Chris Hillman Band (w/Pre-Firefall) - 1975-06-03 - the Other End, New York, NY

Chris Hillman Band
(featuring members of Firefall just before their breakthrough)
1975-06-03
The Other End, New York, NY
Audience recording, Good quality
Available in both lossless (Flac) and mp3 (@320 kbps) versions
Custom Artwork provided

Here again, is the remarkable Chris Hillman, from the tour immediately following the break-up of the Souther Hillman Furay band in 1975. Chris got together with old friend Rick Roberts and members of Rick's 'new' band, tentatively called Firefall, which had begun rehearsing together but had not yet recorded or performed as a group. This was the same gig, at New York's The Other End (aka The Bitter End), where just a few days later, Firefall would be 'discovered' and offered their record contract, after Chris Hillman became ill and had to bow out of the tour and Firefall continued several shows without him, featuring their new band and songs (That first Firefall show 1975-06-06 was previously featured here). Here though we have a show prior to that day, when Chris was apparently healthy, still very much in charge, and ably leading and running the show, which features a great selection of songs from throughout his career at that point (Byrds, Burrito Bros. SHF Band, etc.) with notable and expert back-up provided by the Firefall guys.
This recording was provided to me once again by our own David M. Although he did not personally tape this one, he received it many years ago from the taper, and it has been in only very limited circulation since then. Enjoy. 

1st Set
01 - Lazy Day
02 - It Doesn't Matter
03 - Bound To Fall
04 - Hot Burrito #2
05 - Heavenly Fire
06 - Sin City
07 - Fallen Eagle
08 - Rise And Fall
09 - The Race Is On
10 - Follow Me Through
11 - So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star

2nd Set
12 - Safe At Home
13 - Down In The Churchyard
14 - Bound To Fall
15 - Lies
16 - Colorado
17 - Time Between
18 - Blue Morning
19 - Hot Burrito #2
20 - Christine's Tune
21 - Follow Me Through
22 - Mystery train
23 - Take It On The Run
24 - Six Days On The Road

Chris Hillman - guitar, mandolin, lead vocals
Rick Roberts - rhythm guitar, vocals
Jock Bartley - lead guitar
Mark Andes - bass
Michael Wooten - drums

mp3 - Chris Hillman_1975-06-03_NY_mp3.rar

flac - set1: Chris Hillman_1975-06-03_NY_FLAC_Set1.rar
        set2: Gram Parsons_1973-06-03_NY_FLAC_set2.rar
New Links (Updated 12/02/21)

Firefall - 1976-05 - Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, OH - FM

Firefall
May 1976
Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
FM Broadcast (WMMS-FM), excellent quality
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and mp3 (320 kbps) versions
Custom artwork included

Here's another Firefall show, this one from 1976 early in their tour promoting their first album, or almost a year later than their 'Other End' debut show (available here). By this time they had added David Muse on keyboards and wind instruments to their lineup. This is another one I got from our friend David M, although he did not tape this himself, he got it in a trade way back in the '70's and it evidently has had very limited circulation. This one is unique because it is a high quality radio broadcast recording. As is typical for these radio shows, it has a much shorter setlist  than usual (such as than their other available show from this period, Paul's Mall, Boston 1976-05-05) but higher quality audio than the previously available audience tapes. So, enjoy this Firefall show, once again courtesy of David M. 

Tracklist:
First set
01 - Introduction - WMMS
02 - It Doesn't Matter
03 - Cinderella
04 - Livin' Ain't Livin'
05 - Love Isn't All
06 - No Way Out
07 - Sunny Day
08 - She Is A Song
09 - You Never Know
10 - Colorado
11 - Two Lovely Women

Rick Roberts - vocals, guitar
Larry Burnett - vocals, guitar
Jock Bartley - lead guitar, vocals
Mark Andes - bass
Michael Clarke - drums
David Muse - keyboards, saxophone, percussion, flute, harmonica

mp3 version - Firefall - 1976-05 - Cleveland - mp3 link here

Flac Version - Firefall - 1976-05 - Cleveland - FLAC link here
New link (Updated 10/8/21)

