Midnight Raver

Beyond Flat Out With Bob Marley: Boston 1978

Bootleg Audio and Concert Reviews

Dropping in briefly to share a piece of Wailers history with everyone.  Bob Marley and the Wailers toured the U.S. in May and June of 1978, primarily playing mid-sized venues like music and orchestra halls.  The band is coming off their now-historic performance at the One Love Peace Concert in April, their first performance back on the island since Marley’s attempted assassination and the Smile Jamaica concert in December 1976.  They are touring the U.S. in support of their new album Kaya, which was released on March 23, 1978.

Boston Music Hall 1976

© Don Bullens

On June 8, 1978 they play two shows at the famed Boston Music Hall, a performing arts center located on Tremont Street in Boston.  This venue was originally known as the Metropolitan Theatre when it opened in 1925. It seats more than 3,600 people. In 1962 it became the home of the Boston Ballet and was renamed the Music Hall.

The two performances at Boston’s Music Hall were recorded and are presented here for your listen and download.  Wolfgang’s Vault recently presented these two shows and provided a wonderful review of the shows:

“Bob Marley and The Wailers had finally broken through the American mainstream by the time this show (the first of two recorded for the King Biscuit Flower Hour on the same day) was performed. It had been five years since The Wailers had emerged from Jamaica, on Chris Blackwell’s Island Records, and become the darlings of music journalists with classics such as “Get Up Stand Up,” “No Woman, No Cry” and “I Shot The Sheriff,” the latter of which Eric Clapton had brought to the U.S. Top 10 charts in ’74. Abroad, their infectious blend of reggae had found a solid and well received niche in the pop mainstream, and Marley had become one of the most powerful and influential figures in his native country.

With the release of 1977′s Exodus, Marley and The Wailers gained an even stronger foothold in the world’s collective consciousness. Recorded in London just after an assassination attempt on his life, Marley’s album is a reflective statement, political and inspired, despite spawning massive hits like “Exodus,” “Waiting in Vain” and “One Love” (the latter has since been adapted for use by the Jamaican tourism board). The success of this record gave the group enough momentum to take the world by storm when they embarked on their 1978 world tour, from which this recording is taken. Marley is fully in control by this time. This, the early show, is a little more laidback than the late one. Marley and company were warming up and seemed to be enjoying themselves during this set, rather than focusing on explosive showmanship.

Highlights include an energetic version of “Jammin’,” and a signature Bob tune, “The Heathen,” which wasn’t performed at the late show. So people get ready – Bob Marley and The Wailers are about to catch a fire.”

Boston 1978

© Jill Furmanovsky

Many thanks to Wolfgang’s Vault for preserving and sharing the soundboard recording of these shows.  In addition to the concert review provided by Wolfgang’s Vault, I mined the newspapers and recovered a review of the shows written by Steve Morse and published in the Boston Globe on June 9, 1978.

Click To Read

Band Lineup

Bob Marley, vocals, rhythm guitar
Aston Barrett, bass
Carlton Barrett, drums
Junior Marvin, lead guitar
Earl Lindo, organ
Tyrone Downie, keyboards
Alvin Patterson, percussion
The I-Threes, backing vocals

The June 8, 1978 early show is a soundboard/audience matrix recording presented here for listen and download:

Press the downward facing arrow to download an audio file of this show.

1. “Slave Driver”
2. “Burnin’ And Lootin’”
3. “Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)”
4. “The Heathen”
5. “Rebel Music (3 O’Clock Roadblock)”
6. “I Shot The Sheriff”
7. “Easy Skanking”
8. “No Woman, No Cry”
9. “Lively Up Yourself”
10. “Jammin’”
11. “War” -> “No More Trouble”
12. “Get Up, Stand Up”
13. “Exodus”

The June 8, 1978 late show is a soundboard recording presented here for listen and download:

1. “Concrete Jungle”
2. “Burnin’ And Lootin’”
3. “Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)”
4. “Rebel Music (3 O’Clock Roadblock)”
5. “Crazy Baldhead” -> “Running Away”
6. “I Shot The Sheriff”
7. “Easy Skanking”
8. “No Woman, No Cry”
9. “Lively Up Yourself”
10. “Jammin’”
11. “War” -> “No More Trouble”
12. “Get Up, Stand Up”
13. “Exodus”

Must give many thanks to my good friend Dubwise Garage who provided invaluable commentary regarding the audio for these shows.  Please visit his blog at http://bobmarleyconcerts.wordpress.com.

Also, thanks to Emmanuel Parata of The Bob Marley Archive for suggesting corrections to the photo credit.