Monday, December 27, 2010

The Byrds - Live At The MIDEM (Cannes, France 1972)


The Byrds - Live At The MIDEM

Palais Des Festivals, Cannes, France - January 20, 1972

Roger McGuinn, Clarence White, Gene Parsons, Skip Battin

MIDEM stands for Marché International du Disque et de l’Edition Musicale (International Market for Records and Musical Publishing), a yearly event for professionals in show-business, that takes place in Cannes in the south of France.

The 1972 edition also saw Poco performing just before The Byrds, playing on the Byrds P.A. and amplifiers as their own equipment had been destroyed by electrical shocks during rehearsals.

1. Lover Of The Bayou (3:30)
2. So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star (3:05)
3. Mr Spaceman (3:05)
4. Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms (2:31)
5. My Back Pages - Baby What You Want Me To Do (4:16)
6. Eight Miles High - Crowd (2:37)
7. Amazing Grace (4:58)
8. Roll Over Beethoven (2:46)

Front Cover Included


9 comments:

paolo said...

thanks for this last post rockingbyrd and may you have a wonderful 2011!!!

Rufus said...

Rockingbyrd, thanks for this last post and for all the amazing shows that you have shared with us. Please know your efforts are greatly appreciated and will be missed. I hope you have a wonderful holiday and a happy and healthy new year. Peace

Steve said...

This is an enjoyable concert, as all of these postings have been. Years of playing together had made this group a very tight unit. However, I don't like the drumming as much as in other concerts. Parsons can get too busy at times, and distracts rather than supports. On this recording, his drumming sounds muted, almost tinny--compare Lover of the Bayou here with the live version on Untitled. Maybe it's the sound quality, but it seems that way to me on some other concerts as well. As for the playlist, it's safe, with a mixture of early and later Byrds, but only one that is unabashedly country--Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms, a rollicking song with fantastic banjo and mandolin playing. The constant inclusion of Mr Spaceman in the later Byrds concerts may seem odd, but frankly they milk the song for all they can get and it really rocks. The a capella Amazing Grace is also a surprise, as if to show that these Byrds could harmonize too. And they can! The other songs are well done, although I must admit I don't particularly like Roll Over Beethoven, mainly because McGuinn's voice isn't suitable for rock 'n' roll. All in all, a nice way to end a blogging career. Thanks so much for all these concerts, Rocking--Byrd. I've enjoyed listening to them and writing about them.

Kilby said...

As ever, thanks rockingbyrd.

While I agree that on occasion Gene Parsons drumming was a little busy, in my opinion he was a decent drummer. The same could be said of Clarence Whites guitar playing - that on occasions he too was a little busy, and overplayed.

Mister Bill 593 said...

Thanks for one last concert, Rockingbyrd. All the best to you in your future endeavors and thanks again for all the great concerts you have provided over the years!

Unknown said...

RB,

Had previously received an invite to join your blog but must have missed it over the holidays and it is now expired. Would you be so kind as to re-invite me to this wonderful compendium of musical knowledge?

Thanks,

YoDoc

Johan said...

This is my favorite Gene Clark song:

Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWAp5u7i5CA

Rocking--Byrd said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
wick said...

Hey RB...still collecting if you can re-up this one svp! I think I'm up-to-date on DLs. Could use Michigan State & Ritz too if poss! Thanks for the new Colonels! Wick