Byrds-Fillmore Concert

Byrds Live at the Fillmore

Without Clarence White, the latter period Byrds would have been a much duller beast. One can only wonder what would have happened if he'd prized daring over guaranteed cash and taken up the offer to form a Parsons-Hillman-White-Parsons lineup of The Flying Burrito Bros!

But he didn't, he stayed with The Byrds. Here he comes now, all sinewy stringbending stood-stock-still showmanship - listen to the way he plays the instrumentals "Nashville West" and "Buckaroo" here, and weep with joy and envy.
It may not be the best ever Byrds mk II concert, but it's noticeably better than the live sections of the new expanded (UNTITLED)/(UNISSUED). And nor do I feel that they're missing Gram Parsons here - he certainly wasn't known for his way with a pitch-perfect lead or harmony vocal! I actually miss Chris Hillman's bass and singing more, especially on "Time Between".

But, hey, they do an energetic banjo-fuelled "Pretty Boy Floyd" and the Medley, far from being a typical let's-get-the-hits-over-with exercise is truly exciting - McGuinn's on fine form (but where's John York when you need him doing the David Crosby harmony parts! ). Similarly upbeat is the version of "Rock 'n' Roll Star".

Also present is a cool live take of "Bad Night at the Whiskey" (the single released from the contemporary DR BYRDS AND MR HYDE LP) which outclasses the muddy studio original. In fact the DR BYRDS album gets my vote for the worst ever Byrds LP - it's not helped by its ill-judged production sound, and must have lead many (I'd have been amongst them) to write the group off as a dead dodo. This concert would have helped restore the balance had it been released in '69 and Byrds fans and/or Clarence White fans shouldn't have too much hesitation about snapping up a copy.

In fact, there's a neat box available here in the UK (I don't know whether you guys have it too) which includes this CD along with the upgraded (UNTITLED), BYRDMANIAX and FARTHER ALONG with room for the previous 8 albums, plus a Pete Frame family tree poster and a set of 4 color cards.