Customer Reviews

Nick Bob & John-the Final Concert

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been a Kingston Trio fan since my college days in the early 60's. I have purchased all of the 19 first albums and a few of the others including some collections. When I saw the Final Concert offered, I was somewhat excited and hopeful of one last "great" performance. Unfortunately that is not delivered in this album.

I did find the album notes very interesting reading but was very disappointed in the quality of the recording itself. Having listened to most of the earlier "live" concert albums including 1964's "Back in Town" (also recorded at the Hungry i) I became accustomed to a certain "quality" of the production. Even given that there would be more than usual of trivial "banter" since this was the Trio's final performance, this one had the sound and feel of a "bootleg" recording made by a fan with a tape recorder in a purse or bag rather than a quality job. Much of this "banter" was inaudible at audio levels that made hearing the actual music pleasant. Knowing that the final performance might be released as an album, you would have thought that more thought would have been given to miking up the members so that their comments could be heard. As for the music itself, the selections were fine and mostly traditional but the quality of the presentation is markedly below the effort of only 3 years previous in "Back in Town".

I am glad I have the album but will certainly not place it high on my play list. For the new fan, a much better selection can be made from among the earlier efforts.

I saw the KT a lot at the end of their ten-year run. Saw them at the Melodyland theatre in Anaheim four weeks before this final gig, in fact.

And swear to God, they were one of the greatest acts to see live. Hysterically funny, interacting with the audience like nobody's business. (Nick Reynolds stopping to lecture late arriving show-goers: "All right. Let's see your tardy passes...")

And the singing cooked. The playing cooked. The comedy was non-stop.
What this disk does is give you the audio: the tight harmonies, the robust guitar playing. What it doesn't give you is the visual, the animal magnetism radiating with a blue-white heat from the stage. The delight at being up there performing. (And I'll be frank: their last performance is a bit looser and slightly less polished. John Stewart's patter, usually as tightly-machined as a swiss watch, is more meandering here. But come on already. It was the last set in a ten-year musical career.)

Now I'm waiting for the last concert of the Shane-Reynolds-Guard era ("The Kingston Trio live at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.") It'll be fun to compare the two.

"The Final Concert" is for folk music fans something like "Intolerance" is for movie fans: an essential historical artifact, but not really an entertainment. It is unedited as far as I can tell, and no "production values" have been added. The songs are familiar. The reason to listen to this album is just to Be There... to be part of the audience at the Hungry i as the Trio -- relegated to pop history by the British invasion and the rise of heavily-amplified "folk rock" -- played its last live set. (We are well aware that one of the original Trio members, Dave Guard, was not in attendance.) I still have my vinyl version of the Trio's first album, and I wanted to complete the circle. If you're like me, this album is an essential part of the collection. If you just want to enjoy the music, albums like "Live from the Hungry i" are what you'll more likely want.

As a long-time fan, I wanted one more album, but this was a huge disappointment. Quality was very poor and they spent half the time in unfunny palaver with audience. Songs were not even similar to studio versions.

If you have all their albums, don't waste your money on this one. I am giving mine away.

Richard

A "must have" if you are a KT fan is the DVD "Wherever We May Go" This last performance by them is recounted in the DVD.

One of them is on stage alone (I'm thinking Bob Shane singing Scotch and Soda) when the other two decide to head on out to party. Shane (?) finishes the solo and is then left in a highly awkward spot in front of the audience.

As I recall, the stranded member was able to give a later payback. Check it out.

I guess you just had to be there to really enjoy this performance. I want to see Dean "Mad Dog" Reilly in the chicken suit. These guys were my favorite group growing up and I have heard all the recorded live shows before but this one is my favorite. Sad and sentimental during their last performance? Not really. The songs are really nice but merely interludes between the show's highlight which is after each one when they goof on each other or make fun of people they know in the crowd. Most funny...crowd chanting "more, more!" early in the show and John shouting back "go to hell more"! I wish I had seen it.

I liked this CD but I prefer the Kingston Trio recorded in a studio.