Robert Palmer
The Ritz
New York, NY
June 25, 1983

Pre-FM recording (taken from KBFH discs)


** mp3 samples (as always) included in the Comments section **


I was doing a little "housecleaning" recently and I discovered this fine Robert Palmer show that my main man Jetrell69 sent to me months ago. I had previously downloaded his "Johnny and Mary" FM version of this same show, but this one is a pre-FM recording, ripped from Jetrell69's own King Biscuit Flower Hour CD.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that this is MUCH better than the "Johnny and Mary" bootleg from this show. However, both are INCOMPLETE versions of the actual show (King Biscuit apparently wanted to focus on the stronger tracks for its program). But aside from the pre-FM quality of this particular recording, here's another advantage: each song on the "Johnny and Mary" boot fades in and fades out (as if you were listening to a studio album)...this version does NOT have fades on each song...thankfully.

All in all, I highly recommend this pre-FM King Biscuit version over the "Johnny and Mary" FM version of this Ritz show. You probably will agree. Enjoy!


Setlist:
01. Johnny And Mary
02. Every Kinda People
03. Woke Up Laughing
04. Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley
05. Pride
06. It's Not Difficult
07. Some Guys Have All The Luck
08. Best Of Both Worlds
09. Sulky Girl
10. Looking For Clues
11. You Are In My System
12. Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)
13. Show credits (over The Pink Panther theme)

Approx. running time: 51 minutes

Songs played in concert (according to Wolfgang's Vault's version) but not included in this torrent:
Deadline, What's It Take, What Do You Care, What Can You Bring Me, Let's Face The Music And..., Dance For Me, What You Waiting For, You Can Have It, Found You Now


Lineage:
King Biscuit pre-FM disc > CDR (from Jetrell69 to TheCommish) > EAC > WAVs
> CD Wave (for tracking songs) > WAVs > FLAC Frontend (SB-aligned) > FLAC

(Note: I also removed the commercials that were included on this pre-FM version.)


Here's a writeup for the show, courtesy of Wolfgang's Vault:

http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/robert-palmer/concerts/ritz-june-25-1983.html
(a streamed, lossy version of the COMPLETE show is available at Wolfgang's)

Frank Blair - bass
Michael Blair - drums
Alan Mansfield - keyboards
Robert Palmer - vocals, guitar, keyboards
Jack Waldman - keyboards
Donny Wynn - drums
John Staehely - guitar

This brilliant live recording by the late British singer Robert Palmer is a classic example of why his live shows were so captivating. A musical adventurer, Palmer could cohesively blend a wide swatch of styles ranging from rock, blues, reggae, world beat, soul/R&B, and heavy metal into a single live performance, never losing perspective along the way. Recorded at the sonically near-perfect Ritz Auditorium in New York City in 1983, this live show was originally aired on the King Biscuit Flower Hour.

Palmer was out promoting his Pride album, which was helping to further break his career from critics' darling to bona fide commercially successful superstar. This show was recorded while Palmer was going through a musical transformation, moving a little away from the hard core reggae pop and funk of the earlier solo albums to a more cohesive blend of island music and hard hitting rock. It would culminate a few years later when Palmer, with Duran Duran members Andy and John Taylor, and Chic drummer Tony Thompson, would assemble the bombastic band, Power Station, with his own solo hit, "Addicted to Love."

Here he is on that cusp, showcasing songs like "Intro/Pink Panther Theme," "Johnny And Mary," "Deadline," "Pride," "Best Of Both Worlds," "Sulky Girl," and "You Are In My System." The popular pop gems are here too, with "Every Kind Of People" (written by ex-Free bassist Andy Frasier), "Woke Up Laughing," Allen Toussaint's great gem "Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley" from Palmer's first album, and "Some Guys Have All The Luck," which he nails. He closes with a rockin' version of his hit "Bad Case Of Loving You."

Palmer adapted to the traveling rock 'n' roll lifestyle early on, as he was born into a military family that often moved. He started joining bands at age 15, and within three years he was fronting a 12-piece horn group named DADA, which evolved (with co-vocalist Elkie Brooks) into Vinegar Joe. Palmer made three albums with that band before finally going solo in 1972.


If you decide to download this show, won't you please consider posting a comment on the show's board? It only takes a moment, and believe me, it takes A LOT longer to prepare/upload a show for others to enjoy than it does to download and run.

And won't you please consider thanking Jetrell69 for this great Robert Palmer show?


Generously shared by Jetrell69,
and uploaded on DIME by TheCommish
March 2010