An essential song from the end of the hippie era. From It's A Beautiful Day, composed by Linda and David LaFlamme. David passed last year, while his ex-wife Linda just passed, which reminded me of the song. This is a live version from 1970. Vocals by the LaFlammes, electric violin by David. The guitar solo is definitely San Francisco style in its tone and attack, along with being overly long and self-indulgent. This is the studio version.
I saw them as the opening act for The Who at the Fillmore East in May 1969. Terrific set and still remember their performance of this song.
Before forgetting more about those years, I'll attempt to reconstruct the bands I saw in concert during that decade. I have the nagging feeling a few are missing.
March 1966 The Byrds
White Plains, NY
My favorite American rock band of the 65-66 period. This was just afterTurn, Turn, Turn became a #1 hit. My dad took me to the show (thanks dad!). The auditorium was less than 1/2 full, and The Byrds played for only about 30 minutes, which was the norm back then. How things would change within the next three years!
June 10, 1966 Soundblast '66 Ray Charles Stevie Wonder The Beach Boys The Byrds The Gentrys The Marvelettes The McCoys
Yankee Stadium, NY
Sounds like a great show, doesn't it? Well, it wasn't. Only about 10,000 in attendance and each act played 3 or 4 songs with long breaks in between. I remember Stevie Wonder performing Bob Dylan's Blowing In The Wind andUptight. I could swear I previously wrote a post devoted to this show but can't find it.
For you young 'uns, The Gentrys were one-hit wonders selling a million copies ofKeep on Dancingin late 1965. The McCoys had a giant #1 withHang On Sloopy in '65. Their lead guitarist was Rick Derringer who went on to have a big solo career (Rock n Roll Hoochie Koo) and become a session guitarist for, among others, Steely Dan (he plays the solo on Chain Lightning). The Marvelettes were a Motown girl singing troupe that had a monster smash in the early 60s with Please, Mr Postman and then a string of minor hits - at the time of Soundblast '66 they were charting with Don't Mess With Bill.
June 30, 1966 The Lovin' Spoonful
Brien McMahon High School
Norwalk CT
My mother was vice-chair of the Norwalk Democratic Party Committee at the time and they were seeking to raise funds. I can't remember if she asked me, or I suggested, a rock concert. I do know I was the one who suggested The Lovin' Spoonful who had a couple of Top Ten hits. By the time of the concert, in the high school gym,Summer In The Citywas #1. If memory serves the party made $900 on the show, not bad for the time.
February 26, 1967 Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
Brien McMahon High School
Norwalk CT
August 1967 Neil Diamond Jake Holmes
The Bitter End
Greenwich Village, Manhattan
I was a fan of Jake Holmes and have written previously about this and the next show on the list. Holmes was terrific and early Neil Diamond was very good. Led Zeppelin (specifically, Jimmy Page) lifted Dazed and Confused from Jake.
September 1967 Van Morrison Jake Holmes
The Bitter End
Greenwich Village, Manhattan
See above, except that Van Morrison was unbearably horrible.
October 10, 1967 The Doors
Danbury High School
Danbury CT
Held in the high school auditorium. The Doors were booked after release of their first album but before Light My Fire became a huge hit in the summer of 1967. Sold-out show. Though tame by their latter standards it was still pretty wild for high school kids in 1967. I found this recording of the show on YouTube. Sound quality is poor but gives a flavor for the brooding power of Jim Morrison and the band.
Early 1968 Cream
Staples High School
Westport, CT
A half-full auditorium to see Cream tour in support of its recently released Disraeli Gears album. They opened with Tales of Brave Ulysses. When they hit the first chord, fuses blew and the auditorium went dark. After restoring power, the concert went well. Those boys could play!
August 6, 1968 The Doors
JFK Stadium, Bridgeport CT
The 1967 version of The Doors was crisp and powerful. By 1968 the rot had sunk in. An obviously stoned Jim Morrison was incoherent during the first part of the concert. He abruptly snapped out of it in the later stages but the show paled in comparison to what we saw the prior year.
Late November 1968 Jefferson Airplane Buddy Guy
Fillmore East
East Village, Manhattan
What a showman Buddy Guy was, playing guitar behind his back as he came off the stage and walked down the aisle. Based on their albums was a fan of Jefferson Airplane but liked them even better live. A much heavier sound in concert driven by Jack Cassidy's bass (see this prior THC post to hear what they sounded like at the Fillmore).