Firefall - 1975-06-06 - The Other End, NY

Firefall
1975-06-06
The Other End, New York City, NY
(Firefall debut concerts)
Uncirculated Audience (David M.) Recording, Good Quality
Available in both lossless (FLAC) and mp3 (@ 320 kbps) versions

Remember the story of how Firefall got its record contract (from previous Chris Hillman post) by performing in place of an ill Chris Hillman, and being signed immediately? Well, here is the very show (actually, one of a few shows at the Other End in NY) where that happened. This is another of David M's personal uncirculated audience master recordings (actually, one of the very last I have to share), and a great document of this historic show. So, once again, so much thanks to David for making this available for sharing here on this blog. For further info, I'll just leave you with David's own comments he sent to me regarding this recording. 
David's comments: "We went to New York expecting to see Chris Hillman. When we got there it was explained that Chris Hillman had gone home sick, but his backup band had brought out it's other members, as they were a new group on their own, and would play. So this was Firefall's debut in New York. It just happened that there were some record execs there, saw the band, and gave them a contract. Some notable things about the show is the number of unreleased tunes they did, some old Burrito songs, and Roberts solo stuff. Just into the 2nd set we got "battery fatigue", so I've only included a few tunes, you may or may not want to use. The rest of the set was unusable. Too bad, too, because there was some good stuff there. I recorded this a few tables back from the stage; decent sound. Traded it a bit years ago, but pretty much uncirculated now."
So, here is Firefall, at the very beginning, nearly a full year before the release of their first album. But, you'll note that they play 7 of the 10 songs from that first album here (so they already had just about everything written), as well as a good half dozen other never released early Firefall songs. Great stuff, and a historic show. Enjoy.

First Set
01 - It Doesn't Matter
02 - Do What You Want
03 - Tell the Truth
04 - Wedding Song
05 - Falling in Love
06 - No Way Out
07 - You Never Know
08 - Deliver Me
09 - Sad Old Love Song
10 - She Made Me Lose My Blues
11 - Mexico
12 - Colorado
13 - Give

2nd set (partial)
14 - In My Own Small Way
15 - Livin Ain't Livin (variable speed problems due to dying recorder batteries)
16 - Cinderella (fragment)
Note: rest of set unusable due to recorder battery problems.

Rick Roberts - vocals, guitar
Larry Burnett - vocals, guitar
Jock Bartley - lead guitar, vocals
Mark Andes - bass
Michael Clarke - drums

Taken directly from a previously very limited-circulation audience master recording by David M. This version prepared exclusively for The BB Chronicles by BBKron (http://bbchron.blogspot.com)

mp3 version - Firefall - 1975-06-06 - NY link here

FLAC version - Firefall - 1975-06-06 - NY FLAC link here
New Link! (Updated 10/8/21)

Also, get this previously posted David M-recorded Firefall show from a year later, recently re-uploaded with new link

Chris Hillman and Friends - 1975-05-08 - Denver, CO

Chris Hillman and Friends
1975-05-08
Ebbets Field, Denver, CO
FM Broadcast (KDPI) recording, Very Good Quality
mp3 @ 320 kbps

Here's another fine show from what I refer to as Chris's 'Firefallin' Burrito Brothers' tour. This was a quite early show on this tour, which took place immediately after the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band called it quits. Chris called up friend and former FBB alum Rick Roberts, who had recently formed a new band, called Firefall, which was practicing and playing together but did not yet have a record deal or made public performances yet. So, Roberts, along with his Firefall mates guitarist Jock Bartley (who also earlier played with Gram Parsons), bassist Mark Andes (formerly of Spirit), and ex-Byrd-Burrito Michael Clarke joined Chris to form the temporary and hastily put together band later dubbed the Chris Hillman Band, but here only referred to as Chris Hillman and Friends, for this series of concert dates in the Spring-Summer of 1975. These shows became most famous, however, for being the launchpad for Firefall, as towards the end of these show dates, Chris became ill and couldn't perform, so Firefall just took over the full show, and were 'discovered and signed' by Atlantic record execs on the spot (more about that coming later). But in this show, earlier in the tour, Chris was definitely in charge, playing a mixture of tunes from his various bands, from the Byrds, Burritos, Manassas, and SHF Bands. This is a fairly short set (probably edited for the radio broadcast), but is of very good quality. Previously, I featured a much longer show (2 sets from Main Point-Bryn Mawr - recently re-uploaded!) from later in this tour. Thanks once again to Rocking-Byrd and his blog (rocking--byrd.blogspot.com) for this one, as well as so many other fine Byrds-related shows. More Firfeall to come.

