The Hollies Live at the Melbourne Festival Hall, 1970/71

[cameron]

I recently picked up an old bootleg "Hollies In A Spin" featuring some chopped up/poor quality tracks from the Melbourne concert - I'm not sure if it was in 1970 or 1971, probably 1970. Not sure of much about the concert other than it was their first long overdue appearance in Australia where they'd been hugely popular since the mid-1960's. 

The concert was filmed and included in a TV documentary called "Don't Get Sunburnt". The colour concert footage exists in full in the Reelin In The Years archive. They list the running time of around 45 minutes, so there must be more than the 20 minute segment included on the 'In A Spin' bootleg. Their archive also lists a black and white concert of around half an hour from 1971, so I'm not entirely sure which one the audio is from. 

I believe that they were at their peak live from around this period. It was just before the awful synthesiser crept in and they had some wonderful arrangements of their songs. 

Anyway, I edited the tracks together as best I could and attempted to brighten the sound a bit so you can enjoy it as a full concert recording - enjoy  


soundcloud.com/theholliesrareandunreleased/live-in-australia-1971

[irelandcalling4]

Wow, shall be listening to this tonight hopefully!

Cameron, you mention the Reelin' in the Years are in possession of the full 45 minutes, in colour; does this mean collectors do not have it? Is anything available on there on bootleg?

[Stranger]

Thanks Cameron.

I don't think Dear Oak Tree was played on stage though, I think it was improvised as part of a documentary section.

[anthony]

Jul 27, 2015 9:03:59 GMT irelandcalling4 said:

Wow, shall be listening to this tonight hopefully!

Cameron, you mention the Reelin' in the Years are in possession of the full 45 minutes, in colour; does this mean collectors do not have it? Is anything available on there on bootleg?

Sounds great, many thanks

[cameron]

As far as I know, no collectors have the colour concert as it was originally broadcast in black and white. The audio has been bootlegged in varying degrees so I've heard but I'm yet to be shown the full concert exists in audio form. I don't believe much survives in any better quality than what you hear in the In A Spin bootleg - you have to remember that it was 45 years ago and probably recorded from a TV speaker using a microphone to a tape recorder.

On a side note, it's rumoured that Bobby purchased one of Sony's new tape cassette recorders at the time and did record some of the Australian shows himself to try it out

[christocello]

Jul 27, 2015 10:16:02 GMT Stranger said:

Thanks Cameron.

I don't think Dear Oak Tree was played on stage though, I think it was improvised as part of a documentary section.

Thanks for this document, Cameron.

Dear Oak tree doesn't sound much like the Hollies - to my ears. Is it possible that this recording features another band?

[Deleted]

It sounds like The Hollies to me, but as Stranger mentioned this wasn't part of the concert (hence the different sound).

Thanks indeed for adding this Cameron. I had it on a rough cassette back in the 80s, but this is much better.

Rather than changing line-ups and/or Allan's declining voice, I do think the biggest thing that changed their live sound for the worse was the addition of synthesizer / keyboards. It started to effect things by the 1976 live album (did we really need that solo in 'I Can't Let Go'?), and by the time of the 1983 reunion was really dominating things.

[JamesT]

Well done that man! Interesting listening.

Was this from an Aus programme called GTK? A live performance of Manfred Mann's Earth Band from Aus in 1972/73 was released on DVD a few years back in b&w - think the sleevenotes said that Aus didn't get colour TV until about 1973.

[Stranger]

You can see colour clips in the LTAW DVD and it is listed as colour footage on Reelin In The Years' website.

[Deleted]

Jul 28, 2015 16:30:31 GMT Stranger said:

You can see colour clips in the LTAW DVD and it is listed as colour footage on Reelin In The Years' website.

Yes, it was taped (or filmed) in colour, but was only broadcast in black & white (colour TV didn't come to Australia until early 1975). I wonder why they did this? Were they hoping to sell the programme overseas perhaps?

[cameron]

It was common practice worldwide, you could make colour black and white but not the other way around. "Hollies In Concert" in 1969 was actually filmed in colour by the BBC.

Indeed, "Dear Oak Tree" and "Blood Red Roses" were part of an informal scene in the documentary and it is the Hollies simply improvising and "messing about". Without seeing the film, it's difficult to get context of the songs. But "Dear Oak Tree" is the only one to have appeared on a bootleg. I should have tagged it after "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" I guess.

