On June 30th, 1971, Stephen Stills released his second solo album. The simply-titled “Stephen Stills 2” peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Top LPs chart and yielded two singles (“Change Partners” and “Marianne”) which peaked just outside of the top 40 on the Hot 100. Stills set off on his first solo tour in support of the album and brought along The Memphis Horns, the brass section which had played on the LP. Omnivore Recordings and Iconic Artists Group have announced the April 28th release of “Live at Berkeley 1971”, a previously unreleased 14-song album drawn from Stills’ concerts at the Berkeley Community Theater in Berkeley, CA, on August 20th and 21st, 1971.
The concerts typically opened with a solo acoustic set and closed with an electric one featuring The Memphis Horns. Stills had some surprises in store for the Bay Area audience, however, including an appearance by David Crosby on “You Don’t Have to Cry” (from Crosby, Stills, and Nash’s 1969 eponymous debut) and “The Lee Shore” (which had appeared on CSNY’s 1971 live album “4 Way Street”). The concert as assembled on this release opens with “Love the One You’re With,” Stills‘ infectious hit from his 1970 debut, and includes a medley played on piano of the Stills-penned Buffalo Springfield classic “For What It’s Worth” and “49 Bye-Byes” which he wrote and sang as the closing track of CSN. A number of songs from “Stephen Stills 2” were also played, including “Sugar Babe,” “Word Game,” “Know You Got to Run,” “Bluebird Revisited,” and “Ecology Song.”
In addition to The Memphis Horns, Stills was joined in Berkeley by Dallas Taylor (drums); Calvin “Fuzzy” Samuels (bass); Paul Harris (keyboards); Steve Fromholz (guitar); and Joe Lala (percussion). The original live recording was produced by Stills and recorded by Bill Halverson. Stills produced this first-time release with Kevin McCormick.
Stills comments in the press release for “Live at Berkeley 1971”, The intimacy of the Berkeley Community Theater seemed to serve as a focal point between the audience and the energy surrounding the social climate of the day. It was my first tour as a solo artist and these shows were raucous and unrestrained, captured here in these recordings.”
The concert will be available in 2LP, 1CD, digital, and deluxe box set formats. The latter will be available exclusively at Stills’ webstore and contains the double-LP set, four 8×10 photos by Henry Diltz taken during the tour, and a 12×12 numbered, limited-edition self-portrait framed lithograph signed by Stills. The box set is limited to just 100 copies.
“Live at Berkeley 1971” from Omnivore Recordings and Iconic Artists Group on April 28th.
The Fat Angel Sings 