This album was so far ahead of its time it caused complete bemusement amongst the semi-educated ranks of the music press, who operate on a lower level of consciousness. It is a high peak in a mountain range of Tull achievements. Ian Anderson is a genius who hasn't received the artistic credit he deserves because he has forged his own path in defiance of the Anglo-American, moronic, mundane "mainstream." Ian Anderson has always swam against the current, and he is to be applauded for that by all true lovers of music and Art. Well done Ian. You will live forever as a musical genius, innovator, and original. Like many artists before him, Ian Anderson will probably only get the recognition he deserves when he is six feet under. But Tull fans give him the exalted status he is entitled to.
I would not be surprised if Beethoven were to listen to all that came out in those golden '68 to '73 years of prog rock, that APP would have been the one that impressed him.
Oh so well said,even though I was a very young man when it came out,I knew it was a very important LP. I've spent many times turning other people on to it because they didn't get it.I thought and I still think this LP is simply a masterpiece.I find that if you play A Passion Play today,It still sounds like it was recorded not long ago.One of my top 5 LP's of all time.....
It's so peculiar that critics hated this. Passion Play is a profound piece of music, harder-driving, darker, more coherent than Thick as a Brick. It's got a ton of great hooks, and it drives.
One of my Tull favorites - never get tired of listening to this album, though I'll admit skipping The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles when I just want to enjoy the sensational music.
Challenge them with something really ground-breaking and you'lll see in thier faces a blank stare and a dark desire for long explanations of why they dont get it.
APP & TAaB top two Tull LPs. The live concert of Passion Play introduction was sensational, a show I will forever remember as a highlight of my youthful concert days.
me too.... at Empire Pool - Wembley on 2nd night.... the day AFTER the Music press attended. It was (and still is) the best ever gig I attended. Having seen Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Yes, Uriah Heep, Curved Air etc etc etc Nothing has EVER come close to this. I was hooked and went on so see Tull over 40 more times in the next 40 years. Ah such Happy Days.
I couldn't believe my eyes when I read the Music Press' dismal reviews a few days later... and Chris Welch's review said "one and a half hours of music"... Anderson must have known they were all there with their knives sharpened and cut their entertainment short, because on the 2nd night we were treated to the Passion Play, followed by TAAB. The lengthy encores included a multitude of Tulls (then) back catalogue of songs. The whole show lasted over 3 hours. I can remember coming out and the whole crowd was Buzzing ... and I mean BUZZING. It was INCREDIBLE.
Tull became an absolute obsession with me. My personal favorite concert..........which is very difficult to say, really, having seen them seven times from '76 to '83. From War Child to Heavy Horses, the Stormwatch tour concert, '79, was so very special in more ways than one. I purchased for my sister and her bf, myself, and a couple that knew my sister that were from New Zealand 🇳🇿! What a treat! We had seats on the second level, right above the left corner of the stage facing the audience. Very close. Close enough to see what was happening even with the lights out. We could see a lot of rope on the stage floor with people scurrying around. This took probably 12 to 15 minutes maybe or so. At the first note, the lights came on and the stage turned into a huge pop-up card and became the deck of a three masted sailing ship! Just blew us away! Tulls theatrics were second to none..........maybe Alice Coopers. In '76 they had Tullevision! A 40' screen behind the band that looked just like a TV 📺! Awesome! What a great time to be alive and enjoy the music from that era.
Saw the Passion Play concert in Seattle in 1973, my first Tull concert. My girl and I were beyond blown away by the dark complexity of the musical compositions, the theatrics, energy, and creativity on display. We literally held our breath in stunned silence awaiting the next movement. For weeks afterwards we tried to process what we had experienced, as we drove for hours in the country in my Porsche 356A coupe with the Passion Play cassette cycled endlessly. This was exactly the desired effect Ian alluded to in the interview. This was something very new, a thinking persons music that required intelligence, dedication, and introspection in order to take the measure of it. It was this aspect that confused and alienated so many, especially the critics. Too bad the band took the criticism so hard. A Passion Play and supporting stage work and multimedia was far ahead of its time, and now 50 years on remains a seminal cultural event in the history of live entertainment. Jethro Tull is not for everybody, but for me is the yardstick by which I measure other artists’ creativity and technical excellence.
A brilliant album I still enjoy so much today. Such virtuosos at the very peak of their collective creative talents. It took big balls to have such an artsy album out. The epitome of concept albums.
“This Was “ enormous was actually a play on words . Meant to compliment The Passion Play. And I agree with you, for me it was Benefit. Still remember the exact moment, 55 years ago. 👍
My biggest regret as a Tull fan is having been a bit too young to see APP. Did luckily see TAAB 1 and 2 decades later when TAAB2 was released and both played in their entirety. Saw many other great concerts in-between and will forever be grateful to IA and his bandmates for the amazing live work they did. No one who saw a Tull concert ever left feeling cheated - always having gotten more than they expected.
@@BobC59 My son was 4 years old sitting in his car seat while I had Rock Island in the cassette player. When done he asked me to play it again. I just smiled. Who ever I took to see Tull for the first time early on still thank me 40 years later. Live was a must. We were blessed I always say.
@@BobC59 Ps, I saw The Martin Barre band this past June . It’s a great experience. Catch them if you’re able. Met an awesome fan there, who’s been to 500 plus Tull shows! Yes! Can you imagine?
APP is a musicians dream! Complexity of this kind to be brought live on stage is a testament to the level of musicianship that band had! DAMN that was bad ass!!
I can't possibly count how many times I've listened to this record, yet I will NEVER get sick of it. It's so complex yet it never sounds pretentious and contrived. It flows organically and being a drummer, I'm always blown away at how consistently interesting and creative Barriemore is. He's a genius, and that's not overstating it. Nobody could touch him.
@@NN-ul4oy Believe me, I've "looked at", listened to, and I know all about every one of the drummers in those bands...I LOVE Gentle Giant with John Weathers and Malcom Mortimore...I even know how to SPELL Gentle Giant...but not one of them could have played something as intricate as "A Passion Play" (etc.) with the combination of chops and creativity Barriemore Barlow exhibited...in my opinion, that is...just sayin"...
