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Rainbow Theater

London, England
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Date
Artist
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12/10/1971
Frank Zappa
Set 1Intro, Peaches En Regalia, Tears Began To Fall, Shove It Right In, Sofa Suite (parts on YCDTOSA #1), Pound For A Brown, Sleeping In A Jar (PP version, incl Sleep Dirt arpeggio, Brixton Still Life), Wonderful Wino, Sharleena, Cruising For Burgers, King Kong (parts on YCDTOSA #3)
Set 2Mine cuts off after Sharleena
CommentThe last show with Flo and Eddie. This is the show where Zappa is thrown off the stage!
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02/16/1973
Deep Purple
Set 1Highway Star
Smoke On The Water
Mary Long
Lazy
Drum Solo
The Mule
Space Truckin'
Strange Kind Of Woman
Set 2
Set 3
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02/18/1973
Can
Set 1drums > [at 8:57 someone near the mic says "they're all on now"]
improvisation ("Overture") >
improvisation ("Spade") >
improvisation ("Tritarde") >
Sing Swan Song
Set 2improvisation ("Hippo")
One More Night
Spoon
Set 3
CommentHolger Czukay - bass
Michael Karoli - guitar
Jaki Liebezeit - drums
Irmin Schmidt - keyboards
Damo Suzuki - vocals
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07/23/1973
Van Morrison
Set 1Warm Love, Take Your Hand Out Of My Pocket, Here Comes The Night, I Just Want To Make Love To You, Brown Eyed Girl, Moonshine Whiskey, Moondance, Help Me, Domino, Caravan,
Set 2
Set 3
CommentFM Broadcast
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07/24/1973
Van Morrison
Set 1Warm Love
Take your Hands Out Of My Pocket
Here Comes The Night
I Just Want To Make Love To You
Brown Eyed Girl
Moonshine Whiskey
Moondance
Help Me
Domino
Caravan
Cyprus Avenue
Wild Night
Set 2Tracks from this concert on CD only:

I Paid The Price
Saint Dominic's Preview
Gloria [cut, Dave Fanning talking over]
Set 3
CommentLineUp :
Van Morrison : Vocals
John Platania - guitar
Jeff Labes - keyboards
Jack Schroer - saxophones
Bill Atwood - trumpet
David Hayes - bass
Dahaud Shaar - drums
Terry Adams - cello
Nancy Ellis - viola
Tom Halpin - violin
Tim Kovatch - violin
Nathan Rubin - violin

The Rainbow Theatre show was first broadcasted by the BBC2 as part of the Old Grey Whistle Test on the 27 may 1974. It was aired simultaneously on stereo FM radio and on mono TV. This was one of the earliest stereo radio broadcasts, and the first simultaneous TV/radio broadcast of a "rock" concert.
It was repeated on the 9 oct 1980 on BBC2 as well. ALL the previous copies that are in circulation (known as "Over The Rainbow" and "Under The Rainbow") are from the 1980 rebroadcast.

"Over the Rainbow" is a bad quality stereo recording (according to the Hayward website : [Over the Rainbow] sounds as though it could've been taken straight from a notoriously bad-sounding LP). "Under the Rainbow" is better, but it's mono.

What's more, they are very incomplete. "Warm Love" was only aired on the initial BBC 1974 broadcast and dropped after that from future broadcasts. "Wild Night", "I Paid the price", "Saint Dominic's Preview" and "Gloria" have never been broadcasted on BBC but only on a 1980 Dutch broadcast (WN) or on a 1974 Irish broadcast by RTE (IPTP, SDP, G). Hence, those 5 tracks seldom (or never) circulated before.

Same issues with the videos/DVDs previously circulating : they all come from the 1980 repeat, have a medium to very bad image and sound quality, and all are mono.

SAW did a fantastic work in researching and finding good recordings of both the original 1974 video and stereo radio broadcasts.
The rare "lost" tracks were unearthed from Harm's archives. Their sound quality is much lower than the other sources, that's why they are given as "bonus".

