40th anniversary of US Festival performance

Macfan4life · #1 05-30-2023, 05:59 AM

May 30, 1983

40 years ago today Stevie took the stage at the second US Festival. She played the day with The Pretenders, Joe Walsh, U2, Quarterflash, Berlin, Los Lobos and David Bowie on rock day.

I remember listening to the radio broadcast which was many days later playing parts of sets of the bands. Stevie's songs were Outside the Rain, Stand Back, and Stop Draggin My Heart Around. Stevie touched those songs for radio broadcast. I prefer the original tracks. There was a Peoples magazine story that featured the event. There was a really cool photo of Stevie in that article.

IMHO Stevie rocked the day. It was no White Winged Dove concert and was definitely more raw and spontaneous.
The highlights for me are:
Her intro to the audience after GDW but for radio it was her intro right away.
Her banter was funny. Telling everyone she was going to hand out the Wild Heart to everyone like Girl Scout cookies. She introduces David Bowie and says that he should hire her. The best part is her getting lost in the audience during Stand Back and literally fighting her way back to the microphone.

Even though the Wild Heart tour was about to begin or began, key parts of this band was different for this event.

Mark Goodman interviewed Stevie in that infamous swaying back and forth interview where she talks about Nightbird. Stevie and Mark were good friends and would do coke together. In the clip I am posting, Mark was flattered when Stevie told him that she would stay up all night watching him on MTV.

Total attendance 670,000. Van Halen had the biggest pay day 1.5 million for performing and was the highest paid. Fleetwood Mac the year prior was the highest paid. Stevie was introduced by her dad.

My favorite from this set is a rocking Outside The Rain, Angel, and a fantastic How Still My Love featuring Stevie's arms on windshield wiper duty.

After Joe Walsh's set the crowd was getting dangerously close to the stage. Some guy came out and kept asking and demanding the crowd to "Stand Back." He must of said Stand Back about 50 times. I always found that funny because when it aired on the radio, Stand Back was racing up the charts.

Clip of radio broadcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHeYPiDQDpE

UnwindedDreams · #2 05-30-2023, 06:15 AM

Holy smokes. 40 years. Who was in that band? Roy Bittan, Benmont Tench, Russ Kunkel, and Bobbye Hall?

I remember it was a really raw and rocking Angel. But I just love Christine's opening to that song. But I get Waddy wanted to put his own mark on Angel which is why it's guitar led.

After Gypsy, she also gazes out into the crowd for a stroll

Macfan4life · #3 05-30-2023, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UnwindedDreams

Holy smokes. 40 years. Who was in that band? Roy Bittan, Benmont Tench, Russ Kunkel, and Bobbye Hall?

I remember it was a really raw and rocking Angel. But I just love Christine's opening to that song. But I get Waddy wanted to put his own mark on Angel which is why it's guitar led.

After Gypsy, she also gazes out into the crowd for a stroll

Russ Kunkel and Bob Glaub did not go on the Wild Heart tour. Wizard was on bass and Liberty DeVitto was on drums.

BigAl84 · #4 05-30-2023, 10:00 AM

The powder was in full effect on this night. Wowzers.

bombaysaffires · #5 05-30-2023, 11:31 AM

that whole Stand Back seems dubbed.... if you watch carefully the vocals and her mouth are off just enough it seems like she touched it up after the fact

Macfan4life · #6 05-30-2023, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

that whole Stand Back seems dubbed.... if you watch carefully the vocals and her mouth are off just enough it seems like she touched it up after the fact

The US Festival was a big promotion and broadcast on radio stations across the United States several weeks after the festival. It was broadcast as almost you were hearing it live with announcers and commentary. Back in those days before the internet many of us were fooled to believe we were listening in real time. Stevie touched the songs that were making it for the radio broadcast. A few months ago this was discussed on the Stevie board and the live vs touched versions of Stand Back were posted. I was in the minority in liking the original live version which is still on youtube. I never liked the dubbed version because she sounds so nasal and constipated. The whole purpose of overdubbing is to improve the song. IMHO the song was not improved.
Her Rhiannon during this show is pretty raw. This is when all the coke and booze and cigs started frying her voice. But all in all a good performance considering what was yet to come.

Macfan4life · #7 05-31-2023, 05:41 AM

The Joe Walsh set. He sings Life In The Fastlane. You will see a very young Marilyn Martin. I found her backing vocals too strong and annoying. Always interesting he used a full brass section on this tour. The black guy with the cow bell would come out and sing "Everybody must get stoned" in the set.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B20UVGLLkTc

WatchChain · #8 05-31-2023, 08:50 AM

On May 27, 1983, Stevie played The Aladdin Theater in Las Vegas as a warm up show to prepare for The US Festival. I was in attendance at the Vegas show for my 13th birthday. The set list and band were the same as the US Fest. Great show, Stevie seemed to have lots of energy.

bombaysaffires · #9 05-31-2023, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

The Joe Walsh set. He sings Life In The Fastlane. You will see a very young Marilyn Martin. I found her backing vocals too strong and annoying. Always interesting he used a full brass section on this tour. The black guy with the cow bell would come out and sing "Everybody must get stoned" in the set.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B20UVGLLkTc

man his mouth moving on the video doesn't even align with the audio track. Don't know if his stuff was touched up afterwards as well, or just a bad video