@@zendae54 Coincidentally, I was lucky enough to have seen Gentle Giant 4 times, too, except it was all within a two-day run in '78, which was the "Missing Piece" tour...I was under the impression it may have been the last shows they ever did, too, but I may be wrong. It was at The Paradise in Boston...all 4 shows, 2 each night, were sold out and in order to get in my friends and I had to imitate the stamp they gave you at the door by drawing it with magic markers...I saw all 4 and shook Kerry Minnear's hand as he was walking off stage!! It was also a quadraphonic mix which they used to full effect, of course. But my fondest prog memory was seeing Genesis with Peter perform "The Lamb" live in '75...nothing ever came close to how magical that night was...I mean, that's like the Holy Grail isn't it?? Arguably the greatest prog record of all time with their best incarnation...I did see Peter play the Paradise a couple of years later, though, but it wasn't the same. He sat down in front of me on the stage, then I stood up and handed him a portrait I stayed up all night working on and he shook my hand, then I asked him what "IT" meant...he said, "IT means what IT means" and I said, "I KNEW you would say that!!!" I didn't see Tull do "A Passion Play", though, just the "Bursting Out" tour...but, fucking Barrie blew me away, I had NEVER seen a drum solo like that...he's still my favorite...too bad he stopped playing. And yup, "A Passion Play" is his masterpiece, I think.
@@x-roytube2218 I think the only thing that might be able to touch a passion play live is The Gates of Delirium. Unfortunately i never got to see it live because I'm 19 lol, but my dad did and said it was the most incredible concert of his life and during the Soon section it felt like Jesus was coming back. 😂 Also what an amazing story about "IT means what IT means." There is nothing I'd want more than to go back in time to see The Lamb and The Gates of Delirium tours.
@@jarongittinger There was a live video of "The Gates of Delirium" from '75 on RUclips a while back...actually a couple, only one including "Soon"...with Patrick Moraz killing it, although maybe a little loud in the mix. That absolutely is a magnum opus among many by Yes, but the interaction between Chris Squire and Alan White is phenomenal...so quirky and they meticulously worked it out together (you can tell)...the whole thing ROCKS and builds to the explosive ending of the "battle sequence" after which it repeatedly resonates and fades like post-climax undulations...O.K., creepy?...well, that's what it reminded me of, anyway...PLUS the beautiful instrumental section following Anderson's vocals at the end of "Soon" is so gorgeous and perfect the way it meanders a bit until it finally "resolves" on that last major chord...true masterpiece. I still listen to it on a regular basis beginning to end...possibly my favorite Yes track, and that's saying a lot, there are so many brilliant examples to choose from...O.K., that and "South Side of the Sky"...but there's a story about experiencing that one time I always recall, which I mercifully won't get into...it's another paticularly gorgeous, epic Yessong from, arguably, their peak. Can't believe I never saw them live...although I did see a kind of "jazz improv" gig Moraz and Bruford, did together, back in the early 80's. And, BTW, you're very lucky, there's nothing I'd want more than to be 19 again!!
I was one of the lucky ones that got to see this show live from a pretty good seat. I remember walking out of there in a daze, realizing had seen the most spectacular performance I’ve ever seen in my life. Nothing else even comes close.
Love the intro with Ian saying there is no known video or film, then seeing and hearing it - truly special stuff here. It’s insane no one thought to professionally record it, but as Ian said, no-none was doing that back then. So grateful for this footage!!
I saw them in Mobile, Alabama on September 20, 1973. I was training in Pensacola with he Navy and we drove out to Mobile to see the show. It was fantastic. I believe they also played Side 1 of Thick as a Brick and then Locomotive Breath and a few other tunes. That was such a long time ago. I definitely remember the "throbbing dot" on the screen before the show started. I still have the ticket stub! The show cost $5.00.
Of the 70s era of Tull we knew how good Cornick and Glascock were on Bass, but seeing footage of Jeffrey and his stage antics he should be included as one of the best Bass Players ever.
I respectfully disagree about JHH’s bass playing. He was better at ridiculously stomping around the stage than his playing. I heard an interview with Ian Anderson where he said they hired JHH as a friend. He did not know how to play bass and they had to tell him exactly what notes to play and when. Cornice and Glascock were excellent bass players. IMHO
Their peak for sure, their most adventurous album and the courage and risk to play the whole album to a massive audiences and for some concerts even before the album was realeased. Was genius, Genesis did something like this 2 years after with The Lamb. Similar circumstances that marked both bands forever.👍🏻
The first time I listened to the “A Passion Play” album was around 1993 in my college years, and once the album ended I was entirely shocked ina very happy and almost orgasmic way. I had already listened to Thick as a Brick, Aqualung and some other material, including their 1991 release Catfish Rising (which I still regard as the weakest Tull album to date) so I was no novice in terms of the Jethro Tull sound however, I found this album (A Passion Play) was entirely different to other releases. The combination of a dark ambience with a witty and humorous tone is the token of geniality in this album, and the elaborate musical arrangements wrap it into a misunderstood piece of artwork. Needless to say, this is my favorite Jethro Tull album and one of my top picks overall. I do not expect to see a contemporary live playing of it due to its complexity and the fact that Ian Anderson has stated that this is the album he should not have written. Nevertheless, my hopes are up for the finding of additional footage of the 1973 tour.
I have to say that I was at one of the Wembley Empire Pool shows back in 1973 and Fck what the stupid critics thought at the time I thought it was a great show and a great album.
I can't believe it's been 50 years since that album rewired my then 16 year old brain and turned me into a lifelong TullHead ... sadly, I just missed going to that show at The Forum and had to wait until the Warchild tour two years later to see them. Thank you for all your efforts in this project Erin ... you are nothing less than the Publius Cornelius Tacitus of Tull.
I saw the Passion Play tour at one of the Cleveland, Ohio shows in 1973. PHENOMENAL!! For a 16 year old, this was truly amazing. As they say- I may be old, but I saw all the cool bands.
I was at the Nassau colisium show, did a hit of acid with a cool girl that came with me, it was a very special night for me and one of the best concerts i ever went to !,,,, 50 years later i still play the album, i listened to it today !,,, great memory !
It's a shame that there was no filming of the Thick As A Brick or Passion Play tours . They. were 2 of the best concerts that I've ever seen . Interestingly enough , the ticket stub from Maple Leaf Gardens shown at the beginning of this documentary ( Section 46 , Row H , Seat 17 ) , is only a couple of sections away from where I was sitting that night : ( Section 43 , Row C , Seat 15 ) . Cheers !
15:30 - on MY GOD, this band rocked it - put everything into their shows. As a fan and audience member, it was not lost on audiences who appreciated this more than anyone in the band, IA especially - will ever likely know. Thank you Jethro Tull.
Met Ian after show, either Songs From the Wood or Heavy Horses tour. I asked him if they'd ever be 'revisiting' A Passion Play. Not smiling, he answered, " That's Martin's, you'll have to ask him".
Saw this show fours day before my 16th birthday in Vancouver BC (7/24/1973) One of my top three concerts that year... 1) Led Zeppelin 2) Alice Cooper 3) Jethro Tull The good old days: Three great concerts for under $25...
