Tuesday, June 7, 2011

The Byrds – Postdam 1970


The Byrds – Postdam 1970

Clarkson College, Postdam – November 8, 1970

Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
Clarence White - guitar/vocals
Skip Battin - bass/vocals
Gene Parsons – drums/vocals

Audience Recording

1. Lover Of The Bayou (3:49)
2. You Ain't Going Nowhere (3:10)
3. Old Blue (3:45)
4. Well Come Back Home (3:26)
5. You All Look Alike (2:54)
6. My Back Pages - Baby What You Want Me To Do (4:58)
7. He Was A Friend Of Mine (2:43)
8. Willin' (2:56)
9. Black Mountain Rag (0:54)
10. It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) (3:21)
11. Ballad Of Easy Rider (2:42)
12. Jesus Is Just Alright (3:06)
13. Jesus Is Just Alright (3:26)
14. Nashville West (2:27)
15. Turn Turn Turn (1:57)
16. Mr Tambourine Man (2:14)
17. Eight Miles High (13:40)
18. Hold It (1:18)

Artwork Included

Thanks to Dave for the original files

5 comments:

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

A few thoughts on this concert. First, the quality all around is inconsistent. Take the vocals, for instance. Sometimes you can barely hear the harmonies (He Was a Friend of mine), while at other times they're out front (Jesus Is Just Alright). Then the instruments--Gene Parsons comes on at times like he's leading an infantry charge or gets hyperactive and skittish (Mr Tambourine Man especially). In fact, I don't like the arrangements of any of the old songs here, except maybe 8 Miles High, although their version is practically a new version altogether. Mr Tambourine Man has none of the instrumental charm of the original: the 12-string disappears in the verses while Gene and Clarence try to out-lick each other, totally altering the song. TTT is even worse. The key is set to E, and McGuinn strains to hit the higher notes. Lyrics are all mixed up and then the song drops down to D for the instrumental break. Weird arrangement. My Back Pages is similarly busy, and one yearns for the simplicity of the original recording. But the later Byrds material is, in general done well. I've always liked the Easy Rider medley. It's Alright Ma is haunting, with the fine harmonica and subtle lead guitar work, enhanced by the background Rick. Then the segue into Ballad of Easy Rider is perfect. I've always preferred the live version of this song to the single; I like the instrumental break and the way the harmonies close out the song. Willin' is also a fine song, and as usual the live version is better than the version on Untitled/unissued. Well Come Back Home is just painful, with some rotten high harmonies and mercifully aborted before Skip could start chanting. But I've always liked Old Blue, and it sounds good here as well. The union of two different guitar styles never sounded clearer than on songs like this one, which defined the concert sound of the later Byrds. Jesus is Just Alright is also notable, both for its tight musicianship and for the fact that it was repeated immediately afterwards. I guess you had to be there. Overall, this recent group of Byrds concerts has shown the group near the height of its powers as a performing unit. I never saw this lineup, just the York version, but thanks to these uploads and to Dave and R--B, I can get a pretty good idea why this group was a good concert draw. Gracias amigos.

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

Is it possible to have this one re-upped please?

Rocking--Byrd said...

http://www95.zippyshare.com/v/DIpLc92k/file.html