Live at the Fillmore West February 1969 [Live]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Recorded at Bill Graham's legendary San Francisco concert hall during two shows in February 1969, this disc sounds like a practice session recorded in the morning after a particularly long, rough night. The vocals fall flat too often and rhythmic cohesion is always one measure away--too many noodly, irrelevant notes are slathered atop every song. Some of this can be explained by the absence of one former Byrd. In turning the band towards their country-rock bent and then splitting after less than a year, Gram Parsons left a hole that could never really be filled, not even by the nimble-fingered Clarence White. Their take on the Louvin Brothers' classic "Christian Life," for instance, is ragged, but not right. But the CD certainly has merit for more than just archivists and obsessives: the straight-ahead folk-rock material does shine with the "Nashville West" flavorings. There's a fiery "King Apathy III"; a revelatory, subtle version of "Bad Night at the Whiskey"; and a truly emotional take of "He Was a Friend of Mine," especially poignant a year after the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy. --Mike McGonigal

Tracks:

Nashville West
You're Still On My Mind
Pretty Boy Floyd
Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man
Medley: Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Seaon)/Mr. Tambourine Man/Eight Miles High
Close Up The Honky Tonks
Buckaroo
The Christian Life
Time Between
King Apathy III
Bad Night At The Whiskey
The Wheel's On Fire
Sing Me Back Home
So You Want To Be Rock 'N' Roll Star
He Was A Good Friend Of Mine
Chimes Of Freedom

Amazon.com

Recorded at Bill Graham's legendary San Francisco concert hall during two shows in February 1969, this disc sounds like a practice session recorded in the morning after a particularly long, rough night. The vocals fall flat too often and rhythmic cohesion is always one measure away--too many noodly, irrelevant notes are slathered atop every song. Some of this can be explained by the absence of one former Byrd. In turning the band towards their country-rock bent and then splitting after less than a year, Gram Parsons left a hole that could never really be filled, not even by the nimble-fingered Clarence White. Their take on the Louvin Brothers' classic "Christian Life," for instance, is ragged, but not right. But the CD certainly has merit for more than just archivists and obsessives: the straight-ahead folk-rock material does shine with the "Nashville West" flavorings. There's a fiery "King Apathy III"; a revelatory, subtle version of "Bad Night at the Whiskey"; and a truly emotional take of "He Was a Friend of Mine," especially poignant a year after the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews:

underrated.......2006-06-03

The Byrds 'Live at the Fillmore West ~ February 1969' is a wonderful companion disc to the other live Byrds venture, 'Untitled/Unissued'. Together, these three discs offer a rich compendium of The Byrds live persona in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Still missing in action, and presumably not available, are live recordings of the first incarnation of the band, featuring Chris Hillman and David Crosby. With John York on bass, this recording features one of the shorter-lived Byrd's line-ups.

Compared with 'Untitled/Unissued', the Fillmore West disc is much more heavily steeped in traditional country and the burgeoning country-rock sound pioneered by The Byrds. But if you're a fan of the band's pop, rock, and psychedelic offerings, there is plenty of that fare to be had as well. In fact, although ten of the sixteen tracks would have to be categorized as basically country, five of those tracks are under 2:10 in length. The lengthier rock tracks (especially the 9:47 medley of classic Byrd tracks offered on track five) consume about an equal amount of time on the disc as the country offerings. The country offerings are also collected at the beginning of the disc, so whatever your interest may be, you can easily select that portion of the recordings to hear.

The first four tracks on the disc are hard-core country music, beginning with a rendition of 'Nashville West' which blows away the version offered on 'Untitled'. 'You're Still On My Mind' features a nice slide guitar sound from Clarence White, as do many of the country tracks, and 'Pretty Boy Floyd' is a 'Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde' clone from Woody Guthrie. 'Drug Store Truck Driving Man' is a send-up of a down-home redneck, ironically using redneck music to roast him. Tracks six through ten return to the country sounds. 'Buckaroo' is a country-rock instrumental, while 'The Christian Life' is a slowed-down country-gospel track. I would also classify track 13, 'Sing Me Back Home', a melodious prison ballad from Merle Haggard as country, as well as the worthy version of 'He Was a Friend of Mine' (perhaps more folk oriented), the slowed-down melodic dirge for JFK, RFK, and MLK.

The main attraction on the disc, however, is one of the finest medley's I've ever come across. Excellance in musicianship combines with classic compositions and seamless segue's on track five, a suite featuring nearly full performances of 'Turn, Turn, Turn', 'Mr. Tambourine Man' and 'Eight Miles High'. White's guitar runs contain more notes per second than many elite axemen can hope to generate, and his skill is highlighted in a remarkable working relationship with Roger McGuinn's familiar 12-string Rickenbacker. A mind-blowing fuzz-tone guitar bridge from White puts the icing on 9:47 of sheer musical bliss.