The challenge was then to remaster the sound from old audio tape sources (first generation from stereo off-air, but recorded onto low grade cassettes as most people did at the time) and to synchronise it to the video that originaly had a bad mono sound. Of course, the audio tape had a dramaticaly bad pitch and a very irregular speed, so it had to be adjusted every 30 seconds. I now know what purgatory looks like.
The incomplete "Wild Night" video that came separated was then merged to the BBC source, without cutting the end of the song as it originaly was.
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11/05/1973
Neil Young
Set 1Tonight's The Night, Mellow My Mind, World On A String, Speakin' Out, Albuquerque, New Mama, Roll Another Number, Tired Eyes, Tonight's The Night, Flying On The Ground Is Wrong, Human Highway, Helpless, Don't Be Denied, Cowgirl In The Sand
CommentNeil Young & The Santa Monica Flyers (aka Crazy Horse)
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01/24/1974
Stevie Wonder
Set 1Time Of Contusions >
Drums >
Instrumental
Higher Ground
Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)
To Know You Is To Love You
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours
Visions In My Mind
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
Superstition
You've Been Better To Me (Than A Lot Of My Dreams)
CommentThis is the correct date of Stevie's show at the Rainbow Theatre.
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02/23/1974
Mick Ronson
Set 1I'm The One
Leave My Heart Alone
Growing Up And I'm Fine
Only After Dark
Angel #9
Hey Ma Get Papa
The Music Is Lethel
Maker
Pleasure Man
Love Me Tender
Woman
Slaughter On 10th Ave.
Moonage Daydream
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11/20/1974
Queen
Set 1Procession >
Now I'm Here
Ogre's Battle
White Queen
In the Lapse of the Gods >
Killer Queen >
March of the Black Queen >
Bring Back That Leroy Brown
Son & Daughter
Father to Son >
Keep Yourself Alive >
Liar >
Son and Daughter (Reprise)
Stone Cold Crazy
In the Lapse of the Gods (Revisited)
Jailhouse Rock
God Save the Queen
CommentThe original silver boot CD's cover is bogus. It says the show was performed in October 20th, 1982 at the Sapporo green Dome, Japan but it really was this date at the Rainbow Theater, London, UK.
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11/24/1974
Queen
Set 1Procession (intro)
Now I'm Here
Ogre Battle
White Queen (as it began)
Medley:
In The Lap Of The Gods
Killer Queen
Bring Back That Leroy Brown
Son & Daughter
Medley:
Father To Son
Keep Yourself Alive
Liar
Stone Cold Crazy
In The Lap Of The Gods...revisited
Jailhouse Rock
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03/16/1975
Hatfield & the North
CommentThis show was issued as Highland label <now 'liberated'> bootleg. 9 trks~total time 67:55//Trk listing:1)Mumps (Lumps~Prenut) 2)Share It 3)Lounging There Trying 4)the Yes~No Interlude 5)Halfway Between Heaven & Earth 6)Fitter Stoke Has a Bath 7)Didn't Matter Anyway 8)Your Majesty is Like a Cream Donut 9)Oh,What a Lonely Lifetime
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01/01/1977
Genesis
Set 1Eleventh Earl Of Mar
Carpet Crawlers
Firth Of Fifth
Your Own Special Way
Robbery Assault And Battery
In That Quiet Earth
Afterglow
Lillywhite Lilith
Waiting Room
Wot Gorilla?
One For The Vine
Squonk
All In A Mouse's Night
Supper's Ready
I Know What I Like
Inside And Out

Encore:
Dance On A Volcano
Drum Duet
Los Endos

Encore 2:
The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
The Musical Box (Closing Section)
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01/02/1977
Genesis
Set 1Squonk
All In A Mouse's Night
Eleventh Earl Of Mar
One For The Vine
I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
Watcher Of The Skies
Lilywhite Lilith
The Waiting Room
Anyway
It
The Musical Box
CommentA Living Story (2nd Version)
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06/04/1977
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Set 1Trenchtown Rock
Rebel Music (3 O' Clock Roadblock)
Burnin' &amp; Lootin'
Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)
The Heathen
I Shot The Sheriff
War &gt; No More Trouble
Crazy Baldhead &gt; Running Away
No Woman, No Cry
Lively Up Yourself

Encore:
Jamming &gt;
Get Up Stand Up &gt;
Exodus
CommentCommercial Release - No Trades Allowed.

