It was amidst the great social unrest that representatives of Stax Records‘ roster arrived in Los Angeles in August 1965, but if was high time for the Memphis label to showcase their artists in the wake of signing a distribution deal with Atlantic. Booker T. Jones, Rufus Thomas and their colleagues played to the packed “5-4 Ballroom” for two nights in a row, yet although those performances got recorded, only a portion of what went down there saw the light of day in 1991. Now, however, more material is ready to hit the shelves on CD and vinyl and also be available for download.
The “Stax Revue: Live In ’65!” album that’s planned to be issued on August 8th differs from what was out before, with two numbers excluded and two replaced with versions from the other night; however, there’s a second disc, documenting the same line-up’s appearance at “Club Paradise” in their hometown which makes the compilation, marking the semicentennial anniversary of those events immensely appealing.
Stax Revue:
Live In ’65!
Disc 1 – Live at Club Paradise:
1. Green Onions – Booker T. & THE M.G.’s
2. Boot-leg – Booker T. & THE M.G.’s *
3. You Can’t Sit Down – Booker T. & THE M.G.’s
4. Summertime – Booker T. & THE M.G.’s
5. Soul Twist – Booker T. & THE M.G.’s
6. What Can It Be – THE ASTORS *
7. I’ll Be Doggone – David Porter *
8. Just Be True – David Porter *
9. Out Of Sight – David Porter *
10. Can’t See You When I Want To – David Porter *
11. Bar-B-Q – Wendy Rene *
Disc 2 – Live at the 5-4 Ballroom:
1. Last Night – THE MAR-KEYS
2. Don’t Have To Shop Around – THE MAD LADS
3. Candy – THE ASTORS
4. Any Other Way – William Bell
5. You Don’t Miss Your Water – William Bell
6. Every Ounce Of Strength – Carla Thomas
7. Boot-leg – Booker T. & THE M.G.’s
8. In The Midnight Hour – Wilson Pickett *
9. Walking The Dog – Rufus Thomas
10. The Dog – Rufus Thomas *
* previously unreleased