More rock highlights include the crunching psychedelic rock of 'King Apathy III', the slowed-down rock of 'Bad Night At the Whiskey', and the mid-tempo Bob Dylan/Rick Danko composition 'This Wheel's On Fire', which manages somehow to combine both Dylan and The Band's traditional sounds. The remaining two tracks rival the intensity of the earlier Byrds medley. The rendition of 'So You Want To Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star' burns with intensity, rocking all over the 'Untitled' version, which is no slouch in itself. And the closing track, 'Chimes of Freedom' comes off as a modern day 'Star Spangled Banner'. It could be perhaps a more fitting substitute for the national anthem than 'God Bless America'.

I believe this disc is seriously underrated. I've read many reviews that criticize this recording as uninspired, weak performances, poorly recorded. I found none of those criticisms to be valid. The liner notes from David Fricke aren't terribly extensive, but do give sufficient background on this particular performance, and how the band had been evolving in the late 1960's and early 1970's. The graphics and photographs of the band are also not extensive, but what is offered is illuminating. 'Live At the Fillmore West' is certainly essential for any serious Byrd's fan, and may well supplement the collection of more casual fans of the Byrd's diverse musical forms. Four stars only because I'm not a big country music fan.

Neat to hear but heard better.......2005-10-15

If your a diehard Sweet heart of the Rodeo fan type of Byrds material you will love this Live 1969 concert CD, but for me I liked the 1967 Montery Pop Festival volume 2 CD that came out in 1992 better. It has more classic Byrds material that were on the first three albums etc..before the 1968 Rodeo album made in nashville etc.. there are live cuts on the Byrds Untitled two record album (CD) by a later Byrds lineup. I also saw at a Convention Center CD sale (Dealers tables) a Bootleg of a Byrds whole Live show in 1971 at the fillmore east (2 CD's long) the guy that had it only took cash I didn't have $40.00 he said it was best he ever heard etc..etc.. Why can't these record companies sell this kind of stuff instead of what they do now. Here is the best byrds line-up with the best byrds concert ever in 1971 recorded on a illegal bootled two CD set (Hello dummies) guess what the fans want this kind of stuff you know that is legal. What gems are these record companies holding on to an why are they waiting for the rest of the Byrds to die so they can screw them out of royality's to be made from this stuff , God
help them see the light. There should be a 7 CD box set with photo book of live Byrds concerts ( all 7 years of line ups )
and if they don't have the master tapes etc.. just go out and buy up all the bootlegs and put them out in the Box set you dummies

Gram Who??.......2005-04-16

And you thought the Flying Burrito Brothers embodied country-rock! One listen to this disc and you'll think otherwise. McGuinn/White/Parsons/York crank out some of the grittiest, roughest, rockin' sounding country music ever. And some of these cuts are the definitive versions of the songs..."Drug Store Truck Driving Man" is exponentially better than its studio counterpart. Same goes for "Pretty Boy Floyd" "Bad Night At The Whiskey" and, to a lesser extent "He Was a Friend of Mine." But McGuinn's vocals, man they really get inside of you, making you wonder "Gram who?"
But the real star of the show is Clarence White. I've never heard a guitar growl the way his Telecaster does. "Buckaroo" is all him, and his solo on "Close Up The Honky Tonks" is mindbending, literally.
If anyone knows where I could find some more official live recordings of the late Byrds, please E-Mail me!

These Byrds Can Play.......2005-04-04

I don't know why the gods smiled on us and somehow these recordings were made, but they were. One listen to Clarence White work out on "Buckaroo" and you know (knew, if you were there) you are (were) in the presence of something really unusual and very, very cool - total mastery of the instrument and an intense, creative and soulful musical and rhythmic spirit. (Compare with the Buck Owens original and you'll know what I'm saying). White, who had been playing electric guitar only a couple years at that point, has simply never been equalled in the genre. And actually only equalled at all by very few other guitar players. OK - the other guys are good too, esp. Parsons, the drummer, who understood what Clarence was trying to do. This band was just beginning to feel its power, and you can hear it. McGuinn actually seems to be having a good time, and he sings and plays the country stuff OK and the folk and rock material very well indeed. Ahead of their time and underrated - classic Byrds.

Under appreciated line-up.......2005-03-05

Right from the beginning a lot of people thought this version of the Byrds was bogus, having only Rodger McGuinn from the original lineup. While their studio recordings, still very good but a notch below their classic albums weren't big sellers, an amazing thing happened. They became an awsome live band, which no other version ever was. Just listen to the ragged performance on the Montery Pop Festival box set or any of the dozens of bootlegs around and you can see what I mean. What the Live At The Fillmore West CD lacks in sound quality it certainly makes up for in the intensity of the performance. There are a few off vocals here & there that can be attributed to the dismal state of on stage monitors at the time, but if you like the Byrds give this one a try. I don't think you'll be diasppointed.

Average customer rating:

Live at the Fillmore West February 1969
The Byrds
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004R8NX
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Tracks:

Nashville West
You're Still on My Mind
Pretty Boy Floyd
Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man
Medley: Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)/Mr ...
Close up the Honkey Tonks
Buckaroo
Christian Life
Time Between
King Apathy III
Bad Night at the Whiskey
This Wheel's on Fire
Sing Me Back Home
So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star
He Was a Friend of Mine
Chimes of Freedom

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