*First concert I attended was Jethro Tull at the LA Forum in 1973, and it was A Passion Play, and the show was brilliantly played as the masterpiece it is and was. Tull also played some of Thick as a Brick and Aqualung.*
I was at the Wembley show. A Passion Play was a lot to take in having never heard it before as it's one of those pieces that takes a few listens. I'll never love it as much as Brick, which to this day is my favourite Tull LP, and which they played in the second half.
There are still a few memories I have of this (my third concert ever) incredible concert; I was an impressionable 16 year old and was in awe all night. First, that screen with the pounding heart and then the ballet dancer reanimating and jumping into the mirror to kick off the concert, wow! There was the silly "Hare" video too and when the whole band would freeze when the telephone rang several times until the end of the show when Ian says "it's for you" to the audience. Amazing after 50 years it still remains etched in my mind. Thanks for the video!
Quite a wonderful retrospective!... I will never cease in my long term affection for Tull's "A Passion Play". I was a Tull fan prior to it's release, but when I sat down on that particular day in 1973, put the record on the turntable, donned the headsets, and spread out the lyrics in front of me -- that's when I really got the fever for the band. That day, that album. I'll never forget what an extraordinary experience that was, and I will always love that album.
I wonder how Tull’s legacy would’ve been different had they finished and released the Chateau record. Great songs on there, such a shame for Ian to simply quit on it. Love APP, though, too.
IIRC, on this tour Tull played two nights in Denver -- and I drove 200 miles round-trip both days to attend both. I was 20, studying theater and music... this show, particularly with the film segments interwoven as they were, totally worked for me. Still remember that moment when I realized the onscreen ballet dancer had started to move. :)
Thanks for Video, I'm a great Tull Fan since 1970 in EAST Berlin ,behind the Wall. The Music from Radio that helped us a lot to survive. Greetings ❤🎸❤️
This is probably going to be the best produced ever document of the tour. Its really beautiful.considering the rarity of footage and audio. Especially of note here is the 'improv jam' between Ian and Martin towards the end of the first part (u can notice the audio source change) and i've never heard it before. I'm.somewhat bemused that the modern listener cannot just own this and TAAB shows, nor can Ian really profit from it. Kind of keeps its sanctity for us TRUE Tull Fans, eh? Cheers!❤
Loved Passion Play! Even though the "critics" mostly gave it a "meh" I could've cared less for what they thought!! My favorite bit is "The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles!" 😂😂😂😂 Well, I'm off to listen to the album again!! Cheers!
I was 11 years old when this album came out I embraced it and never let go. It is still one of my all time favorites. Easily one of the best Prog albums of all time. I have tickets to see Martin Barre in two weeks. They do Edit # 9 in the set. I can't wait!!!!
That was my first jethro Tull experience in june of '73 and it was an absolutely fantastic one! Still remember the concert today and very glad to see this documentary! Thanx a lot for sharing!
Could not have said it any better my friend. The brilliance of Ian! I've had the distinct pleasure of seeing Jethro Tull seven times between '76 and '83. Had tickets to see them again in '84 but while they were in San Diego at Jack Murphy Stadium, something happened to cause the cancelation of the concert and the tour. Still.......Jethro Tull's music is and always will be the standard for me. Few artists come to mind when it comes to the sheer genius of Ian Anderson. Jeff Lynne of ELO, and ELP are two. There are many others but for me personally, Tull has been one masterpiece after another! They will be played at my funeral..........or I'm coming back!
I was very lucky and got to see the Aqualung, Thick as a Brick, A Passion Play, War Child, and Minstrel in a Gallery tours. It's 2023 and that bugger Ian Anderson is still touring.
Saw this tour in LA in July of 1973. Was very excited about seeing Steeleye Span open the show.Alas, Steeleye Span was a no show, and some blind dude named Charley Star opened the show. Red strat is all I remember about his set. Jethro Tull’s set on the other hand, at that time , was the most spectacular piece of music I’d witnessed in my life( I was 15 ).
Thanks so very much for sharing this. Man I saw that tour and am still amazed they could play this very difficult music while moving around onstage as much as they did. Major rehearsal time! What a band during this period. Musically, visually and dynamically nobody could touch them live back then. Nobody. Astonishing.
I saw them perform Passion Play in Knoxville Tennessee in 1973. It was really far out with the heartbeat beating with the ballerina lying prone. This went on a long time until it got louder an she rose up! Fantastic stage show too. I was in the third row! I also saw them perform Thick As A Brick in it's entirety there in 1972 in what may be the best concert I ever saw.
Saw it at The Hampton Coliseum in the early 70's: Amazing concert experience.., at that time, totally unique. The courage Anderson and the boys had to create something so different from the then mainstream rock concert fare, was exquisite. Need more of that departure from the norm today!
Oh, what a brilliant, brilliant docu vid! “A Passion Play” is my absolute favourite Tull album - maybe controversially, I think it’s musically more mature and complete than “Thick As A Brick (and I don’t mind the “Hare” section at all either!). I was too young at the time to go and see this tour (damn!)so seeing this footage is magical stuff.
My sister was fortunate to see passion play in concert one of 100’s of concerts in that era and she said passion play was by far the best ever!!!! I have seen them 7 times and Ian Anderson composing and writing is UNBELIEVABLY AMAZING!!!!
Yesterday I watched this get uploaded and blocked then uploaded and removed by user. I'm glad to actually revisit this piece of Tull history.Saw it in Milwaukee in 73 🙏🏼
This is maybe an even better Doc than your one on Thick as a Brick. This was such a turning point for Tull and yet so little is available from this tour, so it's amazing to see an organized story of how this album was made. Thank you!
Great work!! What a memory this brings back. Truly a life changing experience for me seeing this live nearly 50 years ago. Forgot how much sax Ian plays in this. Love love love A Passion Play!!
I saw this tour in Springfield Massachusetts. All I remember is at end of Passion Play is a dark stage with a single light on a ringing telephone. Ian came on stage, picked up the phone and held it towards the audience and said “It’s for you”.
As a young teen in the mid '70s, listening to this one with headphones on like crazy on a family trip changed how I understood music. You could hear all the intricate parts, all the dense layers. The kind of understanding you needed to become a music journalist for a good run. Never heard them do any cuts from this over the six or so times I've seen them since '76. Then in the '90s when I interviewed Anderson, was pretty sure this was the album he was referring to when he said there was one album he seriously disliked; one they never touched live. Though he wouldn't say which one.
I saw this concert at Boston Garden and it was my first Tull concert and it was phenomenal! I have some 8mm silent movie footage of the show and Ian had ditched the ratty coat and upgraded to the blue space suit. By the way, the new album comes out on April 23rd. It's called "RokFlote". They'll have to carry Ian off stage when he passes.
Thanks for this. Brilliant. If I haven't listened to APP over 200 times in 50 years I have lost count and every time I get something new from it. The double flute solo after the ice cream lady is probably the best jazz riff on that instrument I have ever heard.
