GD: August 30, 1970, “Calebration”

I always loved the “Calebration” thing dated 8/30/70. My favorite Candyman, a really great Easy Wind. There’s also video out and about that gives a very rare glimpse of the GD of this period (though, I do wonder if that QMS video has made it into the world?).

But, I think the set we know was not actually recorded on August 30, 1970. John L. Wasserman’s August 28, 1970 “On the Town” column in the San Francisco Chronicle –he had replaced Ralph J. Gleason in that space on June 15, 1970, when Gleason left his regular column at the Chron for a desk at Fantasy Records– says that various bands’ sets “have been taped” (1). So this material is from sometime prior to 8/28/70, and was broadcast on August 30th.

For The Record, and all that.

REFERENCE:

Wasserman, John L.
1970. On the Town: Ex-Monkee Nesmith And His New Band. San Francisco Chronicle, August 28, 1970, p. 41.

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9 responses to “GD: August 30, 1970, “Calebration””

  1. Corry342 Avatar

    A very intriguing bit of trivia. The QMS set would have featured the tail end of the Cipollina period, without Nicky Hopkins, but with plenty of Dino Valenti, so its a mixed bag. However, the third act, Swamp Dogg (really a producer named Jerry Wiliams), was a sort of legend. He had a sort of 'Fm Hit' with the song "Total Destruction To Your Mind" which got a lot of play on KSAN. I think Stoneground covered it too.

    I think Swamp Dogg is still around, although i suspect that the performances were recorded at different times.

  2. Light Into Ashes Avatar

    I had assumed that 8/30/70 was the broadcast date, which happily the article confirms. No telling when the actual recording was.

    What's intriguing to me is that the FM "quadraphonic" simulcast is the exact same mix as the video. (Just without the FM announcement just before it switches from mono to stereo.)

    Note that the Beatles will also sing "Hey, Judge"….

  3. Fate Music Avatar

    I had always assumed the performance date was 8/30, but I hadn't thought that much about it.

  4. lestatkatt Avatar
    lestatkatt

    The QSM *Audio* exists, but I've never come across their video. I think it's about 30 minutes. Been a while since I played it.

  5. cryptdev Avatar

    From what I remember, it looked like the same audience and the same studio for all three acts, although it would have had to have been recoerded previously since it was a tight 90 minute broadcast, leaving no time for set changes. Swamp Dogg was put between the Dead (on first) and the QMS closer

  6. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    I would suspect that the Calebrations performance took place sometime after the Fillmore West run (August 17-19th). So perhaps around August 24-25th, 1970.

  7. Fate Music Avatar

    Sounds plausible. There should be TV contracts in the union archives, but I don't think there are (I have been through them twice!).

  8. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    interestingly, the article uses 'celebration' instead of the correct name 'calebration'.

    i would love to hear the beatles singing 'hey, judge' – or is that another typo in the article? 🙂

    I-) ihor

  9. Fate Music Avatar

    "take a bad law, and make it better"?

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