Group: MARTIN BARRE BAND

Tour: Jethro Tull's Martin Barre - A Brief History of Tull

Musicians: Martin Lancelot Barre - lead electric guitar, acoustic guitar, flute, synthesizer
Dan Crisp - vocals, guitars, keyboards
Alan Thomson - bass guitar, keyboards
Terl Bryant - drums and percussion

Recording Date/Time: October 13, 2023 (Friday) at 8:00 PM

Recording Location: Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center; Old Saybrook, CT, USA; Orchestra Center, Row J (main floor, 10th row center)

Source: MM-HLSC-3 (Sennheiser MKE-40 cardioids, croakie-mounted), +plug-in (phantom) power > Zoom H2 (MEDIUM gain setting)

Lineage: 24-bit/96 kHz WAV saved by Zoom H2 to Transcend SDHC 16GB card > Audacity 3.1.3 for editing > signed 24-bit PCM tracks (Audacity) > FLAC (8) encoding with Trader’s Little Helper 2.8.4. No errors occurred during or post-encoding.
No noise reduction or dynamic compression were utilized. Due to high-normal recording levels, normalization was not felt necessary. At high-decibel moments during loudest tracks, slight clipping is audible. However, the minimal clipping seems a reasonable tradeoff
for the high signal-to-noise ratio obtained, and the dynamic crunch and liveliness of the recording. Or at least that's how I rationalize these high levels. End result is that the tracks are as identical to raw recorded sound data as possible.

Recorded and edited by @Mac2300


TRACK LISTING (mm:ss)

SET I
01 Intro - Spoken and Recorded (01:59)
02 Martin Solo Acoustic - Look Into the Sun (00:59)
03 Some Day the Sun Won't Shine for You (01:55)
04 Cat's Squirrel (02:11)
05 We Used to Know (04:05)
06 Martin Speaks (03:32)
07 Serenade to a Cuckoo (02:38)
08 Sossity - You're a Woman (04:30)
09 Bouree (02:10)
10 Back to the Family (04:16)
11 Nothing to Say (05:56)
12 My God (03:40)
13 Palladio (03:55)
14 My God reprise (02:53)
15 Thick as a Brick (03:47)
16 A Passion Play (03:27)
17 The Whistler (02:28)
18 Black Satin Dancer (04:56)
19 Back Door Angels (02:02)
20 Black Satin Dancer reprise (00:58)
21 Martin Speaks Again (01:18)
22 War Child (04:06)
23 SeaLion (04:13)

INTERMISSION

SET II
24 Recorded Intro to Set II (00:44)
25 Acres Wild (03:29)
26 Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow (03:33)
27 Under Wraps No. 2 (02:48)
28 Under Wraps No. 1 (04:47)
29 Protect and Survive (03:06)
30 Watching Me Watching You (03:19)
31 Beastie (04:12)
32 Fallen on Hard Times (03:30)
33 Slow Marching Band (03:44)
34 Steel Monkey (04:12)

ENCORES
35 Locomotive Breath (05:08)
36 Hymn 43 (03:46)
37 Final Applause and Martin Says Good Night (00:50)

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NOTES ON THE SHOW:

Before this, the last time I'd seen Martin Barre play was during the Jethro Tull concert at the Philadelphia Spectrum of November 2, 1989. I remember standing in the box office ticket line on a gray South Philly Saturday morning behind a balding middle-aged guy who positively exuded enthusiasm for Tull,
and told me his favorite album was A Passion Play. This dude was definitely above my own level of fandom, I thought, but also a bit misguided, since I knew that the best Tull album was, of course, Thick as a Brick.

At first, I had been conflicted about buying tickets to this October 2023 Martin Barre Band show, as I did not want to tarnish the memory of the '89 Tull performance, which I felt had been terrific. That particular tour had been in support of the Rock Island studio album, neither a poor nor superior effort,
but one which did carry a few choice tracks. The ones which I liked best at the time were the title track, Heavy Water, The Rattlesnake Trail, and the radio-friendly (but not child-friendly), audacious and even-more-than-usually-vulgar Ian Anderson tune, Kissing Willie. In that Spectrum concert, Tull had played a reasonable mix of
new tunes and old, and I'd been very impressed. My seat was somewhere around the 20th row center (one row behind my friend from the ticket line, so we were able to comment on songs to each other), and positioned so, I was able to enjoy Ian's showmanship and the band's interplay reasonably well. The core songs Thick as a Brick, Aqualung, and Locomotive Breath were all performed beautifully and energetically.
I remember thinking that Martin looked very fit and trim, having lost quite a bit of weight since the late 1970's, the halcyon folk-rock years which spawned "Songs from the Wood," "Heavy Horses," and "Bursting Out." Did I really want to see a guitarist who might possibly be over-the-hill? On the other hand, it irked me that Tull frontman Ian Anderson had so callously thrown Barre to the side,
when his lead guitarist was so obviously a key component of the Jethro Tull sound. Not wanting to miss something special, and feeling drawn to the artist for several reasons, I bought the ticket for his Old Saybrook show and hoped for the best.

