background of Cream's "Wheels Of Fire"LP and both "Steppenwolf 1&2" all released in '68. Album art converted to "silver" gray backgrounds in later pressings.
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Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company
Iron Butterfly
Fraternity of Man
09-06-68 Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood (Capacity: 18,000)
Frat of Man had the hit, "Don't Bogart that Joint (my friend)"; a stoney, corny and fun song that was appropriately quoted on many real-life occasions.
Iron Butterfly were pioneers of the psychedelic heavy metal sound, their name evoked (Iron) heavy (Butterfly) melodic and the bass vocals of their distinct sound were the precursor to the heavy-metal growl of today and provided the blueprint-style for what would follow, just listen to Unconscious power”. They performed "In-a-Gadda-da-Vida" which was an instant classic then and in which the opening sequence is used now as Pavlovian representation of the Drug Culture Scene of the ‘60s! Pretty impressive to lock onto a few bars that say so much; even if mostly used for comedic effect.
The "Cheap Thrills" album was a personal favorite, played it all the time, both sides, perfect for the times; honest bluesy live rock that seemed to come from the past and the future at the same time. My images of Janis performing are burned into memory; that night, Janis and Big Brother provided “Cheap Thrills" for the fans at the Bowl! I loved Janis' spirit and voice, wow! As with Janis, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix, I was aware that I was experiencing something special, we all did, and never thought it would end. I was witnessing truly rare moments of rock history by true rock legends. Whew!
IB Lineup: Doug Ingle (keyboards and vocals), Lee Dorman (bass guitar), Erik Braun (guitar) Ron Bushy (drums).
BB Lineup: Janis Joplin (vocals), Sam Andrew (guitar), James Gurley (guitar), Peter Albin (bass) and David Getz (drums).
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Canned Heat
Dr. John, the Night Tripper (guest pianist)
00-00-68 the Ashgrove, West L.A.
A group of us had front row seats at the Ashgrove, the little coffee house that became thee club of the day which nearly every folk/rock hero performed. Dr. John, the Night Tripper (Mac Rebeneck) was sitting-in on piano with Canned Heat and nodded-out during one of the songs, but not from boredom. Bob Hite asked my buddy to tell a joke while they rousted the good Doctor. The "Gris-gris" LP was, and still is, a top all-time fave of mine and "Walk on Gilded Splinters" easily within my personal top fifty all time singles! I remember many late nights listening to the Bayou Chants of Dr. John, the Night Tripper while imbibing in ritual smoke.
Canned Heat were a local L.A./ Topanga Canyon band that boogied! The whole original group was there; Al "Blind Owl" Wilson, Bob "Bear" Hite, Larry Taylor and Harvey Mandel. We had fun. I just saw Harvey Mandel at the Sunset Strip House Of Blues early 2006, thirty seven years later and he’s still delivering smoldering effortless righteous guitar-god solos.
Lineup: Alan Wilson (vocals, silde guitar, harmonica); Bob Hite (vocals); Henry Vestine (guitar); Larry Taylor (bass); Fito De La Parra (drums).
Setlist Included; Goin’ Up the Country, Refried Boogie, On the Road Again.
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John Mayall
00-00-69 Shrine Auditorium, L.A.
Another legend, John Mayall was a favorite of ours and all self-respecting blues fan as the leader of the original first wave of English Bluesman. Mayall's genius extended from heartfelt harp, vocals and compositions to his eye/ear for talent by recruiting into this iconic “Bluesbreakers” rock's top list of Gods and Journeymen with seriously, far too many to name here. Ok, here's a few; Mick Taylor (the Stones), Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac), Mick Fleetwood, Harvey Mandel, Eric Clapton, Aynsley Dunbar (Mothers of Invention), John McVie (Fleetwood Mac), Jimmy McCulloch (Thunderclap Newman, Wings), Keef Hartley, Larry Taylor (Canned Heat), Andy Fraser (Free) and Jack Bruce.
We loved "The Turning Point" LP and it is considered by many to be Mayall's turning point as well; toward jazz-flavored blues, so it was great to see him live for this new level of creativity!
Lineup: John Mayall (vocals, harmonica, guitar, tambourine, mouth percussion), Johnny Almond (alto & tenor sax, flute, mouth percussion), Jon Mark (guitar), Steve Thompson (bass).
