Bob Dylan - 1969-08-31 - Isle of Wight, UK (SBD)

Bob Dylan 

& The Band 

1969-08-31

Isle of Wight Festival, 

Isle of Wight, UK

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. talk 

02. She Belongs To Me 

03. I Threw It All Away 

04. Maggie's Farm 

05. Wild Mountain Thyme 

06. It Ain't Me Babe 

07. To Ramona 

08. Mr. Tambourine Man 

09. I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine 

10. Lay Lady Lay 

11. Highway 61 Revisited 

12. One Too Many Morning 

13. I Pity the Poor Immigrant 

14. Like a Rolling Stone 

15. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight 

16. The Mighty Quinn [Quinn the Eskimo] 

17. Minstrel Boy 

18. Rainy Day Women No. 12 and 35 

LINK REMOVED OFFICIALLY RELEASED

Incredibly, as half a million gathered for an Aquarian Exposition on Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, Bob Dylan was actually living in Woodstock. He hadn't performed live since his near fatal motor cycle accident in 1966. Promoters offered him a headlining spot to make his comeback, but Dylan declined. Some sources claim it was because his son fell ill.  Others say that Bob was tired of the growing numbers of "hippies and druggies" gathering near his home. Whatever the reason, Bob passed on Woodstock.

Ironically, while the organizers of Woodstock couldn't get Dylan to play live in his own backyard, the promoters of the Isle Of Wight Festival enticed him to cross the pond with tales of the island's cultural and literary history. So, just two weeks after Woodstock, Dylan, backed by The Band, took the stage for a 17 song set, as captured in this soundboard recording.  Also on the bill were Woodstock veterans The Who, Joe Cocker, and Richie Havens. Dylan's appearance drew over 150,000 to the festival, not only for his coomeback, but also because rumors abounded that he would be joined on stage by The Beatles!  In truth, 3 of the Fab Four - John, George, and Ringo - were in attendance, but simply as fans. 

NOTE: As of Sept 2 at 4:30, a new link is up for this show. The original upload was missing track 15.  I found it elsewhere, though at only 160 kbps.  I added it to the folder and added a new link to the fixed folder, which now includes the lower bit rate track 15.  

Phil Lesh - 2008-08-31 - San Francisco, CA (SBD)

Phil Lesh & Friends

2008-08-31

Fort Mason 

San Francisco, CA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Playing In The Band

02. Bertha

03. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl

04. Deal

05. China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider

06. Sugaree

07. Uncle John's Band > Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower

08. Sugar Magnolia

Encore:

01. Box Of Rain

Phil Lesh - 2008-08-31 - San Francisco, CA (SBD)

Phil Lesh appeared at Woodstock as part of the Grateful Dead, whose infamous, disasterous, and dangerous performance we chronicled in posts earlier this month. This soundboard recording captures Phil fronting his post Grateful Dead band, Phil & Friends, some 39 years after Woodtstock, on his home turf in San Francisco, August 31, 2008, 16 years ago today.

John Lennon - 1972-08-30 - New York, NY (FM)

John Lennon

with Yoko Ono & Elephant's Memory

1972-08-30

One To One Concert

Evening Show

Madison Square Garden

New York, NY

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

xx. Power To The People (missing)

xx. New York City (missing)

xx. It’s So Hard (missing)

xx. Woman Is The N—-r Of The World (missing)

01. Sisters, O Sisters

xx. Well Well Well (missing)

02. Instant Karma

03. Mother

04. We’re All Water

05. Come Together

06. Imagine

07. Cold Turkey

07. Hound Dog

09. Give Peace A Chance

John Lennon - 1972-08-30 - New York, NY (FM)

We detailed the Woodstock organizers efforts to get The Beatles to play Woodstock, and John Lennon's attmept to turn it into a John & Yoko appearnce, in a post earlier this month. This soundboard recording captures John some 3 years after Woodstock, making a rare concert appearance, on August 30, 1972, 52 years ago today.  He and Yoko, along with Stevie Wonder, Sha Na nNa, and Roberta Falc, played 2 shows at Madison Square Garden that day to raise funds for children dealing with mental challneges.  The early show was released as the album Live In New York.  This post brings you portions of the late show.  Thanks to Albums That Should Exist for the artwork and original files.