THE most classic Tull lineup (TAAB thru Minstrel), and yet there's almost no video of them whatsoever! Boggles the mind how that could be. So believe me I'm grateful for this! Feels like I've been waiting half a lifetime for it. Jeffrey is a nonstop dervish of energy; he must've been just exhausted after every show. And what a treat to see/hear so much of Ian playing soprano sax. Pity we see nothing of Barrie, but we can't have everything given the sources. Thanks so much for this most elusive "missing piece" of the Tull live canon!
To me, those two albums, this one and TAAB defines prog rock at its greatest. I love them both equally and am never bored listening to them. True masterpieces!!
Thanks for making this video!I bought Passion Play when it came out, but it was over my head. I listened to The Story of a Hare Who Lost His Spectacles quite a bit, though. Hearing the music after so long makes me want to listen to it again.
Great post. This not only arguably my favorite albums ( Ian, artists of your caliber don't have apologize for anything !), being a young teen in Detroit, but this tour was actually the very first concert I went . A friend showed up right before they went bringing " honey oil", an amber cannabis distillete, getting way high. So when they started the pulse then the filmed ballerina rising, you could fell they entire audience freaking out. But the best part of that intro was , at the two hits by the band coming in, on the first a puff of smoke ( old timey 1920's film craft) and the bassist jumps out and through it from behind the amp stack. The second puff( you can see smoke before Ian skips on , that's why !) and Barre pops out, like mystical characters who then move around, eccentrically, like you see on film. One of the best concert openings ever, was a stoned out freshman in high school watching this unfold, and they played their asses off, with soloing interspersed with singing. When they mention not having film ( except for this one clip from Dallas seen years ago) about this tour....
I saw this tour when it came to Seattle in July 1973 don't remember which day (they played 3 consecutive nights) it was very memorable the first time I'd ever seen a band use a movie screen back drop that visualized the story line of A Passion Play, the audience loved it. Reflecting back it blows my mind that concerts back then cost less than $10, I don't think I ever paid more than that tru most of the seventies. Saw Tull and Zeppelin 3 times each during that period plus many many other "Legends" what a great time for music and concerts. Ian and I share the same birthday.
Back in the 70's a had a very good friend who's birthday was 10. 8. and when we celebrate it there was always one glass of vine for Ian Anderson! We were huge Tull fans.Btw my birthday is 5. 8. and I have impression people with Sun in astrological sign Leo naturaly love Jethro Tull.
In addition to the outstanding and well rehearsed musicianship Tull always put on a very fine stage show. Something that was desperately lacking at the time. Always throughly entertaining Tull left you feeling you got more than your money’s worth. Nuff said.
My first rock concert, LA Forum. Tull and Steeleye Span (opening act) have been my inspiration for 50 years. Originate; don't imitate--that's what I got from them.
I just happened to be in HS the Jeffery hammond years. First concert was TAAB MSG 72. Hammond had a stage presence as big as anderson's. Saw PP 13th row... That opening was so dramatic. Remember my eyes fixed on hammond as he performed. Then he later started wearing the zebra striped outfit which made him more conspicuous. My favorite Tull lineup. The internet and youtube were decades away so seeing these bands live was so special. Now you can put on a video whenever you want to see them. Back then you had to wait for them to come back to your town. Youd buy your tickets well in advance then the anticipation built as the show date approached. It helped make these bands larger than life.
Bravo! Thanks Erin. It's a shame none of the shows on this tour or the TAAB tour the previous year were filmed, but you've brought it back to life. I saw this show in Denver, and it remains my favorite concert 50 years later. Since then I've seen the U2 shows filmed at Red Rocks and McNichols Arena, The Who at an amphitheater on Maui and several other venues, Zeppelin at the Denver Coliseum where I saw A Passion Play and a lot of other fantastic shows, but I still keep coming back to this show in July of '73..
All I can say is that I learned about Jethro Tull only in 1977 when I was 16 years old. Ever since it has been my favorite band. APP and TAAB are my favorite albums. Songs from the wood, heavy horses and storm watch, next. But I love all the albums very dearly as well. Flot Rok is great. A nice surprise... ❤
This album was so far ahead of its time it caused complete bemusement amongst the semi-educated ranks of the music press, who operate on a lower level of consciousness. It is a high peak in a mountain range of Tull achievements. Ian Anderson is a genius who hasn't received the artistic credit he deserves because he has forged his own path in defiance of the Anglo-American, moronic, mundane "mainstream." Ian Anderson has always swam against the current, and he is to be applauded for that by all true lovers of music and Art. Well done Ian. You will live forever as a musical genius, innovator, and original. Like many artists before him, Ian Anderson will probably only get the recognition he deserves when he is six feet under. But Tull fans give him the exalted status he is entitled to.
Well said Mr Little! Passion Play is definitely in my top 5 of Tull albums. A true gem! Truthfully I like it more than Thick as a Brick.
Superb comments John
I would not be surprised if Beethoven were to listen to all that came out in those golden '68 to '73 years of prog rock, that APP would have been the one that impressed him.
@johnlittle4833 - So very well said.
Oh so well said,even though I was a very young man when it came out,I knew it was a very important LP. I've spent many times turning other people on to it because they didn't get it.I thought and I still think this LP is simply a masterpiece.I find that if you play A Passion Play today,It still sounds like it was recorded not long ago.One of my top 5 LP's of all time.....
I will NEVER EVER understand how anyone could not love Passion Play.
it took me until a few years ago to 'get it' for many years it baffled me, but now ITS THE BEST
My favorite Tull album BY FAR, it’s awesome!
@@alecmalte2713 Definitely!
Do you mean Top 5. People can love Top 10.
It's so peculiar that critics hated this. Passion Play is a profound piece of music, harder-driving, darker, more coherent than Thick as a Brick. It's got a ton of great hooks, and it drives.
One of my Tull favorites - never get tired of listening to this album, though I'll admit skipping The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles when I just want to enjoy the sensational music.
I think other rival record companies paid the critics to pan it.
Challenge them with something really ground-breaking and you'lll see in thier faces a blank stare and a dark desire for long explanations of why they dont get it.
Strongly agree
It's incredible.
APP & TAaB top two Tull LPs. The live concert of Passion Play introduction was sensational, a show I will forever remember as a highlight of my youthful concert days.
Little did I realize I was attending what would turn out to be the best concert of my lifetime.
Ditto!
me too.... at Empire Pool - Wembley on 2nd night.... the day AFTER the Music press attended. It was (and still is) the best ever gig I attended. Having seen Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Yes, Uriah Heep, Curved Air etc etc etc Nothing has EVER come close to this. I was hooked and went on so see Tull over 40 more times in the next 40 years. Ah such Happy Days.
