I suppose this set had four songs which aren't exactly rare, but are welcome, whereas the rest of the set was stellar.
Waiting for dischead's comment on how the bar is set high for 1970 in 3, 2, 1....
My guess is that this one won't disappoint too much.
I'm having a hard time picking a single BOS. I think I'm going with the TOTHK. Great kickoff to a great set.
Oh dear. Have I become so predictable?
I would remind you that extremism in the defense of musical excellence is no vice! And let me
remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of great tunes is no virtue!
Yes, I grade on a curve, so to speak. But with a year like 1970, a blind, arthritic, dart-throwing
monkey could pick a good set. So to get a top grade, the show would have to be fantastic.
Let's review the score. Only Chicago and George Harrison come close to being FFs, and each fall
just short of ten plays. There are four bust-outs: Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, The Dead, and
Simon & Garfunkel. The spins of each of the remaining songs can be counted with the fingers of
one hand. I'll also note that clip montages from previous hosts were used.
So it's a show with a very low LNQ. And yes,
Candyman was a wonderful surprise. And
that Simon & Garfunkel song... it can take me places that I would need to write a great novel
to describe. But there's more to an excellent 10@10 than bust-outs, and it's where you start
getting into aesthetics and the vagaries of taste. Although there were some inspired choices
today, for me the set as a whole didn't gel. I found it a little disjointed. I'm willing to admit that
probably reflects more my personal reaction than to the content of the show.