I preferred their early live sound. I think this period they were at their peak with Bernie playing keyboards and during the Rickfors era adding extra percussion and a third guitarist and second keyboard player into the equation. They got really good at recreating their sound live. I've always found it odd in the 1960's how they rarely promoted the latest album on tour, especially at their peak with Graham Nash around 1967/8. To only feature 'Stop Right There' and 'The Games We Play' in late 1967 for one tour and then 'Butterfly' for the remaining tours with Graham - why not 'Step Inside', 'Postcard' or 'Wishyouawish' as they'd done on the BBC? At least by 1970/71 they were expanding and including some more album tracks, again, particularly when Rickfors joined the fold. Things totally went down hill when the synth came on board. Even now, I cringed on first hearing their recent live cut of 'The Baby' when I got "Midas Touch". Totally pales compared to the original. 

[Tony Wilkinson]

"blood red roses" heard that in concert more than once, can't remember coming across it anywhere on the web though, would love to hear that again..

[cameron]

I've not come across 'Blood Red Roses' on my travels either. It's unfortunate being a relative newcomer to the Hollies as you missed out on all the bootlegs of years gone by! No one wants to trade either as you have nothing to offer as they've got everything. All you can do is wait for someone to make it easily available. I've been trying to do that with material I've found on old bootlegs and hard to find vinyl tracks as I know how much the fans appreciate it.

[dirtyfaz]

Just to clear up a couple of things in this thread.

The concert was from The Capitol Theatre in Sydney 1971 and was sponsored by a radio station 2SM. It was the Hollies 2nd time in Australia.
The promoters for the tour were the Keefe/Dainty Organisation.

Dear Oak Tree was played over the closing credits. Sometimes with vision of them singing, sometimes with stills and the credits intertwined.
Allan introduces the song saying Tony was playing chords, there was the beautiful oak tree and it brought out a set of words from Allan with the tree being his girlfriend for the day.

They did other songs in the show. Woodstock, Bus Stop, Carrie Anne, Stop Stop Stop and Too Much Monkey Business that I remember. Of course the version of Amazing Grace circulating was from that show as well.

The songs in the tv special are not in the same sequence as performed on the night.

There is scenes of them at the beach hence the title "Don't Get Sunburnt" and at a BBQ where they did Blood Red Roses and Dear Oak Tree.

This show was aired on the ABC that is our Govt. run tv station similar to the BBC of the day.

You were right Cameron. I did record that TV show direct from the TV speaker by holding a hand held mike in front of it. I recorded onto a Pioneer reel to reel deck. I traded it with a couple of guys from the US and next it's on a bootleg although I don't recall it coming out on vinyl.

Wonder what a DVD of that TV show would be worth in Hollies circles?

[cameron]

Thanks for clearing up the details for us dirtyfaz

The Hollies appeared in Australia in 1970 and 1971. I 1970, they appeared at the Festival Hall on 2nd July, 1970 and a half hour show was recorded in black and white. Setlist courtesy of Reelin In The Years is as follows:
1. A Taste Of Honey
2. Blowin' In The Wind
3. Bus Stop
4. Carrie Anne
5. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
6. I'm Alive
7. Just Like A Woman
8. Just One Look
9. Sorry Suzanne
10. Stop! Stop! Stop!

They appeared again in 1971 (date unknown, listed as 1970 on the Reelin in The Years archive) and this is the concert audio that's the subject of this thread. According to the Reelin In The Years archive, the setlist lasted 51 minutes and contained:
1. Amazing Grace
2. Blood Red Roses
3. Bus Stop
4. Carrie Anne
5. Gasoline Alley Bred
6. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
7. Let It Be
8. On A Carousel
9. Stop! Stop! Stop!
10. Too Much Monkey Business
11. Too Young To Be Married
12. Woodstock

although they omit 'Dear Oak Tree' in their online archive list. The material seems a bit thin on the ground to last 57 minutes, so maybe they have the full 'Don't Get Sunburnt' documentary?

I'd love to hear the whole show. I think the Hollies' live recordings are their best. I still listen to the Lewisham Odeon concert and the Stockholm one more than any other Hollies release. I also ripped 'Hollies In Concert' to CD too for listening in the car. They put on a great live performance, always with more energy than the studio recordings. Does anything survive of their live shows from the Distant Light era with Allan Clarke?