I couldn't believe my eyes when I read the Music Press' dismal reviews a few days later... and Chris Welch's review said "one and a half hours of music"... Anderson must have known they were all there with their knives sharpened and cut their entertainment short, because on the 2nd night we were treated to the Passion Play, followed by TAAB. The lengthy encores included a multitude of Tulls (then) back catalogue of songs. The whole show lasted over 3 hours. I can remember coming out and the whole crowd was Buzzing ... and I mean BUZZING. It was INCREDIBLE.
Tull became an absolute obsession with me. My personal favorite concert..........which is very difficult to say, really, having seen them seven times from '76 to '83. From War Child to Heavy Horses, the Stormwatch tour concert, '79, was so very special in more ways than one. I purchased for my sister and her bf, myself, and a couple that knew my sister that were from New Zealand 🇳🇿! What a treat! We had seats on the second level, right above the left corner of the stage facing the audience. Very close. Close enough to see what was happening even with the lights out. We could see a lot of rope on the stage floor with people scurrying around. This took probably 12 to 15 minutes maybe or so. At the first note, the lights came on and the stage turned into a huge pop-up card and became the deck of a three masted sailing ship! Just blew us away! Tulls theatrics were second to none..........maybe Alice Coopers. In '76 they had Tullevision! A 40' screen behind the band that looked just like a TV 📺! Awesome! What a great time to be alive and enjoy the music from that era.
I envy the hell out of you. I was an 11 year old little girl when they did this tour but I still would have gone to see it.
Fuck the critics, Passion Play is one of my favorite Tull albums. Thanks for this.
Saw the Passion Play concert in Seattle in 1973, my first Tull concert. My girl and I were beyond blown away by the dark complexity of the musical compositions, the theatrics, energy, and creativity on display. We literally held our breath in stunned silence awaiting the next movement. For weeks afterwards we tried to process what we had experienced, as we drove for hours in the country in my Porsche 356A coupe with the Passion Play cassette cycled endlessly. This was exactly the desired effect Ian alluded to in the interview. This was something very new, a thinking persons music that required intelligence, dedication, and introspection in order to take the measure of it. It was this aspect that confused and alienated so many, especially the critics. Too bad the band took the criticism so hard. A Passion Play and supporting stage work and multimedia was far ahead of its time, and now 50 years on remains a seminal cultural event in the history of live entertainment. Jethro Tull is not for everybody, but for me is the yardstick by which I measure other artists’ creativity and technical excellence.
A brilliant album I still enjoy so much today. Such virtuosos at the very peak of their collective creative talents. It took big balls to have such an artsy album out. The epitome of concept albums.
“This was” an enormous experience. None other to compare. Been a fan for 55 years, we were blessed.
i love this was, but i never regarded it as a proper tull lp. that would be " stand up ".
“This Was “ enormous was actually a play on words . Meant to compliment The Passion Play. And I agree with you, for me it was Benefit. Still remember the exact moment, 55 years ago. 👍
My biggest regret as a Tull fan is having been a bit too young to see APP. Did luckily see TAAB 1 and 2 decades later when TAAB2 was released and both played in their entirety. Saw many other great concerts in-between and will forever be grateful to IA and his bandmates for the amazing live work they did. No one who saw a Tull concert ever left feeling cheated - always having gotten more than they expected.
@@BobC59 My son was 4 years old sitting in his car seat while I had Rock Island in the cassette player. When done he asked me to play it again. I just smiled. Who ever I took to see Tull for the first time early on still thank me 40 years later. Live was a must. We were blessed I always say.
@@BobC59 Ps, I saw The Martin Barre band this past June . It’s a great experience. Catch them if you’re able. Met an awesome fan there, who’s been to 500 plus Tull shows! Yes! Can you imagine?
APP is a musicians dream! Complexity of this kind to be brought live on stage is a testament to the level of musicianship that band had! DAMN that was bad ass!!
I can't possibly count how many times I've listened to this record, yet I will NEVER get sick of it. It's so complex yet it never sounds pretentious and contrived. It flows organically and being a drummer, I'm always blown away at how consistently interesting and creative Barriemore is. He's a genius, and that's not overstating it. Nobody could touch him.
Agreed until: nobody could touch him. Look at Frank Zappa, look at Gentle Giant, look at Mahavishnu Orchestra. They were all top league.
@@NN-ul4oy Believe me, I've "looked at", listened to, and I know all about every one of the drummers in those bands...I LOVE Gentle Giant with John Weathers and Malcom Mortimore...I even know how to SPELL Gentle Giant...but not one of them could have played something as intricate as "A Passion Play" (etc.) with the combination of chops and creativity Barriemore Barlow exhibited...in my opinion, that is...just sayin"...
@@zendae54 Coincidentally, I was lucky enough to have seen Gentle Giant 4 times, too, except it was all within a two-day run in '78, which was the "Missing Piece" tour...I was under the impression it may have been the last shows they ever did, too, but I may be wrong. It was at The Paradise in Boston...all 4 shows, 2 each night, were sold out and in order to get in my friends and I had to imitate the stamp they gave you at the door by drawing it with magic markers...I saw all 4 and shook Kerry Minnear's hand as he was walking off stage!! It was also a quadraphonic mix which they used to full effect, of course. But my fondest prog memory was seeing Genesis with Peter perform "The Lamb" live in '75...nothing ever came close to how magical that night was...I mean, that's like the Holy Grail isn't it?? Arguably the greatest prog record of all time with their best incarnation...I did see Peter play the Paradise a couple of years later, though, but it wasn't the same. He sat down in front of me on the stage, then I stood up and handed him a portrait I stayed up all night working on and he shook my hand, then I asked him what "IT" meant...he said, "IT means what IT means" and I said, "I KNEW you would say that!!!" I didn't see Tull do "A Passion Play", though, just the "Bursting Out" tour...but, fucking Barrie blew me away, I had NEVER seen a drum solo like that...he's still my favorite...too bad he stopped playing. And yup, "A Passion Play" is his masterpiece, I think.
@@x-roytube2218 I think the only thing that might be able to touch a passion play live is The Gates of Delirium. Unfortunately i never got to see it live because I'm 19 lol, but my dad did and said it was the most incredible concert of his life and during the Soon section it felt like Jesus was coming back. 😂 Also what an amazing story about "IT means what IT means." There is nothing I'd want more than to go back in time to see The Lamb and The Gates of Delirium tours.
