Classic concert: Van Morrison The Wonderland Tapes June 22, 1977, NL (video and audio)

For years the best known set of Van’s brief collaboration with Dr. John in 1977 has widely circulated only in incomplete form and mediocre sound on a bootleg known as Amsterdam’s Tapes. Now, thanks to the persistence, dedication and collaboration of VLS (vanlose stairway) members and friends, this rare show has finally been assembled from the best sources available to us, complete as broadcast on Dutch FM radio. After 20+ years, we are sure fans will agree that it is about time!

Musicians:
Van Morrison: Lead vocals, piano
Dr. John: Piano, organ, back-up vocals
Mick Ronson: Lead guitar, back-up vocals
Mo Foster: Bass
Peter van Hooke: Drums

Continue reading “Classic concert: Van Morrison The Wonderland Tapes June 22, 1977, NL (video and audio)”

Classic concert: Bob Dylan Hard Rain TV Broadcast Video (May 23rd, 1976)

BobDylan_hardrain76

In pouring rain, Dylan plays the open air Hughes Stadium at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. He has elected to film this show to replace the aborted TV special from Clearwater. In the longest set of the tour, there are several highlights, not all appearing in the TV special. … Included in the TV special, although in a most peculiar order, are second encore “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall,” the entire Dylan/Baez set (“Blowin’ in the Wind,” “Railroad Boy,” “Deportees,” and “I Pity the Poor Immigrant”); three songs from the first set (“Maggie’s Farm,” “One Too Many Mornings,” and “Mozambique”); and three from the last set (two tremendously powerful readings of songs from Blood on the Tracks, “Idiot Wind” and “Shelter from the Storm” and a faded “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”). Despite the storm clouds raging, the crowd appears to be very enthusiastic, even singing “Happy Birthday” for Dylan before the second encore.
~Clinton Heylin (Bob Dylan: A Life in Stolen Moments Day by Day 1941-1995)

Dylan appeared on the September 11-17, 1976 issue of TV Guide and consented to a rare interview with the magazine to promote his first network television special.

Four of the eleven (ten in the video below) performances heard in the television broadcast (“Maggie’s Farm”, “One Too Many Mornings”, “Shelter from the Storm”, and “Idiot Wind”) were included on the nine track album of the same name released by Columbia records ten days before the special aired.

This is a fantastic historical TV-concert and a glimpse into one of the days of The Rolling Thunder Revue. Continue reading “Classic concert: Bob Dylan Hard Rain TV Broadcast Video (May 23rd, 1976)”