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Jimi Hendrix
06-21-69 Newport Pop Festival at Devonshire Downs, Northridge
Honorary Jimi Hendrix Concert Award
Jimi gets an award ‘cuz he’s Jimi! We used to have a saying that there were two events where mandatory hallucinogenics were to be administered; the Fourth of July and any Jimi Hendrix concert. I hitch-hiked to this concert with a guy I didn’t really hang with too much and the timing was unknown so I wisely refrained as I didn’t even know if I’d get to see Jimi. Fatefully, we arrived just prior to Jimi taking the stage and by then the fences were down, we took advantage, and if I remember correctly I heard something about a "free concert" in the air. It was a little after dusk when Jimi took the stageJimi did a fiery rendition of "Stone Free" that went into an extended “Are you experienced?” then back into "Stone Free"! "Experiencing" Jimi was a high unto itself! I would only see Jimi one more time before he left us - I was thankful to have arrived just in time for his performance.
Lineup: Jimi Hendrix (guitar, vocal) Eric Burdon (vocal), Bonnie Bramlett (vocal), Cornelius Flowers & Terry Clements (saxophones), Brad Campbell (bass), Lee Oskar (harmonica) and Buddy Miles (drums).
Setlist: Stone Free/Are You Experienced?/Stone Free (reprise), The Sunshine of Your Love, Fire, Hear My Train A-Comin', Red House, Foxy Lady, Like a Rolling Stone, Voodoo Child (Slight Return), Drum Solo (Buddy Miles), Purple Haze.
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Led Zeppelin
Jethro Tull
08-09-69 Anaheim Convention Center Arena, Anaheim (Capacity: 9,100)
All Time “Top 10” Concert Award
Fun, fun, fun! This is what a concert is all about! We still talk about this one to this day! Sometimes everything comes together; every high connects with the next and you're feeling too good for a human! This was one of those nights; unusually great seats; by unusual I mean we were sitting just above stage level but sort of behind to the right of the stage. You may say, those don't sound good - but they were unusually good! From where our seats were the viewpoint was like being on stage, we could see out into the sea of music fiends who filled the arena and since our level was sort of like a balcony-effect we were really close to the band as well! It was awesome! We had a lot of fun!
Tull focused their set on their newly released LP, "Stand Up". Ian's physical prowess and body acrobatics while playing the flute created some very cool visuals and sounds that tripped everyone out. Our group was really into the Tull sound with their blend of blues and medieval renaissance rock. The fans were extremely enthusiastic, so when Led Zeppelin took the stage the crowd was in such a good mood that Page, Plant, Bonham and Jones took the cue and jacked-up the performance - overwhelming everyone! Jimmy was on our side and favored us much of the time while performing. The party vibe was over the top, everyone was having a great time! This was when it was all new - for all of us – those days were magic! At one point, during "Dazed and Confused" the house lights went up and the crowd went nuts! Jimmy would do the violin bow thing on his guitar and point off in the distance with the bow, then an echo would blast through the speakers! We were freakin' out, too cool, he'd do it again and point in another direction and that echo blasted through the speakers! We were havin' fun! The combination of the crowd and Led Zeppelin nearly blew the roof! We were experiencing a mass jam party! The holy grail of rock concerts! An all around world-class rock ‘n’ roll concert-going experience! By the time Led Zep exploded on stage with the encore; Communication Breakdown, the place was nuts! Plus this was taking place at the most energetic time in each band’s career (each with hot first LPs out) and probably the most fun, for just like us, they were experiencing these highs for the first time too!
JT Lineup: Ian Anderson (vocals, flute), Martin Barre (guitar), Glen Cornick (bass) and Clive Bunker (drums).
JT Setlist: My Sunday Feeling, Bourée, Back To The Family, A New Day Yesterday, Fat Man, Instrumental, Dharma For One, Nothing Is Easy.
LZ Lineup: Jimmy Page (guitar) Robert Plant (vocals), Jon Paul Jones (bass) and Jon Bonham (drums).
LZ Setlist: The Train Kept a Rollin’, I Can’t Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, White Summer, Black Mountain Side, How Many More Times (medley).
Encore: Communication Breakdown
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Blind Faith
08-15-69 Fabulous Forum, Inglewood (Capacity: 17,000)
Once again, a big slice of rock history, lightning struck, one LP, one tour, then gone forever. I dug Stevie Winwood’s style great blues voice and already impressive at age nineteen with the Spencer Davis Group; (Gimme Some Lovin’, Keep On Running, I’m A Man) then with Dave Mason, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood in their very unique, psychedelic band, Traffic. Meanwhile, Cream, the first "supergroup" power trio had just completed their farewell tour and Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker were back on the road a year later with a "super" supergroup consisting of the previously mentioned Winwood and Rich Grech from the group “ Family”. This created a highly definable sound with a nice blend of each artist's influence. Blind Faith justified excitement! We were really looking forward to this concert! The onstage rapport between the band members seemed good; we weren’t privy to their apprehensions from lack of material and rehearsal time for the tour; and if there was any apprehension they didn't show it. If they only knew that they could have preformed anything and the fans would be thrilled just to have this talent live onstage!