Jimi Hendrix - 1970-08-30 - Isle of Wight, UK (SBD)

Jimi Hendrix

1970-08-30

Isle of Wight Festival

East Afton Farm, UK

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

CD 1:

01. Stage announcement

02. God Save The Queen

03. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

04. Spanish Castle Magic

05. All Along The Watchtower

06. Machine Gun

07. Lover Man

08. Freedom

09. Red House

CD 2:

01. Dolly Dagger

02. Midnight Lightning

03. Foxy Lady

04. Message To Love

05. Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)

06. Ezy Ryder

07. Hey Joe

08. Purple Haze

09. Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

10. In From The Storm

Jimi Hendrix - 1970-08-30 - Isle of Wight, UK (SBD)

One of the most iconic memories of Woodstock is that of Jimi Hendrix playing the Star Spangled Banner as part of his set to close the festival. Of course, Jimi wasn't playing for a crowd "half a million strong" but rather about 20,000 folks who remained at Bethel on Monday morning. The festival had run so long that most folks were gone before the legendary guitarist took the stage. One other note - this wasn't the first time Jimi played our national anthem in concert - it had actually become a regular part of his set list. For example, he played it at both shows at the Royal Albert Hall in February 1969. 

Today's post features Jimi a year after Woodtsock at yet another massive festival.  For 3 straight years, from 1968 to 1970, The Isle of Wight, a small island just off the south east coast of England, was the site of major rock festivals attracting some of the biggest names in rock music.  The 1968 festival was headlined by The Jefferson Airplane while the 1969 concert featured Bob Dylan and The Who.  The 1970 festival, however, has garnered the most attention, however, for two reasons.  First, Jimi Hendrix headlined the show, which in turn attracted additional acts such as Jethro Tull, Ten Years After, Chicago, The Doors, The Who, ELP, The Moody Blues, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, and Miles Davis.  Second, the event attracted over 600,000 people, making the largest concert ever held until that point.  The massive nature of the event also meant it would be the last such show on the Isle of Wight for over 32 years. In 1971 the British Parliament passed the "Isle of Wight Act" preventing gatherings of more than 5,000 people on the island without a special license. This soundboard recording captures Hendrix’s set at the Isle of Wight on August 30, 1970, 54 years ago today.  Jimi would play only 8 more shows after this one prior to his tragic death on September 18, 1970.

John Sebastian - 1970-08-29 - Isle of Wight, UK (Ex Aud)

John Sebastian

1970-08-29

Isle of Wight Festival

Isle Of Wight, UK

Excellent Audience Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Mobile Line 

02. Lovin' You 

03. You're A Big Boy Now 

04. talk 

05. She's A Lady

06. How Have You Been 

07. talk 

08. Jug Band Music 

09. talk 

10. I Had A Dream 

11. In The Still Of The Night 

12. talk 

13. 4 Eyes 

14. talk

15. Rainbows All Over Your Blues 

16. talk 

17. Blues in the Bottle* 

18. Do You Believe in Magic* 

19. talk 

20. Boredom* 

21. talk 

22. Bald Headed Lena* 

23. talk 

24. Darlin' Be Home Soon 

25. Harmonica Solo 

26. Younger Generation 

27. talk 

28. Daydream 

29. Red Eye Express 

30. talk 

31. Younger Girl

32. talk 

*with Zal Yanovsky

John Sebastian - 1970-08-29 - Isle of Wight, UK (Ex Aud) 

 

John Sebastian wasn't scheduled to perform at Woodstock, but he went to the festival as a spectator. When rain played havoc with the schedule, however, the festival organizers asked Sebastian to perform an acoustic set while they cleared water off the stage in order to set up the amps for Santana. Sebastian's Woodstock set consisted of 3 songs from his recorded but not yet released John B. Sebastian album (How Have You Been, I Had A DreaM, and Rainbows All Over Your Blues) and 2 Lovin' Spoonful songs (Darling Be Home Soon and Younger Generation). Sebastian appeared on the original Woodstock album and in the documentary film. Twenty-five years later, he returned for Woodstock '94, playing harmonica for Crosby, Stills and Nash and appearing with his own band.

This excellent audience recording captures him a year after Woodstock, at the same Isle Of Wight festival featured in our Chicago post yesterday, on August 29, 1970, 54 years ago today.  As mentioned in that Chicago post, we'll have more on the Isle or Wight festivals in our Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan posts coming up in the next 2 days.  Thanks to Albums That Should Exist for the artwork and original files.

The Who - 2000-08-29 - Houston TX (SBD)

The Who

2000-08-29

Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Houston, TX 

Soundboard Recording

256 kbps

Artwork Included

01. I Can't Explain

02. Substitute

03. Anyway Anyhow Anywhere

04. Relay

05. My Wife

06. Baba O'Riley

07. Bargain

08. Getting In Tune

09. Drowned

10. Pinball Wizard

11. The Real Me

12. Behind Blue Eyes

13. You Better You Bet

14. Who Are You

15. 5:15 (End Cut)

xx. Won't Get Fooled Again (missing)

xx. The Kids Are Alright  (missing)

xx. Let's See Action  (missing)

xx. My Generation  (missing)