February 1969
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Darien High School (CT)
This
was as BST was becoming hugely popular after replacing lead singer Al
Kooper with David Clayton-Thomas and releasing its second album a couple of months before. Clayton-Thomas was a much, much
better vocalist than Kooper but Al was much superior as songwriter,
arranger ,and visionary and band never recaptured the magic of its first
album, Child Is Father To The Man. I remember the concert as okay, but nothing special.
Spring 1969
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
Brien McMahon High School
Norwalk CT
Our senior class was raising money for our prom. In the fall of 1968 I'd spoken with the William Morris Agency about booking The Who for their planned tour but it was postponed (if you're wondering it cost $6500 to book The Who for a concert) and eventually we settled on Gary Puckett who'd had several monster hits. Of course, as sophisticated seniors we weren't big fans but the sophomore and junior girls loved him. He played in our gym and when he sang Young Girl we had to link our arms together to protect Gary and the band from being overrun by the surging girls. The song would probably have difficulty getting airplay today; actually Gary might be arrested today.
May 17, 1969 The Who Sweetwater It's A Beautiful Day
Fillmore East
East Village, Manhattan
The Who came to America in May 1969 in support of their new album Tommy, which broke them as a big act worldwide. This was the second of a three night stint at the Fillmore East. One of the best shows I've ever seen. They opened with some of their older material, then ripped right through the entire Tommy album, and then started a wrap up. It was astonishing, Keith Moon in constant motion on the drumkit, looking like he had no bones in his arms, Townshend windmilling on the guitar, and Entwhistle's thundering bass.
As the band and the audience grew more frenzied we noticed smoke in the theater. Some type of announcement was made to exit the place but we ignored it. Then we saw a guy in a suit wander onto the stage, grab a microphone and started to talk. Roger Daltrey pinned his arms back and Townshend walked over, all the while continuing to play his guitar, and kicked the guy in the privates. Actually, it sounds better when Roger Daltrey tells it, which he does in his recently released autobiography, Thanks A Lot Mr Kibblewhite:
" . . . this bloke jumped up onto the stage and grabbed the microphone off me. I grabbed it back and told him to fuck off, but he kept struggling. As we were wrestling with it, I noticed Pete crossing the stage toward us, doing a Chuck Berry duck walk. Perfectly on beat, he kicked the bloke in the balls, then I grabbed the mic, and we finished the song."
The next thing I remember dozens of New York City policemen flooded down the two aisles, the side doors flew open, and they pushed us out along each row and onto the street.
It turned out the building next door caught fire and they were worried about the Fillmore catching fire. We didn't care.
Daltrey and Townshend were arrested for assaulting the guy who grabbed the mic, who turned out to be a plainclothes police officer.
Of the opening acts, I preferred It's A Beautiful Day. To listen to their best song see this THC post.
June 1969 Rhinoceros
Brien McMahon High School
Norwalk CT
The band that played our senior prom. Take a listen. Not bad, eh?
August 1969 Woodstock (2nd Day) Country Joe McDonald Santana John Sebastian The Incredible String Band Canned Heat Mountain The Grateful Dead Creedence Clearwater Revival Janis Joplin Sly & The Family Stone The Who Jefferson Airplane
Bethel, NY
First time I'd heard Santana andSoul Sacrifice immediately stood out (love Carlos Santana's guitar tone and Michael Shrieve was a helluva drummer). UPDATE: Here isfull version of the Woodstock performance including Shrieve's entire drum solo] The closing acts from Creedence on were phenomenal. Show started at 2pm on Saturday and ended shortly after dawn on Sunday. Let's end with Sparks from The Who.
Looking for something on YouTube I came across this 1968 tune from It's A Beautiful Day. I hadn't heard it in many years and it captures well the spirit and sound of the times. It takes me back. Led by David LaFlamme on electric violin and vocals, accompanied by his wife Linda on vocals, the band had a unique sound. Listen to the violin solo beginning around 3:55.
I saw the band perform at the Fillmore East in May 1969 as one of the opening acts for The Who when they premiered Tommy in the U.S.
