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Jimi Hendrix – 1970-07-04 – 2nd Atlanta Intl. Pop Festival,  Byron, GA [SBD]

James Marshall ‘Jimi’ Hendrix was an American musician whose life was tragically cut short in 1970.  This Independance Day broadcast starts out with Jimi Hendrix, 45 years ago at the second Atlanta International Pop Festival.  It was held near Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia.  It was originally scheduled for 3 July to 5 July 1970, but the festival did not finish until near dawn on the 6th.  Like the Woodstock festival the previous summer, the event was promoted as “three days of peace, love and music”.  Also like Woodstock, it became an “open event” when the promoter threw admitted hordes of people without tickets out and once the crowds outside began to tear down the plywood fence that had been erected around the concert site.  As a result, no accurate count is available for attendance at the festival, with estimates ranging from between 300,00 and 600,000.  Jimi Hendrix headlined the festival, playing to the largest American audience of his career.  He launched into his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner as a fireworks display began around midnight on 4 July 1970.  This soundboard recording captures Jimi’s performance, a highlight of what turned out to be his last tour before his tragic death later that year.  Check this out to hear one of his last rides into the sunset.

Yes  – 1971-07-24 – Yale Bowl, New Haven, CT  [SBD]

Yes is an English band formed in 1968 by bassist Chris Squire and vocalist Jon Anderson.  Chris Squire took a hiatus from Yes in May of 2015, when he was diagnosed with acute erythoid leukemia.  Squire, unfortunately, passed away on 27 Jun 2015.  This short performance, at the Yale Bowl, New Haven, CT on 24 Jul 1971 marks the first in a month-long tribute to Chris Squire, here on CRAB radio.  Of all the unofficial Yes recordings of all eras of the band that I’ve ever heard, this is my absolute, hands-down favorite.  It captures Yes on teh verge of tremendous world-wide success, playing in front of a large audience that they needed to reach.  Their excitement is tangible, and it comes through in their performance.  You may just note that the first few notes of “Yours Is No Disgrace,” which were lost when the recording started a few seconds late, have been reconstructed through a little clever splicing, using the same bars when they were repeated later in the performance.  The lineup for this excellent soundboard is: Jon Anderson (vocals), Bill Bruford (drums), Steve Howe (guitars), Tony Kaye (keyboards) and Chris Squire (bass).

Golden Earring – 1975-04-25  [VID – SBD]

Golden Earring is a Dutch rock band formed in 1961 in The Hague as the Golden Earrings (the “s” was dropped in 1969).  This is the second time that I’ve played this on Happy Hour (this one is from a different source).  The first time was the first broadcast of Happy Hour on 3 Jan 2015.  Here is a testimony of what a great live band Golden Earring was in 1975, during its “golden era”, the time between Switch and To The Hilt. Although some of the solos are quite long, the new songs (those from Switch) do not allow the band to such indulgence and therefore most of the set is stunning.  Moreover, horns provide a welcome new power to the music.  It’s really a good thing shortly after this that Barry Hay quit playing flute, as it was too much like Jethro Tull.    Some songs in this performance are far better than in studio (in particular “Vanilla Queen” and “Daddy’s Gonna Save My Soul“) whereas others are treated with respect and do not lose the strength of their studio versions.  Of course, “Radar Love” was a little too much with timeless improvisatios that are quite difficult to enjoy (notably the drum solo, but then who ever could manage a good drum solo but John Arana of the TAS group BTN?)  Enjoy this soundboard, and next week, we shall have their KSAN FM broadcast at the Record Plant performed a day later.