The Who - 2000-08-29 - Houston TX (SBD)

The Who were one of the few English bands to play Woodstock, but their set is the stuff of legends. The band didn't take the stage until 5 am Sunday morning due to all the rain delays and equipment issues. Their 25 song set featured the rock opera Tommy, followed by Summertime Blues, Shakin All Over, My Generation and Naked Eye. While the band was playing We're Not Going to Take It, the sunrise occurred at precisely at the most dramatic moment in the song. The band was so pleased at the aesthetic effect of this coincidence that they arranged special lighting at future concerts to try and mimic it. During their performance, Peter Townsend had a run in with activist Abbie Hoffman. Hoffman went on stage between songs, grabbed a mic, and began ranting about the recent arrest of radical John Sinclair. Townshend, none too happy that Hoffman had violated what he called the sanctity of the stage, swung his guitar at Hoffman and kicked him off the stage.

This soundboard recording captures The Who 31 years after Woodstock in Houston on August 29, 2000. The 2000 tour featured original members Peter Townshend, Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle, along with Zack Starkey on drums and John Bundrick on keyboards. The band played 38 dates, beginning on June 6 in New York, and concluding on November 27 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Sadly, it would be the last tour included Entwistle. On June 27, 2002, just days before their next US tour was due to begin, Entwistle was found dead from a heart attack at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. Cocaine had played a role in triggering the fatal attack. 

September's Theme At So Many Roads

For September 2024, our theme will be 30, 30, 30.  In other words, we'll bring you 30 concerts by 30 artists in 30 days, with a show every single day of the month!

Enjoy the tunz!

Chicago - 1970-08-28 - Isle of Wight, UK (SBD)

Chicago

1970-08-28

Isle of Wight Festival

Afton Down

Isle of Wight, UK

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Introduction 

02. South California Purples 

03. Beginnings 

04. talk 

05. In The Country 

06. Intro [Instrumental] 

07. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

08. talk 

09. Mother 

10. It Better End Soon 

11. talk 

12. Make Me Smile 

13. So Much To Say, So Much To Give 

14. Anxiety's Moment > West Virginia Fantasies (Instrumental)

15. Colour My World 

16. To Be Free (Instrumental)

17. Now More than Ever 

18. 25 Or 6 To 4 

19. talk 

20. I'm A Man

Chicago - 1970-08-28 - Isle of Wight, UK (SBD)

Chicago, which at the time still known as the Chicago Transit Authority, had initially been signed on to play at Woodstock. Unfortunately for the band, however, they had a contract with concert promoter Bill Graham, which allowed him to move the date of Chicago's concerts at the Fillmore West. He rescheduled their Fillmore performances to the weekend of Woodstock, thus forcing the band to back out of the festival. Graham's reason - he wanted to open a slot at the festival for one of his other bands, which turned out to be Santana! Needless to say, Chicago, according to singer and bassist Peter Cetera, was "sort of peeved at him for pulling that one."

This soundboard recording captures Chicago a year after Woodstock, at another massive rock festival at the Isle Of Wight on August 28, 1970, 54 years ago today.  We'll have more on the Isle Of Wight festivals in our Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan posts later this month.

The Band - 1995-08-27 - Schwenksville, PA (SBD)

The Band

1995-08-27

Philadelphia Folk Festival

Schwenksville, PA

Soundboard recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01.  The Shape I'm In

02.  Girl You Gotta Watch

03.  The Weight

04.  It Makes No Difference

05.  WS Walcott Medicine Show

06.  Rag Mama Rag

07.  Atlantic City

08.  Caledonia Mission

09.  Crazy Mama

10.  Up on Cripple Creek

11.  Life is a Carnival

12.  Genetic Method > Chest Fever

13.  I Don't Want to Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes

The Band - 1995-08-27 - Schwenksville, PA (SBD)

As 500,000 fans descended on Max Yagur's farm for 3 days of peace, love and music, The Band were actually living right near Woodstock! They had recorded their legendary debut album, Music From Big Pink in the area, the title being a reference to the house they were living in at the time. The Band took the stage at Woodstock around 10 pm on August 17, though their performance was not included in the movie due to a dispute over rights fees. 

This post jumps ahead some 26 years after Woodstock and almost 19 years after the "Last Waltz" in 1976.  The Band reunited in 1983, sans Robbie Robertson, and continued to be a vibrant force in rock into the late 1990s. In 1993, they released the album Jericho, which included a unique cover of Bruce Springsteen’s Atlantic City. In 1994, they played at Woodstock 1994 in August, 25 years after they had played the original festival in 1969. They capped that year by being elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. That 1994 class also included John Lennon, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Bob Marley, The Animals, Duane Eddy, and one of The Band’s long time touring partners, The Grateful Dead. Eric Clapton, who had long admired the group and cited them as one of the reasons he moved away from the style of music played by Cream, made the induction speech for The Band This soundboard recording captures The Band a year later, in Schwenksville, on August 27, 1995, 29 years ago today.