@@jarongittinger There was a live video of "The Gates of Delirium" from '75 on RUclips a while back...actually a couple, only one including "Soon"...with Patrick Moraz killing it, although maybe a little loud in the mix. That absolutely is a magnum opus among many by Yes, but the interaction between Chris Squire and Alan White is phenomenal...so quirky and they meticulously worked it out together (you can tell)...the whole thing ROCKS and builds to the explosive ending of the "battle sequence" after which it repeatedly resonates and fades like post-climax undulations...O.K., creepy?...well, that's what it reminded me of, anyway...PLUS the beautiful instrumental section following Anderson's vocals at the end of "Soon" is so gorgeous and perfect the way it meanders a bit until it finally "resolves" on that last major chord...true masterpiece. I still listen to it on a regular basis beginning to end...possibly my favorite Yes track, and that's saying a lot, there are so many brilliant examples to choose from...O.K., that and "South Side of the Sky"...but there's a story about experiencing that one time I always recall, which I mercifully won't get into...it's another paticularly gorgeous, epic Yessong from, arguably, their peak. Can't believe I never saw them live...although I did see a kind of "jazz improv" gig Moraz and Bruford, did together, back in the early 80's.
And, BTW, you're very lucky, there's nothing I'd want more than to be 19 again!!
I was one of the lucky ones that got to see this show live from a pretty good seat. I remember walking out of there in a daze, realizing had seen the most spectacular performance I’ve ever seen in my life. Nothing else even comes close.
There's very little footage of A Passion Play anywhere so this is really a huge bonus so thank you very much for this excellent video.
There is very little footage of Jethro Tull live in the 70s at all. But I keep looking. 🙋
Love the intro with Ian saying there is no known video or film, then seeing and hearing it - truly special stuff here.
It’s insane no one thought to professionally record it, but as Ian said, no-none was doing that back then. So grateful for this footage!!
I saw them in Mobile, Alabama on September 20, 1973. I was training in Pensacola with he Navy and we drove out to Mobile to see the show. It was fantastic. I believe they also played Side 1 of Thick as a Brick and then Locomotive Breath and a few other tunes. That was such a long time ago. I definitely remember the "throbbing dot" on the screen before the show started. I still have the ticket stub! The show cost $5.00.
WOW!!! I loved that! A PASSION PLAY is the utmost of Tull at their most Prog-Rock pinnacle, and I never get tired of this!
Of the 70s era of Tull we knew how good Cornick and Glascock were on Bass, but seeing footage of Jeffrey and his stage antics he should be included as one of the best Bass Players ever.
I respectfully disagree about JHH’s bass playing. He was better at ridiculously stomping around the stage than his playing. I heard an interview with Ian Anderson where he said they hired JHH as a friend. He did not know how to play bass and they had to tell him exactly what notes to play and when. Cornice and Glascock were excellent bass players. IMHO
Their peak for sure, their most adventurous album and the courage and risk to play the whole album to a massive audiences and for some concerts even before the album was realeased. Was genius, Genesis did something like this 2 years after with The Lamb. Similar circumstances that marked both bands forever.👍🏻
My first concert....Fantastic experience...Tull fan for life
... for LIFE ..., me too
The first time I listened to the “A Passion Play” album was around 1993 in my college years, and once the album ended I was entirely shocked ina very happy and almost orgasmic way. I had already listened to Thick as a Brick, Aqualung and some other material, including their 1991 release Catfish Rising (which I still regard as the weakest Tull album to date) so I was no novice in terms of the Jethro Tull sound however, I found this album (A Passion Play) was entirely different to other releases. The combination of a dark ambience with a witty and humorous tone is the token of geniality in this album, and the elaborate musical arrangements wrap it into a misunderstood piece of artwork. Needless to say, this is my favorite Jethro Tull album and one of my top picks overall. I do not expect to see a contemporary live playing of it due to its complexity and the fact that Ian Anderson has stated that this is the album he should not have written. Nevertheless, my hopes are up for the finding of additional footage of the 1973 tour.
I have to say that I was at one of the Wembley Empire Pool shows back in 1973 and Fck what the stupid critics thought at the time I thought
it was a great show and a great album.
I can't believe it's been 50 years since that album rewired my then 16 year old brain and turned me into a lifelong TullHead ... sadly, I just missed going to that show at The Forum and had to wait until the Warchild tour two years later to see them. Thank you for all your efforts in this project Erin ... you are nothing less than the Publius Cornelius Tacitus of Tull.
Lucky enough to have been at both those shows at the Forum. Fantastic.
I saw the Passion Play tour at one of the Cleveland, Ohio shows in 1973. PHENOMENAL!! For a 16 year old, this was truly amazing. As they say- I may be old, but I saw all the cool bands.
I was at the Nassau colisium show, did a hit of acid with a cool girl that came with me, it was a very special night for me and one of the best concerts i ever went to !,,,, 50 years later i still play the album, i listened to it today !,,, great memory !
I was there at the Montreal Forum, my first Tull's concert. I then attended 10 more Tull's concerts in the following years!❤️
It's a shame that there was no filming of the Thick As A Brick or Passion Play tours .
They. were 2 of the best concerts that I've ever seen .
Interestingly enough , the ticket stub from Maple Leaf Gardens shown at the beginning of this documentary ( Section 46 , Row H , Seat 17 ) , is only a couple of sections away from where I was sitting that night : ( Section 43 , Row C , Seat 15 ) .
Cheers !
15:30 - on MY GOD, this band rocked it - put everything into their shows. As a fan and audience member, it was not lost on audiences who appreciated this more than anyone in the band, IA especially - will ever likely know. Thank you Jethro Tull.
Met Ian after show, either Songs From the Wood or Heavy Horses tour. I asked him if they'd ever be 'revisiting' A Passion Play. Not smiling, he answered, " That's Martin's, you'll have to ask him".
Since 1970, I've seen Tull about 40 times, spread out over the decades. This tour was my favorite. Best concert I've ever attended.
Saw this show fours day before my 16th birthday in Vancouver BC
(7/24/1973)
One of my top three concerts that year...
1) Led Zeppelin
2) Alice Cooper
3) Jethro Tull
The good old days:
Three great concerts for under $25...
Jethro Tull rules! Was fortunate enough to have attended seven Tull concerts back in the day. Simply the best!
*First concert I attended was Jethro Tull at the LA Forum in 1973, and it was A Passion Play, and the show was brilliantly played as the masterpiece it is and was. Tull also played some of Thick as a Brick and Aqualung.*
I loved it especially the Hare whi lost his spectacles great
I was at the Wembley show. A Passion Play was a lot to take in having never heard it before as it's one of those pieces that takes a few listens. I'll never love it as much as Brick, which to this day is my favourite Tull LP, and which they played in the second half.
There are still a few memories I have of this (my third concert ever) incredible concert; I was an impressionable 16 year old and was in awe all night. First, that screen with the pounding heart and then the ballet dancer reanimating and jumping into the mirror to kick off the concert, wow! There was the silly "Hare" video too and when the whole band would freeze when the telephone rang several times until the end of the show when Ian says "it's for you" to the audience. Amazing after 50 years it still remains etched in my mind. Thanks for the video!