The import cover, which seemed (and was) innocent enough at the time, would get people arrested today. This is a good example of the contradictive English morals; English Import LP covers, newspapers and ads, etc. were always less concerned with nudity while at the same time they were/are one of the most sexually repressed societies! Still, during a period of free sex, skinny-dipping, Woodstock, open nudity, more free sex, and uninhibited behavior everywhere, the fact that you’d run into nude kids and possibly nude parents was no big. I mean, people were nude everywhere in those days, the more uninhibited the atmosphere the more it allowed everyone to be who they were – or wanted to be. At the other end of the spectrum; we dressed up a lot then and the whole hippie attire was fun, tribal, cool, and it was a subversive and enjoyable way to make a profound statement that no matter how outrageous, everyone was accepted, “do your thing” wasn’t a slogan it was a way of life. To be truly hip was to accept anyone and everyone for whom they were, naturally, from the heart. It wasn’t hard to do certainly not when you could feel it from others. Stop and think about that; there was actually a time when among the young and young at heart we embraced and celebrated diversity, in fact, the more the merrier! I’ve heard it said that the period of time that true brotherly love existed; acceptance and non-judgmental openness, was for only about eighteen months, but the time ramping up to that beginning and the downward signs of sinister movement within our culture seemed to me like about three years. No, this is not a Steve Martin “The Jerk” bit, just a comment on the fact that it’s generally felt that Manson and Altamont were the icons for the end of the ‘60s, but actually it began earlier, on the day a brother opened his home to another brother to crash (a place to sleep for the night) only to find out the next morning that he’d been ripped off. This began the domino effect of distrust. Sad, but inevitable, that someone would eventually take advantage; I bring up these downers because the Tate murders by the Manson family took place barely a week before this concert. I’ll have to admit that I do have a weird imprint from that specific time that’s hard to shake. Manson, who seemed to the world to represent the hippie stereotype, fulfilled all the fears the straights had of the potential madness hippies had bubbling under their drug-crazed, sex-fiend surface. Shit! The “poster boy” for “hippies” was 180 degrees from the truth, yet it seemed like America was relieved to have this “mad icon” represent a whole culture. And there was nothing we could do about it.
Lineup: Stevie Winwood (vocals, guitar, piano, organ, bass), Eric Clapton (vocals, guitar), Rick Grech (violin, bass) and Ginger Baker (drums, percussion).
Setlist: Well Alright, Can't Find My Way Home, Had to Cry Today, Crossroads, Presence of the Lord, Means to an End, Do What You Like.
Trippy Note: Approximately 3 decades later, I caught up with a friend who resided in the Santa Barbara area and told me his son was taking drum lessons from Ginger who had moved there! Where was he back when I needed lessons? (See: the Seeds 1966 concert review.)
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Rolling Stones
Ike & Tina Turner Revue
11-08-69 (first show) Fabulous Forum, Inglewood (Capacity: 17,000)
The question is not, "Are you a Beatles or Elvis fan?" (apples and oranges), the question is, "Are you a Beatles or Stones fan?" (apples and bad apples). I had only five Beatles LPs; "Meet", "Pepper's", "Magical", "Abbey" and "the White album", of those "Abbey" was the only one that I played a lot. On the other hand I virtually had all the Stones LPs; up to and including "Exile" and all were on heavy rotation. The Rolling Stones are the World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band in the truest sense; they represent all that rock 'n' roll should be and can be. Back in 1965, the first time I heard "Satisfaction" on the radio, it was as if a hard rock/funk ten ton carnival of liberating fun with jet engines flew in, hovered and then left town! What was that sound?! It was the sound of "Satisfaction"; it was the best! "Satisfaction" debuted on the "Boss 30" 93 KHJ radio here in L.A. at Number One! That was unheard of; no one had ever done that before! But that was justified; this was visceral, down and dirty raw classic rock ‘n’ roll! The Stones were here for the long haul and history proved it; 37 years later their recent tour in 2006 took in more revenue and was seen by more people than any other band on the planet! Back here in 1969 we were rockin’ to a terrific concert, at least for those of us that attended the first show of the evening. Because of “overwhelming demand”, two concerts were scheduled to take place on the same evening. The first show started way late, which was a bit of a bummer. I was dating a girl from my art class whose claim to fame was that she had been a “Bachelorette” on the “Dating Game”; a wildly popular TV game show back then. She was impressed that we were about to see the Stones, but that waned as we sat well over an hour, in semi-nosebleed seats I might add, before Ike and Tina hit the stage. This caused the second show to start well past midnight. I remember coming out of the concert seeing the zombie-fried faces of the fans whose acid-prepped concert plans melted into a three hour wait outside while they peaked and crashed before ever hearing a note. Bummer. On the bright side, we were not one of them. Inside, Tina Turner exploded with energy, enjoying her "Proud Mary"-era of popularity, the first in a series of stellar career turns that reached a zenith in the 80s, with her “Private Dancer” LP and starring role in “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome”.