I've no idea what a DVD of the show would be worth in Hollies circles. As these are bootlegs, they're not legally supposed to be bought or sold. Every one I've ever had has been a trade for something or someone just being really kind and sending me it. I have to admit though, i did buy 'In A Spin' from Discogs. It wasn't very expensive though. Although if someone sends you something and you ask for it not to be passed on, it's only proper that they honour your clause. It's a shame that someone went against you like that Chris and put it on a bootleg, I didn't know. Presumably, many tape copies and generations later, that's where these tracks from 'In A Spin' come from?

[Stranger]

I wonder if you did a Kickstarter to possibly get this released or show Reelin' In The Years/ The Hollies there is a market?

I don't think Reelin In The Years are too eager to take a punt on things type of thing understandably. If you could get 100 pledges @ €25, you'd be doing very well... still, if it was really promoted in the right places it might work.

[dirtyfaz]

Things I do remember about the show. I don't know if I even have the original tape I did of the show.

First song was Gasoline Alley Bred. Let it Be had a piano intro that had talking over it. Woodstock was badly edited hence the jumpy start. I think Too Much Monkey Business was the last track.

There is a beach scene with all the guys at the beach having a go at riding a surfboard. That is all but Bobby (We all know why). There is a bush type scene where the guys are at BBQ and they do Blood Red Roses and as I said earlier Dear Oak Tree was filmed there as well and was used over the credits.

Not sure it is 57 minutes long but with those extra scenes it would be about right.

Not sure of the month but I think Feb 1971. Same tour that Bobby recorded the show in Singapore and that was in the middle of February.

I did see them twice in 1970 (actually could have been very late in 1969) at a nightclub in Sydney, Chequers. that was just after Hollies Sing Hollies LP was released. A cabaret show with dinner. I am sort of sure they may have played some other cities on that tour (Simon will know). I had an import copy of that LP and showed it to them and got it signed by them all. I seem to recall Terry showing a lot of interest because he hadn't seen the finished product.

I am pretty sure that 1970 film was just part of the Bandstand Hollies & Special Guest TV Show. (Simon will know best about this). That consisted of 4 full songs plus a medley of the hits. That was issued a year of so ago by Umbrella Entertainment.

You will notice that the Reelin' In The Years listings are alphabetical so bear no resemblance the the finished shows.

[cameron]

So they are in alphabetical order! Just one more thing to not provide any information to fans. I've never known a company so against the people who buy their products! Anywho...

I doubt a kickstarter campaign will be any good I'm afraid. I don't think they'd buy into it. I got a very blunt and rude response when I politely conversed with them. They'd probably need to spend thousands on the music copyright anyway sadly. That's the reason we don't get a lot of Hollies rarities as the copyright is expensive to administer.

Nice to get the info about the program, what a shame we'll all probably never see/hear it in its entirety

[agneta]

I have still got all my news letters from The Official Hollies Fan Club, from September 69 til the last one, September 1973.
In the February letter 1971, Rod Shields wrote about the tour of Australia, and the filming.

Just thought I'd post a photo of the two pages mentioning the filming if anyone wants to read. 

[dirtyfaz]

Thanks for sharing Agneta.
Not too sure about the 36 shows at Chequers though. I do remember them doing an early and late show. I saw them twice there. Don't think they were in Sydney for 2/3 weeks.
I do remember the first night I saw them there they did A Taste Of Honey but the next time that had been dropped from the set.
Again thanks for sharing.

[agneta]

You're welcome, dirtyfaz.
 
In the February and March 1970 letters, it says that they opened in Sydney on January 8th, and that they did two shows a night, one at 7.30 and one at midnight.

They also did an hour-long television show for Australian TV. They finished Chequers on January 28th, and on the 30th they flew to Brisbane for a concert, and then Adeleide. That's according to fan club secretary Lynne Wheeler, quoting a letter from Rod Shields.

[dirtyfaz]

Just goes to show that peoples memories of times gone by aren't were reliable. I always have a slight distrust for people in bands memories. I feel they tell the story now to embellish the real truth after 40 + years

I didn't realise the shows were 7.30 and midnight. I would have said an earlier show and a supper show. Goes to show the memory thing. I didn't realise they were here in Sydney that long.

I am pretty sure that the TV show you mention was Bandstand and the Hollies were the main artist on that show. They didn't do the whole show but the show had several other artists. That TV show was issued a little while back by Umbrella Entertainment.

Just curious. As those newsletters go up to the end of the Rickfors time in the band is there any information on their Australian tour with him. I really love that show and thought the Mikael added a lot musically to the band.