Quite a wonderful retrospective!... I will never cease in my long term affection for Tull's "A Passion Play". I was a Tull fan prior to it's release, but when I sat down on that particular day in 1973, put the record on the turntable, donned the headsets, and spread out the lyrics in front of me -- that's when I really got the fever for the band. That day, that album. I'll never forget what an extraordinary experience that was, and I will always love that album.
Bravo! Excellent presentation of one of Tull’s best albums. I was there for the performance at Boston Garden, a night I will never forget.
Great album. Ironically, the "Chateau D'isaster Tapes' is even better.
I wonder how Tull’s legacy would’ve been different had they finished and released the Chateau record. Great songs on there, such a shame for Ian to simply quit on it. Love APP, though, too.
IIRC, on this tour Tull played two nights in Denver -- and I drove 200 miles round-trip both days to attend both. I was 20, studying theater and music... this show, particularly with the film segments interwoven as they were, totally worked for me. Still remember that moment when I realized the onscreen ballet dancer had started to move. :)
July 4, 1973 in Kansas City, Missouri with Steeleye Span opening. Two bands that changed my life forever.
Thanks for Video, I'm a great Tull Fan since 1970 in EAST Berlin ,behind the Wall. The Music from Radio that helped us a lot to survive. Greetings ❤🎸❤️
1973 as a 17-year-old Tull fan, 2nd row at the LA Forum...just an amazing experience. Passion Play was a experience.
This was the last Jethro Tull concert I was able to go to before I enlisted in the USAF. Wonderful show.
This is probably going to be the best produced ever document of the tour. Its really beautiful.considering the rarity of footage and audio. Especially of note here is the 'improv jam' between Ian and Martin towards the end of the first part (u can notice the audio source change) and i've never heard it before. I'm.somewhat bemused that the modern listener cannot just own this and TAAB shows, nor can Ian really profit from it. Kind of keeps its sanctity for us TRUE Tull Fans, eh? Cheers!❤
Ps ol' skinflint wouldn't even spring for a riser for poor Barrie's trap kit, either. Laff!😂
I went to sleep w Passion Play blasting through my Koss headphones every night for about a year. Fucking mesmerizing.
Loved Passion Play! Even though the "critics" mostly gave it a "meh" I could've cared less for what they thought!!
My favorite bit is "The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles!" 😂😂😂😂
Well, I'm off to listen to the album again!! Cheers!
I was 11 years old when this album came out I embraced it and never let go. It is still one of my all time favorites. Easily one of the best Prog albums of all time. I have tickets to see Martin Barre in two weeks. They do Edit # 9 in the set. I can't wait!!!!
.......quintessential Jethro Tull...a wonderful work of art................
I was at the El Paso Coliseum on this tour. I was young, high and mesmerized
Saw it in 1973 at the L.A. Fórum...Great show indeed...🎉
That was my first jethro Tull experience in june of '73 and it was an absolutely fantastic one! Still remember the concert today and very glad to see this documentary! Thanx a lot for sharing!
My FAVORITE Tull album.
Could not have said it any better my friend. The brilliance of Ian! I've had the distinct pleasure of seeing Jethro Tull seven times between '76 and '83. Had tickets to see them again in '84 but while they were in San Diego at Jack Murphy Stadium, something happened to cause the cancelation of the concert and the tour. Still.......Jethro Tull's music is and always will be the standard for me. Few artists come to mind when it comes to the sheer genius of Ian Anderson. Jeff Lynne of ELO, and ELP are two. There are many others but for me personally, Tull has been one masterpiece after another! They will be played at my funeral..........or I'm coming back!
I was very lucky and got to see the Aqualung, Thick as a Brick, A Passion Play, War Child, and Minstrel in a Gallery tours. It's 2023 and that bugger Ian Anderson is still touring.
Tull is always unique and challenging to listen to.not a background music band.a second third and fourth listen band.brilliant.
Saw this tour in LA in July of 1973. Was very excited about seeing Steeleye Span open the show.Alas, Steeleye Span was a no show, and some blind dude named Charley Star opened the show. Red strat is all I remember about his set. Jethro Tull’s set on the other hand, at that time , was the most spectacular piece of music I’d witnessed in my life( I was 15 ).
My favorite Tull album
They were the best up to Ministrel in the Gallery
Like all great music you have to get to know it. I love it end to end. Thanks for this video. Great job.
Thanks so very much for sharing this. Man I saw that tour and am still amazed they could play this very difficult music while moving around onstage as much as they did. Major rehearsal time!
What a band during this period. Musically, visually and dynamically nobody could touch them live back then. Nobody. Astonishing.
Senior in college - 9/20/73 - Mobile, AL Municipal Auditorium. Unable to sufficiently describe in words how great this concert was.
I saw them perform Passion Play in Knoxville Tennessee in 1973. It was really far out with the heartbeat beating with the ballerina lying prone. This went on a long time until it got louder an she rose up! Fantastic stage show too. I was in the third row! I also saw them perform Thick As A Brick in it's entirety there in 1972 in what may be the best concert I ever saw.
Saw it at The Hampton Coliseum in the early 70's: Amazing concert experience.., at that time, totally unique. The courage Anderson and the boys had to create something so different from the then mainstream rock concert fare, was exquisite. Need more of that departure from the norm today!
Oh, what a brilliant, brilliant docu vid! “A Passion Play” is my absolute favourite Tull album - maybe controversially, I think it’s musically more mature and complete than “Thick As A Brick (and I don’t mind the “Hare” section at all either!). I was too young at the time to go and see this tour (damn!)so seeing this footage is magical stuff.
Passion play is still my favorite Tull album
My favorite Tull album.
My sister was fortunate to see passion play in concert one of 100’s of concerts in that era and she said passion play was by far the best ever!!!! I have seen them 7 times and Ian Anderson composing and writing is UNBELIEVABLY AMAZING!!!!
One of my favorite Tull albums,right near the top and neck and neck with Thick As A Brick.
I remember reading the critiques about this album in '73, and I didn't get it. To this day, this is my favorite album/song of all time.
Yesterday I watched this get uploaded and blocked then uploaded and removed by user.
I'm glad to actually revisit this piece of Tull history.Saw it in Milwaukee in 73 🙏🏼
I was born in 81 and started listening to Passion Play around 94 when grunge was all the rage. I fell in love immediately.
This is maybe an even better Doc than your one on Thick as a Brick. This was such a turning point for Tull and yet so little is available from this tour, so it's amazing to see an organized story of how this album was made. Thank you!
I’m glad I got to see this in Milwaukee at the time. Great show!
Great work!! What a memory this brings back. Truly a life changing experience for me seeing this live nearly 50 years ago. Forgot how much sax Ian plays in this. Love love love A Passion Play!!