Rolling Stones - 2019-08-26 - Phoenix AZ (IEM)

Rolling Stones

2019-08-26

State Farm Stadium

Phoenix, AZ

IEM Matrix Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Opening   

02. Jumpin' Jack Flash

03. Let's Spend the Night Together

04. Tumbling Dice

05. Sad Sad Sad

06. Get Off of My Cloud

07. You Can't Always Get What You Want

08. Sweet Virginia

09. Dead Flowers

10. Sympathy for the Devil

11. Honky Tonk Women

12. Band Introductions

13. You Got the Silver

14. Before They Make Me Run

15. Miss You

16. Paint It Black

17. Midnight Rambler

18. Start Me Up

19. Brown Sugar

Encore:

20. Gimme Shelter

2. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

Rolling Stones - 2019-08-26 - Phoenix AZ (IEM)

Festival organizers invited the Rolling Stones to play Woodstock, but the band declined. At the time, Mick Jagger was in Australia filling the movie, Ned Kelly, while Keith Richards was staying to close to home with then girlfriend Anita Pallenberg, who had just given birth to their son, Marlon. 

This IEM recording captures The Stones a half century after Woodstock, in Phoenix on August 26, 2019, 5 years ago today. The 2019 tour woulkd be the last with Charlie Watts on drums, as he would pass away just about 2 years later, on August 24, 2021.

Bob Weir & Ratdog - 1995-08-25 - Upper Darby, PA (SBD)

Bob Weir & Ratdog

1995-08-25

Tower Theater

Upper Darby, PA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Tuning

02. Bombs Away

03. Take Me To The River

04. Youngblood

05. Fever

06. Eternity

07. Twilight Time

08. Blackbird

09. K.C. Moan

10. When I Paint My Masterpiece

11. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl

12. Little Red Rooster

13. This Time Forever

14. Shade Of Grey

15. The Winners

16. Heaven Help The Fool

17. Drums And Bass

18. Josephine

19. Throwing Stones

Encore:

20. Encore Break

21. Easy Answers

22. Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Bob Weir & Ratdog - 1995-08-25 - Upper Darby, PA (SBD)

As discussed in posts earlier this month, Bob Weir appeared at Woodstock as a member of the Grateful Dead, trying to play guitar and avoid getting electrocuted at the same time! This soundboard recording captures Weir 26 years later, fronting Ratdog, at the Tower Theater on August 25, 1995, 29 years ago today. Ths 4th show of this tour, on August 9, took place the same night that Weir lost his brother in music, Jerry Garcia, who passed away from heart issues caused by years of drug abuse.  Weir turned that show, and the rest of the tour into a tribute to Garcia, ending most shows such as the one posted here, with a version of Knockin on Heaven's Door.

Jerry Garcia with Merl Saunders - 1974-08-24 - San Francisco CA (SBD)

Jerry Garcia 

with Merl Saunders

1974-08-24

Great American Music Hall

San Francisco, CA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

1st Set:

01. Neighbor Neighbor

02. Favela

03. Second That Emotion

04. Problems Got Problems

05. He Ain't Give You None

06. Money Honey

2nd Set:

01. Harder They Come

02. La-La > 

03. People Make The World Go 'Round

04. (I'm A) Road Runner

05. Sitting In Limbo

Jerry Garcia with Merl Saunders - 1974-08-24 - San Francisco CA (SBD) 

We discussed the Grateful Dead's performance at Woodstock, and Jerry Garcia's feelings about it, in 2 posts earlier this month. This post jumps ahead to the 1970s to spotlight one of Garcia's many excursions outsde of the Grateful Dead. From December 1970 to June 1975, Jerry Garcia, when not playing with the Grateful Dead, often found himself collaborating with keyboardist Merle Saunders. In fact, Garcia and Saunders played over two-hundred and fifty shows together, The duo even released a live album together, entitled Live At Keystone featuring tracks from their concerts at that venue in Berkeley on July 10 and 11, 1973. This soundboard recording finds the duo about a year later, in San Francisco, on August 24, 1974, a half century ago today.

Elvis Presley - 1969-08-23 - Las Vegas, NV (SBD)

Elvis Presley

1969-08-23

Midnight Show

International Hotel

Las Vegas, NV

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Blue Suede Shoes

02. I Got A Woman

03. All Shook Up

04. Love Me Tender

05. Jailhouse Rock/don't Be Cruel

06. Heartbreak Hotel

07. Hound Dog

08. Memories

09. Mystery Train > Tiger Man

10. Monologue

11. Baby What You Want Me To Do

12. Runaway

13. Reconsider Baby

14. Are You Lonesome Tonight?

15. Yesterday > Hey Jude

16. Introductions

17. In The Ghetto

19. What'd I Say

20. Can't Help Falling In Love

Elvis Presley - 1969-08-23 - Las Vegas, NV (SBD)

Despite being "The King" of rock & roll, Elvis Presley was not at Woodstock, and no historical evidence exists that either he wanted to play there or that the organizers were interested in having him. Elvis had litlle regard for 'hippies" and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was interested in one thing, making money. The Woodstock organziers saw Elvis as a relic of the past, not the leader of a new generation.  All that said, 1969 still turned out to be an incredibly successful year for Elvis.  He released 3 tunes that all made the top ten on the Billboard charts - Suspicious Minds, In the Ghetto, and Don’t Cry Daddy. Moreover, buoyed by the success of his December 1968 televised comeback special, Elvis Presley was ready to make a return to live performing in 1969. Colonel Parker booked Elvis at the then new International Hotel in Las Vegas, which boasted the largest showroom in the city, for 57 shows spread over four weeks beginning July 31, 1969. Since his normal backing band, the Jordanaires, declined to participate, afraid of losing the lucrative session work they had in Nashville. Presley assembled an entire new group of backing musicians, led by guitarist James Burton and including two gospel groups, The Imperials and Sweet Inspirations. The King was nervous, however, as these would be his first series of live shows since 1961, and his first in Las Vegas since a disastrous 1956 engagement. All nerves vanished when Presley took the stage on July 31, 1969 for his 1st Vegas show as the audience of 2,200, including many celebrities, gave him a standing ovation before he even sang a note. Presley was spellbinding, so much so that the next day, Parker was able to negotiate a 5 year deal with The International for Elvis to play each February and August, at a then unheard of annual salary of $1 million. This soundboard recording captures the King during that historic run on August 23, 1969, 55 years ago today.

Simon & Garfunkel - 1983-08-22 - Vancouver, BC (SBD)

Simon and Garfunkel

1983-08-22

BC Place

Vancouver, Canada

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

CD 1

01. Cecilia > Mrs. Robinson 

02. America 

03. My Little Town 

04. Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard 

05. Scarborough Fair

06. Cars Are Cars

07. I Only Have Eyes For You

08. Homeward Bound

09. Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover

10. Late In The Evening

11. The Late Great Johnny Ace

12. El Condor Pasa

13. Think Too Much

14. Still Crazy After All These Years

CD 2:

01. Kodachrome

02. Bridge Over Troubled Water

03. The Boxer

04. Slip Slidin' Away

05. The 59th Street Bridge Song

06. Old Friends  

07. Wake Up Little Susie

08. One Summer Night

09. Band Introduction

10. Late In The Evening (reprise)

11. The Sounds Of Silence 

Simon & Garfunkel - 1983-08-22 - Vancouver, BC (SBD)

Simon & Garfunkel were invited to play Woodstock, but declined because they were working on their new album. That disc, Bridge Over Troubled Waters, released in January 1970, would be both their masterpiece and their swan song, as the duo broke up later that year. While they would have several reunion tours, they would never again release a studio disc. 

One of thise reunion tour took place in 1983, some 14 years after Woodstock and 13 years after the duo broke up.  In 1981, Simon & Garfunkel reunited for a single concert, held in New York's Central Park, in front of an estimated crowd of over 500,000.  The success of that show, and the subsequent TV special and album, prompted the two to launch a world tour in 1982 that ran into the following year. They even began recording an album together, however, creative differences caused another split between them. Simon eventually removed all of Garfunkel's vocals from the recorded tracks, reworked the songs and released the album as a solo disc called Hearts and Bones.  Needless to say, that decision kept the 2 apart for almost another decade. This soundboard recording captures the duo before that split, in Vancouver on August 22, 1983, 41 years ago today

Jefferson Airplane - 1989-08-22 - Philadelphia PA (Ex Aud)

Jefferson Airplane

1989-08-22

Mann Music Center

Philadelphia PA

Excellent Audience recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. She Has Funny Cars

02. Somebody To Love

03. Plastic Fantastic Lover

04. Won't You > Try Saturday Afternoon

05. Today

06. Good Shepherd

07. Lather

08. Solidarity

09. Wooden Ships

10. The Wheel

11. America

12. Freedom

13. Panda

14. Miracles

15. Ice Age

16. Summer Of Love

17. True Love

18. Crown Of Creation

19. White Rabbit

20. Volunteers

21. It's No Secret

22. Planes

Jefferson Airplane - 1989-08-22 - Philadelphia PA (Ex Aud)

The Jefferson Airplane is often cited as the first group confirmed to play the Woodstock Festival, through some sources claim it was actually Credence Clearwater Revival that earned that distinction. In any event, once acts like the Airplane and Credence signed on, others felt comfortable joining the party! The Airplane, who were originally scheduled to play on Saturday night August 16, didn't hit the stage until 8 am Sunday morning, August 17, due to a host the weather and equipment related delays. Grace Slick introduced the band by proclaiming "All right friends, you have seen the heavy groups, now you will see morning maniac music. Believe me, yeah. It’s the new dawn.” 

