Rock On Vinyl: The Bee Gees - Live at Festival Hall, Melbourne (1971)

was filmed for an Australian television special, and the hour-long black-and-white program is also usable on DVD.For this show, Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, and Maurice Gibb - Barry and Maurice playing guitar and piano, though Robin just sang - were backed by a guitarist (Geoff Bridgeford) and drummer, as good as a full orchestra. This helped them create arrangements about as good as those heard on the Bee Gees' late-'60s/early-'70s records, and though the sound wasn't perfect (sometimes the vocals are softer than they should be), it's a jolly good operation that accents their most popular material of the era.Every one of their big 1967-1971 hits ("New York Mining Disaster 1941," "To Know Somebody," "Holiday," "Words," "How Can You Repair a Broken Heart," "I Started a Joke," "Massachusetts," "I've Gotta Get a Substance to You," and "Lonely Days") is here, lending the appearance something of a greatest-hits air. A few other songs from the era are included as well, "I Can't See Nobody" being a highlight, and the blue-eyed-soul tune "Lay It on Me" - the just one to feature Maurice Gibb on lead vocals - being the least impressive. Robin Gibb and Barry Gibb are the main lead singers otherwise, though three-part harmonies are naturally often a feature. The on-stage patter and joking isn't very interesting or dynamic, but the performances are good. It's surely a concert that should be issued officially as it's a good and representative encapsulation of the voice for which the Bee Gees first became internationally famous. [review by Richie Unterberger, Rovi].1971 TOUR DETAILSPromoters:Ron Blackmore, Paul Dainty & David TrewGroups:The Bee Gees- Barry Gibb- Robin Gibb- Maurice Gibb- Geoff Bridgeford (drums)plus 16-piece orchestra, Bill Sheppherd, musical directorwith Russell Morris, supportCities, Venues, Dates:10 July 1971 - Brisbane, Festival Hall?11 July 1971 - Sydney12 July 1971 - Canberra, Canberra Theatre?14 July 1971 - Hobart15 July 1971 - Melbourne, Festival Hall16 July 1971 - Adelaide17 July 1971 - Perth."On the 9th of July the Bee Gees will come in Sydney to get a one week tour of all great cities. This is the start sentence the grouping as a solid has returned to Australia since they left for England 4 years ago.Accompanying them on their turn will be ten British musicians and their musical arranger, Australian born, Bill Shepherd. It is believed that the group will be backed by a thirty-piece orchestra."- Go-Set 19 June 1971."The Bee Gees were being considered for an Australian tour by several promoters, but all but one backed out because the danger was too high. Now the Bee Gees are here they have packed every concert and brought every audience to their feet for a standing ovation! In Sydney and Canberra the crowds leapt from their seats and shouted for more. Canberrites have seldom been known to record such overwhelming enthusiasm for a visiting act of any sort. In Sydney the clapping was deafening almost ten minutes later the Bee Gees had left the house and were on their way to their hotel!In Melbourne an extra concert was arranged to deal with the immense need for tickets and crowd reaction was spectacular."- Go-Set, 24 July 1971."The Bee Gees 1971 tour was one of the very few Australian sellout successes."- Soundblast, January, 1972The 1971 Melbourne Festival Hall concert was recorded and filmed (in b/w).The rip was created by converting YouTube clips at 256kps. Limited album art is included along with select photos from the concert.Track Listing 01. NY Mining Disaster 1941 02. To Love Somebody 03. Band Intro / Really and Sincerely 04. Every Second, Every Minute 05. Lay It On Me 06. Jingle Jangle/Morning of My Life 07. Holiday 08. I Can't See Nobody 09. Words 10. How Can You Restore a Broken Heart 11. I Started a Joke 12. Ive Gotta Get a Substance to You 13. Massachusetts 14. Lonely Days 15. Encore: Spicks and Specks.Bee Gees Live Link (112Mb).