[Gralto]

Just goes to show the power and immediacy of the net. I've completed a full review of the Bandstand DVD for a few months now and included some of the info since posted here by others. So when LWWG #10 is finished and you are reading it, no you are not experiencing déjà vu, its just another example of my own forum gazumping my own writing!

[Gralto]

Jul 29, 2015 13:25:07 GMT cameron said:

Thanks for clearing up the details for us dirtyfaz

The Hollies appeared in Australia in 1970 and 1971. I 1970, they appeared at the Festival Hall on 2nd July, 1970 and a half hour show was recorded in black and white. Setlist courtesy of Reelin In The Years is as follows:
1. A Taste Of Honey
2. Blowin' In The Wind
3. Bus Stop
4. Carrie Anne
5. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
6. I'm Alive
7. Just Like A Woman
8. Just One Look
9. Sorry Suzanne
10. Stop! Stop! Stop!

They appeared again in 1971 (date unknown, listed as 1970 on the Reelin in The Years archive) and this is the concert audio that's the subject of this thread. According to the Reelin In The Years archive, the setlist lasted 51 minutes and contained:
1. Amazing Grace
2. Blood Red Roses
3. Bus Stop
4. Carrie Anne
5. Gasoline Alley Bred
6. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
7. Let It Be
8. On A Carousel
9. Stop! Stop! Stop!
10. Too Much Monkey Business
11. Too Young To Be Married
12. Woodstock

although they omit 'Dear Oak Tree' in their online archive list. The material seems a bit thin on the ground to last 57 minutes, so maybe they have the full 'Don't Get Sunburnt' documentary?

I'd love to hear the whole show. I think the Hollies' live recordings are their best. I still listen to the Lewisham Odeon concert and the Stockholm one more than any other Hollies release. I also ripped 'Hollies In Concert' to CD too for listening in the car. They put on a great live performance, always with more energy than the studio recordings. Does anything survive of their live shows from the Distant Light era with Allan Clarke?

I've no idea what a DVD of the show would be worth in Hollies circles. As these are bootlegs, they're not legally supposed to be bought or sold. Every one I've ever had has been a trade for something or someone just being really kind and sending me it. I have to admit though, i did buy 'In A Spin' from Discogs. It wasn't very expensive though. Although if someone sends you something and you ask for it not to be passed on, it's only proper that they honour your clause. It's a shame that someone went against you like that Chris and put it on a bootleg, I didn't know. Presumably, many tape copies and generations later, that's where these tracks from 'In A Spin' come from?

Hi Cameron - just to clarify, The H never visited here in July 1971 - that date (which is slightly wrong anyway) refers to the TV transmission date of the Dont Get Sunburnt special. Not many bands visited Oz during our winter months. Most took advantage of a Down Under visit in the Nov - March period when it's warm..

[agneta]

Aug 3, 2015 1:42:35 GMT dirtyfaz said:

Just goes to show that peoples memories of times gone by aren't were reliable. I always have a slight distrust for people in bands memories. I feel they tell the story now to embellish the real truth after 40 + years

I didn't realise the shows were 7.30 and midnight. I would have said an earlier show and a supper show. Goes to show the memory thing. I didn't realise they were here in Sydney that long.

I am pretty sure that the TV show you mention was Bandstand and the Hollies were the main artist on that show. They didn't do the whole show but the show had several other artists. That TV show was issued a little while back by Umbrella Entertainment.

Just curious. As those newsletters go up to the end of the Rickfors time in the band is there any information on their Australian tour with him. I really love that show and thought the Mikael added a lot musically to the band.

Hi again!
I'm lucky to have my old diaries when my memory fails me.  I'm glad you appreciated Mikael Rickfors. I never saw him with the Hollies, but he is coming to my neighbourhood on Thursday, so I get a chance to see him.

There is some information on the Australian tour 1973. The concerts were: May 4th Festival Hall, Brisbane, 5th Concert Hall Newcastle, 6th Hordon Pavilion Sydney, 8th Festival Hall Melbourne, 9th and 11th Apollo Stadium Adelaide and 12th Beatty Park Perth. Or so it says in the May 1973 newsletter. But from what I read in the next letter, it seems they played Sydney before Newcastle, and there were two concerts in Newcastle, at the University campus.
The general impression is that the Hollies were not quite satisfied with the tour, but you'd better read for yourself: