Photos – Magic Band – Leeds 2011

Posted on by Opher

Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band were my favourite band of all-time. As they disbanded back in 1981 I thought I would never get the chance to hear that brilliant music again. With the Captain indisposed (and then later dying) it looked like the end. But then John French, who was the musical director of the band, put together a band to commemorate the incredible music of Don Van Vliet.

I went to see the new incarnation without much hope for great things. They did have four original members in Denny Walley, Rockette Morton Gary Lucas and John French (Drumbo) but I was still not allowing my hopes to get too strong. Who else could sing like Beefheart? How wrong I was. John French did an admirable job on vocals and the band were so hot they burnt a hole in the stage. True they did not look quite as trim as they had done thirty years before but they sounded monstrous.

By the time Leeds came around Gary Lucas had left but was replaced by the remarkable Eric Klerks. Here’s a few photos from that brilliant Leeds concert in 2011.

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Rockette Morton with Laser Beans

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13 thoughts on “Photos – Magic Band – Leeds 2011”

  1. Indeed, I remember the initial audience reaction to French, first time around in Edinburgh 2004.
    I always liked that live `77-78 period with Walley.

    1. I think there is only one period I wasn’t that keen on and that was the 1974 period with the ‘Tragic Band’ (and even listening to the stuff from that period – it wasn’t a complete disaster).
      The first album was extraordinary for its time – though a bit inconsistent. While blues based it was very different – not really psychedelic or Acid Rock – just different. That was when I first got into them (and saw them live) so I suppose I was acclimatised for what was to come later.
      The later period at the end of the seventies was a real return to form. Vliet sure picked out some exceptional musicians and Walley was spectacular (though Zoot still remains my favourite).
      So did French and the boys go down well in Edinburgh in 2004?

      1. Totally agree Opher. Yes, the entire audience was thrilled by him. I have a bootleg of the show, too.
        Yes, the `74 Moonbeams album was poor but I really like Unconditionally Guaranteed. And I’ve some Euro TV footage that is very well played. I’ve always dismissed the “Tragic Band” tag as the guys were actually great musicians with a fine lead guitar player. Also, to be fair, they were only as good as the material they had to work with.

      2. Yes. I hated that Guaranteed album and Moonbeams, but I’ve gone back and had another listen and they weren’t as bad as I thought. They just weren’t Decals.
        I think that band was put together too quickly and were under-rehearsed. They also weren’t into that Beefheart groove.
        I took friends to see them who had never seen Beefheart and they loved it but I was so disappointed – it just wasn’t the band I’d seen a year before. That Rainbow concert was probably the best concert I’ve ever been to.

  2. Seen the Drumbo reincarnation several times – superb, as these things go – the last time with Klerks and a new guy replacing Whalley who has played Zappa and sounded promising, though they were still bedding him in. Beefheart stuff jumbles your brain cells up and rattles your jewellery …

    1. Certainly does!!
      I’ve been surprised just how good the new Magic Band incarnations have been. (Same with Love – who are touring this Summer – they were brilliant – better than the original!)

  3. I saw The Doors Alive covers band last month and they were very good. I think they’re Dutch and the singer had early Morrison down to a T, on-stage mannerisms, the lot. Seriously, it could very well have been that Matrix club `67.

    1. I’m not sure what I think about covers bands. I think if I had the talent to do that I’d want to do something more original. I wouldn’t mind seeing them though – if they’re that good.

      1. I’ve never been to see any of the others that are around as I was always a bit sniffy about the very idea, too. But on this occasion it was a pleasant surprise.

      2. I’m always sceptical. But I suppose that if you can’t see the real thing then you have to make do. I’ll keep a look-out for Doors Alive. It seems to me that most of the old bands still making the rounds have become cover bands.

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