The Airplane broke up in 1972, then found new life as Jefferson Starship, and later just Starship.  But in 1989, 2 decades after Woodstock, for a brief moment, the Jefferson Airplane flew once again.  Original members Paul Kantner, Marty Balin, Jack Cassady, Jorma Kaukonen and Grace Slick reunited to record an album and tour.  This excellent audinece recording captures the Airplane during that reunion tour, which would also the band's final one, in Philadelphia on August 22, 1989, 35 years ago today.

The Doors - 1970-08-21 - Bakersfield, CA (SBD)

The Doors

1970-08-21

The Civic Auditorium,

Bakersfield, CA

Stereo Stage Recording

224 kbps

Artwork Included

01. Roadhouse Blues

02. Alabama Song > Back Door Man> Old Stone Road > Five To One

03. Universal Mind

04. When The Music’s Over

05. Tuning

06. Mystery Train

07. Ship Of Fools

08. Love Me Two Times > Baby Please Don’t Go > St. James Infirmary (omitted - officially released)

Bonus Track

1970-06-05

Seattle, WA

09. Break On Through  

The Doors - 1970-08-21 - Bakersfield, CA (SBD) 

Some sources claim that The Doors turned down playing at Woodstock because Jim Morrison hated performing out doors. In 1986, however, Ray Manzarek, explained that The Doors "never played at Woodstock because we were stupid and turned it down. We thought it would be a second class repeat of Monterey Pop Festival." 

About 6 months after Woodtsock, on February 1, 1970, The Doors released their 5th studio album, Morrison Hotel, a return to the band’s roots after the experimental nature of their previous disc, Soft Parade. The band’s approach seemed to work, as Morrison Hotel reached #4 on the Billboard charts. The album also received positive critical reviews. For example, Dave Marsh, the editor of Creem magazine, wrote that the album was: "the most horrifying rock and roll I have ever heard. When they're good, they're simply unbeatable. I know this is the best record I've listened to ... so far.” While the album did not yield any top 40 singles, it did include tunes that would become staples of FM radio play, including Roadhouse Blues, Waiting For The Sun and Peace Frog. This soundboard recording captures the band on tour in support of the album on August 21, 1970, 54 years ago today.

The Youngbloods - 1970-08-21 - New York, NY (SBD)

The Youngbloods
1970-08-21
Fillmore East 
New York, NY
Soundboard Recording
320 kbps
Artwork Included

01. Faster All The Time
02. Darkness, Darkness
03. Rain Song
04. Sunlight
05. On Beautiful Lake Spenard
06. My Sweet Little Child
07. Sugar Babe
08. Interlude
09. High On A Ridgetop
10. Hippie From Olema
11. Donna
12. Misty Roses
13. On Sir Francis Drake
14. Baby What You Want Me To Do
15. Fiddler A Dram
16. Get Together

The Youngbloods - 1970-08-21 - New York, NY (SBD)

As a crowd a half a million strong converged on Woodstock, a song that embodied festival's message of the peace and love was climbing the charts in the US.  Get Togther, recorded by the The Youngbloods, which was originally released in 1967 to little fanfare, found new life in the summer of 1969. The tune's chorus, "Come on people now, Smile on your brother, Everybody get together, Try to love one another, Right now" seemed to have been written specifically to announce the message of the Woodstock generation. Ironically, The Younbloods missed the festival, as their invitation arrived late as they were based in a small town north of San Francisco and hard to get in touch with.  Their hit tune, however, made an appearance at Woodtsock, as it was the 2nd song played by Richie Havens, who opened the festival.  This soundboard recording captures The Youngbloods a year after Woodstock, at the Fillmore East in New York, on August 21, 1970, 54 years ago today.

The Perfect Read While On The Beach This Labor Day - TEN RULES OF THE ROAD I LEARNED AT MY FIRST CONCERT

Check out these rating and reviews!

- a 4.40 star rating on Amazon with 32 5-star reviews out of 41 - 78%!!

- a 4.46 star rating on Goodreads with 9 5-star reviews out of 75 - 67%!!

BUY IT HERE IN THE US!

