Tuesday 6 July 2010

Phil Ochs Live at the Troubadour 1970

"The sixties...started out as a dream, ended up as a nightmare" says Phil Ochs near the beginning of this live concert audience recording, made at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on February 1, 1970. It captures most of the two sets performed that day, which came at the end of a week-long stint at the famed club. In a precursor to the more familiar Gunfight at Carnegie Hall concert (that happened the following month), Phil is in a Presley gold lamé suit, attempting to mix Elvis with Che Guevara, something that appears to work better with this crowd that it did at Carnegie.

The set list is familiar to those who have heard the Carnegie Hall shows; however, "I've Had Her" from Pleasures of the Harbor makes a rare appearance with Lincoln Mayorga reprising his piano part (the song was all but abandoned in Ochs' latter-day concerts, and here he forgets some of the lyrics), as well "Pretty Smart on My Part" (brought out by request at the end of the first show's encore - he closes by saying "Down with Nixon, down with Nixon") and Buddy Holly's "Maybe Baby." Somewhat interestingly, the first verse of "I Ain't Marching Anymore" gets extended applause (the Vietnam War entering its 15th year by this point).

Here's the full track list:
Phil Ochs
Live at the Troubadour Nightclub
West Hollywood, California
February 1, 1970

First Generation recording from the master R2R tapes.

Disc One
Early Show
1. I’m Going to Say It Now *
2. Mona Lisa
3. Pleasures Of The Harbor
4. I Ain’t Marching Anymore
5. Oakie From Muskogee
6. Basket In The Pool
7. Jim Dean Of Indiana
8. Chords Of Fame *
9. Not Fade Away >
10. I’m Gonna Love You Too
11. Think It Over >
12. Oh Boy >
13. Everyday >
14. It’s So Easy >
15. Not Fade Away
16. Maybe Baby
17. Changes
18. There But For Fortune
19. Pretty Smart On My Part
Late Show
20. The Bells *
21. Danny Boy
22. Gas Station Women
Running Time: 70 minutes

Disc Two
1. Intro >
2. Crucifixion *
3. Outside of a Small Circle Of Friends
4. I’ve Had Her
5. My Kingdom For A Car
6. My Baby Left Me >
7. Ready Teddy >
8. Heartbreak Hotel >
9. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You >
10. All Shook Up >
11. Are You Lonesome Tonight >
12. My Baby Left Me
13. A Fool Such As I
14. No More Songs
15. Rhythms Of Revolution
Running Time: 75 minutes 54 seconds
* Incomplete

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is it possible to find a recording of this show somewhere?

Abraham Scott said...

I would also very much like a copy of this show, obsessive Googling has found nothing.

Anonymous said...

this is currently available for download on BigO Worldwide. really good sound.

http://bigozine2.com/roio/?p=560

Anonymous said...

Thanks a lot! I hope they'll officially release it some day. Great show.