The recording begins a few seconds into the opening number, an electrified arrangement of Dylan's Basement Tapes classic, "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," which The Byrds first recorded on their groundbreaking Sweethearts Of The Rodeo album. Although front-of-house sound engineer Dinky Dawson's cassette recording is somewhat deteriorated from the ravages of time, it nonetheless captures another strong performance from the The Byrds shortly after the bulk of the Untitled sessions, when the band was feeling a strong sense of rejuvenation and their concert repertoire featured rich diversity in their choice of material. Presented here is the first set of the 7:00 pm early show from that very same night in Amsterdam, which has never before been broadcast or circulated. ![]() Various configurations of the late show recordings were subsequently rebroadcast numerous times over the years, including in North America, and have since become a prized bootleg staple for all Byrds collectors. VPRO radio was on hand that evening and the 10:30 pm late show performance was recorded and later broadcast throughout Europe. One of the more memorable nights of The Byrds' 1970 touring schedule occurred on July 7, 1970, when the band performed two concerts at one of the most renowned concert halls in the world, Amsterdam's Concertgebouw. The group's extensive touring schedule during this era helped develop a new legion of fans and The Byrds would finally gain a deserved reputation as a compelling live band. Containing both live and studio recordings, all four members contributed material, which displayed a solid group effort. This was a key ingredient to the cohesiveness and strength of The Byrds' live performances during this era.īy 1970, when many of the band's contemporaries had split up or were nearing the end of their creativity, the double album Untitled redefined The Byrds' sound. He was equally potent in both acoustic and electric settings and possessed the all-too-rare ability to think in terms of a soulful, unified sound. White was an utterly unique talent with blazing guitar chops, a razor sharp sound and astounding musical sensibilities. It was White's innovative stringbending techniques, combined with McGuinn's signature sound, that extended the band's explorations of country music within a heavier rock framework. Much credit goes to Roger McGuinn for maintaining a vision for the group and putting this lineup together, but the secret weapon was guitarist Clarence White. ![]() Performing songs from throughout their wide-ranging career, they were one of very few bands capable of forging both a spiritual and musical unity between the two decades. Regardless, the live performances benefited from both old and new music, and The Byrds certainly had a wealth of acoustic and electric material on which to develop their concert repertoire. Ironically, as the group became accomplished performing musicians, they would simultaneously experience decreasing satisfaction with their studio recordings. They would find wildly enthusiastic audiences nearly everywhere they played, especially in Europe where their popularity had never really waned. Both critics and fans universally agreed that this early-1970s lineup was far more accomplished in concert than any previous configuration of The Byrds. It is no wonder that this occurred, as Roger McGuinn, Clarence White, Gene Parsons and Skip Battin had become the most enduring lineup of The Byrds, performing and recording together from September of 1969 well into 1972, shortly before the ill-fated reunion project of the original five members commenced. Over the course of their decade-long career and numerous personnel changes, this would gradually reverse itself. Unlike most American rock bands of the era that first established their reputations on stage, The Byrds initially established their reputation in the studio. The Byrds' striking vocal harmonies and the jangly timbre of Roger McGuinn's Rickenbacker guitar would fuel their early hits and become the building blocks of a sound that remains compelling to the present day. Right from the start, the group's music would have an impact both on their own influences like The Beatles and Bob Dylan, as well as on subsequent generations of country and alternative rock bands. Roger McGuinn - guitars, vocals Clarence White - guitars, mandolin, vocals Skip Battin - bass, vocals Gene Parsons - drums, banjo, vocals Jim Seiter - congas, percussionĭespite being one of the most unstable American bands of the 1960s, The Byrds were also one of the most creative, innovative and influential.
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