Here's just a sample of what folks are saying about TEN RULES OF THE ROAD I LEARNED AT MY FIRST CONCERT:

- "As a fan of rock shows myself, this book written by a fellow fan was fun to read, and reminded me of many of my own long-forgotten concert stories. Definitely recommended." 

 -"Insightful, poignant and just plain joyful." 

- "Truly a book for music fans of the 70s onward. Love the personal thoughts of sharing the music with his wife and kids." 

 - It was a lot of fun to hear about the author's experiences from the time of his first concert to sharing those experiences with his teenage boys. There is a lot of truth in his "rules" 

 - "The book is well-written and a fun reminder of my younger days. Just an enjoyable read!" 

 - "A hero for our times - he sees great shows, learns about life, and gets the girl. What's not to like?" 

 - "The author takes you on a tale of wonder through the ups and downs of going to concerts." 

- "I would recommend this book for anybody who loves live music - especially those, like me, who enjoy the anticipating and reliving almost as much as actually being at the concert." 

 - "I've got to say that Speedy's book is a little known gem and a real joy to read... the author's genuine love of live music comes through wonderfully." 

 - "Excellent account of the rock concert experience from 1976 to today. Very well written and extremely entertaining." 

- "This is a very entertaining and enjoyable book... you can pick it up, read a chapter, put it down, and come back to it again and again. If you're a music fan, especially of live performances, I highly recommend this book."

- "Great for anyone who loves live music... Lots of fun anecdotes and details that really make you feel like you're sitting with someone, listening to stories about concerts."

- "It's a love letter to live music."

- "If you grew up in the 1960s or 1970s and enjoyed going to rock concerts, then Speedy's story is your story. This tale reminds you of the best and worst parts of attending concerts, and captures the magic of those moments when the music was truly transcendent. Well written, engaging and filled with truth is stranger than fiction moments, Ten Rules is a must read for any rock music fan."

BUY IT HERE IN THE US:

The Rules:

Rule #1: You Can’t Get Good Seats, But The Scalpers Can

Rule #2: Expect The Unexpected On The Way To Or From The Show

Rule #3: No Concert Ever Starts On Time

Rule #4: Rejoice - There Is No Opening Act

Rule #5: Rock Concerts Are Rarely Played At A Venue Meant For Music

Rule #6: Enjoy The Special Guests - They’re a Rare Event

Rule #7: The Set List - The Bad News - The Band Will Never Play Everything You Want To Hear

Rule #8: The Set List - The Good News - The Band Will Always Play An Unanticipated Tune You’ll Never Forget

Rule #9: Elvis Has Left The Building - Once The Houselights Come On, The Show Is Over

Rule #10: Don’t Miss The Moment - Go To Every Show You Can

BUY IT HERE IN THE US:

- Just $6.99 for the Kindle

- Only $12.99 for the paperback 

- And always FREE on Kindle Unlimited! 

 Also available in Kindle in: UK, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, JP, BR, CA, MX, AU, and IN 

Also available in Paperback in: UK DE FR ES IT JP

Neil Young - 1989-08-20 - Los Angeles, CA (Ex Aud)

Neil Young

1989-08-20

Greek Theatre

Los Angeles, CA

Excellent Audience Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

01. My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)

02. Rockin' In The Free World

03. Someday

04. Sugar Mountain

05. Hangin' On A Limb

06. Helpless

07. Pocahontas

08. Crime In The City

09. Four Strong Winds

10. Too Far Gone

11. Roll Another Number (For The Road)

12. This Note's For You

13. The Needle And The Damage Done  

14. No More

15. After The Gold Rush

16. Heart Of Gold

17. Ohio

18. Rockin' In The Free World

19. Powderfinger

Neil Young - 1989-08-20 - Los Angeles, CA (Ex Aud)

As mentioned in our CSN post earlier this month, Neil Young played at Woodstock as part of CSNY's 3rd show as a band! That said, Neil didn't appear in the Woodstock documentary film because, well, he just didn't like cameras. As he told Howard Stern in an interview "I didn’t like the f***ing cameras, they didn’t have to be on stage. They’re cameras. ‘Hello! Use your zoom, d***head!” When Stern asked if he regretted the decision all these years later, Young responded, “Who cares? It doesn’t matter, I was there, I saw it. Who gives a shit? I couldn’t care less.” Guess for Neil, Woodstock isn't quite the historic memory and cultural milestone that others picture.

In any event, this excellent audience recording from the legendary taper Mike Millard captures Neil playing an acoustic show, 2 decades after Woodstock, in Los Angeles on August 20, 1989, 35 years ago today.