<a href="https://bobmarley.lnk.to/LiveAtTheRainbow4PR">Officially Remastered & Unedited on June 12, 2020</a>
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09/03/1977
Harry Chapin
Set 1I Wonder What Happened To Him
Mercenaries
My Old Lady
Mr. Tanner
W.O.L.D.
Halfway To Heaven
I Wanna Learn A Love Song
Tangled Up Puppet
Taxi
Sniper
There Was Only One Choice
Cats In The Cradle
Bluesman
Odd Job Man
Dogtown
Mail Order Annie
Let Time Go Lightly
30,000 Pounds Of Bananas
Dance Band On The Titanic
Circle
CommentHarry Chapin - acoustic guitar, vocals
John Wallace - bass, vocals
Doug Walker - lead guitars, mandolin, vocals
Howie Fields - drums
Kim Scholes - cello
Stephen Chapin - keyboards, vocals

Upon arriving at the concert hall, Harry informed us, something to the effect of..."In Europe, we are Randy Newman", meaning...we play serious, serious music. I believe he was still quite high on the "Ovation For A Master" review in the London Times from our April 7, 1977 show there (see that entry). In any event, what this meant was that the focus of our show on this night was going to be the most cerebral of his songs. Consequently there was the most monumental train wreck imaginable in "There Only Was One Choice", a song we were just not prepared to play. - Howie Fields

From Howie's Journal 9/3/77
"Too much heavy stuff and way too many long songs as is evidenced here in the set list for that night by "I Wonder What Happened To Him", "Mercenaries", "Halfway To Heaven", "Sniper", "There Only Was One Choice", "Bluesman", and "Dogtown". It was hard playing a show like this but probably harder to be in the audience. The length of the show is still being computed."
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03/29/1978
Thin Lizzy
Set 1The Boys Are back In Town
Emerald
dancing In The Moonlight
Angel Of Death
Still In Love With You
Don't Believe A Word
Are You Ready?
Sha La La La La La La La
Baby Drives Me Crazy
Need A Little Money
CommentReleased As Another Empty Bottle - Disc 2 of Drugs And Booze
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10/03/1978
John McLaughlin
Set 1
Set 2
Set 3
CommentJohn McLaughlin on guitar and vocals
Tony Smith on Drums
Fernando Saunders on Bass
Stu Goldberg on Keyboards
L. Shankar on Violin
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10/27/1979
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
Set 1
Set 2
Set 3
CommentTicket stub shows date and venue.
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11/06/1979
Boomtown Rats
Set 1Mary Of The 4th Forum
(I Never Loved) Eva Braun
Close As You'll Ever Be
Late Last Night
Me And Howard Hughes
Like Clockwork
Joey's On The Street Again > Kicks
Rat Trap
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12/21/1980
Iron Maiden
Set 1The Ides Of March
Sanctuary
Wrathchild
Remember Tomorrow
Charlotte The Harlot
Killers
Another Life
Transylvania
Strange World
Prowler
Innocent Exile
Phantom Of The Opera
Iron Maiden
Running Free
Drifter
Running Free
Phantom Of The Opera
Iron Maiden
Drifter
CommentFrom The Adrian Smith Warm Up Tour

* - w/ Drum Solo
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02/05/1981
Eric Clapton
Set 1Tulsa Time
Worried Life Blues
Lay Down Sally
Wonderful Tonight
Blow Wind Blow
Ramblin' On My Mind
A Whiter Shade Of Pale (featuring Gary Brooker)
Country Boy (featuring Albert Lee)
Double Trouble
Blues Power
Cocaine
Layla
Further On Up The Road
Unknown Song #1 *
Unknown Song #2 *
Unknown Song #3 *
Roll Over Beethoven *
Set 2
Set 3
CommentTHE BAND
Eric Clapton guitar vocals
Albert Lee guitar vocals
Chris Stainton keyboards
Gary Brooker keyboards vocals
Dave Markee bass
Henry Spinetti drums
* with Chas & Dave
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06/30/1981
Peter Tosh
Set 1Steppin Razor
African
Coming In Hot
Don't Look Back
Rock With Me
Mystic Man
The Toughest
Bush Doctor
Rastafari Is
Tosh Talking
Get Up Stand Up
Set 2Burial
400 Years
Babylon Queendom
Legalize It
Bold dates can be downloaded from the Internet Archive    Italic dates have been a featured show