I couldn't have said it better. Out of all the incredible music he has written, the PP is one of my top picks.
I saw this tour in Seattle and LOVED it!!
Unbelievable and My first JT Concert
A lifetime experience, even from a Wembley London front row seat live show. So close and yet so incredible.
I saw this tour in Springfield Massachusetts. All I remember is at end of Passion Play is a dark stage with a single light on a ringing telephone. Ian came on stage, picked up the phone and held it towards the audience and said “It’s for you”.
As a young teen in the mid '70s, listening to this one with headphones on like crazy on a family trip changed how I understood music. You could hear all the intricate parts, all the dense layers. The kind of understanding you needed to become a music journalist for a good run. Never heard them do any cuts from this over the six or so times I've seen them since '76. Then in the '90s when I interviewed Anderson, was pretty sure this was the album he was referring to when he said there was one album he seriously disliked; one they never touched live. Though he wouldn't say which one.
ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS OF ALL TIMES.
Saw this performance in Oakland Ca. Mindblowing. Long Live Tull!
I saw this concert at Boston Garden and it was my first Tull concert and it was phenomenal! I have some 8mm silent movie footage of the show and Ian had ditched the ratty coat and upgraded to the blue space suit. By the way, the new album comes out on April 23rd. It's called "RokFlote". They'll have to carry Ian off stage when he passes.
I think in one interview he said he'll die somewhere on stage in the midle of some tour.
Thanks for this. Brilliant. If I haven't listened to APP over 200 times in 50 years I have lost count and every time I get something new from it. The double flute solo after the ice cream lady is probably the best jazz riff on that instrument I have ever heard.
THE most classic Tull lineup (TAAB thru Minstrel), and yet there's almost no video of them whatsoever! Boggles the mind how that could be. So believe me I'm grateful for this! Feels like I've been waiting half a lifetime for it. Jeffrey is a nonstop dervish of energy; he must've been just exhausted after every show. And what a treat to see/hear so much of Ian playing soprano sax. Pity we see nothing of Barrie, but we can't have everything given the sources. Thanks so much for this most elusive "missing piece" of the Tull live canon!
Same lineup for Aqualung as well. Barre sp.
@@stevet7487 Barrie Barlow wasn't on Aqualung, so not exactly the same lineup as the classic one.
@@fabrikk60 I stand corrected. I was thinking of Cornick(who left before the album was recorded & released) and Hammond.
@@stevet7487 Jeffrey plays first time on Aqualung, and Barry replace Clive Bunker on Tick as a Brick.
@@biserkasertic1208 Lol, right. I was sorted 2 days ago as you can see, but thanks.
Fantastic album. Not to worry, we got it, and still get it.
To me, those two albums, this one and TAAB defines prog rock at its greatest. I love them both equally and am never bored listening to them. True masterpieces!!
Thanks for making this video!I bought Passion Play when it came out, but it was over my head. I listened to The Story of a Hare Who Lost His Spectacles quite a bit, though. Hearing the music after so long makes me want to listen to it again.
Great post. This not only arguably my favorite albums ( Ian, artists of your caliber don't have apologize for anything !), being a young teen in Detroit, but this tour was actually the very first concert I went . A friend showed up right before they went bringing " honey oil", an amber cannabis distillete, getting way high. So when they started the pulse then the filmed ballerina rising, you could fell they entire audience freaking out. But the best part of that intro was , at the two hits by the band coming in, on the first a puff of smoke ( old timey 1920's film craft) and the bassist jumps out and through it from behind the amp stack. The second puff( you can see smoke before Ian skips on , that's why !) and Barre pops out, like mystical characters who then move around, eccentrically, like you see on film. One of the best concert openings ever, was a stoned out freshman in high school watching this unfold, and they played their asses off, with soloing interspersed with singing. When they mention not having film ( except for this one clip from Dallas seen years ago) about this tour....
Takes me back…masterpiece!
I will be downloading this in less than 24hrs! Thank you!!
For my money, the best Tull album. Only time I saw them and they were incredible. Used to have that issue of melody maker too.
Great album. I still listen to it for the last 30 years.
I saw this tour when it came to Seattle in July 1973 don't remember which day (they played 3 consecutive nights) it was very memorable the first time I'd ever seen a band use a movie screen back drop that visualized the story line of A Passion Play, the audience loved it. Reflecting back it blows my mind that concerts back then cost less than $10, I don't think I ever paid more than that tru most of the seventies. Saw Tull and Zeppelin 3 times each during that period plus many many other "Legends" what a great time for music and concerts. Ian and I share the same birthday.
Back in the 70's a had a very good friend who's birthday was 10. 8. and when we celebrate it there was always one glass of vine for Ian Anderson! We were huge Tull fans.Btw my birthday is 5. 8. and I have impression people with Sun in astrological sign Leo naturaly love Jethro Tull.
In addition to the outstanding and well rehearsed musicianship Tull always put on a very fine stage show. Something that was desperately lacking at the time. Always throughly entertaining Tull left you feeling you got more than your money’s worth. Nuff said.
My first rock concert, LA Forum. Tull and Steeleye Span (opening act) have been my inspiration for 50 years. Originate; don't imitate--that's what I got from them.
Very interesting just to watch and listen to the live recordings. Jeffrey running back and forth all the time while playing, and Ian on soprano sax.
I just happened to be in HS the Jeffery hammond years. First concert was TAAB MSG 72. Hammond had a stage presence as big as anderson's. Saw PP 13th row... That opening was so dramatic. Remember my eyes fixed on hammond as he performed. Then he later started wearing the zebra striped outfit which made him more conspicuous. My favorite Tull lineup. The internet and youtube were decades away so seeing these bands live was so special. Now you can put on a video whenever you want to see them. Back then you had to wait for them to come back to your town. Youd buy your tickets well in advance then the anticipation built as the show date approached. It helped make these bands larger than life.
Bravo! Thanks Erin. It's a shame none of the shows on this tour or the TAAB tour the previous year were filmed, but you've brought it back to life. I saw this show in Denver, and it remains my favorite concert 50 years later. Since then I've seen the U2 shows filmed at Red Rocks and McNichols Arena, The Who at an amphitheater on Maui and several other venues, Zeppelin at the Denver Coliseum where I saw A Passion Play and a lot of other fantastic shows, but I still keep coming back to this show in July of '73..
The press don’t count , Ian . It’s we the fans
All I can say is that I learned about Jethro Tull only in 1977 when I was 16 years old. Ever since it has been my favorite band. APP and TAAB are my favorite albums. Songs from the wood, heavy horses and storm watch, next. But I love all the albums very dearly as well. Flot Rok is great. A nice surprise... ❤
Yes Ian. I rushed out and bought it. And played it almost every day for a year.