Steve Winwood - 1978-08-19 - Gloucestershire, UK (SBD)

Steve Winwood  

1978-08-19

Rough Hill Festival

Gloucestershire, UK

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwork Included

CD 1:

01. I'm A Man 

02. Midland Maniac 

03. Hold On 

04. The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys 

05. Walking In The Wind 

06. Let Me Make Something In Your Life 

CD 2:

01. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out 

02. And Then He Kissed Me 

03. Two Way Stretch 

04. Vacant Chair 

05. Time Is Running Out 

06. Gimme Some Lovin’ 

07. Hound Dog 

Steve Winwood - 1978-08-19 - Gloucestershire, UK (SBD)

As mentioned in earlier post featuring Eric Clapton, Blind Faith skipped Woodstock, instead playing a show in Santa Barbara. EC wanted to play at Bethel, but Steve Winwood and Ginger Baker out voted him. Dissension rained in Blind Faith, and by the end of the summer, the band would be no more. 

In any event, this soundboard recording captures Steve Winwood out solo 9 years after Woodstock, in Gloucestershire, on August 19, 1978, 46 years ago today.

Dick Cavett Show - 1969-08-18 - New York, NY (TV SBD)

The Dick Cavett Show

featuring Jefferson Airplane, Joni Mitchell, David Crosby & Stephen Stills

1969-08-18

ABC Televsion Studios

New York, NY

TV SBD recording

320 Kbps

Artwork Included

Joni Mitchell

01. Chelsea Morning

02. Willy > For Free

03. The Fiddle & The Drum

Stephen Stills

01. 04 + 20

Jefferson Airplane

01. We Can Be Together > Volunteers

02. Somebody To Love*

* With David Crosby

Note: Taped on August 18, 1969. Aired on August 19, 1969

Dick Cavett Show - 1969-08-18 - New York, NY (TV SBD)

On August 18, 1969, 55 years ago today, even as the Woodstock Festival was finishing up, a half a day or so late due to the endless technical and weather difficluties that plagued the event, Dick Cavett was taping his televsion show celebrating the gathering that was "half a million strong". Jefferson Airplane, David Crosby,  Stephen Stills, and Joni Mitchell gathered in Cavett's New York studio to discuss the event and play a little music.  Stills and Crosby came straight from Woodstock to the taping, still wearing the same mud covered clothes they perfromed in. Joni Mitchell never made it to the festival, unfortunately. Her manager, nervous she'd never get to Woodstock and then get back in time for the Cavett show, which would mean she'd miss her first national television appearance, convinced her not to go.  Incredibly, she'd later write the tune Woodstock about the event, turning her disappointment into a near perfect depiction of the festival.  Jimi Hendrix also was supposed to be on the show, but since he had to perform at Woodstock on the morning of August 18 due to the aforementioned delays, he had to cancel.  This soundboard recording captures that historic Cavett show in its entirety - the music and the conversation. Take a look at the video as well posted below - it captures a moment in time we are likely never to see again.

Grateful Dead - 1989-08-18 - Berkeley, CA (SBD)

Grateful Dead

1989-08-18

Greek Theatre

Berkeley, CA

Soundboard Recording

320 kbps

Artwrok Included

1st Set:

01. Tuning

02. Cold Rain And Snow

03. New Minglewood Blues

04. Row Jimmy

05. When I Paint My Masterpiece

06. Built To Last

07. Victim Or The Crime >

08. Bird Song

09. The Promised Land

2nd Set:

01. Iko Iko

02. Looks Like Rain

03. Terrapin Station >

04. Drums >

05. Space >

06. Crazy Fingers >

07. I Need A Miracle >

08. Stella Blue >

09.-hrowing Stones >

10. Turn On Your Lovelight

Encore:

01. Black Muddy River

02. And We Bid You Good Night

Grateful Dead - 1989-08-18 - Berkeley, CA (SBD)

As promised yesterday, here's another one from the Grateful Dead in Berkeley in 1989.  This one is a sounboard recording from August 18, 1989, 35 years ago today.  In a nice bit of symetry, the 2nd set ends with Turn On Your Love Light, the same tune the Dead finished with at Woodstock.  In addition, the final encore, And We Bid You Goodnight, was often the final song played at many 1969 shows, as evidenced on the Live Dead album.

To round out a our discussion of the Grateful Dead at Woodstock lets here from Jerry Garcia himself who told interviewers that "we played such a bad set at Woodstock. The weekend was great, but our set was terrible. We were all pretty smashed, and it was at night. Like we knew there were a half million people out there, but we couldn't see one of them. There were about a hundred people on stage with us, and everyone was scared that it was gonna collapse. On top of that, it was raining or wet, so that every time we touched our guitars, we'd get these electrical shocks. Blue sparks were flying out of our guitars."  Of course, Jerry finished his thoughts about the festival in his typical optimistic way, sayimn "“It’s nice to know you can survive as a band even after blowing the biggest gig of your career.”