tracklist
01 - Intro
02 - Safe At Home
03 - Down In The Churchyard
04 - Time Between
05 - High Fashion Queen
06 - Colorado
07 - Fallen Eagle
08 - Christine's Tune
09 - Follow Me Through
10 - Blue Morning
11 - Six Days On The Road
12 - Move Me Real Slow
13 - So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star

Chris Hillman - guitar, mandolin, lead vocals
Rick Roberts - rhythm guitar, vocals
Jock Bartley - lead guitar
Mark Andes - bass
Michael Clarke - drums

New Link! Updated 07/16/21
Chris_Hillman_KDPI_Denver_May_8_1975.rar

Firefall - 1976-05-05 - Paul's Mall, Boston, MA

Firefall
May 5, 1976
Paul's Mall, Boston, MA
Audience master recording, very good quality
available as both lossless (FLAC)
and mp3 @ 320 kbps versions

Here's another rare, previously uncirculated audience master recording from our friend David, available excusively here at the BB Chronicles! Here we have Firefall, on the last night of a 3-day run at Paul's Mall in Boston, opening for J.D. Souther. This represents the first set of shows from Firefall right around the time of the release of their first album. Thus, they are just on the brink of stardom, but not yet well-known, as their album has just been released. However, within a few short weeks, their first single 'Livin Ain't Livin' would be a major hit, and their album would be the fastest album to achieve gold record status ever. The band is loose and casual, but play a very tight and impressive set, supplementing their 1st album tracks with Rick Roberts' songs from his solo albums and the Flying Burrito Brothers (it's interesting that the FBB songs get the most enthusiastic audience response, because most of them did not yet know any of the Firefall songs). Thus, although it might at first seem odd for Firefall to open for J.D. instead of the other way around, this is at the very beginning of the band's career. And it's great to hear them at this stage, with the songs new and fresh (and before a more 'pop sound' encroached), playing more diverse songs and styles (showing more of their 'country-rock' chops), and being just a great bar hall band. This is also a very fine recording, clear and having a full range of sound (David told me he knew one of the roadies on their crew and they let him set up his recording equipment right on stage). Great Stuff. Included are all the songs from the first set, as well as the songs that were different from the second set. Once again, I have done some minor editing to correct some problems (volume fluctuations, speed correction, etc.) and enhance the overall sound and show (One note: There is a very brief minor tape glitch/cut at around 2:40 in track 13 (She is a Song) but lasts less than a second. If you like this show, you may be interested to know that previously available recordings (good quality, too) also exist for the first 2 nights of this gig, and may still be available through Rocking'byrd's blog (rocking-byrd.blogspot.com). To round out this show, I have also added 2 bonus tracks (of different songs) from the first night (5-3-76) to this collection (mp3-only, however). I will also be posting J.D. Souther's set from this same night (5-5-76) very soon. So, enjoy, and stay tuned for more.
 
First set
01. It Doesn't Matter
02. Diamond Cut Diamond
03. Cinderella
04. Love Isn't All
05. Livin' Ain't Livin'
06. In Her Eyes
07. Colorado
08. Do What You Want
09. Mexico
Additional songs from second set
10. You Never Know
11. No Way Out
12. Sunny Day
13. She Is A Song
14. She Made Me Lose My Blues
Bonus tracks (from 1976-05-03 show [mp3-only])
15. Four Days of Rain
16. Two Lovely Women

Rick Roberts - vocals, guitar
Larry Burnett - vocals, guitar
Jock Bartley - lead guitar, vocals
Mark Andes - bass
Michael Clarke - drums
David Muse - keyboards, saxophone, percussion, flute, harmonica

---------------------------- a BB Chronicles Exclusive Presentation -----------------------------


mp3 version: Firefall_1976-05-05_Boston_mp3 link here
New Link (Updated (10/5/21)

FLAC version:  Firefall_1976-05-05_Boston_FLAC.rar

Up next, J.D. Souther's show from the same night!