Mick and the boys were in fine form and pretty much ripped through the concert, but we understood why and that was OK because we were treated to an absolute killer set - pure gold! The show featured songs from two of my personal faves; the classics "Beggar’s Banquet" and “Let It Bleed". All in all a great concert - but an incredibly more intimate Stones concert experience was still in my future. (See: 6-9-72 Hollywood Palladium)
Lineup: Mick Jagger (Vocals and Harmonica), Keith Richards (Guitars, Dobro and Vocals), Mick Taylor (Guitars), Bill Wyman (Bass), Charlie Watts (Drums), Ian Stewart (Piano).
Setlist: Jumping Jack Flash, Carol, Sympathy For The Devil, Stray Cat Blues, Prodigal Son, Love In Vain, I'm Free, Midnight Rambler, Live With Me (first time played live), Little Queenie, Satisfaction, Honky Tonk Women, Street Fighting Man.
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Led Zeppelin
03-27-70 Fabulous Forum, Inglewood (Capacity: 17,000)
Here's a perfect example of experiencing a spontaneous gift of the Rock Gods Concert (Anaheim '69) and then attending the group's next concert with too high of expectations; most of the time you're just setting yourself up for disappointment. Concert Magic is just that, and very hard to re-create. This was the first time we heard songs from Led Zep 2 live and that was an absolute high for sure! So don’t let the following outweigh the fact that there were many awesome moments – Whole Lotta Love was killer, as was most of the concert but unfortunately, not overall. The snag? Zeppelin came to town the same way we came to the concert; with too fresh of a memory of the insane reaction they well deserved at the Anaheim concert just seven months previous. (See: 8-9-69 LZ Anaheim) This was a perfect example of a band trying to recreate a previous magical spontaneous event. The die was cast with Plant telling us right off the top, with words to the effect, "We're gonna get you looser than loose!" And an added reference to the last tour, that I couldn't make out over the cheering fans. Sounds normal enough, the problem was that you don't tell people what you're "gonna do", you just do it! I think the expectation that they would recreate the spontaneity and excitement of Anaheim was doomed from the start. Live rock is spontaneous, not programmed. Well at least it didn't use to be. It will either work or it won't. Telling us the "program" of how we're "gonna feel", is a bit like approaching sex with a manual; "uh, did you get off?" "Well, yes, but something was missing." Duh! Spontaneity! It counts for a lot. What do you think "rock and roll" is a euphemism for anyway? Sex! Wild, erotic, sensual, spontaneous, satisfying, fun, hot sex! ...and as long as we are on this subject, let's get something perfectly straight; there is no such thing as Christian Rock, OK? Stop and think about it; Rock and Roll stands for EVERYTHING Christians abhor; freedom of spirit, freedom of choice, freedom of thought, freedom of individuality, freedom of expression, freedom of sexuality and the freedom to worship Rock Gods! Anyway, from then on I had this "Led Zep's trying too hard" image, which I think they were experiencing too, because it just wasn't happening. The chemistry wasn't right and if I need to prove my point, take a look at the opening song, "We're Gonna Groove", sheesh! Of all the songs they could have chose that would have ignited the fans, this wasn’t it, besides we didn’t come to “groove” we came to “rock”. I know it was all meant for the good, they just wanted what the fans wanted, but next time, every time, can the rah-rah and just rock out! We'll all know the outcome when you're done, not before. A rock ‘n’ roll lesson learned: for the artists; perform with no expectations or anticipations, and for the fans, arrive with no expectations or anticipations, if the Rock Gods smile upon you, then you’ll both leave satisfied!