The concert captured here occurred nearly 34 years later. I was no longer that youthful college sophomore, but instead, another balding middle-aged man hoping to enjoy once more the live music of a classic prog-rock band. And Martin, who had played lead guitar with Jethro Tull for 44 years (1968-2012), helping develop their unique sound and songwriting style along the way,
was no longer a blond 42 year-old, but rather a white-locked and somewhat gnomelike 76 year-old gent. Reassuringly, the first thing which struck me during this peformance was Martin's sustained virtuosity, essentially unchanged from 1989. The second was his great humor: dry, self-deprecating, punning, and despite his obvious poise and occasional swagger, consummately humble.
Since Ian has always dominated audience interactions during every Jethro Tull show, it is perhaps no surprise that I hadn't a clue what Martin's personality was like, beyond the well-publicized fact that he had been extremely nervous during his first audition in late '68, when he was recruited by Tull to replace Mick Abrahams, and play lead guitar on their second studio album, "Stand Up."
Early on in the show, the Martin's video presentation mentioned how Abrahams had left "very big shoes to fill," and then the band proceeded to play three songs from the first Tull album. Barre's fairness and generosity towards Abrahams, as well as to the totality of Tull's output, was heart-warming. He struck me as an extremely likable, down-to-earth fellow, with heavenly talents and high musical standards.
My third impression from this night was that his backing band was tremendously talented. Drummer Terl Bryant and bassist Alan Thomson seemed perfectly in sync with his intentions and style of playing. Vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dan Crisp was outstanding, meshing perfectly into Tull's complex compositions and Barre's thorny, complex guitar work. In numerous instances, he played some very clean dual-lead lines with his boss,
and even managed to squeeze in some soloing of his own. His sensibilities and his degree of simpatico with Barre seemed all one could ask for. Regarding Crisp's expressive voice, at certain points I felt like I was listening to a heavy version of Genesis, since Crisp often sounds like a young Phil Collins.
Finally, since Martin is a very technical guitarist, with a fairly idiosyncratic approach, I believe it's no small feat that these three supporting musicians ended up fitting in so admirably with the music of Tull. Few could have achieved this. So clearly Martin chose well.

At the risk of sounding overly sentimental or flattering, I feel strongly that this sort of music should be celebrated, and not soon forgotten. No, it isn't for everyone, and in fact, tends to generate very strong opinions, both pro and con. But whether one gravitates towards or away from Jethro Tull's work, it is undoubtedly original, epic, and clearly in a different galaxy from the popular music of today.
Come to think of it, even when Tull's music was first released, it sounded pretty darn different from everything else out there! The feeling I have as I listen once again to these tracks is as simple as this: to treasure it for all times. What boldly creative stuff, with such individual personality, which doesn't try to ape the fashion of any time. It's just great music, in its own particular idiom.
Yes, that last description is a bit Monty Python-esque, but I think Martin would dig it.

With regards to purely technical factors: After listening to this capture several times, I do feel that it accurately reflects the live sound I experienced. As mentioned above, the levels are a bit higher than desirable, leading to some slight clipping at points.
I don't feel this interferes with the overall enjoyment of the musical performance, but some may have different opinions. I will say that it's a bit hard to change recording levels discreetly on the old Zoom H2, which I purchased in 2008. You basically set the gain level, bury it in your pocket, and hope you are not noticed by security.
Eventually I will get a more sophisticated digital recording device, but for now, it costs me nothing to keep on using the H2, and it's done a pretty good job so far. Overall, I'm fairly pleased with this capture, such as it is. I hope you enjoy it too!

The major intention of sharing this recording is to increase interest in attendance of the artists' live shows.
Please support them by buying live concert tickets, official recordings, and other band-related merchandise.
Also, please support this gem of a venue, called "The Kate" by those familiar with it. Concerts there are a blast!!!

Share this music widely, but never sell it. Please do not convert to lossy formats except for personal use.

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FLAC Testing Data (TLH):
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02 Martin Solo Acoustic - Look Into the Sun.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
03 Some Day the Sun Won't Shine for You.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
04 Cat's Squirrel.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
05 We Used to Know.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
06 Martin Speaks.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
07 Serenade to a Cuckoo.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
08 Sossity - You're a Woman.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
09 Bouree.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
10 Back to the Family.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
11 Nothing to Say.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
12 My God.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
13 Palladio.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
14 My God reprise.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
15 Thick as a Brick.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
16 A Passion Play.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
17 The Whistler.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
18 Black Satin Dancer.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
19 Back Door Angels.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
20 Black Satin Dancer reprise.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
21 Martin Speaks Again.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
22 War Child.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
23 SeaLion.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
24 Recorded Intro to Set II.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
25 Acres Wild.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
26 Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
27 Under Wraps No 2.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
28 Under Wraps No 1.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
29 Protect and Survive.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
30 Watching Me Watching You.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
31 Beastie.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
32 Fallen on Hard Times.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
33 Slow Marching Band.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
34 Steel Monkey.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
35 Locomotive Breath.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
36 Hymn 43.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
37 Final Applause and Martin Says Good Night.flac: tested ok (file is decodable without error).
No errors occurred.

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Checksum file saved to disk.
No errors occurred.


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