Chris Hillman Band - 1975-09-22 - Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA

The Chris Hillman Band
1975-09-22
The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA
Very Good Quality Audience Recording
mp3 @ 192 kbps

Here's Chris Hillman and his band in 1975, which could have been called something like the 'Firefallin' Burrito Brothers'. After the SHF band wrapped up their tour in late 1974 and head back into the studio to work on their 2nd album, it was clear that the personal differences within the band had become a major problem. Ritchie Furay's recent conversion and burgeoning enthusiasm for evangelical christianity (aided and abetted by Al Perkins) was an annoyance to Souther and Hillman, who formed the 'Heathen Defense League' in response to repeated efforts to 'save' them. They each wrote their own songs and only came together to record them. When the album, the aptly titled Trouble in Paradise, was finished and released in 1975, to generally lackluster reviews and sales, and a planned tour was cancelled (supposedly due to an injury to Furay's hand, but possibly also because the principals had just lost interest), the group quickly disbanded. Actually, although Trouble in Paradise couldn't match the excellence of their 1st, it is still a quite solid album, containing gems such as Souther's title track and 'Mexico' and Hillman's 'Follw Me Through'. After SHF, the 3 stars quickly returned to solo careers and each released a new solo album in 1976 (Souther's Black Rose, Hillman's Slippin Away, and Furay's I've Got a Reason). After the breakup of SHF, Hillman, in particular wasted no time getting back out on the road. He called up friend and former FBB alum Rick Roberts, who by now had formed a new band, called Firefall, which was practicing and playing together but did not have a record deal or any recordings yet. So, Roberts, along with his Firefall mates guitarist Jock Bartley (who also earlier played with Gram Parsons) and bassist Mark Andes (formerly of Spirit) joined Chris to form the temporary and hastily put together band dubbed the Chris Hillman Band for a series of concert dates in the fall of 1975. Actually, it was towards the end of these show dates, when Chris became ill, and had to dropout of the tour, that Firefall continued the shows on their own, and attracted the Attention of Atlantic record execs, who offered them their recording contract, and they almost immediately began recording their first album. But in this show, earlier in the tour, Chris was definitely in charge, playing a mixture of tunes from his various bands, from the Byrds, Burritos, Manassas, and SHF Bands, as well as a few new tunes (such as 'Step On Out', 'Take it on the Run', and 'Down in the Churchyard') that would later appear on his 1976 solo album, Slippin Away. Here are both sets from his excellent Main Point show, and a very fine recording it is. Thanks to the excellent Rocking-byrd blog (rocking-byrd.blogspot.com) for this one, as well as so many other fine Byrds-related shows.

Chris Hillman
Rick Roberts
Jock Bartley
Mark Andes
Michael Wootten

Early Show
01 - Lazy Days
02 - Hot Burrito #2
03 - It Doesn't Matter
04 - Follow Me Through
05 - Heavenly Fire
06 - Sin City
07 - Fallen Eagle
08 - Step On Out
09 - Colorado
10 - Can't You Hear Me Calling
11 - Wheels
12 - The Race Is On
13 - Rise And Fall
14 - Mystery train
15 - So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star

Late Show
01 - Safe At Home
02 - Down In The Churchyard
03 - High Fashion Queen
04 - Four Days Of Rain
05 - White Line Fever
06 - Devil In Disguise
07 - Take It On The Run
08 - She Is A Song
09 - Step On Out
10 - Do Right Woman
11 - Bound To Fall
12 - Things Will Be Better
13 - Time Between
14 - Six Days On The Road
15 - Lies
16 - So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star
17 - Can't You Hear Me Calling

New Link! Updated 08/27/21
Chris_Hillman_Band_1975-09-22_Main_Point_Bryn_Mawr_both_sets.rar