Tag Archives: classic concert

April 20: Bob Dylan Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada, 1980

bob dylan 1980 toronto

Classic concert: Bob Dylan: Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada April 20, 1980

…The band was refreshed, and excited about the concert being recorded and filmed. Dylan delivers a power house performance. If you are a fan of the christian material, this is not to be missed. If you love to hear Dylan pouring his heart and soul into the show… this is the one.
~bobsboots.com

FANTASTIC concert from the “Third Gospel Tour”.

  • Concert # 4 of the Third Gospel Tour
  • Gospel concert # 54
  • 1980 concert # 28

Massey Hall
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
20 April 1980

Continue reading April 20: Bob Dylan Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada, 1980

Classic concert: Joni Mitchell at the BBC 1970

joni bbc

This is a real gem for Joni Mitchell fans, this is the holy grail of concert clip from the earlier part of her career , BBC In Concert  from 1970. We get an intimate performance shot in front of a quiet audience.

It was taped at the BBC Television Centre in Shepherd’s Bush, Sept 3rd. and broadcast Oct 9th.

jonimitchellbbc_orig

Joni Mitchell  is at the top of her game here, she gives a very special performance, many consider this one of her finest early performances, with her soprano in California taking my breath away. Thank God for the British Broadcasting Company that recorded all these wonderful concerts.

This is as good as it gets.

Continue reading Classic concert: Joni Mitchell at the BBC 1970

Classic Concert: Tom Waits Rockpalast 1977

waits-post

Classic Concert: Tom Waits Rockpalast 1977

Excellent quality recording of Tom Waits, live at WDR Studios, in Koln, Germany on April 18th, 1977. Running time is 79 minutes, the quality is 8 out of 10. The performance is great, classic, jazzy Tom Waits. I’ve collected the whole show into one playlist.

Rockpalast (Rock Palace) is a German music television show that broadcasts live on German television station Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR).Rockpalast started in 1974 and continues to this day. Hundreds of rock and jazz bands have performed on Rockpalast. Some acts were recorded for broadcast and for retail sale. All-night marathon shows called “Rock Night” (Rocknacht) were produced once or twice a year from 1977 through 1986 and simulcast throughout Europe via the Eurovision network of TV broadcasters. This was one of the most important influences on my musical education growing up. I longed and lived for those “Rock nights”. We all did, and we arranged all night parties when they aired. Ah, good times!

This is early jazz-quartet style Tom Waits as opposed to the more ragged and loose Waits he turned into after Swordfish Trombones and Rain Dogs. It is different but I love both eras. This is maybe the best tv-concert from that period.

Enjoy!

Continue reading Classic Concert: Tom Waits Rockpalast 1977

Classic concert: Mink DeVille at Winterland SF June 7 1978

Ace Records press picture
Ace Records press picture

Classic concert: Mink DeVille at Winterland San Francisco June 7 1978

Bob Dylan in a Post-MusiCares Conversation with Bill Flanagan:
ARE THERE ANY OTHER PERFORMERS BESIDES BILLY LEE RILEY THAT YOU CAN RECOMMEND FOR THE HALL OF FAME?

Yeah sure, Willy DeVille for one, he stood out, his voice and presentation ought to have gotten him in there by now.

I AGREE WITH YOU, MAYBE HE’S BEEN OVERLOOKED. HE CARRIED A LOT OF HISTORY. THE DRIFTERS, BEN E. KING, SOLOMON BURKE, STREET CORNER DOO WOP AND JOHN LEE HOOKER WERE ALL THERE IN WHAT HE DID AND HOW HE PERFORMED.

I think so too.

YOU SUGGESTED THAT SOME OF THE ACTS IN THE HALL OF FAME MIGHT NOT BE TRUE ROCK & ROLL. YOU MENTIONED THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS, ABBA, ALICE COOPER. I HAVE TO STICK UP FOR STEELY DAN. NOT EVERYTHING THEY DID WAS ROCK & ROLL BUT “BODHISATTVA,” “SHOW BIZ KIDS,” “MY OLD SCHOOL” – THOSE SONGS ROCKED LIKE A BASTARD.

Yeah they might have rocked like a bastard, and I’m not saying that they didn’t, but put on any one of those records and then put on “In The Heat of the Moment” by Willy or “Steady Driving Man” or even “Cadillac Walk.” I’m not going to belittle Steely Dan but there is a difference.

Amen.

I’ve been a huge Mink Deville/Willy DeVille fan since I saw him at the 9th Rockpalast Night on tv in 1981. He behaved like a superstar from the beginning, he was just so cool.

Today’s Classic Concert was found in the archives of the late promoter, Bill Graham, who booked DeVille into the popular Winterland in the summer of 1978 on the same bill as Nick Lowe with Rockpile and Elvis Costello & the Attractions.

The best material from his first two albums are present here, including “Spanish Stroll,” “Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl,” “Guardian Angel,” “Cadillac Walk,” “Steady Drivin’ Man,” and “Soul Twist.” He gives a great vocal performance on a number of these songs, especially, “Soul Twist.” You should also check out the May 5 Concert at Capitol Theatre the same year, equally good but with lesser video quality (slightly).

Mink DeVille at Winterland 1978 the full set:

Continue reading Classic concert: Mink DeVille at Winterland SF June 7 1978

Classic concert: Grateful Dead concert video 1972 Denmark

Grateful Dead concert video 1972
Grateful Dead live Denmark April 1972

“There was a challenge for us, playing for people not familiar with what we were up to. But we were ready for fresh ears. We were hot.”
– Bob Weir

Grateful Dead concert video from April 1972 in Tivoli Concert Hall Copenhagen Denmark.

As far as I know this is a partial multi camera Danish (or French) TV pro-shot with graphics to fill in the missing video to make a complete show with great quality and great music! Not the full concert of course, but a very fine selection. The closing medley is sadly lacking, but can be found on the album release.

There exists a bootleg DVD with the full concert  it is fantastic (many more glorious minutes)! …but only these 13 tracks were filmed, the rest is audio only.

The highlights of the show for me are Big Railroad Blues and Truckin’ (starts at about 63 inn).

Continue reading Classic concert: Grateful Dead concert video 1972 Denmark