Very few groups could do what they did. At one concert I saw I counted 37 instrument changes. One song, they all played the keyboards and another they all played the drums. Zappa didn't change the instruments he just got more band members.
I had the pleasure to see them in Nashville, Tennessee when they were touring with Black Sabbath in 1972. Gentle Giant played first, then Black Oak Arkansas, and Sabbath was the top bill. But Ozzy supposedly had a case of laryngitis so Black Oak played a double set! But G.G. were great and it was a great concert all the same. Kudos for the upload for a very uplifting performance! Bravo indeed!
Back in - I think it was 1974 - I was voluntold to take the neighbours' Canadian visitor to a concert in Hamburg, 'cause I was of a similar age and I could speak English. The concert was Procol Harum. So we were sitting there in on one of the balconies in the very distinguished Musikhalle, when the promoter walked out on stage and announced that for (god knows what reason) they had decided to combine two concerts into one and the first would be by a band called Gentle Giant. Never heard of these guys before ... It was an utter tour de force. They played anything from chamber music to , well, what you see here and such like. In The Glass House, omg. We were blown away, completely. Sorry to say, Procol Harum after that didn't get a look in: they were just so pale in comparison. (no pun intended when I wrote that; then the penny dropped! rotfl)
Now the wings fell to ground as the miles they were crossed All the years seemed like days as the time it was lost For without his solutions and reasons for why He should come up for air to the town once his by So soon on his way Shadows from the pathways Memories of old days That the journey was long many thoughts filled his mind As he neared the stop always a dream he would find But the road that he knew could no longer be seen And the city lights flickered where lake waters gleamed With sadness today Hopes of joy yesterday Memories of old days Sky and the trees of his youthful time spent Only smoke, only paper. No colour or scent With sadness today Hopes of joy yesterday Memories of old days.....
Wow, is this great. The whole Art Rock movement of the 70s: King Crimson, Fairport Convention, Yes, ELP, Genesis --- these guys were on the cutting edge.
Absolutely. The European bands are steeped in classical, folk and jazz influences. Back then, amazing progressive bands and today symphonic metal bands like Nightwish, Epica etc. we took music out of schools and our music is suffering as a result.
I only ever saw Gentle Giant play once supporting Yes at The City Hall Newcastle upon Tyne, must have been about 1973 Yes had so much kit onstage they only had a narrow strip to perform on, great gig though Where has 50 years gone?
I have venerated Gentle Giant since the 70’s but only now watching this have I discovered Kerry Minnear played guitar as well as everything else! And to think that I call myself a musician…
Actually, when i worked on my university radiostation i used to had a show in which i played only 60's-70's era of music. Maybe you'll find something on the university's radio station close to you. 😊
not your point, I know, more about the radio/music landscape as a whole, but internet stations do; NTS, for example (they have all kinds of shows, however, I guess there are more specific stations for prog, rock, etc.)
I was privilegied to have seen Gentle Giant live in London back in the old glorious 70s. Thank you all you guys from the band for being such virtuos brilliant musicians!
I'd forgotten about Gentle Giant and came across this by accident. Folk-Prog! What great musical choices we had back in the 70s! I also remember members from this band back in 60s when they Simon Dupree and the Big Sound, a more commercial outfit (but still very good).
If I could go back in time and choose one evening to relive, it'd be GG at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles back in 1976 (or 7). No band, ever, was as great as that. Music that will stay with me forever.
There was no proper soundcheck. The band were called in at the last moment. Sight and Sound in Concert. We all watched it on TV with the sound turned down and the FM stereo tuner tuned to the radio. Many examples, Jethro Tull, Chieftains, Supertramp. There is a DVD of the whole concert. When English music was good.
Saw them at Balboa stadium in 1976 with Gary Wright, Yes, and Peter Frampton (Comes Alive tour). Gentle Giant was boo’d mercilessly, they really stunk. I never encountered them again.
In Montreal Forum with my girlfriend Manon we saw Genle Giant Live in Forum in Montreal the best Group prog ever with Steve Hackett Genesis Band , no doudt in Montreal Live !!!
What an incredibly talented (and under recognized) band. As someone who has followed and listened to G.Giant (other amazing prog. rock bands from this 70’s era) over many many years, I don’t think we will ever see this level of talent and song progressions ever again…
That would be a great Double bill. I saw them in the late 70's at a swanky venue in Chicago I think the tickets were $10. I also saw an interesting JT opening act UK that was also a great Double Bill
And more than that. John Weathers could write songs too; see "Friends" from the Giant For a Day album (1982). I believe Mr Weathers also plays acoustic guitar on that song as well. And when I first heard it -- many years after it was released, sadly -- I was completely convinced it was a previously unreleased song by XTC (with a melody, chord change, and vocal style that, to me, sounded like a dead ringer for Andy Partridge), perhaps an outtake from their English Settlement album (1982) or similar. In fact, at this point, I would not be surprised to find that the GG song "Friends" has been a big influence on Andy Partridge's more pastoral, folk-ish songwriting.
It’s a shame that such an awesome band’s performance was hampered by the people doing the sound and lights. They didn’t know what they were doing at times.
Yes, I saw these guys in 1978 at "The Joker Inn" in Elyria, Ohio. Blew me away. Every member of the band can play any instrument they want. Incredible!
A lovely song. I saw them on the tour where they recorded Playing the Fool. They were awesome, and hilarious. And everyone went, "Ahh" when the fairy lights came on.
1:34 - Kerry's synth not working in spite of him hitting the volume pedal, him realizing it and eventually switching to Wurlitzer for the second half of the phrase... and Derek chickening out of the high D at 5:20 - and who can blame him - that's *UP* there! Live music folks...