Lineup: Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass) and John Bonham (drums).
Setlist: We're Gonna Groove, Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker, Organ Solo/Thank You, What Is And What Should Never Be, How Many More Times (medley), Whole Lotta Love.
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Steve Miller Band
04-00-70 Olympic Auditorium, L.A. (Capacity: 15,300)
Steve Miller unknowingly created a theme song for a drug our group was experimenting and experiencing around the time of this concert and the popularity of his classic Steve Miller #5 LP. The song that we adopted as our theme was "Jackson-Kent Blues" a fantastic cut that was great on a couple levels; one, it was a righteous protest song about the killing of four students by the United States National Guard during student demonstrations at Kent State University in Ohio in 1969; “Got those low down, profound, killin’ four blues.”, and on a second level this is the #1 “real feel” 7 minutes and 18 second psychedelic space rock jopurney that’s just beautiful. Opening with full blown rockin’ wah-wah and then after laying down the righteous hard-rockin' protest rant, Miller takes off on a unique psychedelic rock jam showcasing his Space Cowboy roots; hard-haunting vocal, guitar wah-wah manipulations complete with LSD-laced watery echoes and trailing, surging guitar wrangling! It quickly became our fave background/foreground music for evening shenanigans any day of the week - and for us, this song/performance was the highlight of this concert.
Lineup: Steve Miller (synthesizer, bass, guitar, harmonica, vocals), Nicky Hopkins (piano), Ben Sidran (keyboards), Lonnie Turner (bass) and Tim Davis (drums, vocals).
Setlist: Songs from #5 and “hits”.
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The Moody Blues
04-06-70 Fabulous Forum, Inglewood (Capacity: 17,000)
Gotta be brutally honest, I was more than a bit disappointed with this concert, the problem was that although the great Moody Blues reproduced their songs faithfully, there was something off, besides the sound system which faded in and out at times. Even though I had normal decent seats mid-way back and mid-way up to the left of the stage, the real issue is that the Moody Blues are just not an engaging band live, or they are, and their rapport with the audience was "lost" in the massive Forum, which is understandable. I'm sure a venue half the size of the Forum would be a much better environment to appreciate the subtleties of their music and could have everything to do with my review. So although their music was soulful and involving, this live show wasn't, for me. It was good, just not great. Sigh.
I fell in love with the Moody Blues sound early on with their haunting "Go Now" which foreshadowed "Nights in White Satin". I went through several copies of, "To Our Children's, Children's Children" and "Days of Future Passed" both truly excellent albums. I was a great admirer, still am, of all their LPs up to "Question of Balance", which was featured at this concert. I think what I was experiencing was a band that comes across heart-wrenchingly true on record but live seem as if they are their own cover band. Weird, maybe it was just me. Great setlist though!
Lineup: Justin Hayward (guitars, vocals), John Lodge (bass guitar, vocals), Michael Pinder (keyboards, vocals), Ray Thomas (harmonica, flute, vocals) and Graeme Edge (drums, percussion).
Setlist: Gypsy, The Sunset, Dr. Livingstone, I presume?, Question, Never Comes The Day, Peak Hour, Tuesday Afternoon, Question, Are you Sitting Comfortably, The Dream, Have You Heard (Part 1),The Voyage, Have You Heard (Part 2), Nights In White Satin, Legend Of A Mind.
Encore: Ride My Seesaw.
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Jimi Hendrix
04-26-70 Fabulous Forum, Inglewood (Capacity: 17,000)
All Time “Top 10” Concert Award
Honorary Jimi Hendrix Concert Award
The year 1970 goes down in personal rock history as a classic highpoint within an already classic era of rock concert history with almost half of my personal Top Ten concerts taking place in this year alone! So this is an excellent place to begin the end of the First Set - and coincidently the beginning of a new decade - and here to start them off, THE MAN: Jimi Hendrix!
This was the beginning US date of what would be his last US tour; the "Cry of Love" tour and this concert has literally gone down in history as one of his most memorable performances. It was also the debut of the Cry of Love band with the return of Mitch Mitchell on drums. Like many, Hendrix was/is my all time favorite guitarist, rock vocalist, and composer. I love Jimi! So take feelings like those of adulation, praise, love and excitement of and for Jimi, the epitome of “Rock” and multiply by 17,000 and you can imagine the electricity in the air that night. Anticipation was high and so were we. We all dropped White Double Dome LSD a soon to be proven concert enhancer and fave for the coming summer! Besides, you remember the Psychedelic Law: Hallucinogenics are to be administered: 1) on any Fourth of July ending with a fireworks display and 2) if fortunate enough to be in attendance; at any Jimi Hendrix concert. So as law abiding citizens: we obeyed the law!
