reup.. The Byrds And The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Whisky-A-Go-Go, Los Angeles, CA 09-19-1970 (The Whisky only held several hundred people) The Flying Burrito Brothers Tracks 1-6 1. 00:00 The Train Song (1:14) 2. 01:14 Payday (4:45) 3. 05:59 Wake Up Little Suzie (4:46) 4. 10:45 Colorado (4:48) 5. 15:33 Break My Mind (2:32) 6. 18:05 Trying To Reach My Goal (3:50) The Byrds & The Flying Burrito Brothers Tracks 7-22 07. 21:55 Roll Over Beethoven (2:53) 08. 24:48 You Don't Miss Your Water (4:06) 09. 28:54 I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better (2:29) 10. 31:23 Hickory Wind (3:49) 11. 35:12 So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star (2:36) 12. 37:48 Bells Of Rhymney (3:44) 13. 41:32 Close Up The Honky Tonks (2:47) 14. 44:19 Time Between (2:28) 15. 46:47 Mr Spaceman (3:30) 16. 50:17 Turn Turn Turn (2:04) 17. 52:21 Mr Tambourine Man (2:12) 18. 54:33 Eight Miles High (15:49) 19. 1:10:22 Wasn't Born To Follow (1:58) 20. 1:12:20 Chimes Of Freedom (3:20) 21. 1:15:40 You Ain't Going Nowhere (3:19) 22. 1:18:59 Hold It (1:28) The Byrds: Roger McGuinn - vocals, guitar Clarence White - vocals, guitar Gene Parsons - drums, percussion, vocals Skip Battin - bass, vocals Jim Seiter - percussion The Flying Burrito Brothers: Chris Hillman - vocals, bass, guitar, mandolin Bernie Leadon - vocals, guitar Rick Roberts - vocals, guitar "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow - pedal steel guitar Michael Clarke - drums, percussion The set begins with The Flying Burrito Brothers kicking things off. The recording misses the first minute or two, beginning at the tail end of the opening number, "The Train Song." A fine cover of Jesse Winchester's "Payday" follows in celebratory style, with Bernie Leadon delivering a hot guitar solo. Things continue heating up on Felice and Boudleaux Bryant's "Wake Up Little Susie," from The Everly Brothers. The FBBs recalls Nick Ashford's "I Don't Need No Doctor." Rick Roberts gets a showcase with his signature song "Colorado." This is followed "Break My Mind." At this point, the FBBs invite The Byrds onstage, but after realizing they are not quite ready, deliver one more number "Trying To Reach My Goal" Following this rarity, the four members of The Byrds join The Burritos onstage and the remainder of the night features all of these musicians performing together for the first time ever. The jam session kicks off with Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven" directly into a soulful "You Don't Miss Your Water." McGuinn leads the way into the Gene Clark-penned Byrds gem, "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better." A wonderfully engaged reading of Gram Parsons' song, "Hickory Wind," follows directly into a revved up reading of "So You Want To Be A Rock & Roll Star," with McGuinn and Hillman sharing lead vocals on their best-known songwriting collaboration. With Parsons, Battin, Leadon and Roberts all contributing the "la la la" backing vocals plus hoots and hollers, this is a wild performance. Next, they change the mood again, taking a more somber turn with "The Bells Of Rhymney." Much like "Break My Mind" played earlier in the set, these musicians continue with another popular song among L.A.'s country-rockers, a cover of Red Simpson's "Close Up The Honky Tonks." Here McGuinn takes lead vocals. Another delightful surprise surfaces next as Chris Hillman leads the way on "Time Between." A string of classic Byrds hits follows, with McGuinn leading the way through "Mr. Spaceman" and a medley of "Turn, Turn, Turn" and "Mr. Tambourine Man." However, it is the 15-minute jam on "Eight Miles High" that follows. McGuinn can be heard exclaiming to the audience "And it's not a drug song either!" Needless to say, the Whisky A Go-Go audience has no intention of letting them end here. For the encore, two more choice numbers, beginning with Carole King/Gerry Goffin tune, "I Wasn't Born To Follow." Following an all too brief instrumental sequence, this segues into Dylan's "Chimes Of Freedom." Once again, it's a delight to hear McGuinn and Hillman singing these songs together. Despite the tight curfew, the Whisky audience doesn't want the night to end and encourages another encore. At a loss for what to play, McGuinn relays to the other musicians, "We gotta do something hot!" A request from the audience for "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" gets their attention and despite it not being what anyone would consider a "hot" song, they give it a go. With McGuinn on lead vocal and Hillman, Roberts, Battin, Parsons and White all contributing on the choruses, this rises to the occasion. Following a sweet last refrain featuring White adding some striking guitar embellishments, they soar off into The Byrds' signature set-closing instrumental, "Hold It." Despite its brevity, "Hold It" provides one last chance for White, Leadon and Sneaky Pete to blaze away, indeed providing a smoking hot conclusion to this legendary night. (Alan Bershaw)

• published: 24 Sep 2013
• views: 38