We had semi-backstage passes acquired from a former girlfriend's father who was a close biz associate of the then owner of the Forum, Jack Kent Cooke. By semi-backstage, I mean we got in free, we had clearance, came in through the back, just like rock stars, but had no real designated seats! My date was a girl I met a few days earlier; she was hitch-hiking back from the beach, which was a perfectly normal mode of transportation whether you were male or female because you never had to wait long for a ride, people were happy to help out.
To find seats, the group I came with had to split up; my date and I moved from vacant seat to vacant seat 'til we finally snagged great seats even with, and to the right side of the stage, the side Jimi performed. This was the best! Everywhere I looked people were smiling. Jimi had to have felt it, ‘cuz he gave us soulful performances in return. My viewpoint of the stage and the fans was similar to my seats at Anaheim and the Great Led Zep/Tull Concert of ‘69 in that while I had a great view of Jimi I also had a great perspective out into the sea of fans. You could feel the awesome power Jimi possessed, the power he held in his hands, literally, as he stunned the population with sounds only he could manifest from an electric guitar. When I try and relate the feelings experienced at these live events with these rock icons I will unfortunately never be able to convey the true high of being in the presence of these greats. Its impossible, I wish I could.
Jimi’s death a few months later was truly tragic on many levels but for me I saw Jimi at a point of evolvement at this concert; he seemed to give off an almost reverent aura, maybe this re-invigorated tour opening night was a positive crossroads for him. I believe that had He not died he would have continued to be the innovator he always was. But he didn’t, so he was meant to perform guitar magic for his and our pleasure, benefit and amazement, leave a huge immortal stamp, and then go home.
My most sincere thanks Jimi, your music has provided me soulful strength when needed. See ya - I won’t be late.
Lineup: Jimi Hendrix (guitar), Mitch Mitchell (drums), Billy Cox (bass).
Setlist: Spanish Castle Magic, Foxy Lady, Lover Man, Hear My Train A Coming, Message Of Love, Ezy Ryder, Machine Gun, Room Full Of Mirrors, Villa Nova Junction, Drum Solo, Freedom, Star Spangled Banner, Purple Haze, Voodoo Child (Slight Return), Keep On Groovin', Voodoo Child (Slight Return).
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Frank Zappa and Zubin Mehta (Zubin and the Jets)
05-15-70 University California Los Angeles, Westwood
FZ was the greatest; the world’s most serious musical/satirist and satirical/musician! His honest take on reality and skewed vision was always on the mark and expressed in a style that was inimitable. Zappa was informed, eloquent and outspoken and he played a mean guitar!
With "200 Motels", mayhem ruled and the orchestral rock piece was a musical phantasmagorical well-organized stew of cacophony! That's good by the way! I have a TMQ bootleg LP of this performance that was actually a very good recording.
Lineup: Zubin Mehta and the L.A. Philharmonic and Zappa and the Mothers of Invention.
Setlist: My Boyfriend's Back, I'm Gonna Bust His Head, Tiny Sick Tears, Agon, Call Any Vegetable (including Integrals), Blowing Discordant Sounds*, 200 Motels* (including themes from Pound For A Brown, Oh No, Envelopes, Little House I Used To Live In, Tuna Sandwich, Redneck Eats, World's Greatest Sinner, Holiday In Berlin, Inca Roads, Strictly Genteel, Duke Of Prunes, Who Needs The Peace Corps?, Pound For A Brown, Oh No, Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue), King Kong* (including Integrals), Plastic People, Oh No/Orange County Lumber Truck (with My Linda Lou, Drum Solo).
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SET TWO: 18 CONCERTS (1970-1975) --- CHECK IT OUT NOW!
Set Two rocks with eighteen more archived classic concerts, culture and fun including: The Who, Ten Years After, David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars debut in ’72 at the Santa Monica Civic and farewell tour in ’73 at the Hollywood Palladium – Stevie Wonder opens for the Stones’ “Exile On Main Street” tour at the Hollywood Palladium – ELP – Zappa – Lee Michaels – Mahavishnu Orchestra – Alice Coltrane – Pink Floyd - and more, …CHECK IT OUT NOW!!
Excerpt
I can say that I've been listening to and enjoying music for the better part of the day for the better part of my life and I'm definately better for it!
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